weak sequential working memory skills - advice appreciated

[flonthego]

My 16 yo DD did well in gcses 4 A* 6 As and 2 Bs,art and maths.

she did minimal revision much to our frustration.

college have now assessed here as having weak auditory sequential working memory skills and have applied for extra time in exams for her. this seems to be on the basis of a questionnaire and discussion e.g. dialogue how did you find your maths exam - i had to work really hard to get a B ! do you find it difficult to be organised - i find it really difficult !

HELP

ON one hand I want to do everything I can to support her but on the other hand I can't help feeling somehwat cynical about this....

it also seems to have given her an excuse for not even trying to be organised. I can't do it because... rather than focusing on strategies to help..

any and all thoughts and help appreciated

How can extra time be a bad thing?

Maybe she did minimal revision because she didn't know how to organise herself and her thoughts or has become demotivated because nothing sticks. Are they planning to work on her study skills too ? Extra time isn't normally very long (10-25%) but still won't compensate for a basic lack of knowledge anyway.

flonthego

this can be typical for those like me who have an auditory processing disorder (APD). The same area of the brain controls both our auditory processing and sequencing skills.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a listening disability, or not being able to process all that you hear. running the alternative compensating skills in the working memory can be very taxing, and overload the limited capacity of the working memory, which most use for their self organisation. My self organisation abilities are almost nil at time especially when i am stressed, ot involved in carrying out a task. I have no sense of time (I married my diary lol)
APD is a life long disability there is not cure, and requires life long support, APD is one of the main causes of the dyslexic symptom, and many other related issues.
Extra time can provide the extra time those who have APD may need to process the actual meaning of the question being asked in an exam, I totally miss understood a question i answered in one of my A'Level Exams many years ago.

I think it's fair enough o be cynical. Some schools do game the system.

She has done very well in her exams, her parents have no concerns about her.

If school do have concerns they should be doing something about those concerns - rather than just something about her exams.

She may or may not have the suggested difficulties. An EP is the correct person to assess for these difficulties and make recommendations.

I guess you should ask school to see the EPs report and recommendations :)

thank you to dolfrog - very helpful

IndigoBell - what is an EP? Sorry new at this.

The report we have which is onlyl filled in boxes says that a full diagnostic assessment may be needed ? is that something we need to arrange?

i have asked to speak to the person who did the assessment but not heard back yet

alll input appreciated.

An EP is an educational psycholgist. And that is the person who would need to do the assesment.

School may or may not arrange for this to be done.

It's unclear to me how much of a problem you feel this is and how concerned you are.

If school aren't going to get an EP in you have to decide whether to go privately or not. They cost around £300 - £700.

schools certainly do play the system. which is not to say that the OP's dd doesn't have any issues that she could do with some help with.

my dss' school 'discovered' he had additional needs at A level - after fantastic GCSE grades, no extra help in school to support him, just extra time for his exams (and only after he had applied to Oxford - did come across rather as the school ensuring he got the grades, instead of helpinghim with study support etc)

I would ay you are right, OP, to be concerned that your dd might end up going down the road of 'I can't because...' - what woudl be more help initially is strategies and support to help her become organised, and study effectively.