Reading and ed psych report

[justine1]

Hi all

Just wanted some opinions on something.Sam is very good at reading I always knew that but I know he doesnt read with expression and sometimes doesnt even know what the story was about,he reads like a robot is how I can best describe him.I get the ed psych report for his stat assessment today and she has said exactly the same thing in the report,he is at level 2b for his reading above his age group and she carried out a test where he scored very high only 16 out of 100 children his age scored higher.But as I say he doesnt understand the stories,he can if its a spongebob comic though ,she described it as comprehensive reading(?)

So how can I help him with this? I always have encouraged his reading and ask him about what he has read,if there are pictures I ask him to describe what he can see etc. Once when he was reading the "Biff,chip,floppy" type books,when I asked him about the story and picture he saw that the neighbour in the picture was looking over the fence and said "they have a very nosey neighbour!"

 

I was pleased with the report.She mentioned an ability test which he scored low for but when she tried more difficult tasks(not part of the test) he did really well,so she said it proves he can cope with challenging work and is bright but just refuses because of the environment.

The thing I was pleased about was that she can see no emotional problems,it is something I worry about given all he has been through,so it was very good to hear And that behaviour is all down to his ASD needs not being met at school.Really great report.

[Sally44]

I would speak with the EP about it and ask them what they recommend to help with comprehension difficulties. Mainly I would have thought it is about asking questions related to the story, and also asking 'what do you think happens next' before you turn the page. If he understands the words, but not the emotions behind them, then working on explaining and giving examples of that emotion in stories would be useful. But this is all down to the EP or the SALT. His difficulty with reading maybe due to difficulties with language and communication which is the remit of the SALT.

[baddad]

Hi Justine -

 

I think the stuff with reading comprehension is quite common... if you think about it, our kids are often also good at appearing to listen but without actually taking the meaning of the words onboard - that thing of them listening and repeating back a list of instructions but then forgetting everything but the first or last part as soon as they set off to do it!

My own son technically reads above his age too, but ask him to tell you about the story he's just read and it's clear that huge chunks of the text have not been processed into 'information', iykwim.

 

Another thing that links to this is something I think they call 'reading stamina'(?) - i.e. that in the same way you have to build up stamina for physical exercise you have to build up concentration and comprehension levels to extend reading sessions. For my son, anything more than about 6-7 pages is a 'marathon' and quickly becomes tedious and pointless, but a quick 'jog' through a Simpsons/Futurama comic or something like that is enjoyable, and he will read like this recreationally.

 

A friend bought him a 'Captain Underpants' book and that series was the first thing that he really got into. Ideal for someone Sam's age, as the storylines are simple but action packed, there are lots of 'diversions' (silly scribbles etc - the stories are supposed to be written by two kids) and bags of Dick & Dom style humour. They bridge the gap well between comics and books.

 

Da-Da-Da

 

There's a website too with flash games and stuff, which adds to the interest levels. , but as that's the author's commercial site I won't post a link. You'll find it with google/whatever quite easily, though.

 

Obviously anything that helps with concentration levels (have you tried omega 3's?) will help, but time and a little but often approach are probably the most helpful at all. Another factor to consider is whether the 'message' gets across - I know adults on the spectrum who read constantly and love reading, but when they finish a book may only remember one or two characters by name. It hasn't diminished their enjoyment of the book or their understanding of it, or their engagement with the characters (even the ones whose names they've forgotten!) at all, but for the kind of reader who remembers everything it probably seems quite odd!

 

Hope that's helpful (and even though he is now way beyond them I would add that Ben still occassionally revisits Captain U when he's looking for some lighter reading! A guilty pleasure from his primary years )

 

L&P

 

BD

[justine1]

Hi Justine -

 

I think the stuff with reading comprehension is quite common... if you think about it, our kids are often also good at appearing to listen but without actually taking the meaning of the words onboard - that thing of them listening and repeating back a list of instructions but then forgetting everything but the first or last part as soon as they set off to do it!

My own son technically reads above his age too, but ask him to tell you about the story he's just read and it's clear that huge chunks of the text have not been processed into 'information', iykwim.

 

Another thing that links to this is something I think they call 'reading stamina'(?) - i.e. that in the same way you have to build up stamina for physical exercise you have to build up concentration and comprehension levels to extend reading sessions. For my son, anything more than about 6-7 pages is a 'marathon' and quickly becomes tedious and pointless, but a quick 'jog' through a Simpsons/Futurama comic or something like that is enjoyable, and he will read like this recreationally.

 

A friend bought him a 'Captain Underpants' book and that series was the first thing that he really got into. Ideal for someone Sam's age, as the storylines are simple but action packed, there are lots of 'diversions' (silly scribbles etc - the stories are supposed to be written by two kids) and bags of Dick & Dom style humour. They bridge the gap well between comics and books.

