My dd 9, was dx'ed in 2nd grade with GAD and ADD-inattentive. This changes to Aspergers in 3rd grade. I pulled her out for 4th because she couldn't follow along in class because of all the distractions. She would come home with work not understanding anything and within minutes of me teaching her, she would get it. Except for spelling. She can memorize lists fine, but not retain it. I have used AAS and she can use the rules when we are doing spelling, but it never translates into her actual writing. She hated it, so I decided to try and switch to Sequential Spelling. She likes it much better, but she isn't getting the patterns even after we discuss them, even if I break words into syllables. For instance *canning*. She will spell it caning, even if I say it five times and break it up into *can* and *ning*. The other thing that is mind blowing to me is apostrophes and plurals. I can over them every day. I have done numerous worksheets and checked out books from library with cute stories. She will still spell wouldn't wouldint (probably more like woudint) and put an apostrophe in plurals. She is definitely a whole word reader. She reads out loud fine, except when she comes to a new word, she will make up a pronunciation. I got an eval from a neuropsych, but she didn't seem to think there was an issue (she was the one who gave her a GAD/ADD dx). I am just lost. I don't know who to see to get her diagnosed with a processing disorder if needed. But mainly, I don't know what to do as far as spelling and writing. She will be in 5th grade next year and today, she couldn't spell July which is her birth month!!! I have been transcribing probably too much this year, and her typing is still painfully slow. Thanks for listening

It's normal at that age. About half of my dd's class in preschool did it at the same time. It was weird, but the teacher's said it is just part of the process. She is in 2nd grade now and writes perfectly fine and has the highest reading level in her class. :(

All I can say is don't generalize. People are different, even with the same label. There is a reason why there are multiple types of ADD drugs that target different things. Some kids are just a ball of energy and want to work quick. Others have brains that work to quick for them. Some people aren't working quietly enough, quickly enough, or quality enough for their teacher/parents. I am glad that you are figuring out your dd and seeing her special spark.

I want to do MCT with my dd next year because she learns very well when we cuddle up and read together. She is a young 5th grader (she will turn 10 at the end of July). I feel that we should move straight to Town because of her reading and interest level, but I am concerned with skipping Sentence Island. Can you go straight to Paragraph Town, or will I be setting her (us) up for failure? Any input and feedback is much appreciated.

I took a peek, and no matter what, you have to be impressed with the time it must have taken to piece it all together. I might look more at the PE stuff just because I have nothing planned.

If you let your kid at anything for endless hours and no questioning, it can become an addiction. Don't blame the game. The parents are the problem in those circumstances.

I used Aha! Science for a supplement. It's pretty good (and was cheap). To me, it was like BrainPop for Science but with longer lessons. each lesson had a game and some extra activities. The extra activities are for you to do off line.

In my area (FL), the PS are ahead in some aspects in 4th grade that aren't in 4a and 4b. For instance, SM does not have dividing by a double digit divisor yet. It is confusing to me that SM lists 4th grade as using 3b and 4a, because that means the PS are a 1/2 a year ahead.

How funny! I just did the same thing with my kids, minus the fish. I should put it in skedtrek and count it as school, huh?

My dd went from 60 lbs to 50 in a short period of time. It is a stimulant, so with anxiety, it is horrible. I would try giving her fish oil and magnesium just to see if it makes a difference. Magnesium is supposed to help with anxiety. I have my 9yo take epson salt baths when she is getting worked up because not only is she getting magnesium, she is calming down in the bath. I highly recommend reading "Smart But Scattered" and about Executive Functioning. It sounds like your dd would benefit from checklists. Everyday tasks such as brushing teeth can be part of the list. Good luck with everything. I am dreading the teen years because of all the unexpected changes that come with it.

Sign him up for PS and either send him or have him homeschool with free virtual school. Make him be in charge of his own education if he isn't going to let you help him.

