Accommodations in classroom

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Well- D is having her first 504 meeting ever in high school & since I don’t know what has been tried, besides longer times for testing- and since she has a difficult time putting into words what she thinks might help- I’m looking for suggestions. Although the school will only admit to “specific learning disability”, she seems to have Dyscalculia ( math) dyslexia ( reading) & dysgraphia ( writing).</p>

<p>I apologize that this is long to anyone who wants to - but we share similar disabilities- which makes it pretty difficult for me to assign priorities to help her.</p>

<p>The only person who has contacted me- is another parent in the Seattle PTA- this is from an email I sent giving her history.</p>

<p>*What happened with my daughter is that she was attending a public K-12 school- she entered at 3rd grade. She was supposed to have pullout once a day- for about an hour according to her IEP.</p>

<p>She had pullout in 3rd & 4th grade, however in 5th grade- she had a substitute classroom teacher for the bulk of the year- and since she didn’t tell time and the teacher didn’t come and get her she missed her resource class. In 6th grade she again missed most of her resource time & I wasn’t informed, until I happened to be in the school & ran into the teacher. We didn’t have an IEP that I felt was adequate and my attempts to get more support from the principal and the district weren’t successful.
I did find outside tutoring, we did that for a while until it got to be too expensive.</p>

<p>In 7th grade, resource was scheduled as a class, that was better as it was just a support class and not pull out- so she wasn’t labeled as different. Unfortunately, it also was just a time for her to work on her homework & she was not tested to see if her IEP was helping until the last week of the school year. Because it was not helping, the 2nd semester of 7th grade, I asked to have her removed from SPED and told them why.
Even though she had tested at the 2nd% in math, they agreed that she would be removed. They did not give me any paperwork indicated test results- just a form that said that I wanted her removed.</p>

<p>In 8th grade, she didn’t have resource room, but it wasn’t until we received her middle school transcript that I saw, that they had not removed her from her IEP until the end of the year- again I made clear to them, that I was only removing her, because resource was wasting her time, not that I thought she didn’t need it.</p>

<p>When she began high school, they tested her and placed her in an ACE support class, that was neither an IEP or a 504- it was a full class period and half the time was spent on reading and half on math. She did so well with this support, they decided she didn’t need it anymore- and spring semester she was on her own. Which didn’t work out so well.</p>

<p>End of 9th grade I tried to get them to test her for a 504- the psych said she didn’t need it because her grades were fine. ( psych only looked at end of semester grades- not the Fs from tests) I kept trying all summer to get help from district, again in the fall, but I finally had her tested outside the district by an educational psych, who spelled out her extreme learning disabilty. So finally she got a 504, but they didnt’ put much in it. It did’nt matter that much, because we were able to work with teachers individually, but I still kept trying to get it formally added to 504.</p>

<p>( Incidentally- the 6 years she was at the K-12- we had 3 different principals, in high school, she had the same principal , who told me that if she had an IEP, she would have to have IEP classes- but she has had 3 different counselors-)</p>

<p>In 10th grade, she was still behind in math, even though she had never failed a class, and it was scheduled after school, so she had late arrival. She also took a summer school math class after 10th grade and was at grade level entering 11th, which enabled her to take chemistry- in which she received an A spring semester.</p>

<p>Senior year ( this year)- she is taking physics- but she has a new teacher & she flunked fall semester- she received A’s & B’s in labs and classwork, N’s & D’s in homework and on tests- tests are weighted 40% of grade. ( btw- she is getting a B in pre-calc which is going over similar material)</p>

<p>It just doesn’t seem right, that someone who has learning differences- is currently taking AP classes and is working very hard & doesn’t miss class, can’t be assessed in a way that is appropriate.*</p>

<p>D has processing difficulties- lack of phonemic awareness- needs extra time & she also may have difficulty understand the framing of the questions.</p>

<p>I know in one of my current classes- the way the questions were worded- even though I and others thought we understood and answered the question- it wasn’t quite what the instructor was looking for.</p>

