Help with processing speed

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I recently had my 13 yr. old go through a complete ed psych eval, and he did really well in most areas, but his processing speed was very, very low.  It has gone down since he had testing for an IEP 3 years ago. 

 

I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for activities or programs to help increase his processing speed.  He is a 2e kid- diagnosed HFA with verbal skills off the charts, but I've been told his very slow processing speed is a learning disability.  This is our 7th year homeschooling, apart from a two-month stint in public school in 5th grade.

 

TIA,

 Lynne

[Storygirl]

DS12 also has an extremely low processing speed. Do you know about the coding test that determines the processing speed? You can look up info online, but basically the student has to copy little figures from a chart into a designated space. It's been awhile since I looked at it, but as I remember, it's a series of numbered boxes with shapes in them. Then below, there will be an empty box with, let's say, the number 9. The student has to copy the figure that is in the number nine box into the blank box. They have to fill in a bunch of blank boxes with the right figure.

 

Someone might perform poorly on that section of the test due to vision issues, so make sure to check that out.

 

Motor issues and dysgraphia can make the test hard.

 

The test can also suggest a visual spatial disability (this is true for DS). In that case, other tests such as those requiring building shapes with blocks (Block design and Tower test, I think are two) would show lower scores as well.

 

Having a high verbal score but low performance scores in the processing and VSI sections can indicate Nonverbal Learning Disorder. NVLD is not in the DSM5, so some practitioners will not diagnose it, but it has a common set of characteristics. If your son's scores suggest NVLD, you might want to do some reading.

 

People with NVLD commonly struggle with math, reading comprehension, visual spatial tasks (may get lost, have trouble with geometry), social skills, and sometimes fine or gross motor tasks. They have trouble reading nonverbal communication skills, such as body language and facial expressions. Some people believe it properly should be part of the autism spectrum, and some people with NVLD also have what was formerly called Asperger's.

 

None of that may sound like it describes your child, but if it does, you might consider NVLD as a possibility, whether the psych doing the testing mentioned it or not.

 

The reason I mention all of this is the big discrepancy between verbal and processing. That is a possible indicator of NVLD.

 

ETA: I just re-read your OP and see that he has HFA. Someone can have HFA and also NVLD.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2016 by Storygirl

[Storygirl]

From what I have read, processing speed cannot be improved. But if it is a vision issue causing the poor performance on the coding test, you could look into vision therapy.

 

(Vision therapy was not indicated for DS, though we had him tested by a COVD eye doctor.)

 

[Storygirl]

Also, :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[geodob]

Lynne, you wrote that has very, very low processing speed.

But what he actually has, is a very, very low score on the 'processing speed test'.

 

Though I have a great concern with this test, as it creates a lot of confusion and misunderstanding?

Where firstly,  we have the term: "Processing Speed"?

With the word 'Speed', a low score, would suggest a 'Slow Thinker'?

As a Global Thinking problem?

 

Storygirl provided a bit of an explanation of the Test, where I've also tried to explain it before?

But this doesn't help that much?

 

So what I've just done, is set up a forum.  That is dedicated to this 'Processing Speed Test'?

Their are publicly available examples of the Processing Speed Test.

 

I will provide these Test examples on the forum.  Which parents can print out, and then try doing themselves?

With a sub-forum, to discuss each test.

 

So that after a Parent has done each Sub-Test themselves, and also been scored?

Then they can look at their child's scores on each Sub-Test, and have a real understanding of what each Sub-Test involved.

 

What needs to be considered, is the real value, of combining Sub-Test scores, and reporting an 'average score'?

When the real explanation, is with each of the Sub-Tests.

 

But I basically believe that it would be helpful for parents to do examples of the Sub-Tests that their is child is doing?

So that when they recieve their child's Report?

They would have a practical understanding of each Sub-Test.

[Heathermomster]

Lynne, you wrote that has very, very low processing speed.

But what he actually has, is a very, very low score on the 'processing speed test'.

 

Though I have a great concern with this test, as it creates a lot of confusion and misunderstanding?

Where firstly, we have the term: "Processing Speed"?

With the word 'Speed', a low score, would suggest a 'Slow Thinker'?

As a Global Thinking problem?

 

Storygirl provided a bit of an explanation of the Test, where I've also tried to explain it before?

But this doesn't help that much?

 

So what I've just done, is set up a forum. That is dedicated to this 'Processing Speed Test'?

