Anyone know much about IEP's please?.......teachers/TA's particularly welcome!

[becaroo]

.....my ds1 is 6 in June. He has been in year 1 since september last year. He is a lovely boy and behaviour wise there are no problems BUT last parents evening we were told he is struggling with his reading and writing. It turns out this is a bit of an understatemen.t He seems to have difficulty hearing the sounds and transferring that to the page. He has 10 mins extra help in class every day. I had been trying to help him and we had been doing some phonics work each evening after tea.

HOWEVER, it really just wasnt helping so I asked for a meeting last week with his teacher. I feel ds1 may be dyslexic....I requested an assessment and was told they dont assess them this young (not true, a friend of ds1's in another class was assessed last term). There has been no communication at all since last parents evening on his progress (or rather lack of it). Then his teacher told me that he is on something called an IEP (individual education plan) to help him and has been for some time.

My dh and I were not told and knew nothing about it. Another mum whose son is on one told me that I should have been told, I should have a copy of it and that I should be "signing off" on it. I feel very confused/angry as surely the school should have told me?

On the one hand his teacher says "there is cause for concern" and then on another he seems totally uninterested.....its parents evening in 2 weeks...what would you all do/say in the circumstnaces?

I have started using the Toe by toe teaching method with him every week night after tea and he is doing well.

He did have some developmental delay when younger so it could be that too.....can I insist on an assessment - we really cant afford £500 to have it done privately.

Thanks.

Yes you can insist on an assessment. Go to your GP and he/she could refer you from there.

Erm with regards to the IEP you should have been informed but basically they are a load of crap and the only time I look at the one I have for the child I support is when it is close to review. Basically this gives targets and a criteria of acheavement. Ie TO recoognise numbers 1-10 - the achievemnt criteria may be: TO acheve this 8/10 times.

Genrally they do not look at dyslexia at this stage they are still getting a real grasp of language, however there are indicators and test available.

Perhaps speach theropy need to be involved?
Maybe there is a problem there?

Has he had a hearing test is there a problem there?

Hope that helps

They certainly should have told you about the IEP. Ask for copies of every IEP issued - they're usually reviewed termly at least. While their value is questionable, IEPs are very useful in providing a paper trail of evidence re what levels of extra help have been necessary, how successful the interventions have been etc. At a later date, if you are looking for extra school support, the IEP will give you more of a leg to stand on.

The school SENCo might be more clued up, but I was under the impression that it is very hard to diagnose Dyslexia younger than 7 because children learn at such varying rates and can then catch up with their peers very quickly. Go to the SENCo (before the parents' evening if possible) and ask for more information.

Firstly, sorry you've suffered from lack of communication. That is not acceptable.

Your friend is quite right,you should have been informed that your DS was on an IEP. The IEP is simply a plan of action to demonstrate how the school will support your child above and beyond the standard differentiation that takes place in class. So it may say something like, '5mins of letter sounds daily.' It is individual to him and is usually reviewed every half term. The parent usually is kept informed of changes each half term and usually meets with the CT and the SENCo once a term to discuss progress.

Have you had his hearing checked recently? I ask because sometimes children who are struggling with phonics are doing so because they are not hearing the sounds clearly enough.

I would make an appointment with the HT. State your concerns and say that you know that in order for your son to reach his potential you need to work together. Have you had any contact with the SENCo? If not, ask for a meeting. TBH, the CT's attitude is unprofessional and helping no-one least of all your DS.

Meant to add that TBH they're not worth the paper they're written on. That's not to say said child does not receive a bit more individual help nor that a parents should be kept in the dark. Rather they are paperwork for paperwork's sake.

I am a TA in a y1 class (since Jan) and refer to my pupils IEP document weekly. I base my time I spend with them - approx 15min one to one (or 30 mins if take two at a time) three times a week - around the targets.

I have a record sheet which I record any observations on and refer to the IEP target number on that.

I feedback to the teacher on a regular basis in terms of how the children are doing and if I feel they need to focus on anything in particular.

You should have signed a copy of the IEP and have been given a copy also. part of the document suggests things you, as a parent, could do to support - so you should be partially involved in it and can make suggestoions also, esp in terms of things you will do.

Has the teacher said specifically what areas she wants him to focus on?

My IEPs cover 6 pupils. I am currently focusing on literacy with these children. Of those 6 they really do vary a lot - but I am still teaching single letter, phase 2 phonics to most of them - so actual reading hasn't properly sarted at all for them.

I have one boy who has some communication problems in that he struggled to pronounce letter sounds and also struggles to hear end letter sounds, althhough can hear initial sounds. He has been assessed last term - so some form of assessments are definitely a possibility.

I just wanted to add, that it is extremely unlikely that anyone in your DS's school will be qualified to diagnose whether or not your ds has dyslexia, but they will be able to tell you if he has 'dyslexia-type difficulties'.
As several people have said you really need to set up a meeting with the SENCo.

Thank you.

So should I wait til parents evening (in 2 weeks time) and then depending on what happens ask to see SENCO??

Am quite cross about this IEP thing....my dh is livid. Not looking forward to parents evening

If you can, I would try and get an appointment to see the SENCo before parents evening, then at least you might be able to go and see the classteacher feeling a bit more informed and hopefully less cross

OK, will do. Thanks all x

hulababy, you are too organized. Our IEPs go into a file, sadly I just dont have the time to keep checking them and refering back. I do know what tehy are in my head.

becaroo, my DD has an IEP, when she first went on the SEN (special educational needs) register I received a letter from the school to discuss why she was being put on the SEN register. That was when she was in Year 2/3.

At first she was 'cause for concern' that later moved to 'school action' and she is now at 'school action plus' in Year 5.

Do ask to see copies of the IEP's. It will list any support your child is getting is school to help them make progress. Whether or not this support is really given is another matter, but its better than just leaving him to fall further and further behind. If he gets to the point of school action plus, a speech therapist or ed psych will be called in for support. They can do a lot more than the school can IMO.
Personally I would refuse to sign any of them, especially back dated ones as if they have been producing IEPs for your child without even bothering to communicate with you, I would want to know why!
If you sign them now, they will be able to say they did tell you and then you wouldn't really be able to complain.