please help anyone with any experience of this...thanks all

[stillenacht]

So have had DS1's dyslexia report back which goes into all sorts of numbers and figures but the conclusion says:

"It is appropriate to describe A as having specific learning difficulties. Some of these are similar to those experienced by dyslexic children, but A has an expressive language weakness also."

So ....does he have dyslexia or not or dyslexia with additional things - i really want to know as i know he can access extra time in exams (am secondary teacher and every tom dick and harry seems to be able to get an extra 25% these days). It seems a little wishy washy as a conclusion.

Am very disheartened by the report as his reading comprehension age has come out at 6 years and 4 months (his raw reading is not much better at 7 years, the only glint of hope is his numeracy which has come out at 9 and 4 months)- he is 9 and 8 months.

Feel very let down by his supposedly 'excellent' (according to OFSTED) primary school. I asked about 'toe by toe' (?) last year to class teacher (his best friend is doing that scheme) and SENCO and was told he didn't need it (he has been on School Action since year 1). We have done everything the school has asked of us, extra reading, extra homework and he has a tutor twice a week (since last August) costing us a pretty penny.

I am hoping to send him to an independent school after he finishes primary where he can retake year 6 to try and catch up and then continue at that school until GCSE's (Its going to crucify us financially - both me and DH are teachers so not making big bucks).

Feel very as already have one child with severe SN (low functioning autism) and now my other boy is going to have all these problems too. My mum has three daughters who were all very studious and academic (I worked my arse off at school and Uni) so she doesn't really understand and just keeps saying ' It will be ok'. I just want to cry.

Ask for a speech and language assessment from the borough speech and language therapist on the grounds that your son has been assessed as having an "expressive language difficulty".
What areas of strength did the assessment highlight

also, if your son has difficulty with reading or writing he can still have a scrib e and/or reader without a diagnosis of dyslexia - it is dependent upon set scores of reading levels and/or writing levels. There are specific tests the borough specialist teacher or ed psychologist can admininster.
I asked about areas of strength as children with these difficulties can often have low self esteem and confidence. If this is the case use the info to build up his confidence

Stillenacht try also posting on Special Needs section - there are a few SALT who input there - also many parents with dyslexic kids. Good luck

I think part of the problem is many teachers especially those who trained to teach older children have had minimal training on how to teach reading and writing. What I hear continually from KS2 teachers is "but he should have been taught phonics in reception"
He probably was but for whatever reason (children develop at different ages and some just aren't developmentally ready at age 4-5 for this age glue ear is a common problem ~ I think there is some research that suggests on any given day in a reception class of 30 8 children will be suffering from glue ear)
he hasn't developed the skills to become a confident reader/writer. IMHO that means he needs to develop those skills not as so often happens "let's try a whole new way of doing it because that way doesn't work"

Totally agree with mrz (again!). The quality of support from the Ed Psych and LEA are another factor in my school - there is no formal recognition/help for dyslexic children at all.

We have recommended The Dyslexia Institute to several parents, as the individual programmes of work that they devise are excellent. We have then put these in place in school from around Y3 - the 3 children concerned left in Y6 reading extremely well at level 4 and one at level 5!

However, these parents had to pay for this. We have 3 more children whose parents aren't in a position to do this, and the Ed Psych (and the two before her) insist her role isn't to diagnose/recommend work for dyslexic children.
I assessed them myself against Letters and Sounds and we now provide a short session daily to ensure their gaps in their phonic knowledge are covered and to keep practising the sounds that they know. It's the closest thing to the individual programmes of work recommended by the Dyslexia Institute that we can provide, and it seems to be paying dividends.
More training is needed for KS2 teachers, as mrz said, and Ed Psychs/LEAS need to pull their fingers out, imo.

lol aprilflowers at area of strength...none really although his maths was nearly age appropriate.

mumoflazyteenageboys - the indie school is by and large non selective in terms of academic ability as we are within a grammar area and the GS schools tend to take the 'bright' prep school/state school kids and the really well off ones who traditionally stay in the independent system go to the selective academic schools.

Sorry i do sound very negative about DS. the Ed Psych described him as a splendid boy who is articulate and confident when talking to adults...I am proud of him - he is a smasher

Thats two things to reinforce and build him up over. Keep focusing on his positive - I know from my own experience how children with these problems [ including my dc] can feel worthless especially with the constrant round of tests im preparation for the sats. But by positive praise and positive language it can bit by bit change a child's mindset and self image

stilenacht - you might google JJ Educational. I use their material ("Second Chance" for 1:1 work with children in years 5 and 6 who have not yet picked up reading. You will see that it is good for children with a dyslexia problem and it is something you could use at home - one book per day. The booklets are very short and make sure that the child grasps how vowels work - which seems to be the thing which foxes them most. The basic books 1-35(phases 1 and 2) are what you need plus the vet stories for use after the phonics. The children seem to like them (boys too!).

hi catrion - i tried to but it just came up with a youth theatre and travel stuff - could you put up a link please.thanks

stillemnacht - it's www.jjeducational.co.uk

My kids' school uses an Australian programme called MULTLIT (making up for lost time in literacy) developed by Macquarie Uni here in Sydney. When we arrived I put my very dyslexic DS2 back a school year to start with (which took the pressure off a bit) and the school put him on the programme (I had to volunteer as a helper to get him a space). He went from being a 9 year old with a reading age of 6 years 8 months to a fluent, age appropriate reader, by the time he turned 10 at the end of the school year. I continute to work with kids at the school and the improvments for most kids are dramatic. It is a very simple scripted programme which takes about 20 minutes a day - the three components are phonics, sight words and reading using pause, prompt and praise - and the important thing is to do it as frequently as possible (DS's school ran it four mornings a week and I made sure I read with him 6/7 days at home as well). It is possible to get it to use at home (www.multilit.com.au).

DS1 (now 15) wasn't as lucky. He went through the UK system until he was 13 with the usual "there are kids much worse off than him, be grateful for any help you get" approach from his schools, and although he can now read and enjoys books, he still can't spell for toffee. The worst thing though is seeing how his confidence and self esteem was affected over the years. His starting point when he can't do something is still always "I'm crap, I'm useless". He is now in a very supportive private school (again back a year) and things have slowly improved over the past year and a half. I feel passionately that kids need intervention as early as possible to stop them getting to that stage.

Stillenacht, I do Toe by Toe at home with DS2, school just weren't doing enough so I just bought my own copy, its quite easy to use, sowe only have time to one page but DS is making steady progress and his teacher has noticed a big improvement.

thanks sunnydelight and wigglybeezer - and everyone else Everyone is so supportive.