Dyscalculia Quiz

[charliegirl]

My son is getting extra math help from his math teacher plus in an extra math class with 4 other students where they go over what they are learining in the regular classroom. With that help he brought his grade up to passing and I thought he was finally getting the help he needs.

I just got a letter from the school saying he was on warning for deficiency. They did a breakdown of his grades and his homework grade is great but he failed or nearly failed every quiz and test. He got a 36 on one test and he had extra help through the entire chapter so he should have at least been able to pass it.

I just did the dyscalculia quiz and he scored really low, much lower than I expected. I thought I had done it for him before. Maybe I know what he can and can't do better now. I don't know.

Lc, I am sending a letter to the school asking them to specifically do the keymath revised test. He has scored low on math subtests in his evaluations and they have blown me off, blaming everything except an ld. This time they are going to give him a specific test, now that I know which one to ask for.

He isn't doing well in science now either. He either does extremely well in science or really bad so I'm thinking it may have something to do with his math ld.

I feel like I have been kicked in the stomache. His teachers are bending over backwards to help him but nothing is helping. This is worse than when I knew there was a problem and no one was admitting it. Now that I know, and they are trying and it isn't working, its like being hit with a double whammy.

[lcdc1]

sorry to hear all that. On Rans IEP she does not get grades in either math class, the sped one or the regular class, she does pass or fail only. She takes her regular math class tests in the sped classroom and gets more time on them.

The thing that was good about Ran's keymath test that I mentioned is under that test the areas of math are tested to such a degree that there was a write up at the end of very specifice areas she was challenged in and that she had Gaps in, so the sped class IEP goals are for her to fill in those gaps identified and let me tell you there are a ton of them and include areas such as telling time, dealing with money, multiplication, etc.... things that amazed me that she cannot do.

I think you should (charliegirl) consult with a specialist or an advocate in your area to talk about your sons stuff. I contacted the LD advocacy in Oregon to get some answers when I started all this, I bet your state has something similar for parents, I actually talked on line to a specialist free of charge that helped a lot.

The testing thing is still a mystery to me - my physc asked to see Rans stuff in this quest so far and asked me if I had the WISC testing results, so I contacted Rans school and they never gave her that test. So I will see what my physc says about that one this weds. That is why I think it would sve you time to make initial contact with an LD advocacy group in your state to get some answers and take a look at wrightslaw and NOLO stuff.

Also, another hint for you in all this, Ran does all her assignments and homework and participates in class, but for the tests the teacher has to prepare a study guide for her to prepare before the tests, you can ask for that in an IEP also. And Ran is like your son - A in science, loves science, just nose dives when you put math formulas to it!

[charliegirl]

Thanks Lc. I have known he had a problem since the beginning of third grade when they school's evaluator said he scored so high in everything except math because he just didn't want to do it. That is their classic excuse.

I live in a rural area nearly 100 miles from the nearest large city so there aren't any advocates or sped attorneys as far as I can tell and I have been looking for 4 years. There is an advocate on Nethaven and she is probably the closest one to me. I'll talk to her when she is hosting there and see what she has to say. If I have to and she isn't booked solid I can probably get her to come here and help. We don't have the money right now but I'll find a way to pay her before I'll let him fail.

At least now I can tell the school that all his teachers have been working hard with him this year and there is proof in his homework and work done in class getting good grades but every quiz and test that he does without help is failing. I also will request that specific test and if they want to do a different one, they will have to give me PWN as to why theirs is better.

I never was able to get the evidence I needed as only certain papers came home and rarely was one a failing grade. All I got was his report cards that said he passed. This time I can show that he isn't getting it enough to pass a quiz, let alone the tests.

What burns is that if these reports weren't coming to me, which by law they have to send them, I still wouldn't know where his real problem is. Its too bad the elementary and middle schools aren't legally required to pass along that same info to the parents.

[lcdc1]

yeah, I did not pay anything for an advocate, it was free online in our state and if I can go back in my notes to find it, I will send you the link for ideas. On that state site, the email address was posted for the advocacy help (free!) out of the capital, Salem. I emailed thinking OK, it is a shot in the dark and an advocate answered me the next day and gave me sites and numbers to get information on what I need and a start to research this stuff. It takes a lot of time, percerverence(sorry, I cannot spell), patience, sanity, patience, stumbling on good people willing to talk to you, patience, a personal physc for yourself, pateince, well you get it.

I do not remember how old your son is, but I would bird dog it if I were you to get him the help and support he needs and deserves. I wanted to make sure I got on it so that if Ran does not get it soon, she can have options for higher education in college with support!

[lcdc1]

and one more thing, sorry, I am ADHD. It is best to talk to people that can talk the talk, because I can just speak to personal experience from my world and it is not always understandable!

I had a friend that was int he IEP meeting (and she is a teacher) that told me the first meeting I sounded and looked like a fool (she can say this to me, because I am not an idiot, and she is a good friend). That is what prompted me to get ticked in a more constructive way to say, I cannot do this alone - I cannot talk the talk with the IEP team. So tap into people that can put your words into the words needed for action!

[charliegirl]

I have been dealing with them for years now. Believe me, now that I have the ammo I need, they will be giving him the right test. From there on in, I'll be ok.

[lcdc1]

alright then, good luck on it and I hope you get some quick resolution for him! Let us know how it goes?

[rachelannfoster]

I'm assuming "you scored 70% correct" means dyscalculia is likely?

[jj]

Nov 16, 2009 7:02:55 GMT -5 rachelannfoster said:

I'm assuming "you scored 70% correct" means dyscalculia is likely?

Yes, that is what it means and I can see why you questioned the results because "You Scored 70% correct!" isn't exactly the kind summary you'd expect.

I hadn't looked at the quiz until now and I think I shall be on the hunt for a quiz that gives you a breakdown or a more definative result like, "Your child very likely has Dyscalculia" or "Your child does not have Dyscalculia".

Edit: I found this one and took the test checking all the answers I know wouldn't point to dyscalculia and then I took it again checking all the answers I know points to dyscalculia, took it a third time and only checked a few that would point to dyscalculia and it appears to give the correct results with a brief summary one would expect.

Click Here

[b4bygurlboquet]

my nephew that lives with me is 11 and he has straight f's in math we were told when he was 9 that he is adhd right now he has not been on meds for almost 2 yrs we r just getting him back to the dr to see bout getting him put back on meds but he can not comprehend math for anything no matter how many times we study r go over a problem 5 minutes later he can not walk u through the same problem and is failing is there something other then putting him on meds that may help with his math plz any suggestions are greatly appreciated thanks