Despite all this great talk, of “No Children Left Behind”, our government, is still allowing children to fall through the cracks. In IDEA, the bible of all child study teams, a child isn’t deemed eligible for evaluation, unless they are a year or more behind the learning expectations in their curriculum. (unless of course, they have a diagnosis, already that will affect their learning). So, children, who struggle, with learning their letters, the sounds that they make, the phonemic awareness of words, how to read, and all the fun stuff that goes with reading, can only be evaluated if they are a year or more behind their peers.
I am not saying that all children who struggle with reading, should be evaluated. But, I am saying, that since so much is now known about dyslexia, that if a child is presenting with the signs and symptoms of dyslexia, then, maybe, as soon as those concerns arise, maybe testing wouldn’t hurt.
Once a parent first sends their child to school, and entrusts the system, with the proper education of a child, they truly believe that the school is doing everything in their power to properly educate that child. That includes providing all the necessary screening, and testing needed to ensure that your child is progressing in a manner of which is expected. But, in the case of our government, it is considered normal for a child to lag up to a year behind their peers, in learning expectations, before they consider a learning disability. I am disgusted that a school can sit there, and tell a parent, that yes, your child is behind, but, they are not behind enough to be tested for a learning disability. Sorry, we don’t trust your parental instincts. Your child is just lazy. I don’t just blame the child study team, but, some teachers out there, are just not that sharp, or experienced enough to say to themselves, “wow, this child is really struggling with the basic components of reading, maybe there could be a learning disability.” Instead, once your child cannot read at the end of first grade, they tell you to hold your child back.
The worst thing that you can do, for a child with learning disabilities is to hold them back a year! Why? Because, that learning disability will not go away, nor will they do any better repeating a grade. And, think of the emotional aspect of holding a child back. First of all, they are probably already feeling defeated, and now, you want to hold them back, and they sink even lower in their self esteem. How is that going to create a positive learning experience.
So, instead of saying, to a parent, hold your child back, maybe teachers should look at the whole picture. Bring in the reading specialist at your school, have them take a look at the child and their skills (hopefully the reading specialist is already seeing your child). They should write down the specifics, and at that meeting to determine if they are going to evaluate your child, talk about the specific areas of deficit, and how that is affecting other areas of learning. Are those areas of deficit more than a year behind learning expectations at this level. Ask that of your child’s teacher.
Children with dyslexia are very bright. They can compensate up to a point, for their disability. But, the small components of reading are lacking. It is those components, that need to be evaluated. Not the entire picture.
But, why does it have to be an entire year behind? The earlier a child is diagnosed with a learning disability, the sooner the proper teaching methods can be Incorporated into the child’s curriculum. Why can’t the government recognize symptoms (just like a doctor does to diagnose an illness), of a learning disability, no matter how mild or severe they are? Rather, than saying, a child must be a year behind their peers, before they test. To me, it is like saying, OK, your cancer tumor is only grade 1, but, we don’t do surgery or chemo until it is grade 3; as to your child is in grade one, and only able to understand reading at a mid kindergarten level, and cannot distinguish letter sounds yet, so we cannot test until they are in second grade and reading at a beginning first grade level. What is the difference? Obviously, a child, who has been exposed, not only in kindergarten, but, early on, as early as 2 years old in preschool/daycare, to the letters and their sounds, and 5 years later, still cannot name all the letters when seen in print, surely must have a problem.
So, what is a parent to do? Sit there patiently waiting at the mercy of the school? Pay out of pocket for an independent evaluation, because the school is ignoring the obvious? OR, take action?
I am going to reread the IDEA act. I am going to see, why, in 2004 when it was suggested in Congress to change the standards of testing children, why, action wasn’t taken. I am going to make some noise and contact my state senators and congressmen/women. I want to ensure that in a few years, another mother, like myself, doesn’t have to fight, and cry because brick walls are popping up everywhere, for their child.
So, as my journey begins, my research and all, I will push hard to get children noticed earlier, when they are not so behind their peers, to enable them to gain confidence and learn the proper techniques to help them to read.
You can read IDEA here http://www.nichcy.org/idea.htm
