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Original poster

Do secondary school teachers know about individual children's learning problems?

29 replies

NaughtyNigel · 27/04/2008 19:20

DD1 is rather dyslexic. not dyslexic enough to be classed as special educational needs though.
yet again she has come home with a note in her planner from her languages teacher (the 5th time tis year) telling her off for not being able to spell properly in german or french.
DD can't spell in english - let alone a language she has been learning for 6 months.
I brought this up with her form mentor at parents evening but it has made no difference.
she just gets hasstled for 'not using extra techniques to improve her spelling'.
She has a book to write down misspelled words and a pocket spell checker but as she points out by the time she's looked up a word she isn't sure of the class has moved on and she then gets told off for not keeping up.
Do teachers who only have a class for a couple of hours a week know much about them? considering that this is a class of 30 ish and there ar 9 other classes in her year group.
would it be unreasonable of me to write to the individual teacher? (DD does not want me to do this).
What do you think?

OP posts:
Heated · 27/04/2008 19:45

Yes, personally I'd phone explain in friendly terms that you and dd know this, it been identified by every teacher in previous years & she will continue to use spelling strategies but realistically that area is always going to be weaker.

I used to support girls with dyslexic/dyslexic type problems and the written aspect of MFL was hard. Given your dd gets no extra support time, could she do the spelling book/language strategies at home as part of the MFL h/w (not in addition to it, but take 5-10 mins out of the time she would spend?). Or agree with dd that in lesson she writes the 1st 3 tricky words she encounters in her book and do no more. It's pointless listing them all anyway.

If this is the approach your dd goes for then I'd also mention it in the phone call (explaining that dd not keeping up with the lesson otherwise) Ask if it's a good strategy? Do they have any other ideas? That way they know it's being addressed but in a way that best serves your dd.

REIDmylips · 27/04/2008 19:33

I teach 15 different classes a week and I hold my hands up and admit that i have forgotten in the past certain pupils needs. If a parent put a note in a pupis planner or sent a polite note in to me I wouldn't be offended at all (as long as it was polite

It certainly isn't unreasonable!

ten10 · 27/04/2008 19:33

Has your DD been tested officially for dyslexia, if so then it is the responsibility of the school to advise all her teachers of her learning difficulty.

So it would be fair for you to complain to the school and, yes, i would go in and talk to the individual teacher, (but not accusingly or aggressively)

if she hasn't been tested, then go and get it done as it will make everything easier.

twinsetandpearls · 27/04/2008 19:24

They should know as we all have access to the INclusion register , but when you have a large number of classes it can be easy to forget. Perhaps a polite note to the head of year which could be passed on to all teachers may be a diplomatic way forward.

I peronally wouldn't mind a reminder from you but if dd does not want you to do this try a more general approach.