My 7yr old 1st grader is going to held back for not being able to read or write..Should I put him in special ed?

Jamie - posted on 03/03/2013

Number one, getting him into special ed pretty much means you request an IEP. And special ed doesn't necessarily mean a completely different classroom, my son just gets pulled out of the class occasionally for additional help.

It could be a learning disability, it could be he needs a different type of curriculum, maybe he just doesn't want to right now, but reading and writing is the core of the public school system. Trust me, he needs to get those skills to continue at public school. My son is in fourth grade now, and it's just getting harder for him, because of his language delays. He's only recently gotten a "real" diagnosis, so getting services is a lot easier.

School - posted on 03/03/2013

so not fair they should give a test and he is only 1st grade

Mary - posted on 01/30/2012

Just had my 2nd grader go thru the IEP process. Painful.

Public school won't help with real dyslexic / writing problems. IEP does ensure she gets modifications. She sits close to the teacher, gets directions read for test and reduced home work. Modification like reduced spelling and writing should be done asap (my IEP took 4 months). By second grade there is standard tests showing the child is really falling and you can formally write a letter to your principal requesting an IEP evaluation be done because of this testing. They have to follow thru with an initial meeting within a month. I don't want to home school, but am bringing Barton reading and writing system to school 2 times a week and pulling her during writing time. Start working a system with himat home! Research! Check

Barton reading system websit or another Orton Gillingham type system and start a list of your concerns to address at your meeting. Good luck! Mary

system.

Tannia - posted on 01/27/2012

I think that you shold see about tutoring.My son has been in tutoring for 2yr.(reading&math)He has improved a whole grade level.I know that it is hard especially when it comes to your kids education but keep your head up.Try the tutoring first then see about special ed.

Susie - posted on 01/27/2012

My son,was in speech therapy for quite a while,before he reached 1st Grade.He was well behind his peers,with his speech,reading and writing.His school provided a special teacher,to do extra work,with a select group,of children,who were struggling and by the middle of the year,he was attending all regular classes and had caught up considerably.I was so proud of him,as at the beginning of Grade 1,I was told that he would be doing about another 3 years of speech therapy ( I ditched that,as it was ruining his self esteem and I felt that his speech had improved a great deal).In Grade 2,I was offered the opportunity,to pay for a teacher,who takes him out of class twice a week and works with him 1 on 1.His reading,writing and speech have improved,out of sight and his school report was really possitive.Boys,are often much slower progressing in this department,than girls are,so it's not uncommon.I have been told,by a professional,that children who are behind in their reading and writing,by the time they begin Grade 4,will generally struggle through school.So if you can,a bit of extra help,may be a really good thing,at this point,of your sons education.Best of luck.It breaks your heart,to see them struggling,but,it's wonderful to see them finally succeed,as my son has.Just from that special extra help,he has aquired about 3 years of advancement,in his education,within about a year.

Tannia - posted on 01/27/2012

Hi, I think that you should try tutoring first. Its one on one and they have it at some schools.They might even be able to take him in now so that he will get it next year.

Learningscholars - posted on 01/26/2012

did he had this problem in his preschool?



If not then its not only his problem

Sherri - posted on 01/31/2011

Why is he not being looked at for a learning disability?? They should have caught this in 1st grade. Shame on your school district. Fight for your son mom and make the school evaluate him now!!

Jane - posted on 01/31/2011

The school needs to test him, ASK for an IEP intervention ASAP. IEP is an Individualized Education Plan. He obviously has something going on and needs some assistance. Do your homework so that you know what the school can and can't do. Know that the school is going to try to provide bare minimums if you have not done your research and investigated the process. Wrightslaw.com is your best friend!!

Candace - posted on 01/30/2011

You need to talk to school about testing for resource at least. That is one on one. He might have an underlaying problem stopping that is causing problems. The testing will help you find out and help the teachers know how to help him. My daughter is in special ed and rsource. Test is step one either way. Good luck.

Candy - posted on 01/30/2011

You definitely need to get him assessed and act now, because the older he is the harder it is to catch up. Do you do lots of reading to him? You need to put in time with him reading stuff he's interested in WITH him. Teachers don't have time to do extreme support one on one unless they have funding for an extra teacher, so you need to make sure you're doing your bit with him. It may be lack of interest (common in boys) or it may be a specific special need. Get him checked out ASAP!