Their are publicly available examples of the Processing Speed Test.

 

I will provide these Test examples on the forum. Which parents can print out, and then try doing themselves?

With a sub-forum, to discuss each test.

 

So that after a Parent has done each Sub-Test themselves, and also been scored?

Then they can look at their child's scores on each Sub-Test, and have a real understanding of what each Sub-Test involved.

 

What needs to be considered, is the real value, of combining Sub-Test scores, and reporting an 'average score'?

When the real explanation, is with each of the Sub-Tests.

 

But I basically believe that it would be helpful for parents to do examples of the Sub-Tests that their is child is doing?

So that when they recieve their child's Report?

They would have a practical understanding of each Sub-Test.

Is there a link to the forum?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

 

 

People with NVLD commonly struggle with math, reading comprehension, visual spatial tasks (may get lost, have trouble with geometry), social skills, and sometimes fine or gross motor tasks. They have trouble reading nonverbal communication skills, such as body language and facial expressions. Some people believe it properly should be part of the autism spectrum, and some people with NVLD also have what was formerly called Asperger's.

 

None of that may sound like it describes your child, but if it does, you might consider NVLD as a possibility, whether the psych doing the testing mentioned it or not.

 

 

Lol.  This sounds exactly like my kid.  

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Lynne, you wrote that has very, very low processing speed.

But what he actually has, is a very, very low score on the 'processing speed test'.

 

Though I have a great concern with this test, as it creates a lot of confusion and misunderstanding?

Where firstly,  we have the term: "Processing Speed"?

With the word 'Speed', a low score, would suggest a 'Slow Thinker'?

As a Global Thinking problem?

 

Storygirl provided a bit of an explanation of the Test, where I've also tried to explain it before?

But this doesn't help that much?

 

So what I've just done, is set up a forum.  That is dedicated to this 'Processing Speed Test'?

Their are publicly available examples of the Processing Speed Test.

 

I will provide these Test examples on the forum.  Which parents can print out, and then try doing themselves?

With a sub-forum, to discuss each test.

 

So that after a Parent has done each Sub-Test themselves, and also been scored?

Then they can look at their child's scores on each Sub-Test, and have a real understanding of what each Sub-Test involved.

 

What needs to be considered, is the real value, of combining Sub-Test scores, and reporting an 'average score'?

When the real explanation, is with each of the Sub-Tests.

 

But I basically believe that it would be helpful for parents to do examples of the Sub-Tests that their is child is doing?

So that when they recieve their child's Report?

They would have a practical understanding of each Sub-Test.

 

They showed me the test and his results.  I could see that he had a lot of trouble with it.  I could see that I would have been able to do it much better than he had.  And having homeschooled him for 7 years, I definitely am familiar with his areas of challenge.  I'm looking for ways to help him. To what forum are you referring?

[geodob]

Scrappy, I've created the forum, and now I'm working out how to organise it, and what content to add?

Which will be something to start with, and then members will be invited to help further develop it.

 

Where it will have different sections for sub-tests of Processing Speed Index.

Parents will be invited to download and print out examples of these sub-tests.

But not to look at them straight away!

As I want the parents to also do each sub-test.

Which also might be timed?

 

So that it is important that the parent doesn't see the sub-test beforehand.  

As we need to create a situation, much like their child experienced.

 

Though one important factor, is the explanation provided, of how to do the sub-test?

As it will make a difference to 'scores', if the first few questions are used to try and work out what one has to do?

So that a child might have scored higher, with a different Tester, that provided a clearer explanation of how to do the test?

 

But with sub-tests that parents print out.  It will be different, as the tester wont be there to verbally explain it?

So that a written explanation will be provided.

 

Though each Sub-test will have its own dedicated sub-forum.

So that for example, their will be a sub-forum for the Coding sub-test.

 

Where instead of parents just reporting their child's score?

They can also add how they scored as well?

Which might be similar, or very different from their child's score?

 

While it can be helpful for parents to recieve a report, with scores on various sub-tests.

What I'm thinking of, is with providing parents with an opportunity to also do the same sub-tests.

Also as a sub-forum, they could discuss it with other parents.

 

But basically what I'm thinking of?

Is that if a parent could do the same sub-tests, that their child had low scores on?

Having done the same sub-tests, they would have a practical experience, to understand their actual difficulty/ies?