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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Could there be something wrong with DD?

58 replies

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:20

And the way she learns? She's 7...youngest in her year 3 class. She began at her new school in September so has had to get used to a new place etc but has settled in well. It's a very good school. Outstanding and really nice. Her teacher (I really like her) is well respected and all the parents speak highly of her.

The teacher has told me right from the beginning of term that DD struggles with comprehension when it requires her to think for herself....eg. they read a passage which describes a day out a little boy has at the beach....then DD has to answer questions on a worksheet.

She is fine with things like "What did they have for their picnic lunch?" because the correct answer is there in black and white...she knows it by reading back or remembering.

but when a question like "Can you describe what kind of clothing people might wear on a day at the beach?" she hits a blank....the teacher says she just says "I don't know."

The teacher told me to support this by asking similar open questions at home regarding books or pictures...but DD seems uncomfortable about this and says "oh i dont' know!" all grumpy if I ask.

She does have very good spelling, reading and writing skills and average maths...her art work is of a very high standard and also extremely imaginative...she draws detailed pictures and enjoys writing a story...her stories however are quite simple...eg.

"Once there was a little girl called Mary and she went to the shops with her sister Becky. They went to the park on the way and played on the swings. It was fun.Then they went to the shop and bought some sweets. the sweets were big and pink. After that they went home and had chips for their tea." I have paraphrased but that's very similar to her stories.

Prior to this she was at a small private prep which was very academic. They were happy with her. Her new teacher says she has been spoon fed and whilst it has gvgiven her strong ground in the basics she is lacking in imaginative skills and doesn't seem to trust herself.

OP posts:

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:23

I have to say that this problem surprises me as DH and I are both very imaginative and both work in the arts...DD has been around many creative people and attended lots of artistic events due to our jobs...we regularly engage in creative word play with both Dds and they love this...silly songs and rhymes and dances for eg.

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bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:25

It could just be that the prep school was not interested in encouraging the children to be creative and praised her for that kind of writing, ergo that is what she does. But that doesn't explain her difficulties in deducing, inferring and predicting when reading.

Is she very literal in the way she thinks and talks? If you said "you need to pull your scks up at school", what would she make of it?

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:31

I'm not sure tilly because I'd never say that....she DOES make jokes about words though...and change their meaning a lot...interchangeable words which can mean 2 things amuse her.

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ponyprincess · 13/01/2012 21:32

My daughter is similar age and her teacher says that reading a wide range of books (herself, you to her, books on tape) is the best way to stimulate imagination

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:33

The prep did VERY little creative learning. Almost no art. Which was why we pulled her out really.

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bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:34

Mmmm. Why don't you work on the deducing, inferring and predicting with her when she reads to you and see if you can fathom whether she truly cannpot do it, or whether it is just that she hasn't practised the skills enough. Start with simple picture books. I am guessing that she is a good reader?

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:35

She doe Pony...she reads both fiction and non fiction. Her reading age is over and above...can't remember...I haven't really worried about it. She is a free reader and can choose what she likes at school, she tends to read a book a week sometimes 2...not very prolific but she does like to read. She also love to do homework based on the books but that's mainly because a lot of it is creative in an arty way. Eg "Draw an imaginary room which the character might like"

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Harecare · 13/01/2012 21:35

Is it possible that she's just worried about giving the wrong answer? Have you tried asking similar questions while out and about so it's not related to academia in anyway? e.g. Right, we're going to the park, what shall we bring with us? I bet she'll suggest the right things. When you go out does she get to make choices? Maybe pay less attention to sitting with her and books and keep giving her options on real life things giving her the space to make mistakes.

bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:36

She would need to be able to deduce, infer, etc to get a level 3 in the KS1 SATs. - how did she do?

EllenJaneisnotmyname · 13/01/2012 21:37

From your description of your DD it sounds unlikely, but children on the autistic spectrum typically have difficulties with inference, prediction and imagination. They can be more skilled at concrete tasks such as reading/decoding, spelling, maths. They may also take idioms literally.

It may simply be that she hasn't developed the maturity yet to answer these types of questions. She is young in her year and her talents at the concrete tasks may make her apparent difficulties more noticeable. If she was struggling more with everything her comprehension wouldn't be an issue.

I'd be keeping an eye on things. What is she like around routines, friendships, interests?

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:37

Tilly the problem is that she won't read for me anymore...she likes to read alone and when I try to get her to sit and look at a book with me she wont'. Even if it's new...or a fave....she's always got something she wants to do more and I can't get cross about her not wanting to read with me can I? It's meant to be pleasurable.

I am not sure what deducing, inferring and predicting means. Is it literally that they deduce things from what they've read? And predict what might happen? Not sure about inferring.

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RitaMorgan · 13/01/2012 21:38

If her previous school was very academic, could it just be that she's very focussed on getting the right answer? "Imagine what they might wear" doesn't have a clear right/wrong answer so she is uncomfortable about making a guess that might be incorrect?

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:40

She is fine with friendshp Ellen she has made some new friends, had party invites and managed to keep some old friendships going too. At prep they said she was popular and pleasant as well as kind.

Her interests are drawing, moshy monsters, (eye roll) and cats. She doesn't really have any routines she sticks to.

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ponyprincess · 13/01/2012 21:41

Do you think it is just hard for her to get it out in words? You said she is very creative with drawings and things--maybe when she has a question like the what people wear at the beach, you could get her to just first imagine a picture in her mind, and then describe it?

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:42

MAybe Rita but surely a term at a new school and so much encouragment should have brought about a breakthrough? I DO worry as I display some traits of Autism myself....possibly on the spectrum...but what's the point in checking now? I'm an adult after all.

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Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:43

As write this I am seeing that a BIG part of the problem is that she simply won't work with me. She likes to do all homework unassited and just shows me at the end. f I try to instigate any work related activity she has a tantrum.

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EllenJaneisnotmyname · 13/01/2012 21:44

Inference is the reading between the lines. So comprehension of the concrete facts, the coat is red, etc, is the easy stuff. Its harder to work out that the season is winter because she's wearing a warm coat. It doesn't say in the text what the season is, you infer it from the clothes worn. That's a very simple example.

RitaMorgan · 13/01/2012 21:45

Infer means picking up things that are implied in the next but not explicitly stated. If the text is about a hot day, Jane gulps a drink of water - the reader infers that Jane was very thirsty even though there isn't a line of text stating "Jane was very thirsty".

That isn't a great example I know, but could your DD answer a question like "why did Jane gulp the water?".

bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:45

Do you read to her? You could do the inferring, etc with a book you are reading to her.

It sounds like it could have something to do with the style of teaching in the prep school The majority of even young children are able to infer, etc simply about what they hear / read.

She will need to learn those skills to cope with the demands of the wider curriculum, and particularly at secondary school where they, for example, in history have to examine various sources and support their inferences with references to the sources, etc.

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:46

Oh right! Would it be useful to look at pictures with her? Or even relate all this to Mosy Monsters somehow? Thugh I tried that tonight...tried to get her to imagine a new shop in the Moshy city...what it might look like and sell...she said "You can't FORCE me to make things up!" and got cross.

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bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:47

Aaahh - cross-posts! Perhaps she could have some autistic traits, especially if you have.

Original poster

BandOMothers · 13/01/2012 21:49

Tilly I am guessing it was prep school...but they had such goo results and all the kids passed for grammars and private schools...so it must have done something right?

I could try to do the inferring...if she'll let me read to her! So I suggest things do I? Such as "She must must be thirsty! Look at her gulpng all that water"!"

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bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:50

That response is very telling - "You can't FORCE me to make things up!" and got cross. It would not be unusual for a child on the autistic spectrum to say something like that.

Why don't you arrange an appointment to go in and speak with the school about your concerns? It sounds like the classteacher has a bit of a handle on it already and may be able to investigate further.

bigTillyMint · 13/01/2012 21:51

You could suggest things and model making inferences, etc - in everyday life as well as with books.

EllenJaneisnotmyname · 13/01/2012 21:51

Crossing like mad here! It doesn't sound like there's much to worry about her social skills, then. I certainly wouldn't want to scaremonger about the autistic spectrum from such little information. I'm only a mother to a child with ASD and a TA to another child with ASD, no expert! And obviously I probably have a skewed view of the world, just wanted you to explore the possibility. Girls are naturally more empathic and communicative than boys and are much less likely to have noticeable symptoms but can have their difficulties missed.

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