Special needs teaching

[Carlysimonsings]

Is it unfair to expect a specially qualified teacher when you are paying extra for lessons and they are part of a learning support department?
Especially when worried that your child doesn't seem to have improved at all........p

Is it unfair to expect a specially qualified teacher when you are paying extra for lessons and they are part of a learning support department?
Especially when worried that your child doesn't seem to have improved at all........p

What sort of special qualifications and why are you paying for lessons?

Dyslexia and because they are in a private school that says they are needed.

I would expect a qualified teacher who has done some additional training in dyslexia, yes.

What is the context? Is this a private school? Is your child being taught by someone with a teaching qualification or a member of Mums' army? I think that its fair to expect someone with specialist dyslexia training in a private school.

Is there any option for you to pay for someone outside the school to support your child instead? The reading reform bullitin board has information on how you can find a specialist dyslexia tutor.

None of the teachers at private school need to be qualified teachers at all. I would check what training the staff member had before paying for extra lessons to support dyslexia.

Is specialist tuition the answer or is your child like the 52% of australian kids who cannot read aged 7 who are brought up to speed with the aid of vision therapy and a behavioral optometrist? Or does your child have audio-processing issues? Would your child benefit from a precision teaching approach from an ABA practictioner?

Until you find the cause of the dyslexia you cannot be sure of curing the symptoms. Dyslexia association trained tutors do not have all the answers to be able to help all children, and they cost an absolute fortune. Statistically a behavioral optometrist would be the first place to start to ensure reading success.

I'm not sure why you are paying to have your child's special needs fulfilled, surely it's a schools job to differentiate work and meet your child's needs whatever they are? Especially at a school that you're probably already paying for.

YANBU to expect your child to make progress.

I realise that this sounds dreadful when you have been shelling out for private education, but are you sure that your son has dyslexi?. He may well be suffering from dysteachia. (Especially as he has made zero progress inspite of intensive help and small classes.)

Has your child been assessed by a proper educational pychologist so that you know for certain that he has dyslexia? Apologies if you have a definate diagnosis.

I think you would find this page interesting. It might have some suggestions on how best to help your son.

www.dyslexics.org.uk/

There is an entire industry of quack cures ready to milk money off desperately worried parents.

YANBU

I work in a private school that offers one to one learning support as requested and all of our teachers in that department have specialist qualifications in various SEN, EFL, SN and G&T areas. We match the child to the right support teacher for them. The support teacher liaises with the child's subject and form teachers and, if progress wasn't being made, we'd know about it early on and try something different.

Well the school is breaking the law charging you if your child actually needs the tuition.

You are in a good independent school it sounds , I am afraid there are a lot out there with unscrupulous head and an old boy network of inspectors who never expose such discrepancies....