Gobsmacked at DS teacher's lack of understanding re Dyslexia!

[zazas]

My DS who is 11 and in Year 7 is 'officially' dyslexic. All his teachers should know this after in-depth meetings with the head of SENS and Form who said they would ensure all his teachers were aware of his specific difficulties.

We then all decided after one term that if would be best if he could access technology for his lessons and he now uses an iPad (since January this year) which has completely revolutionised his ability to take down notes, write up his lessons and complete his homework. So far all good until today...

DS Geography teacher wanted him to print out some work which he was not able to at school as the network was down. He did so at home, but it was apparently not the correct piece of work due to a combination of factors (not DS fault - validated by his step sister who is in the same class). So today the teacher said to him in front of the whole class. "Not so smart now are you with your high flying technology, what's wrong with pen and paper. I should give you a detention just so you have to write lines."

Seriously????!!!!

It is like saying to a kid - not so clever without your glasses are you trying to read the board, or now try and hear me without your hearing aid!

My DS can not physically create letter forms by hand, struggles with sequencing and can not copy from the board at all.

I can't believe he is so ignorant to think like this, understand so little and then belittle my son in class.

Blood boils as I think how I will handle this!

You need to take this up with the school. It isn't acceptable to treat your son like this and the teacher needs to be told that. Not sure at secondary who you talk to first - head of year maybe or maybe SENCO. If you don't get a satisfactory response take it higher.

I would contact both SENCO and Head of Year, tbh.
If you have email addresses send the same email to both if not ring both and follow it up with a letter.

You need to create a paper trail in case they dont act upon what you say.

That was an awful thing to say to a child who was actually trying to produce the work, another teacher who should be ashamed if her/himself.

I feel like I am teacher bashing at the moment but I keep hearing things like this and it is very worrying.

I was bullied by 2 teachers when I was at secondary school many years ago and I was hoping the culture of some teachers bullying children with additional needs might have changed but it doesnt seem like it has.

I hope you manage to get this sorted

what a nasty woman - poor ds