Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Flip

Original poster

IEP ?

20 replies

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 08:13

My son has struggled right from the start with his maths, seems to have a kind of number blindness where it takes quite a while to understand something, but will usually get there in the end. Suffice to say he is one of the bottom of the class when it comes to most maths topics. Now with him in year 6 and about to go through his SATs his teacher has decided it would be a good idea (with my permission) to put him on an IEP, especially with him soon to be going on to secondary school.

Initially I thought it a good idea, but having read a little on websites I'm wondering if there is more to it that I ititially undertood from his teacher.

Can anyone give me more info about it and whether it is still thought there is some 'stigma' to it.

My son is bright enough in other subjects, just maths.

Any advise appreciated.

thanks

OP posts:

bigdonna · 11/04/2008 08:36

dont think it has a stigma my ds was on one for behaviour in playground its just so they have to monitor him and update records saying if he has improved or not.my friends dd is in yr 6 she only got a 3a for her maths mock (sats).she has no extra help none offered either.

ScienceTeacher · 11/04/2008 09:37

I think this is called dyscalculia.

mrz · 11/04/2008 13:18

IEP = Individual Education Plan basically lays out any problems and the strategies being used to overcome these and targets nothing to worry about.

PrimulaVeris · 11/04/2008 13:23

Don't worry, an IEP will ensure he get help that he needs (my son had IEP's for literacy, off them now)

There should be no stigma though sadly there may be from some other parents. If so that says more about them and their values.

Though if he's always had maths problems, it sounds as though he should have had this sort of help a long time ago.

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 18:21

Hi, Thanks for all your comments and re-assurances. Dyscalculia - yes, both I and his teacher wondered whether this was the problem, so the school tested him for it a few weeks ago. Of the Low - Med - High ranges he was just entering into the Med section for all except multiplication which was in low - which apparently indicated that he was not a sufferer - to be so would have meant his results would have all been in the 'low' section. For his age he should have been upper medium into high - so quite obviously he has a problem.

So by doing this IEP is this likely to mean he will have more 1 to 1 kind of sessions to bring him up, or how else would they monitor how well he was progressing in accordance with their targets ? I dont really want him to be going to his new school and being separated out into a special class for all his new friends to mock him.

OP posts:

ReallyTired · 11/04/2008 18:28

No one but you will know that your son has an IEP. My son had an IEP because he is partially deaf. He finds listening hard and the LSA makes sure that he has heard what to do. He also has a bit of extra help with hand writing.

IEPs are confidental documents. They track that certain strageries are working. If the school gets no where with improving the situation then they would get in some outside help.

constancereader · 11/04/2008 18:32

You will be given the IEP to sign before it is put into practice, so you will get a chance to have a discussion with the teacher about appropriate goals and how they will be monitored. The teacher will assess your ds each term (this will prob be quite informal and he might not know he is being assessed) and review the IEP, which you will then have to sign.

mrz · 11/04/2008 18:36

Gifted and Talented children have IEPs too

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 22:56

Thanks Guys

I guess, with one more term at Primary still to go then there is no harm done in agreeing to it. Am I able to pull him out of it when he gets to secondary school if things become 'uncomfortable' ?

OP posts:

hana · 11/04/2008 23:03

I wouldn't say it's something that you can pull out of - it's a working document - not just written and then shelved away until the next meeting - and will ideally give your son the support and resources that he needs during math lessons. they aren't a bad thing

hana · 11/04/2008 23:03

(am special needs teacher and all my students have IEPs)

bramblebooks · 11/04/2008 23:18

It's a positive move as it's putting strategies and targets into place to help him.

Given that he's got an iep, he will be on the special needs register (don't panic!), which means that they have to have your permission for an iep - so if you were uncomfortable with it, you could refuse. It would be more advisable to go with the teachers' advice though, take any additional help they can offer with both hands!

It might be worth having a chat with the Senco at high school; s/he will be able to tell you how they deal with children's ieps - in some high schools there is no withdrawal from class at all unless their needs are severe. Often, the iep gives the class teacher a framework for strategies and appropriate targets.

It's very appropriate to support a child across to ks3 - after 7 years of nurturing them and meeting their needs well at primary, teachers are keen to ensure that the child is supported across to ks3.

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 23:19

so does this mean he's 'on the IEP' until such times he manages to 'catch up' ? If he's going to be permantently stuck with a maths problem I dont really want him to go on struggling with a subject he just can't grasp. I'm sure there are millions out there who cannot get to grips with maths but have somehow got by.

OP posts:

ReallyTired · 11/04/2008 23:21

Why worry about your child getting extra help. The children who fall flat are those who don't have IEPs and need it.

Sticking your head in the sand won't make a problem go away. An IEP will make sure that your son gains basic numeracy skills.

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 23:22

OP posts:

bramblebooks · 11/04/2008 23:27

Having an individual education plan is a good thing as it means that there will be a focus on improving his skills and on adaptations teachers can make so that he can access what he needs to do. It will track his progress very closely. If he does have a permanent maths problem he'll need the support through school as it's a statutory subject (as you know )

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 23:31

Sorry Bramblebooks and Reallytired, your responses came in as I was trying to post my last comment - not just me up late on a Friday night eh ?

Suppose everybody is trying to say go with the IEP.

His primary teacher only mentioned it to me on the last day of term. As someone has already said, shame nobody ever thought of it earlier. So, he will have his last term at primary under IEP, but I'm not sure how to approach the new school in enquiring how they will handle things.

Oh dear.. am I worrying unneccesarrily (I know thats not spelt correctly ... one glass of red too many)

OP posts:

ReallyTired · 11/04/2008 23:31

Well the IEP means that the secondary school will get their finger to make sure that he can add up, substract, cope with money, tell the time, and be able to surive as an independent adult.

" dont really want him to go on struggling with a subject he just can't grasp. I'm sure there are millions out there who cannot get to grips with maths but have somehow got by. "

The extra help means he no longer has to struggle on his own. If your son does not gain simple maths skills then his options will be severely closed. A lot of employers require basic maths skills. Many employers, higher education courses insist on GCSE maths.

There are millions of people who (otherwise intelligent) who are stuck in menial jobs and on low pay.

I wish that my son didn't have a hearing problem. His IEP has helped him develop strageries for coping.

Original poster

Figgywoo · 11/04/2008 23:43

Don't get me wrong - he's not desperately bad at maths... he can do the basics, simple addition, subtraction, tell the time etc. just that he struggles to do very much more than that on his own, without me sitting beside him reminding him how to work everthing out.

I think much of the problem is what is expected of them overall at the age of 10, he comes home with homework about working out angles and long division etc, and he doesnt have a hope in hell. I sit with hime trying to explain it, but I know he's not grasping any of it. Now I know it was a few years ago, but I'm sure I was nearer 12/13 before I was into such maths.

So all of this makes me wonder at the back of my head, is he just slow to catch on, or is there REALLY a problem.

But in saying that, yes I know the IEP can only do him good, just so long as its not detrimental to his settling in to his new school.

OP posts:

AbbeyA · 13/04/2008 09:05

An IEP would not be detrimental to settling in to a new school, it should help because they will be aware of his difficulies from the start and will be able to help in an appropriate manner. You seem to think that there is a stigma attached-there really isn't. Gifted and talented DCs should have an IEP as well.All it means is an individual education plan.
My middle DS had one from Primary, all the way through secondary-I am very grateful because he ended up with 8 GCSEs above a C grade. My youngest DS had one for a short time in the primary school. It doesn't count against them in later life-no one knows. All that matters is that he is given appropriate help when he needs it.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread