AIBU to be cross - reversing letters

[CrystalSinger]

How come my DS is 9 and neatly finished Y4 and no teacher has noticed (or corrected) the fact that he consistently writes some letters as capitals.

He tells me he does this so he doesn't reverse them. Ie he always writes D (as in anD) so he doesn't accidently write a b instead of a d.

He has no learning difficulties and is doing very well at school. Writing is his weakest subject and he's a 3a in it.

This is my 3rd DC in this school. And the 3rd DC to not be taught the absolute basics.

The standard of education does seem to be somewhat lacking......

I teach plenty of kids in secondary who do it and it is annoying, but often it is too much of a habit to change it then.

My 15 yr old DS still does it.So what? I can't remember the last time I hand wrote anything that somebody else had to read.
Why are you not celebrating the fact that your DS is ahead of national expectations in all other areas,and giving his teachers some credit for that, rather than making a big issue out of one little weakness?

Brain Imaging techniques have show that dyslexia has nothing to do with letter/word reversals and is about how the brain processes sounds.

Galena - late starters are a problem when they're not on track to get a L4. Or when theyre not on track to make 2 levels progress. Or when they have behaviour problems. Or when they have a statement. Or when they have poor attendance. Or when they dont speak English. Or when they have a sibling with any of the above.

Maybe problems the wrong word. They're an excuse for the school not doing better in SATs.

I've also been told its very disruptive to both students and teachers. We get on average one new starter per class per term.

Like I said, I suspect what govs is told is very diff to what teachers are told. The HT does actively blame late joiners whenever stats are mentioned in govs meeting. In fact we're also given the stats without the Late joiners in them to show what a good school it is really.

She has def said how disappointed she is that we're getting new children with SEN join in Y6. Def said how annoyed she is to get children with poor attendance. Was outraged that she had o take a child who had been home educated.

And she def discusses all of these children with their previous head. And believe whatever the HT says.

JB - I have another choice. Just work on it at home and not discuss it with school. What's the point in raising it with his teacher at this stage of the year? If she hasn't done anything so far, why would she change by me talking o her?

There is no way a HT will believe a parent over a HT.

I wish I had a crappy school. But I really see no evidence that this is any different to 90% of schools. I don't see handwriting or spelling valued anywhere.

On this thread almost everyone thinks IABU for expecting school to ensure DS uses capital letters correctly.

Not mixing capitals and lowercase is a 2b writing goal. So its Def something his teacher should be concerned about.

Adoptamama - how on earth do you think a dx of dyslexia would help him to write his letters correctly?

All it will be is another excuse for school not to teach him.

How would it help him in any way? He does not struggle academically in the classroom at all.

School have no concerns about him. I've raised several concerns about him and they've dismissed them all.

In the end I paid a lot of money for an OT to tell them what I'd been saying.

If school thought he had dyslexia or any other problems I would listen to them. But they've made it very clear to me that they have no problems with him.

My other kids have been assessed by EPs. And it hasn't helped them at all.

His spelling problems are def not due to dyslexia but to poor teaching.

I don't think YABU for expecting the school to help with this, I don't think it's a massive problem though and I know it is something I did until I hit my early teens, I don't do it now though. I liked the links further down about helping children remember and it might be worth showing them to your DS.

I don't know enough about Dyslexia to comment except to say you are right in thinking even dyslexic children need to be taught this, even if they have to find different ways.

I DO think you have a rum HT though. Blaming in year starters for results is odd, be interesting to know if OFSTED would agree with her on that one! I am betting they would not, and she won't be able to hide results from OFSTED. As a parent you know your child better than any other person (including Head Teachers) and it's a sign of a poor Head if they believe the word of a HT over what you have to say.

You can still ask the school to help with this and keep on their case about it. I have to do this for DS as he is autistic, thankfully in the case of the school he is in, there are few issues.

Firstly it is not 'an excuse' - but it is a reason why expectations may be adjusted and additional support legally mandated through the provision of a statement. As to how it can help him - in secondary school it will, for example, entitle him to 25% extra time in GCSE exams. Just because he does not struggle now does not mean he many not struggle in the future if he has a learning difficulty.

And I don't think a diagnosis of dyslexia will 'help him write his letters correctly'.

But it can inform you as to the reasons why he is being inconsistent and open the door to support which can help him overcome some of the difficulties.

You posts are, frankly, increasingly hostile. And for no reason I can see. I have responded to you in a fair and polite manner. And in a way that was designed to help. Your posts, in comparison, are sarcastic and show you have a totally entrenched point of view. There is clearly absolutely no point in trying to have any dialogue with you. You haven't posted on here to get help but simply to slag of the school and the teachers.

We have a 25% turnover from KS1 to KS2, so plenty of later comers! Some have had special needs, some have been high attainers, some have been home educated, some are on their fourth or fifth school. As a governor I would expect to know the progress they make in each year they are with us from whatever their starting point together with the progress since KS1 ( since that is what the school is measured on) Sometimes the KS1 figures are realistic, often they are not! As a governor AND a teacher I expect each child to be treated as a member of the school community, not labelled pejoratively as some sort of nuisance!