<p>Appreciate any suggestions -</p>

2

<p>Wow-what a coincidence I saw this post. I just spent the last 4 hours preparing for a school meeting regarding my D’s dyslexia/processing/lack of phonemic awareness/reading decoding etc. issues. She is in 5th grade and has been identified and had an IEP since age 3. </p>

<p>If your D is a sr., time is of the utmost essence. Schools in general move slowly; special ed districts move in snail time. It is extremely frustrating.</p>

<p>I am in the midwest and am not familar with your state. However, although there will be state special ed laws, federal laws (No Child Left Behind) etc. will supercede them. In general, parents have far more protection than they know and many things that are legally required of the school district to provide. However, many school districts, special ed co-ops, and school provided psychs are masters at disguising and hiding this. I realize funding and time available are limited, but really, I have seen some horror stories.</p>

<p>Learn as much of this law as possible and what/how it applies to your daughter’s situation. A very good website is <a href=“http://www.wrightslaw.com%5B/url%5D”>www.wrightslaw.com</a>. They are a husband/wife team. He was in special ed as a student and is now a lawyer fighting to help those who are in his former position.</p>

<p>Because your time available is so short, I would highly advise finding a special ed parent-advocate in your area. These are specially trained, wonderful people who have been in your shoes and know how to navigate the system. It is an incredibly complex, frightening, and frustrating system. They will give you incredible support, knowledge, and assistance. Their services are usually free. </p>

<p>PM me if I can be of additional assistance.</p>

3

<p>^^What a goldmine that wrightslaw website is!</p>

<p>My thought was she might ask for all the teacher’s lecture notes to be handed to her. If she has disgraphia, the time it takes to write notes might interfere with her processing of the ideas under discussion.</p>

<p>In college there is an accommodation called “note-takers” so the h.s. shouldn’t freak out over this suggestion. Perhaps now, one of the best note-takers in the class could agree to xerox the class notes. Your D can still make as many notes (or none) as she can during the lectures, but points won’t be missed this way. Gradually she might increase the numbers of notes she writes down, but it would take a lot of pressure off. She could listen harder, think, and speak up a bit during classes.</p>

<p>As well (maybe eventually…) can somebody teach her some adapted note-taking skills using arrows and graphics instead of words? Anything drawn quickly. For typical course words such as “because” or “therefore” she should have a little dot or something.</p>

<p>Can she tape the class and listen to it all again at home for anything she missed? Audiotape or even videocamera? The machines are so tiny and unobtrusive today.</p>

<p>Preferential seating. Right under the teacher’s nose.</p>

<p>Take-home tests that you monitor for honesty, so others don’t resent her extra time.</p>

<p>A quiet place to take any test in school.</p>

<p>An organizing stop at the GC office each day before leaving school, to ensure every assignment is written down and accounted for, all the right papers and books go home in the bookbag for the evening.</p>

<p>Hugs to everyone in your family, too.</p>

<p>EDIT: Placement with teachers conversant with special education, even if they are the regular course teachers. The principals know who has previous training or is more emphathetic to help individual learning styles. Her course schedule should be reviewed and placement encouraged with such teachers.</p>

<p>It might be tough. My BIL does a lot of advocacy work and he says the high school teachers are very harsh compared to the elementary teachers on the issue of accommodations. He sees it this way: HS teachers think ‘extra time’ is a big deal. Why is extra time a big deal? Every adult gets to decide how much time they’ll take to compose a shopping list, do their taxes, write a speech. It’s no big deal but the hs teachers act like they’re giving away the store of learning over this. Asking for even more accommodations drives some h.s. teachers nuts. So be prepared.</p>

4

<p>A few more ideas:</p>

<p>Have test questions read to her, in a different room by a teacher’s aide.</p>

<p>In addition, be allowed to pin down, in brief discussion with the aide, exactly what is being asked, before she begins to write or say her answer.</p>

<p>Some parts of a written test might instead be done orally, where the teacher’s aide asks a question and the kid answers orally, with the t.a. taking jot-notes on the information points the kid can say (teacher evaluates and grades the answers later).</p>