Tanya - posted on 01/30/2011

I went through the same thing with my son who is now a 7th grader......contact his school and ask to have a SERT meeting intiated......my son went through the excat same thing in first grade and we had him tested and he has a learning disability....getting held back is possibly the best thing....my son now has an IEP(indepedent education plan) and it has worked wonders...he is now on A B honor roll......good luck and let me know if you have any questions as I have been going thru this for years and maybe i can help you

Bette - posted on 01/29/2011

I spoke with his principle and his teachers..They said that the first graders were just tested and he was below average but not at the point to where we should be overly concerned. He has been placed in an Intervention program for reading where he spends 30mins a day in a small group focused on Reading. They said that we should just give it this program time to work with him. Also, since we are Native American our tribe will help with tutoring since they have an Indian Education Program. Hopefully, I will see better results coming this nine weeks. Fortunately, when he does have to repeat there is a summer program for first graders. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for the advice

Angie - posted on 01/29/2011

I work with English-as-a-second-language students and I find all kinds of ways to help them learn to read. Primarily, we read together and I ask a lot of questions like, what do you think what happen next, what do you think about what we just read, do you remember what color the cat's fur was? I find that they learn to read better and that they begin to have the skills they need to understand the stories they are reading. I notice a lot of other mom's are putting the blame on the school. Most schools test children twice a year. Not because they don't care but because the funding is not there to do the testing more often (unless you have your child in a private school). In a class of over 20 students, teachers cannot monitor each student independently. Remember, we as parent's are the primary source of our children's educations; the schools are just there to guide us and support our teaching.

Susie - posted on 01/28/2011

Firstly,Boys generally,have more trouble early on,with reading and Enlish,than their female peers.My son,who was in grade 1 last year and 6 years old,was going to be in speech therapy for years,I was told.He did go off into a smaller group at school,with other children who were struggling with their reading,writing and english and by the middle of the year,he was in regular class,full time and has caught up,in all of these areas.Needless to say,he certainly didn't need any speech therapy.I made sure that I did some extra reading and writing practise with him at home and talked regularly with his teacher,re,his progress.We have also done some home work throughout the holidays,although a bit less,than I had hoped to do.If he has any further difficulties this year,I am going to get him a tutor,or enrol him in KUMON,which focuses on English and Maths.I know how much you feel hurt for them,when they are struggling,but I know my boy is very bright and can do lots of this,that his peers would not be capable of doing as well,as he can.Our children all have areas,that they shine more brightly,in than others,so don't lose hope.

Charlotte - posted on 01/28/2011

My son is six and his teacher just told me he is reading
and writng below grade level. I found this difficult to believe becuase he reads at home all the time and rather well. I do know that my child has a problem with getting focused and is easily distracted by others. He tries to pull the " I don't know how" story at home but when I theaten to take away some toy or privilege he seems to get with it rather quickly. I work with my son all the time so when I am told he is below grade level it certainly rasied questions for me.
I am meeting with his teacher next week to find out where he is and where he needs to be.

Rikina - posted on 01/28/2011

maybe you should try some practice learning websites for him my 6 yr old 1st grader was doing bad at first until i started reading with him a lot and loggin onto compass learning odessey.com it makes learning fun especially when you dont have a lot of patience.

Katherine - posted on 01/27/2011

take time out of your life, sit down grab some books and start teaching him. You can not leave it up to the teachers with a classroom of kids to give that individual attention to help kids who are lacking.It is also your responsibility to help and encourage your child from preschool to always apply themselves. My kids bring home A's and B's. nothing less. Why because as their mother I know what they are capable of doing. I expect nothing less. What kind of future do you want for your child. flippen burgers or providing a good life for themselves. My husband and both sides of our family might be pushy and demanding in their education lives but again you are the parent and their role model. step up to the plate, but some learning books and spend that extra time helping your child reach their full potential. Work with the school to allow you to use afterschool and summer break to bring up to the level he should be to prevent him from being held back.

