Dyslexia and 11+

[Ifyoubuildit]

Just been told that my 8 year old DS is dyslexic. I'm really gutted for him, he finds school tricky as it is.

We live in a grammar school area and have been told that my son won't get any extra time in his 11+ test as his overall scores in his dyslexia assessment are average. This seems so unfair, his verbal ability score was in the 99th percentile.

Has anyone any experience of this?

Those could relate to dyspraxia , perhaps even adhd or another spld. Several conditions can coexist. An ed psych can take a more holistic overview of his behaviour rather than focus so specifically initially

This is misleading and you would be wasting your money. An ed psych cannot diagnose dyspraxia and adhd - they have to be diagnosed by a paediatrician. If the assessor suspected either of these conditions, she would have suggested you see your GP for a referral. It is likely that she considered dyspraxia as she administered the BEERY. What did she say about that? Dyslexia is not diagnosed on the basis of scores alone. Children with high cognitive ability often develop compensatory strategies to support memory etc. Diagnosis is based on scores, observations and background information.

Thanks Koch. The assessor really knows her stuff and is highly regarded so we can only go on what she's said and I don't think the scores give the full picture.

My son is struggling at school, especially with writing, which doesn't really show through the scores.

If there's a case for a non-selective education system, this sort of thing is it.

Nectarine - I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at?

But those tests do not include motor skills for example, which could well affect handwriting, balance, coordination, concentration, reading from a board, team sports etc. Could your gp refer him to an Occupational Therapist?

We live in a grammar school area and have been told that my son won't get any extra time in his 11+ test as his overall scores in his dyslexia assessment are average

Extra time is based on need and scores have to be lower than 85. It is therefore possible to have a diagnosis of dyslexia, but not to qualify for extra time or other access arrangements. This will be true at GCSE and A level, so it is better to get used to not having the extra time.

In my experience, very able children with dyslexia take a bit longer than their peers to get going, but once they do, they are often capable of being high academic achievers. My DD (dyslexic, dyspraxic, and with auditory and visual processing difficulties) went to a super selective grammar school at 16 years on the basis of her GCSE results (no extra time), but would have failed the 11+ dismally. They do need a good work ethic though as they will have to be prepared to work harder than their friends.

Thanks Koch.

I feel a bit down about it all, how can he meet his potential if he's in a failing comp.

He doesn't really have a strong work ethic but he's only 8 so maybe that will change.

I really appreciate your insight. The dyslexia assessor said we might want to get another assessment in year 5 as the scores can decline. Will see where we are by then.

Ifyoubuildit - if you can afford it, I would try to find a specialist dyslexia tutor. Look on the PATOSS website

www.patoss-dyslexia.org

Ideally, you need someone with a Level 5 AMBDA qualification.

You could also subscribe to Nessy Reading and Spelling over the summer. www.nessy.com/uk/

Some good books are "Dyslexia is my superpower" and "The Dyslexic Advantage"

It is worth contacting private schools and discussing your options with them.

Thanks Koch, will take a look.