Guest pnr Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Hi Everyone! I have a question. Our 18 year old has struggled all through school with math. She has always scored very high in Language Arts. She was the high score in SAT writing for her class two years in a row. The problem? She could not get higher than a D in Algebra and chemistry. Thus, she barely made it out of high school. She is attending a Community College nearby. They started testing her for placement since it was obvious from her transcripts she didn't do too well in science or math. As a result, they have placed her in a "special" math class and from testing, they consider her dyslexic! We were shocked that no one else in her education years has mentioned this. They said she didn't try and was lazy (which of course led to low self-esteem.) My husband is diagnosed dyslexic. He was able to overcome it to complete college and law school. Is it possible for a child to be high in language and still be dyslexic? This would answer so many questions for us. We couldn't figure out why she always thought she did great on tests and then find out she failed. We have had all these miscellaneous issues due to this failure in math. Tutors have not helped because she thought she understood, then took the test and failed, all the while saying, "I get it!" Anyone have this experience...or advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Your poor daughter! There is something I have heard people talk about here called "stealth dyslexia" - you might try googling it. My dyslexics are more typical (major language arts issues) but there are many other symptoms/facets to dyslexia. I am so happy to hear about your dh, though - it makes me hope for my middle 3 boys' futures (all 3 dyslexic.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 There is a version of dyslexia that pertains to math too - dyscalculia. http://www.ldonline.org/article/13709 Perhaps she might have that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 It doesn't surprise me. My dyslexic finds certain things very difficult- following/deciphering instructions, and writing- yet he spells above age level and reads at an adult level. Maths is average. So he is not "classic" dysexic. Yet his father doesnt read very well and is more "normal " dyslexic. My step daughter could never understand why her marks were so low at school. She went right through always feeling she was doing ok, and getting surprised by her low marks. She is dyslexic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I know several people who weren't diagnosed with dyslexia until late -- my mom being one -- she figured it out when she was in her early 20's and a good friend who recently started college in her 40s after saying that she wasn't the academic type, now realizes that she probably has dyslexia. It was tough on my friend's self-esteem to feel dumb in school for so many years and explains why she never did college before. I think now that she has the information that she has a learning disability she can develop strategies that she'll need in order to succeed in college. My friend was telling me how much time she has to spend on her homework and she realizes that she spends more time than most of her classmates -- but you know what she's getting the highest grades in her classes because she's doing what she has to do in order to succeed. My mom had a similar experience. My mom co-founded a school 13 years ago for students with learning disabilities and writes/puts together most of the curriculum. A pretty good success for one with a learning disability. She regularly asks for help from others if she gets bogged down in organization and sequencing because that's where her weaknesses are. Good luck. Your daughter can have great successes, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I think now that she has the information that she has a learning disability she can develop strategies that she'll need in order to succeed in college. My friend was telling me how much time she has to spend on her homework and she realizes that she spends more time than most of her classmates -- but you know what she's getting the highest grades in her classes because she's doing what she has to do in order to succeed. My mom had a similar experience. What strategies do/did they use to succeed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 What strategies do/did they use to succeed? My friend has to read and outline her entire textbook (she is a slow reader which makes it a long process), makes flashcards for all words she doesn't know and does each and every extra credit assignment that is available. She just got finished one of those condensed classes (a 6 week class) and will never do that again. My mom has to get others to help her with organization so planners are essential, asks for help when she needs help sequencing things. Reading carefully is also important. My mom has developed coping strategies over so many years that she doesn't think of them as strategies just her daily life. At the school she founded each student learns how to use a planner, flash cards for vocabulary for them to use in their future schooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Google "Stealth Dyslexia". I have a son who sounds very similar to your daughter. Thankfully I noticed the problem and had testing done. It's easier now to differentiate between "lazy" and "unable". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Dyslexia is, by definition, difficulty with language, not with math or science. If your dd can read, comprehend, and write with skill about literature then I would find it very odd that she would be called dyslexic. This doesn't mean she doesn't have specific difficulty with understanding math or science. I scored almost perfectly on the verbal portion of the SAT; I bombed out on the math portion. Honestly, I just hated both math and science and put very little effort into really understanding them. As an adult, with some level of maturity, I'm much more capable of learning these topics. Instead of focusing on whether or not your dd has this specific issue, I'd focus on what her eventual academic and career goals are. Look for ways to navigate around those areas and weaknesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizzyBee Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I tend to agree with the poster who said that if your dd isn't having some kind of language processing difficulties, it isn't dyslexia. How is her spelling and writing? Some dyslexic kids do fine with reading, but struggle with other areas of language. But regardless of what you call it, the important thing is to figure out how to help your dd succeed and reach her goals. Dyslexia is a very broad term; did your dd's evaluation give you some information about her underlying difficulties? For ex. my middle dd has difficulties with organization, sequencing and problem-solving that cause her math difficulties; she doesn't have problems with numeracy or understanding math concepts. Pinpointing things like that can help you know how to help your dd. Here are some websites that you might find helpful: http://www.mislabeledchild.com http://www.dys-add.com http://www.diannecraft.com http://www.visualspatial.org http://www.dyscalculia.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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