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help with poor test scores


seema
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My 7th grader (ASD) scored very poorly on ACT aspire testing, surprisingly on reading/language portion. She has hyperlexia, and has trouble slowing down when reading, as a result does poorly with comprehension. She has difficulty with expressing in writing, and below average vocab. we did easy grammer 6 and 7, did essentials in writing, she had a tutor who worked with reading comprehension all year. I am at a loss, what can be done to improve comprehension, language, expression. I heard about Lindamood bell programs, that target comprehension skills, but are very pricey. Anyone has suggestions please. TIA

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One thing that helped my son improve his reading comprehension scores was to force him to read the entire reading comprehension test aloud (this would be for the ITBS/ITED that I administered at home).  After maybe three years of this, he understood that he needed to slow down and read every word and his scores on tests (like the PSAT) administered outside the home are in line with is ability.

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One thing that helped my son improve his reading comprehension scores was to force him to read the entire reading comprehension test aloud (this would be for the ITBS/ITED that I administered at home).  After maybe three years of this, he understood that he needed to slow down and read every word and his scores on tests (like the PSAT) administered outside the home are in line with is ability.

 At times she does read part of her books aloud, but tires out, will definately have her try reading comp passages  aloud, this should slow her down, thank you.

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You can DIY the Lindamood Bell programs. Especially Visualizing and Verbalizing, the one intended to help with comprehension and hyperlexia. The teacher's manual can be purchased on eBay used. You may want one or two of the workbooks/pictures just for ease of use, but you don't need them at all. And I found the manual interesting and doable to implement for your average bright parent with a college degree. 

 

I also agree that making them read it aloud to slow down can be very helpful! And you can even explain that even very good readers often will read aloud difficult material to help them understand it better. I even find myself doing it when I'm learning something new or reading something particularly tough to grasp. Or if I'm just tired ;) 

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One thing with ASD is that there are often "hidden" language gaps. The child may appear to be speaking fine in terms of  vocabulary and syntax but more comprehensive language testing by a SLP or Psychologist reveals weaknesses in more advanced language skills. Several of the frequent LC posters had this happen to their kids/teens with ASD.

 

I would recommend having language testing done to include the Test of Narrative Language, the Test of Problem Solving, the Social Language Development Test, and the CELF with the reading & writing supplement.

 

I participated in a very interesting seminar back in June by Dr. Teresa Ukrainetz, who is a professor of SLP researching reading & writing intervention. I really liked her ideas and her book Contextualized Language Intervention has been on my wish list.

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One thing with ASD is that there are often "hidden" language gaps. The child may appear to be speaking fine in terms of  vocabulary and syntax but more comprehensive language testing by a SLP or Psychologist reveals weaknesses in more advanced language skills. Several of the frequent LC posters had this happen to their kids/teens with ASD.

 

I would recommend having language testing done to include the Test of Narrative Language, the Test of Problem Solving, the Social Language Development Test, and the CELF with the reading & writing supplement.

 

I participated in a very interesting seminar back in June by Dr. Teresa Ukrainetz, who is a professor of SLP researching reading & writing intervention. I really liked her ideas and her book Contextualized Language Intervention has been on my wish list.

She has seen SLP and had testing last summer, did therapy for 3 mos and stopped as she got busy with school, we may need to go back.,I wish there are some easier websites that she can do at home to improve language.Thank you

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I didn't see enough in the samples to really tell me much about that SRA Corrective Reading. For my ds I'm trying to get a copy of one of the grades of Zoom In, to see if it would work for us. Intervention materials for the ps come in tiers, so tier 1, tier 2, tier 3. So if something says it works for tier 3, that's your kids needing the most explicit instruction, no assumptions, whatever. When I look at samples online of products at those tiers, something labeled tier 2/3 fits my ds, and something labeled tier 1 does not. 

 

So that would be another thing to look for, what tier it is or what tier fits your dc. There are lots and lots of materials out there for reading comprehension intervention, etc., so then you have to sift through them. It's sorta like how SWR/WRTR and Barton are conceptually the same, but Barton just gives you WAY more tools and explicit instruction and detailed supports to get them there. 

 

We're also using speech therapy materials. I'm in the all of the above camp, sigh.

Edited by OhElizabeth
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Corrective reading seems like may help us, can you please tell me your experience if you have used this. Do we take a placement test and then buy the level based on that, how hands on or not is this? Thank you so much.

A local friend used it with her DD and thinks very highly of it. Her DD has a learning disability related to a chromosomal deletion. Anyhoo..my friend bought the entire set. Maybe call the publisher directly and ask.

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I didn't see enough in the samples to really tell me much about that SRA Corrective Reading. For my ds I'm trying to get a copy of one of the grades of Zoom In, to see if it would work for us. Intervention materials for the ps come in tiers, so tier 1, tier 2, tier 3. So if something says it works for tier 3, that's your kids needing the most explicit instruction, no assumptions, whatever. When I look at samples online of products at those tiers, something labeled tier 2/3 fits my ds, and something labeled tier 1 does not. 

 

So that would be another thing to look for, what tier it is or what tier fits your dc. There are lots and lots of materials out there for reading comprehension intervention, etc., so then you have to sift through them. It's sorta like how SWR/WRTR and Barton are conceptually the same, but Barton just gives you WAY more tools and explicit instruction and detailed supports to get them there. 

 

We're also using speech therapy materials. I'm in the all of the above camp, sigh.

OhElizabeth, I really appreciate your help. I am hoping to find a supplemental curriculum to follow all year, as my dd is starting 8th grade at private school soon, we had a tutor last year homeschooling but she did very poorly on testing this summer, so I need to work myself this year with her. I have read a whole lot of positive posts on Barton, would that be helpful given that we need to improve comprehension? Also I have no knowlege about SWR/WRTR? I feel soooooo overwhelmed. Bottomline is that she will be spending 8 hrs daily at a private school and we will have some time on weekends/weekdays to do supplemental work, what would be the best course?

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No, Barton is decoding. 

 

Does the school provide intervention services? Do they work with the ps to get the kids an IEP? 

 

You might do better getting an SLP to work with her on the vocabulary, expressive language, and comprehension issues. If you go to Linguisystems, they ahve kits of hyperlexia. It's stuff like I'm doing with my ds, looks great.

 

The Basic Reading Comprehension Kit for Hyperlexia and Autism

 

The Reading Comprehension Kit for Hyperlexia and Autism Level 2

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No, Barton is decoding. 

 

Does the school provide intervention services? Do they work with the ps to get the kids an IEP? 

 

You might do better getting an SLP to work with her on the vocabulary, expressive language, and comprehension issues. If you go to Linguisystems, they ahve kits of hyperlexia. It's stuff like I'm doing with my ds, looks great.

 

The Basic Reading Comprehension Kit for Hyperlexia and Autism

 

The Reading Comprehension Kit for Hyperlexia and Autism Level 2

No they don't provide intervention services in our case, they dont work with ps either, they provide some accomodations, like more time on testing and preferential seating etc. they have teachers for dyslexia that work on OG, but none for hyperlexia. I will try the Linguisystems, they do look similar to Visualising and verbalising. Will get SLP eval and Tt again. Thank you much.

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