 

Da-Da-Da

 

There's a website too with flash games and stuff, which adds to the interest levels. , but as that's the author's commercial site I won't post a link. You'll find it with google/whatever quite easily, though.

 

Obviously anything that helps with concentration levels (have you tried omega 3's?) will help, but time and a little but often approach are probably the most helpful at all. Another factor to consider is whether the 'message' gets across - I know adults on the spectrum who read constantly and love reading, but when they finish a book may only remember one or two characters by name. It hasn't diminished their enjoyment of the book or their understanding of it, or their engagement with the characters (even the ones whose names they've forgotten!) at all, but for the kind of reader who remembers everything it probably seems quite odd!

 

Hope that's helpful (and even though he is now way beyond them I would add that Ben still occassionally revisits Captain U when he's looking for some lighter reading! A guilty pleasure from his primary years )

 

L&P

 

BD

Thanks Sally <'> He will be getting a new ed psych so I will have to more than likely,wait until the new school year.I am sure the new setting will pick it up and may have some suggestions for me anyway.

 

Thank Baddad That is very re- assuring to me.He can read the same spongebob story over and over,but I think he can "relate" to it as he has usually watched the episode on telly Thing is he does seem to enjoy reading it doesnt seem like a task but again it has to be what he wants to read and when he wants to read.

 

I tried OMega 3,actually got it for my eldest and then starte giving Sam,gave it to him religiously for a year and it never had any effect.However it was between age 4 and 5.I may start it again,it does work for my eldest.

 

I will look up your suggestion,I just want to help him as best as I can,I guess if he doesnt read/understand stories like NT people yet he still progressing there wont be a worry,in a way I am not worried,but would be great if he can at least understand some of the story.

 

Thank you very much for your help,I will keep trying

[Kazzen161]

You could google hyperlexia eg: http://www.snapassessment.com/INFhypl.htm

 

 

[Sally44]

The other thing you posted that is similar to my son is:-

 

"and sometimes doesnt even know what the story was about."

 

My son had to be taught a narrative frame to be able to give information that he wanted to tell us. Otherwise he just did not seem to understand what he needed to tell us so that we understood. This skill is needed to both 'give' information to another person and also to 'understand' verbal or written information - because you need to be able to identify the salient points.

 

For example my son was told the story of a monkey and a parrot. The parrot was annoying the monkey with its' constant talking so the monkey tricked the parrot so that the parrots beak got stuck together. When my son was asked "what is the story about" he said he it was about a "branch"! But by learning and using the framework he began to understand better and give information that others could understand.

 

So they used a narrative frame and also clipped a story frame onto his trousers. This taught him to go through the process of saying "who", "where" "what happened" etc.

 

This area is the remit of the speech and language therapist. Make notes of your concerns and ask for a referal to a SALT.

[Sally44]

Another thing you could check before you see the SALT is to read short stories to your child and ask them questions along the way. This will check whether your child can listen and attend to verbal information and can process it. This is something my son (now age 9), has only recently been able to do. So I am reading Narnia to him (he has already seen the films), and I ask him questions about what I have read.

Also check if he can sequence instructions eg. put your jumper and shoes on. (obviously if he has trouble dressing himself then ask him to bring you two different objects instead). My son has difficulties remembering what has been said and in what order. Sequencing things is a big problem for him and it affects other areas such as spelling too.

That is why speech and language is so important to get picked up because it isn't only about communication and social interaction, it can affect learning and demonstrating learning as well.

[justine1]

Thank you all for your replies <'> Hyperlexia fits him very well.Does he need this to be written down as part of his dx or will he get the help anyway?

 

Also I did suspect he is dyslexic,can he have both dyslexia and hyperlexia? The ed psych report said he is below average for writing and maths,his writing is really bad!!! Sometimes at home he does well but at school its a problem.He gets his letters and numbers the wrong way quite often like "g" will be the other way so looks like and "e" "5" and "2" are often backwards.With his counting he tries to count in groups of two but gets muddled,so when counting six he will pair his fingers together so the answer he gives will be 3 not 6.

 

I dont really want a long list of "lexia's" but I am worried if its not on paper he wont get the specific help.Who gives the dx's anyway,is it the paed or ed psych?

[JsMum]

Hi Justine1

 

The Educational psychologist Dx J with Dyslexia, as reguarding the two conditions being together I cant see why not, the Dyslexia explains he has difficulties processing the Words but the Hyperlexia explains he has difficulties processing the story, anyway found this Ausie site about Dyslexia and Hyperlexia as there more up on these kinds of conditions and it has videos too, try youtube too for hyperlexia.

 

Dyslexia action uk also will have further information on the two conditions been side by side.

