dyslexia and red shirting?

[Anonymous]

Is there any advantage keeping a child back one year, when that child is bright, but has a LD, such as dyslexia?

My son is a late summer child, who is a struggling reader in his K classroom. He failed to meet the K entrance reading benchmark, so it's not just my imagination. We suspect he may have an LD (dyslexia), and are in the process of having him evaluated.

My question is -- assuming dyslexia is his reality -- would he be better served by retention for one year, or by continued school-based and home services in his current grade? I fear that if he continues to need the pull-outs, he will develop doubts about his ability and become stressed about school. He is already concerned about the pull-outs, complaining he may be missing math (his favorite), and saying he is not good at learning. He's only 5.

So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

Or should we simply keep moving forward? He's bright, social and seems to make good progress in reading, now that he has the needed support. But I don't really know what lies ahead... I really regret not waiting another year...

[Anonymous]

I would move him on and keep with services. Some kids just struggle more with reading. I'd just heavily focus on reading.

[Anonymous]

If a child has a true LD such as dyslexia, they need services whether or not they are held back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any advantage keeping a child back one year, when that child is bright, but has a LD, such as dyslexia?

My son is a late summer child, who is a struggling reader in his K classroom. He failed to meet the K entrance reading benchmark, so it's not just my imagination. We suspect he may have an LD (dyslexia), and are in the process of having him evaluated.

My question is -- assuming dyslexia is his reality -- would he be better served by retention for one year, or by continued school-based and home services in his current grade? I fear that if he continues to need the pull-outs, he will develop doubts about his ability and become stressed about school. He is already concerned about the pull-outs, complaining he may be missing math (his favorite), and saying he is not good at learning. He's only 5.

So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

Or should we simply keep moving forward? He's bright, social and seems to make good progress in reading, now that he has the needed support. But I don't really know what lies ahead... I really regret not waiting another year...

He should not be missing math with his pull outs; it should happen during a non core subject time. Math is a core subject. I found that in order to keep DC's engagement with school, he had to be getting the cognitive part on schedule otherwise it would have been way way too easy for him and he may have disengaged from school altogether.

How long it takes to mitigate dyslexia is really dependent on the severity and type(s) of dyslexia and if there are any other LDs or issue present. What is the K reading benchmark?

[Anonymous]

I would definitely NOT hold back a child with dyslexia. Dyslexia is NOT just late development in reading. Kids who are dyslexic need a very different style of reading teaching than is typically taught in public schools. They need very clear and explicit teaching of the letter/sound correspondences (phonics or phonemic groupings usually done thru specific programs like Phonographix, Wilson, Orton-Gillingham, etc.). Depending on the specifics of the dyslexia profile, they may also need help developing fluency (speed and expression in reading) or reading comprehension.

Meanwhile, I would ask the school how they are going to give him access to on grade level materials that if he is not at grade level in reading. For example, if he can't read the directions for a math assignment, will the teacher orally tell him the directions? Same for history, science, etc. Can he listen to books on tape in these subjects instead of or in addition to reading?

Most dyslexic kids are very bright. They have a right to continue at grade level and be educated in other subjects. My son has a reading disorder, but is a year or more ahead in math.

Holding a child back may seem like it solves problems (by giving them more time to develop), but may create other problems like boredom, low self-esteem, etc. If the child doesn't actually get the necessary explicit phonics-based decoding instruction during the K year, you may actually find that he doesn't progress and is in the same place at the end of the year (i.e. still behind grade).

Many schools like to say with young kids that the developmental window is wide and that parents should just "wait" because "everyone learns to read by 3rd grade". This may turn out to be true for most kids, but it is a very damaging approach for kids who have specific diagnoses.

If I had it to do over again, I would have invested very heavily in proper reading teaching outside of school as frequently as I could afford on a weekly basis. I think addressing this problem as early as possible intensively can avoid many other problems down the road.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a dyslexic child here..generally the recommendation is not to hold back. Yes it would help his reading skills but if he truly has an LD, it is something he will struggle with. One year is likely not "fix" the problem. No reason he should not move forward in all other areas. If you are able, definitely consider private tutoring (or a "camp") to move him along faster and have less missed class time. MoCo offered my child very little for dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

OP,

I really think it depends on your kid. Kids with LDs may be just as bright as their peers may also be more delayed socially. If your kid is socially immature as well as dyslexic, I would definitely consider holding back a year and getting help for the reading. There is nothing wrong with holding a kid back for this reason although red shirting is regarded with such disdain. You really need to base this choice on your kid. (I also think people overestimate how "bored" kids will be.)

Yes, your kid may still need pull outs in the future however confidence and not feeling adrift is also important. There is a reason that the number of private school applications makes a BIG jump starting 3rd grade onward. It's b/c the kids left in the dust b/c their LD wasn't sufficiently addressed earlier are hitting the wall academically.

Wait for the results of testing. Talk with the person doing the evaluation and current teachers. No matter which you decide, it's good you've caught it early and are taking steps to address it.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised by the recs to send him on. My kids are teens with lds and so many parents hold back their kids now that there is no stigma. All you are doing is sending them into to the working world a year earlier.

Both of my children are very bright and it helped them tremendously. Also re kids being pulled out for services during core classes, in Loudoun in most every case children are pulled out of core classes to get services. We've fought this issue every year with little success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a child has a true LD such as dyslexia, they need services whether or not they are held back.

Also, holding back creates social stresses that better be outweighed by the benefits. Think twice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a child has a true LD such as dyslexia, they need services whether or not they are held back.

Also, holding back creates social stresses that better be outweighed by the benefits. Think twice.

Sorry, depends on your kid. It didn't stress out mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a child has a true LD such as dyslexia, they need services whether or not they are held back.

Also, holding back creates social stresses that better be outweighed by the benefits. Think twice.

Do you have an SN kid? Research doesn't support this.

http://www.ldonline.org/article/Social_and_Emotional_Problems_Related_to_Dyslexia

OP, lots of people hold disdain for red shirting. "Red shirting" for an SN kid is completely different than redshirting an NT kid b/c you're trying to gain an advantage. SN kids are already at the disadvantage. Time doesn't always let them catch up but building and reinforcing social skills is key. Even if that means delaying K.

[Anonymous]

I held back both of my kids based on birthdays. One is sn, the other nt. I've seen no disdain. It is so common it isn't noticed. My nt had mild motor delays and was premature. We made the decision for an extra year of preschool for both and it was right for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I held back both of my kids based on birthdays. One is sn, the other nt. I've seen no disdain. It is so common it isn't noticed. My nt had mild motor delays and was premature. We made the decision for an extra year of preschool for both and it was right for us.

PP here. Should have clarified, disdain on this website, not IRL.

[Anonymous]

Someone correct me if I am wrong. I thought that MOCO will not give in school services to a child who is held back? I knew a child getting speech through the county as a preschooler (at the ES he would be attending the next year). The parents wanted to hold him back. They were told that if they did services would be discontinued. Is this correct?

[Anonymous]

It's actually against the law to hold a child back based on LD's isn't it? Hence the ADA laws!

I have 2 kids with dyslexia. I didn't hold either back b/c they were doing fine in everything but reading. Now my oldest has been treated and is AHEAD of her peers! My youngest probably could have been held back - but not b/c of dyslexia, she's socially immature and has a late birthday. But in 1st grade I won't do it now. She has her BFF's and it would devastate her!