yr7 Dyslexia

[nokidshere]

My son is in yr7 and has completed the required cat tests.

Today I had a letter home saying that the difference between his verbal reasoning (score 6) and non-verbal reasoning (score 8) is great enough for them to flag him as a potential dyslexic.

To say I was stunned is an understatement. He reads and writes perfectly. Finished yr6 sats with 5b as the lowest figure and has never had any issues in primary (or since starting secondary as far as I am aware) with literacy.

We have had two letters home stating that he has settled well and they are very impresssed with him. So I am at a loss as to what to think.

Does anyone else have any experience of this please?

or any teachers who can enlighten me?

I wouldn't worry - they're taking responsible action and will assess him and the likelihood, given what you've said, is that they'll come to the conclusion that the cat test was a blip - he might have just had a bad day. I'd be quite pleased that they were following it up promptly - it suggests efficiency and rigour.

it may not necessarily be dyslexia it may be a specific learning difference/difficulty (SpLD). Or DS perhaps just had a bad day?

Its worth getting an assessment, the schools ones can be really good or not so good it just depends on the school. If in doubt get an independent assessment. He may read and write very well,it still doesn't rule him out of learning differently to the median.

Don't worry, its not a bad thing or something that will set him back. If it turns out he does have a SpLD it makes him all the more clever and resourceful for developing excellent coping strategies to manage his learning difference so that it doesn't impact significantly on him.

Dyslexia is not just one problem but a whole spectrum of memory and processing issues and as squeezedatbothends says it is good that they are taking responsible action. Don't get mixed up between Specific Learning Difficulties, of which Dyslexia is one, and ability. People of very high ability can still achieve, but nethertheless underachieve in relation to their level of ability. Both DDs have A*s in Maths and English Language at GCSE and yet have moderate to severe learning difficulties.

My son's dyslexia was picked up in year 7. He sailed through his SATS at primary school gaining a level 5 in maths & science in yr4 & in reading/writing by year 5. The only concern picked up was that he didn't like to read! My poor DD's dyslexia wasn't picked up till she was 15 & only because of the SENco at my son's school!

In both my DC's case, they were both able to read (DD much better than her brother) but it was the actual understanding of what they were reading where they fell down. As they progressed through their education, it was then that issues began to arise. Both had been reading before they started school & my knowledge of dyslexia was fairly minimal. I couldn't understand how they could be dyslexic yet achieve so well in English? The issues my DC have are with processing & memory. DD also has an auditory processing disorder so hears things differently to how they're being said.

We had both children assessed privately by an educational psychologist & she advised the schools what they should be doing to help the children. DD is now 19 & to be fair her dyslexia has given her problems with confidence. Its only now that she's beginning to find herself. DS is very academic & in yr12 doing AS levels & looking at universities next term. Scary times for us.

So in other words, don't panic & don't worry that this possible diagnosis wasn't picked up before. At least it's being dealt with now & if your DS needs any support, he'll get what he's entitled to. I would also suggest you do some research yourself. We worked out that DH is dyslexic & that its a hereditary thing in our family. On the plus side, my dyslexic family are incredibly creative & I wonder if that's because of how their brains are wired?

Sorry for this ramble. It's late, I need sleep but feel free to pm if you need to.

You can be a high functioning dyslexic. I am dyslexic, yet can write coherently, have a Maths degree and am a maths teacher. I struggled with spelling, learning times tables at school, and as an adult I stuggle with learning names (returning from a summer break is horrid for me!)

Thank you ladies you have put my mind at rest. Will let them go ahead with the school testing and see what happens from there.

My dyslexia wasn't picked up until I went to uni in my thirties.