Generally how much difference is there between written & verbal work?

[Katymac]

Is it different depending upon age or sex?

Is the difference significant?

Does it matter whether the verbal work is group or individual?

TIA

bump

Not sure I really understand your question.

But ime what children are given at school often depends on their ability level e.g. one of my dc is very able verbally but struggles with the writing, so gets different work levels and targets on each of them at school.

DD (12) is achieving far more now she is forced to work verbally

I was just trying to get a feeling for whether this was usual

Or if it was the other way around

With Dyslexic son his verbal stuff is far ahead of his written work.

That's interesting - Thanks

DS2 is dyslexic and dyspraxic. Verbal ability way above written. But use of lap top helps.

DD age 9 recently diagnosed dyslexic. She knows far more verbally than she can ever get down on paper.

It's odd isn't it

DD was tested for dyslexia when she was 7/8 and found 'not' dyslexic then

She has been working well at yr 7 work for most of the year (despite over a third of the time being off ill)

Now she is working verbally - they have suggested she is working on a yr 9 basis (ie producing oral work comparable with 2nd set yr9).

I am confused by it

could she have dyslexic "tendencies" rather than being dyslexic then? I'm not too clear on the distinctions but she may only have weakness in one area eg processing speed or working memory so that's why overall she came out as not dyslexic.

Maybe

A 2 year difference just seems odd to me

Well son had a five year difference at age 11 in maths and English stuff when had dyslexia tests. (i.e. reading/spelling was slighly below chronological (real) age and maths age was 16+. The tests only went up to age 16 apparently. His dyslexia is described as "mild but significant".

You or her school must have had some concerns at age 7/8 as you had her tested. The mental effects of having dyslexia are, as a Mum of a dyslexic (and intelligent) son (now 21) are to be a less than confident person and to have to work extra hard to achieve what you know you are capable of.

It's like crawling up a slippery mountain on all fours (for the dyslexic) whilst the non-dyslexic of equal intelligence would be strolling along looking around and admiring the view.

DS is the same, he has a lot higher verbal ability than his written ability. He is top set Year9 and his writing skills are now starting to catch up a bit. There was nearly 2 levels difference between his comprehension paper and writing paper at KS2.

He has never had an "official" diagnosis of dyslexia, but he is on the SEN register for a Specific Learning Disability.
He is just choosing his options. We have been told that he is oxbridge material because of his abstract thinking skills, but it worries me that he won't get the A/A* he needs.

That makes me feel a bit better

2yr is nothing then - she is reading at 15+, but she has always been a good reader

Bruffin - Son got 15% extra time in GCSEs and 25% at A level. Got 8 x A*s, 2 As and a B in GCSE and 4 x A for A levels. Now at Uni doing engineering degree (no essays!). He refused to apply for Oxbridge even though school said he should. Confidence issues. It gets better as they get older (imo) as the subjects are ones that they have chosen. IB (which needs a language) would have been a nightmare for him.

TBH I am struggling to see how DD is going to get help

Looking at "school action" & "school action plus": DD is managing fine despite her problems and is actually achieving better results with them.

This is so bizarre

DS doesn't seem to qualify for extra time pippop, he was assessed last term. They don't seem to have taken him off the SEN register but they haven't mentioned extra time for exams. He did get a level 7.5 for a history essay the other week and he was so pleased with himself, so hopefully he is finally catching up with himself.

How is your DD working at the moment Katy, does she have someone to sit with her and write for her?

Her friends are reading stuff out to her - but she is writing herself

She has a big black pen & thick black lines

Her writing has actually improved - her letter formation is much more careful - probably because she is writing more slowly. She uses a blob of blutack to mark where she finished writing so she can start again.

Weirdly because she is allowed more time she actually produces more work that she did before, and although it takes a bit of effort to read - word spacing is shaky and paragraphs non-existent - it is actually much better than before.

I think she has longer to create her sentence structure (because she is writing more slowly) plus she has to concentrate/remember what she has written because she can't just re-read.

It's bizarre - her whole style of writing has improved (with a few exceptions) letter formation, size of writing, word choice, sentence structure even her spelling which was excellent seems better

That really does sound odd. Less distractions perhaps?

Bruffin - He got the 15% when he was at a comprehensive school as their SEN person was only qualified to grant this amount. When he changed schools at 16 (to a private school) they made us get a v v expensive private pych test done (I think it was over £400). However, not only did this come out at 25% extra time but it was done to identify his needs for Uni and he was given laptop, scanner, tape recorder, special microphone, ink allowance and special help at Uni when he started. In otherwords not only was it worth doing for it's own sake but it was worth it financially! He wasn't keen to get the extra time but, can I boast here, he is on track to get a First in Civil Engineering at a traditional Uni. The Ed Phych said that giving extra time "levels the playing field" as he has a pretty slow reading speed too. His IQ was scarily high and the EP said his achievements (at 16) must have involved a huge effort on his part.

I am at a loss tbh - & the teachers are confused too

Could the teachers be giving her more individual attention due to her current difficulties?

Not sure

She doesn't have a TA - & anecdotally it's her friends that read to her, tell her what to write

The verbal work may be teacher led but it's odd that it is in so many subjects - only worse in languages

I'm wondering if it's 'something' to do with the amount she can process at once.....or something?

Most of my Y7 and Y8 pupils give far better verbal answers than written ones - my Y7's are near on bottom set, their writing is almost illegible, their spelling poor and they don't like writing! - however some of them give superb verbal answers in response to my questionning, and hopefully i cam keep them keen and interested in science so when their literacy skills catch up they will be delivering excellent written answers too

That's interesting Loshad - you talk as if it's normal; so I wonder why the surprise from DD's teachers