 

The fact your son is going into a ASD Unit it maybe easier to access the right provisions but as you say if at the end of the day he is dx with Dyslexia and Hyperlexia it will need to be added to his statement.

 

 

http://www.readhelp.com.au/video_home/page.php?pageid=150

 

JsMumx

 

[Sunlit Vampire]

Indeed, i have hyperlexia myself (though i was never dx with it, but it does sound familiar to what i would do when i was younger) and i still struggle with the meaning of words.

 

having an understanding ASD unit would help him a great deal with the like of comprehension and context of words(along with other things), something i had to learn myself at great difficulty.

also, it did impact my results for things, since sometimes i didn't understand what was written or how to write my answer down in a way which got my understanding of it across, so i would, if he gets diagnosed, put it on his statement.

 

hope this helped

David~

 

 

[Sally44]

Just to clarify. Are you saying that his ability to read is advanced, but the comprehension is not there.

Then when he tries to write/spell he cannot do it or spells it wrong or reverses the letters or gets them in the wrong sequence?

[Sunlit Vampire]

Ahh, Sorry i didn't reply sooner .

 

Just to clarify. Are you saying that his ability to read is advanced, but the comprehension is not there.

indeed, that is correct.

 

Then when he tries to write/spell he cannot do it or spells it wrong or reverses the letters or gets them in the wrong sequence?

that would be the dyslexia, i had slight difficulty with writing and spelling (more the former) and eventually grew out of it, but i suppose it's still worth getting dx for it.

 

David~

Edited July 17, 2010 by Sunlit Vampire

[justine1]

Just to clarify. Are you saying that his ability to read is advanced, but the comprehension is not there.

Then when he tries to write/spell he cannot do it or spells it wrong or reverses the letters or gets them in the wrong sequence?

Yes to both.With the writing,he really struggles I noticed this very early on.He only gets some letter and numbers the wrong way,like "5"(he does back to front) "6""9"(gets muddled) letters like "g" and "p" are usually back to front.

He also cant read digital time like if its 9.03am he will read it as 9.30am and viceversa.

 

However when he types,with help,he does really well,and can form sentences that for the most part make sense.I was told this by the ed psych and his TA,they said he has loads of ideas but if you ask him to write it down he cant,if you ask him to type it he can.

[baranigirl]

Surely this is also age related too? DD2 was terrible at 'expression' in her reading, yet she enjoys reading more so than her older sister who can do expression, but is terrible at comprehension!

 

As an early avid reader myself I struggled with my girls not enjoying reading to the same level, but now DD2 is 11 her expression is there, it just needed time to develop.

 

Just keep encouraging him to work out what might come next and how it might be said and he may just click with it xx

[justine1]

Surely this is also age related too? DD2 was terrible at 'expression' in her reading, yet she enjoys reading more so than her older sister who can do expression, but is terrible at comprehension!

 

As an early avid reader myself I struggled with my girls not enjoying reading to the same level, but now DD2 is 11 her expression is there, it just needed time to develop.

 

Just keep encouraging him to work out what might come next and how it might be said and he may just click with it xx

Yes,I think it will develop with age,but his writing (my main concern) is below average,as is his science. I just think becaus ehe is getting his statement through soon I want to make sure everything is included so that he doesnt start to flouish in one area and fail in another.

He is a Level 2A for his reading,but its his ability to read,he can go through books quickly.In fact when he moved levels and books became longer he still thought he had to finish the book on the same day,he didnt realise he can put a bookmark and continue the next day

 

If he isnt actually absorbing or understanding what he has read then it sort of defeats the purpose of reading,doesnt it? He cant be learning much by just reading the words and not understanding anything.Pressure will start to increase now as he starts Year 3 in September.

[Sally44]

I think you would need a SALT and EP to look at her. The SALT would look at comprehension, inference etc and you could mention your thoughts that it might be hyperlexia. There was a child in my son's class who was moved into the autism unit because he could not cope mainstream. Yet he was reading years above his age - but without comprehension and without being able to apply what he was reading. You would also want the SALT to assess for any speech disorder, and to check his understanding of phonics for writing.

His difficulty with writing maybe due to visual dysgraphia. That is a difficulty associating sound to letter symbol. So that sound to symbol and symbol to sound needs to be checked. Usually the symbol to sound pathway is better than the sound to symbol pathway. That can indicate an auditory processing disorder.

The EP should also look at differences in non-verbal tasks and then verbal/writing tasks to see what the difference is.

 

If he can read, but without comprehension, then he might benefit from a computer software programme such as widgit communicate in print because words have a picture with them that indicate what the word means. Alot of special schools have this programme. You can also trial it yourself for 30 days. I did that and downloaded all the high frequency words and am teaching them my son. If school do go ahead and use widgit with him, then I will buy it so we can use it at home.