<p>For example, if the test question is, “Name five causes of the French Revolution…” this student might be able to name five of them orally but only find time to write down one.</p>

<p>“Frequent breaks.” ANd: if she’s allowed double time on a one-hour test, she should also get a ten minute break to walk around that doesn’t count against the test, rather than sitting in one spot for two hours straight. PPhysically, there’s a huge difference in the second hour if she’s had a break.</p>

<p>Keep the emphasis on testing as a way to determine what she knows, and not an endurance game about how she can sit through or psych out the test.
Work backwards from there: we are trying to find out what she knows.</p>

5

<p>P3T - Wonderful suggestions! I have printed them and filed them in my IEP working folder.</p>

<p>Emeraldkity4 - Here is a link which also had a listing and descriptions of 16 accommodations for students in similar situations such as yours. Some of them are repeats from P3T’s suggestions. Some of them I would have never thought of, and they make very good sense.</p>

<p>All of this address needs to go on one line (it fills the browser window) If this doesn’t work, let me know. When I emailed it to myself to check, it did access the site via the link in the email.</p>

<p>(no space between the w’s–having trouble getting this to list properly)
w w w.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/
Accommodating<em>Students</em>with<em>Dyslexia</em>In<em>All</em>Classroom_Settings.pdf</p>

6

<p>Thanks for all the help- I have tried to do it by myself most of hte time- but I get so overwhelmed reading all the legal stuff that I feel like shoving it under the bed- it helps alot to have it condensed -
thanks again</p>

7

<p>D meeting got bumped back to Tuesday so it is giving me more time to research.</p>

<p>I think I am getting closer to what issues that both of us have-( older D too) we have attention issues to be sure- but in the US things are separated out, so that it is harder to find an approach that encompasses all the various difficulties.
<a href=“http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/services/gu_symptoms.php[/url]”>http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/services/gu_symptoms.php&lt;/a&gt;
In the UK however & New Zealand & Australia, I am finding that what they call dyspraxia- is right on the money of the areas where we have problems.</p>

<p>US only recognizes it- if symptoms are quite severe, but having all these issues together-but mild enough so that an individual can “pass” for NT ( neuro typical), is still enough to have an accumulative effect on daily life.
<a href=“http://www.abdo.ie/dyspraxia.html[/url]”>http://www.abdo.ie/dyspraxia.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Ive been asking my mom, about some of the things I remember from my childhood, like when I used to eat leaves, tear holes in my clothing with my teeth or gnaw on my windowsill- and she replied because the boy across the street used to eat flies off the windowsill, so she didn’t think it was a problem. ( I also think that related to more that he was 2 years old at the time- I was much older). Everything else I ask about- she doesn’t remember
No other relatives except my younger siblings to put together my early childhood.</p>

<p>Anyway- I feel like I am getting closer to getting some meaningful help & I really appreciate the support from you guys.</p>

<p>I just have to find a neuropysch who knows enough about this stuff, that they won’t blow me off, like I have been in the past.
It may seem odd to still be looking for a diagnosis, but Ive’ always felt like I wasn’t trying hard enough- & it is much more than mild attention problems.</p>

<p>Well I have to finish my take home test- I have class in a few hours !</p>

8

<p>Since you are in the Seattle area try contacting this professional for a diagnosis:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.explanationsld.com/Explanations,%20LLC/Who%20We%20Are.html[/url]”>http://www.explanationsld.com/Explanations,%20LLC/Who%20We%20Are.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I also live in the Seattle area so you can private message me if you wish to discuss further. Dyspraxia has been diagnosed in our family and I’ve looked at this subject off and on for the last 10 years so I am well aware of dyspraxia and how it manifests.</p>

9

<p>thanks for the tip westcoastmom- I am going to PM you</p>

<p>We had her meeting yesterday- the counselor reminded me it wasn’t a 504 meeting ( I wonder if he reads these)
But it was helpful
In anycase it must have convinced her teachers that she needed more help than I could give because while I had printed out several articles on Lds that had suggestions & I was intending on handing them out to teachers- I spent my time shuffling them nervously :o</p>