What is this support you talk of? He needs help with his handwriting. Not a £400 piece of paper signed by an EP.

you don't get 25% extra time just because you have a dx of dyslexia. He's very quick and would not benefit from 25% extra time therefore he wouldn't qualify.

If he did need extra time a report written when he was 9 wouldn't help. It would have to be far more recent.

I have been helping my dyslexic DC for years. I know an awful lot about dyslexia - and about the support available in school. That is both why I think he doesn't have it and whi I know theres no point in a dx.

School won't even follow the recommendations made by the OT for problems he does have which do effect him on a day to day basis. An EP report won't help him, or school, at all.

Personally I think it's best to be open to the possibility your child could have mild dyslexia. (Or for any parent to be open about the possibilities for individual differences and special needs in their child)
We believe our dd does and this has been supported by both her learning trajectery (relatively late in reading and writing, and problems with spelling amongst other things) as well as through school assessments, and her being asked to take part in a study relating to aspects of children with dyslexia by a leading University. It also fits with her on-going problems with self organisation, which I think may end up being the most important aspect of the slightly different way her brain is wired for her throughout life. Not to say she and we can't do things to work on this. Only problem is I also have similar issues.
You seem slightly over keen to say your child has no problems with learning and to blame the school for not picking it up earlier. I understand your concern about allowing bad habits to go un-checked, but if it was me I think I'd be seeing it as interesting new information about my child and their learning.

SE - surely as a gov you're not told how any child does. All you're told is that x% of late joiners made expected progress.

If the HT is happy with that % there's nothing govs can do.

So what did the OT say was an issue for him?

You must know that if, in year 4, he is a level 3A in his weakest subject, he is doing really well. But oddly, your focus is only on the things the school, and your children aren't doing, or are doing badly. You also seem to have a rapidly developing sense of paranoia. And you seem to believe you can read minds/know what 90% of schools do/listen in on private conversations between heateachers.I think capitals are the least of your worries.

My pleasure.

It is extremely unlikely that a child who is writing capital B/D but otherwise achieving will get a statement of SEN adoptmama

Is he Dyspraxic? You mention an OT and if I have his eyes been tested to make sure he is seeing letters clearly. My autistic DS, who is also Dyspraxic has a lazy eye on the left which wasn't picked up for a long time. Lots of little issues have improved since he has been wearing glasses.

If the school are not taking on board the recommendations of the OT, then you conform my opinion that this is not a good school. Or at least not a good school for a child with additional needs. Where is the SENCO. Why are they not following the recommendations made by the OT, they absolutely should be.

and the new SEN code of practice is scrapping School Action and School Action Plus ...

So, at no point have you mentioned it to your DSs teacher and asked what s/he is doing about it?

Your DS sounds like he is being lazy - he is doing it deliberately and knows how to get them the right way round but can't be bothered.

Bloody iPad "have you had his eyes tested" not "if I have".

Sorry Crystal I X posted with your latest one otherwise I might have written it slightly differently.
I think it's interesting you have other children with dyslexia though, and still think you should be open to the possibility that this DC may also have it mildly, but has developed some excellent, creative coping strategies.
From what I've read dyslexia is a different way of thinking that can have positives too, especially regarding creative thinking. I think Richard Branson has identified as someone with dyslexia ? And I've heard various other famous people who may either have it or are thought to have had it.
Also I think it does run in families.
It always takes some adjusting to the idea that your child may have some special needs or learning idiosyncracies.

Tbh I feel they are letting you down and letting your DS down from what you have posted.

Then again he is doing well academically so perhaps the issue is not as serious as you might be thinking. Still very that they are not following the recommendations of the OT though.

www.dyslexics.org.uk/dyslexia_myths.htm

JB - yes he's dyspraxic. They did fizzy with him, as recommended by the OT. Refused to do write from the start or speed up with him and took a year to implement movement breaks.

The school has lots of good points. Particularly wrt pastoral care.

My Ds also has lots of good points. But this thread isn't a stealth boast about how clever my DS is, its a thread asking why on earth writing letters correctly isn't prioritised more highly.

And the consesus of this thread is that it isn't prioritised highly because:

• it's not important
• teachers can't do anything about it
• it's a sign if dyslexia

Well I disagree with all 3 of those points.

I'm happy for school to make considerations wrt to his dyspraxia. For example I'm happy for him to have movement breaks and a wobbly cushion. I'm not happy for him to write D instead of d all the time. Whether or not he has mild dyslexia.

As a governor I'm not told how individual children do but if I'm not happy with the percentage progress ( and even if the Head is) then it's my job to raise it. Late comers are expected to make just as much progress year on year as anyone else! ( and in some cases need to make more!)