2E with language (xpost)

[dragons in the flower bed]

I wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the special needs forum. My thirteen-year-old son just had a complete communications and language workup. (I don't remember the name of the tests they used and Google isn't helping me out.) Across the board, in every subcategory, he scored above average; in many cases the doctor just shook her head and said, "he couldn't have scored any better."

 

Except on ONE subtest -- written expression. Handwriting speed and hand strength was fine, and they don't think he has aphasia (as initially thought), but for some reason when he has to both think of a thing to say AND write it down, he can't. He can't to such a degree that his test results were unscorable for that part of the test, and the same doctor said, "functionally he couldn't have scored any worse!"

 

Because when you average this all out, he's doing just fine, no one will pay for any therapy. Our school district, which is required by state law to provide services to homeschoolers, says he doesn't qualify because his scores are too good. Our insurance gives the same answer.

 

He is gifted; his performance everywhere else indicates he's ready for college. But he could never, ever, ever write an essay. He can't write a sentence. He can't write a word. If you give him a word-response prompt, like, "Write one word to describe cats," he couldn't do it. When he posts to Facebook, he tells his brother what he wants to post about, and his brother comes up with an actual post. "Something... robots... thing...like what we're doing..." he'll stutter. He was referring to having just built a refrigerator-sized robot in CAD in two weeks, working with the ideas of a team of designers and mechanics, having never used CAD or seen any of these parts before.

 

I don't know what to do. I feel like he could easily end up working at McDonalds forever if we can't break through this. I should feel beyond furious that now that we have it in black and white on a test score sheet, no one will allow us to use our tax dollars or our insurance payments to access therapy. But actually I'm just scared. For the first time in my homeschooling career, I feel like I'm about to fail a child because I can't figure out any way to get him what he needs.

 

[SarahW]

I'm no expert, but my advice is this:

 

1) Get him voice recognition software. Have him wear the headset, close his eyes, and just talk. Have him read back what is on the screen. Edit it. Read it again. If the block is mental this might help him a little.

 

2) Is there a name for the section he failed that the doctors can give you? Ask them. Ask them for an official letter stating his test results. If your son ever needs to take a test that requires an essay you'll need something like that to apply for accommodation.

 

3) In college have him go to the tutoring or learning resource center and ask for help. Most good schools will provide a "scribe" for a student like him to write papers.

 

I understand the frustration with the "average" score being the only thing considered. It's tough.