<p>It ended up mainly being a meeting to cover what will be missed during her trip. Luckily, since it is a “computer” trip- her group will have computer access and can get assignments as posted on tehwebs!</p>

<p>I also really like her physics teacher- even though she isn’t doing well in that class. Actually her labs are ok- it is the homework/tests.
When I mentioned that one of my instructors allows open book tests- the physics teacher said that since the homework is similar to what is being tested - that D could use her homework- as a guide to strategies during the test.
I know that the 504 person wouldn’t have come up with that on his own.
I think that is fair & D seemed relieved.
She is already taking her test- partly in class, but finishing after school- so she is going to continue taking the test in class for the ones that she can get & then using her homework, to help her remember steps for the test questions.
Of course she will have to make sure she goes over her homework with her teacher first- so that she understands it!</p>

<p>I also appreciated meeting her AP American Gov teacher- & the pysch who came in on his own time for the meeting.
That was really helpful & he said that even though it has technically been three years since her last evaluation & ACT is wanting a new evaluation- he told me, he can sit down with her update & something because her fundamental weaknesses haven’t changed- so that she doesn’t have to go through extensive ( and expensive) testing again.</p>

<p>That made me happy. :slight_smile:
Cause now I can use the money to get * me* tested!</p>

<p>I am finding that contrary to what I believed- now that I feel I am closer to what sort of “category” I’m affected by- it is a relief. </p>

<p>Being a klutz- having poor visual perception, even though my eyes are corrected-short attention span-and did I mention the clumsy?
Not to mention having people look at me oddly when I lost my train of thought- a lot.
But even though I haven’t been “professionally” assessed yet-being able to think of myself as having a “difference” that is shared by others- and can be compensated for & that has it’s own strenghts- is a relief compared to feeling like I just wasn’t trying hard enough- or was lazy/sloppy/goofy.</p>

<p>I really have empathy even more now for a young woman I know, who has more severe form, along with some other things. I have always had a rapport with her- she is an interesting kid ( she is 19), and in many ways, she is bright- but she has many challenges .</p>

<p>I also appreciated the counselor- even though I have been frustrated with him & his style of communication feels very abrupt- he helped keep the meeting focused on all the things D has accomplished- really- considering she was in SPED for 5 or 6 years- taking AP classes in high school & leading school clubs is huge and I forget that- especially after I spend my day on CC reading about kids that are NMS and can’t pick between Cornell and Amherst.</p>

<p>Her current high school psych was actually also the same school psych that she had when she was in elementary school- and since he was overseas for quite a while ( Togo- coincidentally- since it is right next to Ghana where she is going Friday) & when she was in 3rd grade- I never could have dreamed that she would be as accomplished and confident as she is now.</p>

<p>He hasn’t really seen her much in the intervening years- so he was able to contrast and compare the areas where she has changed- whereas I forget what she was like at 7- because I am dealing with what she is like at 17!</p>

<p>:)</p>

10

<p>Oh, emeraldkity, my heart goes out to you. Some of the suggestions already mentioned, that helped my son (ADHD, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia) were use of a laptop, tests given orally (he always had a lot more information in his head than what he could transfer to paper), classroom seating so the teacher could maintain eye contact and he would have fewer distractions, extra time on tests/assignments, a ‘grace’ period for handing in assignments that were left at home or ‘lost’ in his locker/backpack, and his doctor suggested, but which the teachers tended to ‘forget’ was to give him full credit even though he may not have completed the 50 math problems. In other words, shorten the amount of work, because of the difficulty sitting focused for the amount of time it would take to complete the assignments can truly become overwhelming. Also, typically these kids have very poor spelling skills, and yet are usually tested weekly on vocab, where spelling counts, so an accomodation here could be useful. And don’t let people ask of you, “What will happen in the ‘real’ world, when they won’t be allowed accomodations?” These kids find their niche, find ways to compensate, etc. By the time they graduate from college, they tend to figure out what works for them. Good luck.</p>

