My DD is in Year 10 and has been diagnosed with ASD. She is really struggling with English writing, and I’m not sure how best to help her.
At parents’ evening, I spoke to the school because my DD has been increasingly worried that she isn’t doing enough written work in class. Most of the time she only manages to write a sentence or two. She says she understands the work in her head, but she struggles to transfer her thoughts onto paper. She becomes overwhelmed very quickly and then shuts down completely.
She has actually asked for a tutor at home to help her, which I’ve managed to arrange starting after half term. However, she has her speaking and listening exam next week and so far has barely written anything for it. She keeps saying she can’t do it. She has asked both her teacher and a member of pastoral staff for help, but she feels she hasn’t received much support so far although it's possible they have tried to help, although my DD has said this isn't the case but I'm not 100% sure until I hear back from her teacher.
I’m planning to email the school tonight to reiterate that she really needs additional support, otherwise I don’t think she will be able to complete the exam next week, which is upsetting because she genuinely wants to do well.
She is a bright student. She achieved a grade 7 in her autumn report but has recently dropped to a 6. Her target grade is an 8. What she struggles to understand is why she is being graded relatively highly when she feels unable to complete the work properly.
She is also experiencing very similar difficulties with her art annotations. Her art teacher has agreed that I can support her at home, but it’s a very slow process because she becomes overwhelmed quickly and often shuts down after a short period of time. We have to work in very short sessions. Unfortunately, I don’t feel I’m the best person to support her with English.
Has anyone experienced anything similar with their child? I’d really appreciate any tips or advice on how to help her manage this and build her confidence with writing.