Rolanda - posted on 01/27/2011

MY SON WAS HAVING A HARD TIME IN SCHOOL AT FIRST AND WHEN I SAW HIS GRADES. I WENT AND TALKED TO ALL HIS TEACHERS. I TOLD THEM THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND GET MY SON WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE . WE CAME UP WITH, IF HE GET A "F" ON A PAPER . HE GET TO TAKE IT HOME AND CORRECT IT. THEN GET A "C" INSTEAD OF AN "F". BUT THE FIRT TIME I TALKED TO THE TEACHER ABOUT IT, SHE TOLD ME . MY SON IS DOING BETTER THE SOME OF THE OTHERS. I TOLD HER I DONT CARE WHAT THE OTHER ARE DOING, I WANT TO SEE CHANGES IN MY SONS GREDERS AND SOON. ALSO THEIR ARE FREE READING PROGRAM ON THE INTERNET THAT WILL HELP HIM WITH IS READING. LOOK IN TO THAT, AND GOOD LUCK!!!

Lisa - posted on 01/27/2011

Your school should have never allowed this to happed in the first place. There are reading recovery programs available to help kids get on track with reading and stay on track. They have done your child a huge injustice. Especially if he he passing in other areas. Sorry if this sounds harsh but in 1st grade YOU are the one on one help. I don't see how this could have happened if YOU were paying attention. My 1st grader reads better than my 3rd grader. I have read to them the same every night before bed. Now I have them read to each other and to the pre-schooler. I would Exhaust EVERY option before I allowed some school to hold my kid back. Has he had his hearing and eyes checked? has he seen the Doctor for a check up? Have you checked into every physical problem there could be? ADHD and things of that nature. 1st grade is where they really start to learn to read. The School is lazy and passing the buck and and YOU are letting them get away with it. You need a 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion or how ever many it take to get to the bottom of the REAL problem.

Lisa - posted on 01/27/2011

Talk with your teacher and see what exactly he is having problems with, ask how he or she has been trying to help your child in school. You can request testing through the school to get additional help for you child throughout the school day- reading intervention by either "push in or pull out" means. How is he in other areas of the curriculum? Testing is wise but a "special education" class per se does not have to be the answer unless there are other issues as well. He may just need a Speech Language Pathologist to work with him, to get him back on track.

Fallon - posted on 01/26/2011

I agree about getting his assessed for learning disabilities and also have his eyes checked, but if all is well there than get him help. But sometimes it is not the child but the teacher. My son is very bright but has a hard time in school because he doesn't focus well so I have to constantly come up with new ways of teaching him what they are learning in school to keep him on track with the class. One way my son enjoys learning letters is writing them in shaving cream on his play table outside. This is a fun way to teach and it helps him learn. I know it is a lot to handle but try to get creative with helping him. Also because not every child learns the same and not all teachers teach the same maybe his current teachers methods are not working for him. So maybe a new teacher next year or even a new school since most schools have their own model of how teachers should teach would be more helpful to him. Good luck.

Fran - posted on 01/26/2011

I think it is a delicate situation. Sounds to me like the school is not doing their part in offering assistance. As parents you have to take responsibility and help your children but educators have more experience and can sometimes get through to children when parents can't. We work with our son daily to reinforce what he is learning at school. I know some children that benefit from being held back and some that it is not good for. I think you should schedule a meeting with the school and demand some kind of help for your son.

KELLIKAYZ - posted on 01/26/2011

CONSULT A DOCTOR. MAKE SURE HE WAS BEING LOOKED OVER DURING CLASS. FINALLY, DO NOT FEEL BAD, MANY KIDS GET HELD BACK AND ACHIEVE JUST LIKE THOSE WHO WENT ON TO THE NEXT GRADE. AND NO, MY CHILDREN WERE NOT HELD BACK, BUT I KNOW MANY WHO WERE.

Fran - posted on 01/26/2011

Where do you live? We have something called Title 1 here and my son is in it. He is also in first grade, he is 6 years old and came in at Kindergarten reading level. He started Title 1 and also got glasses (had no idea he could not see!) and he is doing so much better.

Karla - posted on 01/26/2011

Maybe you could consider a summer program that can focus on the reading writing component and next year would be better? There are tutoring schools around here but not sure where you live.

Candy - posted on 01/26/2011

I agree with Emily. Have him tested then go from there.

Emily - posted on 01/25/2011

I would get him assessed for a learning disability. If it comes up that he is fine, then he may not be mature enough for the grade. Honestly it is better to have him held back now then push him ahead and have further issues in the future.