11

<p>

</p>

<p>EXCEPTIONALLY wise comment, IMHO. Thank you, Marnik!</p>

12

<p>Two comments- I think the people who want to avoid any acocmodations because kids won’t have those in “real life” are missing the point that the kids can choose careers which work well with their style and not be constrained by artificial situations and rules- most of real life does not have to involve timed test type situations</p>

<p>also- be warned, in HS, the accomodations are designed to alow kids to work to THEIR potential. Out of HS they seem to only come into play if the child performs significantly below average. What does this mean? In very round numbers, a kid with 150 IQ could process at 120 and that is more than two standard deviations apart, therefore they qualify for extra time, as their thought train is constantly derailed waiting for the process to happen.</p>

<p>Kid is given extra time on, for example, SAT and still does not finish it, yet performs statistically at the same result level as unaccomodated siblings.</p>

<p>That same kid, at university would have to process at 80, two standard deviations below average…BUT unless one is physically handicapped, how do they even get into the top school if they perform that way and how do they give an accurate representation on the LSAT/GRE/MCAT type tests? Or get grades which show their mastery level on university timed finals?</p>

13

<p>*be warned, in HS, the accomodations are designed to alow kids to work to THEIR potential. Out of HS they seem to only come into play if the child performs significantly below average. *</p>

<p>THis is huge.
D #1 attended private school- class size of 15- mixed grades- very experiential- didn’t need accomodations.
D#2 attended public school starting in 3rd grade- had an IEP till end of middle school more or less.</p>

<p>When in high school- I tried to get her a 504 plan- the psych looked at her end of term grades ( mostly Bs) and said she didn’t need them.
If she had looked at her quarterly, or even weekly grades that seperated out homework and classwork from tests, she would have been able to see that she was flunking the tests & then was having a replacement assignment- thus working twice as hard, not to mention the impact on her ego re bad grades.
I had to get an outside eval, before they would admit that perhaps a kid who qualified for specially designed curriculum in middle school ( even though she didn’t get it), just * might* qualify for accomodations in high school
:rolleyes:</p>

<p>It also is a federal law that they get accomodations in the workplace.
What I am running into more- isn’t that people comment on accomodations in * real life*.
But they downplay the impact having “differences” has.
They say- they forget things - or are clumsy- or have attention problems.
They say everybody has that- and I don’t know if I had attended college and had been able to focus on what worked for me, without the distraction of having kids and a home to attend to ( let alone the H :wink: ) perhaps I would have figured out earlier strategies.
But I haven’t - or my strategies aren’t that helpful.
They are pretty much- forget about it until it is a crisis situation and then drop everything else to try and fix it.
Don’t volunteer for much because I will underestimate how much work/time something takes and by the time it needs to be done, I will have 6 other things that need attention too .
Pay attention to the things that are in my face & forget about everything else.
( so my yard is looking pretty good considering it is February- but don’t look in the house!)</p>

14

<p>“REASONABLE” accommodations in the workplace.</p>

15

<p>Right I understand reasonable-
It doesn’t have to be the best accomodation possible, but it needs to be effective for the situation.
And as noted- in the workplace- someone is able to go into a career where they have strengths, rather than always be compensating for their weaknesses.</p>

<p>My girls and I for example- make computational errors, but with a calculator we can ( well they can) do higher level math.
Oldest majored in bio at Reed and has taken Ochem, microbio & biochem, understanding big concepts isn’t the problem .
Even for D in physics, the labs aren’t the problem, she is getting an A in the labs.</p>

16

<p>emeraldkity4 - take a look at what is available of this book about dyspraxia on google books. The book was written by a teen. Do a search for dyspraxia on google books when you have time. It will give you a better idea as to where you might fit with dyspraxia.</p>

<p>[Caged</a> in Chaos: A Dyspraxic Guide to … - Google Book Search](<a href=“Caged in Chaos: A Dyspraxic Guide to Breaking Free - Victoria Biggs - Google Books”>Caged in Chaos: A Dyspraxic Guide to Breaking Free - Victoria Biggs - Google Books)</p>