dd dyslexic - results of private assessment -telling the school advice please!

[purpledolphin]

Hi just had my DD privately assessed as by EP as was convinced that she had a specific learning disability but not sure what, as she reads well, it turns out that this is because I spent a summer getting her to read to me syllable at a time (which I am glad I did as it has some what protected her self esteem) she score age appropriate in all the other SATs (end of key stage1) but the EP found her to be in the top 5% for verbal intelligence but with a processing speed on the second percentile, at least now I know why she was exhausted by school, I want to get the best support I can for her with out aggravating the school..... and with out them thinking I am a neurotic mother ( was begining to think I was before I got my DD tested but went a head with the testing as a result of support from friends and family) tips grarefully recieved

How old is she? School will probably be fine but won't offer consistent help appropriate to very bright dyslexics. I have 2 sons who are dyslexic, both very bright (oldest got A*, A, A at A level and is off to a top university) and the best thing I did when they were young was a book called toe by toe. I would recommend that. Later on, the extra time for public exams was invaluable.

Also you could encourage her to touch type asap, as she may get a laptop in exams, and use software that will read unfamiliar words aloud. My sons also found a kindle, which links to a dictionary, helped.

Is her only problem processing speed?

Did the EP say her memory was OK?

What help do you want her to have at school?

The first thing you need to do is send the whole report into school.

Then you can request a meeting with her teacher and SENCO to discuss the report.

But for slow processing all they need to do is be aware of the fact.

Incidentally yes see the SENCO, and hand over whole report, but my experience of state schools is that they will ignore it unless the very simple DST test indicates dyslexia, which it probably won't if your daughter is verbally intelligent. Post 16 was the first time my oldest got support - and I am a teacher at one of the schools they went to. And not afraid to be pushy! Do home support and jump all over the school if they dare say she isn't bright or put her down a set.

It's not true that state schools in general disregard private EP reports. Some do - most don't.

Nor is it true that most state schools even do the DST, or trust its results.

The only question is what you want school to do.

Does the EP make any recommendations that you want school to follow?

If not, how will school know what they need to do to support her?

Sorry to add bits... Another thing is to train her to make notes on what she reads. To give you some idea what dyslexia is like, look at an unfamiliar text in mirror writing... decoding (which is what syllable by syllable reading is) is barely scratching the surface. You can read the whole text and none of it goes in. Making notes - often as pictures or diagrams or a comic strip - embeds the content and concepts, which otherwise the sheer effort of decoding pushes out of reach.

Read the gift of dyslexia, too.

Well, maybe we were unlucky, indigo, but with 5 schools between them across key stages and a house move, and also asking SENCO friends of mine, the DST seems to hold sway. And again, across those 5 schools, bright kids in top sets of 30+ get very little in class help. I can only speak from experience, but would add that it isn't a barrier to success.

Of course bright kids in top sets get very little help in class.

Both schools my kids went to gave DD all the extra help they could because she needed it

The didnt care about her label.

All schools will help all kids as best they can given their knowledge, experience and resources.

The DST doesnt give the school any clue as to how to help a child.
A label of dyslexia doesn't give a school any clue as to how to help a child.

An EP report is meant to, but generally doesnt.

After you've read a few EP reports you've read all of their recommendations. You then implement as many as are sensible and you can afford - for all kids you can.

An EP report saying your DD has dyslexia doesn't bring the school more staff to help your DD or more money to buy stuff for her or more experience.

And it is highly unlikely to tell them anything they haven't read before.

"All schools will help all kids as best they can given their knowledge, experience and resources."

Which will probably explain why sleepysand had virtually no help at all.
DS1 is at a good school, they try hard, but 1 teacher and 2 TAs with 35 children; 3 statemented children (1 has to have FT 1-1) and another 5/6 with dx or significant behavioural problems, how on earth will my DS get a fair shot at her resources.

Rant over - sorry!

Thank you all has certainly given me food for thought, at least I know that they won't be offended by my taking in the whole report, and may be they will give my DD a few more certificates and remind her to register her team points, so that she gets some recognition of the hard work that she does also that they may cut her some slack with regard to home as I have heard that they are really strict in ks2 and ks1 home work was taking over 2 hours sometimes. I will read the full report when it arrives as all I have was the verbal feed back from straight after the assessment. Just another thought do you think it would be best to wait until I have the full report to inform them (my inclination) or do you think I should let them know as soon as she returns to school? thanks again to all [ smile]