Bumping this up to see if anyone has any suggestions. I have a few things that I wanted to print that were going to be $200+. I have decided to invest in a tablet because it will actually be more cost effective.

:grouphug: You should find an article about people who judge parents of kids with special needs, print it, and hand it to him.

Can someone tell me where a comparison of the two version is? I am already concerned because 4a/4b are dumbed down compared to my districts PS math.

Did you set it to "own the day" or something to that matter. Skedtrek is flaky with FT in my experience.

My Aspergers/ADD-inattentive dd is doing well with IEW (even if she doesn't like it). I am not sure how it is at the higher levels, but in SWI-A, you can break things down into small groups for writing. We do much of it together and I transcribe for her. I have her think of key words for the outline but if she is getting frustrated, I help her along. Then I have her retell what she read from the outline, but instead of just testing it, I transcribe as she writes. After we do the draft, she goes through and does dress-ups. This can take us a week or more to do. I only push her as much as I feel I can to ensure she doesn't shut down and really start hating it. There are also days when you just watch videos. She says she doesn't like Andrew Pudea, but we kind of make fun of him or speed up the video to make it more *fun*. The program is also conducive to typing, which is the direction she is going (or even Dragon or other voice recognition software). I think the program is fabulous because she is realizing how expressive she is when she talks, even if her spelling, attention, and physical writing issues prevent her from showing it in "typical" writing. With IEW, she can put her wonderfulness in written word (even if I am transcribing it). Also, it is preparing her for report writing, which I htin kis really lots in how they teach in elementary PS.

I can see where my life is headed! My dd doesn't want to do anything that has a set format. She hates art classes because she doesn't like to be told how to draw. She is doing well with IEW, but she hates it. Why? Because it is so strongly formulated, my stubborn daughter fights against it vehemently which makes writing time horrendous. (Trying to use the skills I have learned LOL) I am trying to find the thing that inspires her to run with it. Thankfully she likes history, so I plotted out SOTW2 with books, videos, crafts, podcasts...she got mad because I wanted to do it next year, but she wants to read it now, Besides, she doesn't want to bother with everything else. She wants (me) to read 6 chapters (to her) at a time. I was so proud of my schedule, and now it's for naught. Is there anything that she is interested? Any kind of unit study that you can think out where she will be excited about it? I am finding a little giving in (reward system) goes a long way in our house. I just wish it didn't make me so unorganized. I am LOVING school this time around except that I have to lead her!

Disney Imagineers have a great Science series. Lots of Physics Cyberchase - Math

What about Khan Academy to supplement Math?

Did you assign a student to the fieldtrip?

ARRRG! VSL Learning seems like it would fit my dd, but she LOVES to listen to me read and to podcasts and such. While I totally zone out into my own world (even when I am I reading to her), she will pick up so much from audio. However, put her in a classroom, and forget it. Also, she doesn't just take things apart, she pulverizes them into dust, so putting them back together is never an option. Are there professionals that will tell you what type of learning your child is?

Being that the US is a huge territory, you are going to have answers from both extremes of the spectrum. Is it typical? Not from what I personally know from my district. However, I think a better question would be is it typical for your area, and if you are not satisfied, what are your options?

That sounds lovely. At least they kept the tone consistent.

I know you are fed up and frustrated, but I am going to be the devil's advocate. If you are thinking that she might have ADD, then instead of putting her intelligence down, maybe understand that she has huge obstacles in her way when it comes to learning. She very well could be a genius, but the way you are expecting her to learn is not the way she can learn. You yourself said she was an auditory learner...no, not everything in life can be read to her, but with students in public school, there are accommodations made for kids who have issues like her. Maybe it is time you do the same for her and figure out how you can help her learn instead of expecting her to learn how you are teaching. For instance, you could read the questions to her first so she knows what the "important" parts of the story are. You could give her a different Math program with more hands on. Just because you have tried something before and it worked, it doesn't mean that it will work with this child. Just my $0.02.

:lol: