Does my son have a learning disorder?

[Kim in SouthGa]

My 12 ds has always loved to read. He loves history. But he is failing in science. We started Apologia General Science this year, and he is struggling. For example, for module 2, he read all of it, answered the questions, went over corrections with me, attended coop class with a lecture and did the experiments, and watched the multimedia cdrom. All this in a week's time, and he failed the test.

 

He is a box-checker, and I'm finding that he is so concerned with getting done and checking those boxes (so he can have free time, but that is not tv or video games, just playing or reading), that he is not taking care with his work. I often can't even read it, and when I can it doesn't make any sense. This is mainly with science, but also with other subjects that are a little hard for him. I think it is an obedience issue, but I don't want to rule out some sort of learning disorder either. How can you get information in that many ways and still fail the test?

 

What should I do?

thanks

[Pongo]

My 12 ds has always loved to read. He loves history. But he is failing in science. We started Apologia General Science this year, and he is struggling. For example, for module 2, he read all of it, answered the questions, went over corrections with me, attended coop class with a lecture and did the experiments, and watched the multimedia cdrom. All this in a week's time, and he failed the test.

 

He is a box-checker, and I'm finding that he is so concerned with getting done and checking those boxes (so he can have free time, but that is not tv or video games, just playing or reading), that he is not taking care with his work. I often can't even read it, and when I can it doesn't make any sense. This is mainly with science, but also with other subjects that are a little hard for him. I think it is an obedience issue, but I don't want to rule out some sort of learning disorder either. How can you get information in that many ways and still fail the test?

 

What should I do?

thanks

 

I have noticed that with my dd, it is important for her to take notes, then study the notes before the test. It does take some training for a child to take notes ( I taught with index cards). I think sometimes the jump to "real textbooks" are like a curve ball. Proper note taking will be another venue to retaining information. I think it is important to teach study skills, alongside textbooks. HTH's

[LizzyBee]

For most kids, Apologia is a huge step up from whatever they used before. They need to learn study skills at this point.

 

One book my dd14 really enjoyed was The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers by a son of the author of The Seven Habit of Highly Effective People. The book isn't entirely about study skills, but they are covered.

[Alana in Canada]

My son is 10--nearly 11--and maybe it's just me, but 12 seems very young for Apologia General science. Isn't it s a highschool text?

 

And I wonder about the pace. It seems very quick. If he was stuck on something fundamental--he's going to remain stuck until that's resolved--and obviously all that activity didn't resolve it.

 

Just a persoanl note: I loved Chemistry--at 14--in highschool. I got high 90's and 100's all the way through--until we did a unit of organic chemistry. Flunked that flat out. Maybe it was just the unit?

 

About your other concerns--being a box checker and so on--have you the time to sit down with him at the end of his "school day" and make sure he's understanding all he's doing? If his writing is so poor you can't understand it, I'd suggest his "day" isn't over until his work is readable. Have him recopy it (or whatever he needs to do with it).

 

hth.

[8filltheheart]

Apologia general is definitely only a middle school text and is perfectly acceptable for the 12 yr old age range.

 

I do question the pace though. Did he do the entire module in 1 week? It could be the pace is the problem. That is far too much material too fast in my opinion for appropriate learning to take place.

 

I would try studying with him directly and then letting him re-take the test to see if does any better.

 

I do not accept sloppy work. I make them re-do it period. They also cannot watch TV, etc until I check all work and it is done to my satisfaction.

[LizzyBee]

I do question the pace though. Did he do the entire module in 1 week? It could be the pace is the problem. That is far too much material too fast in my opinion for appropriate learning to take place.

 

:iagree: I was skimming and missed that it was done in a week. Each module is meant to be done over a 2-week period.

[Homemama2]

First, he's getting to the age where sloppiness shouldn't really be allowed. (My friend has a middle schooler who started getting sloppier and sloppier. Her BIL is a ps teacher: he said if it were his student he would have made the child copy it 300 times!! Extreme?? Yes! But I bet that kid never turned in another messy paper!)

 

As far as the memory, I think you could easily solve it. Have him make flash cards (index cards) with all the important facts, definitions, equations, whatever he's learning--at his age I'd help him to make sure he covered them all. Then quiz him each night until they come automatically for him. My friends and I did this for our classes in college, and it helps a ton.

[Alana in Canada]

Apologia general is definitely only a middle school text and is perfectly acceptable for the 12 yr old age range.

That's good to know. Sorry if I caused any concern or confusion.

[frogpond1]

If so, quiz him on the study guide questions and the vocabulary. My kids memorize the vocabulary verbatim and practice the study guide. My son was 12 last year and he did General Science. The first two tests were his worst all year. By the end he was getting excellent grades. BTW, the first test is the absolute hardest by far. I consider this first year of Apologia is really a chance to learn how to handle a higher level class- studying, doing lab reports correctly etc. Pull out that little white book before the test and quiz him. :)

[Ellie]

He is a box-checker, and I'm finding that he is so concerned with getting done and checking those boxes (so he can have free time, but that is not tv or video games, just playing or reading), that he is not taking care with his work. I often can't even read it, and when I can it doesn't make any sense. This is mainly with science, but also with other subjects that are a little hard for him. I think it is an obedience issue, but I don't want to rule out some sort of learning disorder either. How can you get information in that many ways and still fail the test?

 

You might try going the other way: looking for methods that don't have boxes to check off (figuratively speaking) and don't have tests, such as Beautiful Feet Books study guides.

 

It doesn't sound *to me* as if it's a learning disability. It just sounds like a young boy who just wants to read a good book. I can relate, as I was once a young girl who just wanted to read a good book ;-)