in need of help/advice...

bessie
Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:23:47 +0000

You can probably get a teacher or school psychologist to recommend an educational assessment done by an educational psychologist. That means approximately 12 hours of testing, including IQ tests, mental illness screenings, tests that measure focus, ability to process different types of information, determine what type of learner you are (visual, verbal, etc.), and how your ability to perform academically measures up to your IQ. When the ability to perform certain tasks falls 1.5 to 2.0 deviations from your measured intelligence, then you are diagnosed with a learning disorder and will be eligible to ask for accommodations such as extra time, etc. It can be very specific. Sometimes, with math, it can be vision or spatial problems. The only way to know is to get tested. Insurance usually helps cover the cost. Some districts will test at no cost. Go private of you can. Tell your parents you really want to do better in school and just need to find out how you learn best. I hope you follow through- this issue will not just fade away once you graduate from high school. Good luck.