DS(7) is in Yr2 is on an IEP as he is behind the national standards for reading and writing, and his self-esteem is suffering. He is showing some signs of dyslexic tendencies and we have dyslexia in the family, but it may also be that he is simply developing at a different rate to others and it will all fall into place eventually, hopefully by the end of this year. I fully understand that school is unlikely to test for dyslexia until he is 8 for this reason.
The school has quite a strict HW policy, in that it starts weekly in Yr1, and increases year on year. In Yr2 for example, they have a weekly reading/writing task, and 2 extra pieces of homework to complete each half term, as well as daily reading; each HW task is more challenging than the previous one.
While I would personally prefer a more relaxed approach to HW in general for all children, I accept we have chosen a school because it is good in many aspects and is our local community school so we want to be part of it! I just don’t want DS to go too far down the route of feeling he is unable or somehow different in a negative way, before really knowing if there is some kind of SEN.
Can anyone help me to understand the thinking behind a strict HW policy in terms of the affect on those who later go on to be diagnosed with dyslexia (or other SENs)? I guess I am wondering why school might be so keen to push them all so early, my concern being whether this can actually do damage to children who later go on to be diagnosed with SENs - i.e. they will already have experienced at least one whole year of feeling behind, pressured with work that might be too far advanced for them and general awareness of not being as able as everyone else (which is how DS feels).
I appreciate I am a "layperson", but I can't help but wonder, since there is no clear evidence that homework at this age actually has any benefit long term, why not wait until Yr3 to start building homework up, when any dyslexic (or other SEN that might be diagnosed by then) children would hopefully have a diagnosis and support in place to cope?
I’m hoping to take a query of this nature up with the School SENCO, so any thoughts or guidance before I do would be very much appreciated
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Any professionals who can help with a homework/dyslexia/SEN query?
25 replies
PippertyPip · 24/10/2013 10:44
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