Worrying about my ds...what you end up reading on the Internet - reading levels

[TapselteerieO]

Trying to become an expert on dc's condition, stay up to date with current thinking?

My ds is nearly 9, we have just moved LA and are basically starting the whole process of assessment again. We had verbal dx (ASD)from phsyc and consultant paed just before moving, and are trying to get both LA's to communicate with each other about support ds has had up until now, and get him support now.

Worrying that the new school is not meeting my ds's needs on so many levels but trying to stay positive - we are in the process of getting assessment at school and he does have support but not 1-to-1.

Ds was a free reader at his last school and is now on books for "struggling readers with sen age 4-7", at home we are reading Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Facotry - which was his reading book at the last school.

my concern is that ds is being held back because they are assuming not testing/ challenging his reading ability. I could be wrong, different LA and different approach to reading.

I am currently wading my way through reading [[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892026/ "Teaching Children with Autism to read for Meaning" to get an idea of the challenges that my ds might face and how to get the right help - tailored not generalised. Taking notes and breaking it down into bullet points for myself and future discussion at/with school.

It made me wonder what others on here were reading?

Might be useful to share. It actually makes me want to study for some kind of qualification to help children with ASN - because I hate the idea of them being written off. Though I am not sure where I would start! Just feel frustrated by the lack of imagination in education (I know funding cuts etc won't help) and the stereotyping that people with ASN face.

The books ds is reading for school could put him and me off for life, but maybe they are helping him and I just don't understand how? I have put a note in his reading diary for his teacher, saying what he was reading previously....

Any advice gratefully received - should I be getting in touch with an advocacy service?

Oops link again "Teaching Children with Autism to read for Meaning"

Hello Taps
This is an area of huge clinical interest to me.
I am an s/lt who works in this field as well as being a researcher in the field of reading and reading comprehension.
We are exploring the use of Headsprout in great depth and have statistically significant outcomes for a variety of children with all sorts of expressive/comprehension and learning difficulties.

The paper is good and cites some interventions we also use such as Direct Instruction. A very well known alumnus of the university I am associated with is cited too (Eikeseth).

I am about to leave for London as I am doing a training day for Mumsnetters on language, learning and reading issues in theri children (not a plug but you are welcome to join us-tomorrow near Liverpool Street) but if you look for posts under my name you will see I have made many posts about this.
It's of professional andd personal interst as my own child has language and reading comprehension issues.

There isn't much imagination or expertise in this area in schools because most teachers know terrifyingly little about reading as they aren't taught in on TT courses.
Most kids learn in spite of how they are taught, not because of it.
I can virtually guarantee no teacher you deal with would even have read a paper of that sort.

Cheers Moondog, I live in NE Scotland, so it is a bit too far for me, but well done for doing that! I will have a look at your link when I get back from the school run, thank you for posting and good luck tomorrow!