Is there any point in sending a dc to school who has dyslexia?

[onlyoranges]

My dc has been diagnosed with dyslexia. I am really concerned about his self esteem. I volunteer in school and when some of his peers discover his results I hear some of them whisper etc. He’s due to go to high school in a couple of years and I worry about his experience there. He works really, really hard at school but no matter how much he tries he does not reap the academic benefits. Over time that’s going to affect you isn’t it? He has a fantastic friendship group and I know they help so much by primary school and high school are different places aren’t they. I don’t imagine he will get any GCSEs so would he just be wasting his time and damaging his self esteem in the process?

My ds2 is dyslexic. We began home educating when he was 5yo, partway through year 1. School was not supportive, teacher refused to differentiate the work for him, he was being bullied, and his mental health was affected. Dyslexia assessment was done privately after he had been home educating for awhile.

Ds2 is currently 8yo (almost 9). He has made amazing progress. When I think of how frustrated and stressed he was in school, as he couldn't understand what they were doing and wasn't receiving any support to help him understand, I wish I had taken him out sooner.

My son is dyslexic, his teacher described him as "a formula 1 car with the handbrake on" He needs to learn strategies to release the handbrake and he can be a champion.
People with dyslexia often are very intelligent and just need to be taught how to cope. Don't give up on him, boost his confidence by finding learning strategies that suit him.
Also google all the famous successful people who are or where dyslexic -Einstein for example.

Must be hard to see him struggle academically but school is about so much more than academic success and he sounds like he is a sociable boy with a good group of friends. When my sons reached 11 they just wanted to be around friends and neither would have thanked me for home schooling.

It can really depend on the school how much support children get with dyslexia and you may be surprised to find the support provision is better in some Secondary schools especially in bigger schools where more children will have this. Have you looked into the local schools?

My friend's daughter had dyslexia and they hired a specialist tutor. She really grew in confidence when she had one on one support from someone who knew what she was doing. She is so much better at writing and reading now, although she is still behind the gap has closed considerably. Why not research local options for home tutors?

Agree dyslexia is not about intelligent , they dont need differentiated work a lot of the time, just strategies on how to work.

I am very dyslexic. ADHD also. As where alot of my peers in school. We have gone on to do great things.

Dont be so quick to write him off and say you dont think he will get any gcse's etc.

You say you worry about his self esteme. So you need to build this. Not just dismiss him and label him.

Richard branson, albert eienstein, leonardo da vinchy, walt disney, all did ok and didnt let it stop them achieving great things.

I suggest you do as much reading up on it as you can. You will realise one of the main "symptoms" if you will, is a low self esteme. You need to nurture him and not allow labels to define him. Find his areas of expertise and enjoyment and encorage them.

OP, I home educate my daughter using a mixture of online schooling and other enrichment activities because she couldnt cope with a mainstream school.
My other son is at school and enjoys it.
My other son did mainstream, then home ed for a year, then a SEN school.
ALL my children have SEN. I know what you mean about saying whats the point of school if theyre not likely to do well academically, but there are other points to school too. I think if your son actually likes school, then thats half the bloody battle won.

We HE one of our other children for the last few years and it’s certainly not education per say that I am questioning. It’s the way school manages it. I volunteer for one and a half days in school to help me understand the curriculum and to help a stretched school and because I enjoy it. I’m exploring alternatives not writing him off. It’s the school environment i am looking at and to see how that will work for him. I found the HE community fantastic for my dd when we decided she needed to leave.