Weekly Private Tution for Dyslexia - let the battle commence/doing the right thing

[carocaro]

DS1 is 9 and his Step Grandpa kindly pays for weekly tution at Dyslexia Action. He's done it for a year and his end of year report shows there is progress being made. As he is primary age I have to take him out of during school time. Today is the first day and DS has just flipped his lid saying he hates it and won't go. He always come out smiling after the lesson, but hates being taken out of school which he loves. I feel mean, am I doing the right thing? We changed his lesson so he would not miss lunchtime play as that is important to him. I am very gratefull to my Step Grandpa as at present we could not afford the lessons, I suppose I am just having a mean/bad/evil mother moment, steeling myself for the foulness of his moon when I pick him up later.

Tell me I am doing the right thing?!

You are doing the right thing in getting him extra help especially as it seems to be working.

Does dyslexia action only tutor during the school day then? I'm surprised they don't offer an after school session. It's a shame if he likes it other than coming out of school, does it make him feel singled out as the others know he is going off for help?

My son has a weekly tuition organised through our local dyslexia centre but it's early evening, 7.15, and at our house. He's 13 though so tiredness isn't an issue at that time.

Thanks for your reply, I know it is right, of course! Just my protective motherly instinct kicking in when he's pfed up! Anyway DH is off today and taking him - phew. They can only tutor during the day as he is primary age and to be honest he's pretty done in after school, so I don't think it would work that well for him.

How many years has your DS had tution and it what ways has it helped him? How does it differ at secondry school when dyslexia is involved? Two friends children started scondary last week and they are already being tested this week!

I hope you don't mind about the questions, as it is always interesting to hear of other people's experiences, especially older children, looking to the future and all that! Any other top tips or pearls of wisdom?

Thanks so much.

Hi - sorry I've been out all day.

Ds1 has been having an hours tuition one evening a week since January and it has made the most enormous difference to him. After just one session he said he'd understood something he never had in class, the one to one was just what he needed and he really enjoys it. I never thought we'd be saying that about English!

Middle school were useless and wouldn't even test him even though infants had said they were pretty sure he was dyslexic, even after a doctors note, but he was tested fairly soon after he arrived at high school and they did some catch up work with him three mornings a week in year 7, which helped, but only up to a point, ie, when he was acheiving average results rather than below average.

He was in all bottom sets in year 8, which didn't help, as the learning environment left a lot to be desired [understatement!] and he had to work exceptionally hard all year to try and get moved up.We had really good support from his house tutor and with the extra English, which of course helped other lessons, he managed to make a huge change and he ended up winning the house award for outstanding effort and acheivement, which was FAB for his self esteem that had always been really low in terms of school.

We had to help A LOT at home, especially homework and planning, as he was so disorganised and had absolutely no idea how to go about projects for example, but by the end of the year he was pretty much working on his own and I just checked spelling.

He is now in middle sets for most things this year [top for PE] and really happy at school.
We are carrying on with his tutor and in fact, she is also going to do half an hour first with dd who also struggles with writing and spelling, and actually she is nine and was fine with doing it after dinner. Though of course, they're all different, it's only been once, we'll see how it goes.

Maybe you will feel he's able to do it outside school when he gets a bit older, especially if it's his only issue with it. It is really hard trying to make the right decisions when they're struggling. He sounds like he's got lots of support though. Good luck!

I have worked for D.A. and I taught outside school hours (as I am a teacher and I am working during school hours - as many of their teachers will be)
However if your school allow tutoring during the school day (not all schools will) and it works for you, then fine. Could something else have happened to upset him this week, as he's been fine up till now?

Thanks Guadslupe, very interesting to hear your journey, so glad things have improved for you child. It is an ever changing every thing, and we have to try and made the right choices which is so hard.

Conesylk - thanks for the reply, I think it was because it was the first day back to the lesson, he started school last Wednesday. Plus I got the time wrong by half an hour, I could have kicked myself!

However, he did come out of the lesson happy and the promised bottle of 7up waiting in the car certainly helped!

We will keep at it.

Thanks again.