Going to talk to DS's teacher. She thinks he's just not very bright, I think he's dyslexic. Help me present my case.

[LynetteScavo]

I've already been in to see her twice this year (apart from parents evenings)regarding his reading and writing and have always been fobbed off.

But this weekend, when DH asked DS to finish reading to the end of the chapter and they both nearly ended up in tears, I thought something has to be done.

DS starts off reading really well, but becomes very tired, very quickly. I think this is because he is exhausted from the sheer effort it has taken his to read one or two pages.

His writing is very, very slow. It's as if he can't get the information from his brain, down his arm and on to paper. His teacher last year understood this, his teacher this year seems to think he is slow because he wants his writing to be perfect.(He has good fine motor skills, so his writing is very neat)

He scored 5 on the Bangor test, carried out by a friend of the family, but when I showed the report to his teacher she wouldn't even look at it.

He doesn't reverse letters. This is why his teacher thinks he is definitely not dyslexic.

I recently bought some coloured reading rulers, and the blue one seems to really help. I will mention this to his teacher, but suspect she will think it a load of bunkum.

He got a 2c last year in the SATs (I was pleasantly surprised he didn't get the 1a he was predicted at the parents evening a couple of months before), but he now hasn't met his targets.

If he answers a comprehension question verbally,(after having the text read to him) he gives text book answers, but if he has to write the answer he will try to get away with a couple of words.

After the last meeting with his teacher, she was going to raise my concerns with the SEN teacher in school, who happens to be my DS1's Y6 class teacher from last year. DS1 is bright, and this teacher seemed to think he was stunningly bright. I suspect the school think I have too high expectations of DS2, after having a bright DS1. I know DS2 will never be "academic" like DS1, but I don't think he should be exhausted so quickly after reading/writing a short amount either. I think his exhaustion is due to a processing difficulty. When I mentioned this to his teacher she thought I was talking about autism. DS2 is the least autistic person on the planet.

I have an average DD in Y1, and while her reading and writing leave a lot to be desired, I don't worry about her, as she is able concentrate on reading and writing for as long as she wants to, without the sheer exhaustion DS2 experiences.

I would have a private dyslexic assessment if I could afford it, and am saving up, but I'm about telling the school I can't afford it. And if I could would the school take any notice of it?

I don't think a formal diagnoses, even through the school would change the way he is taught? Would it?

Sorry this is so long, and I'm grateful for any comments.

Have a look at Bibic. They are a charity and if they take on your Ds will assess him for a very low fee (think it is £50). It was recommended to me but for various reasons I didn't get Ds referred. A friend of mine got her dc referred and was very impressed at the support she has received.

What yr is your Ds. My Ds struggled hugely with reading until recently. He us in yr 2 and it would take him 40mins to read ten pages of a level 5 ORT book. He has had extra lessons with the SENCO and his class teacher teaches him as if he is dyslexic (not diagnosed). He does have visual memory problems which made learning to read a very difficult process indeed. His reading has improved hugely. Still not good but he no longer gets exhausted when doing his reading homework and it takes a lot less time.

Bibic is no longer free.

It was £50 end of last year. I'm sure it's cheaper than Dore in any event. According to the online check they have Ds is autistic and their very very expensive programme would help him. I was rather .