My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

been told my 6 yr old will never be academic

59 replies

lilandbill2009 · 25/02/2010 00:36

hi
i would really like some advice please dd is in yr 2 and has been struggling with reaing spelling and writing since yr1.
when she started in yr 2 in september 6 weeks later she had parents evening and i was told that she was behind the other children.and if she didnt sort of catch up by christmas they were going to bring the educational women in to test her for dyslexia

well cut a long story short i have been told today that my daughter has a memory problem she does not have dyslexia but trouble remembering the words which is holding her back when i asked could they put her in the reading group i was told shes too old when i asked why another child was in the group she told me its to do with ages and she missed it by 2 months
she then went on to tell me that she will never be academic.......... i am at a total loss as what to do the teacher said that she is a bright child and cant understand why the penny hasnt dropped regarding the reading
i am so worried now and i think a couple of times a week extra reading with the ta is goning to help any ideas on what i can do

thanks in advance

OP posts:
Report
BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny · 25/02/2010 00:42

How are they teaching her to read? An easier way is to get her to read each letter phonetically, then say the letters without spaces in between them. Maybe they just teach her in a way that she finds difficult to click??

Report
fortyplus · 25/02/2010 01:01

No advice just a crumb of comfort...My parents were told that my brother would never be academic when he was 6. They were devastated.

He ended up going to University and getting a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and has pursued a successful career in computing. He's just sold his house for £1.4 million.

His young classmate and friend was also judged 'not academic'. This lad went on to become a rocket scientist... literally. He landed a job with NASA working on the space shuttle programme. He is now a professor of nuclear physics at Texas University.

Just because some children don't fit into the expected mould at a certain age doesn't mean that they won't be successful eventually.

I think most mainstream schools have difficulty dealing with childen who don't follow the expected pattern of progress. I've seen it with my own 2 sons. Ds1 (16) very slow to read and write, still has difficulty with spelling and handwriting. Ds2 (14) seemed to take everything in his stride - academically successful... when he was 6...

Yet I know which one will achieve more - it's ds1 because he is hardworking and applies himself. He will probably get a string of A & B grades at GCSE and is going to take Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computing at A level.

Report
CarmenSanDiego · 25/02/2010 01:17

This is such nonsense

I've had similar issues with my 6yo DD. She really wasn't working at school and refused to write. I actually ended up taking her out and am home-edding her. The difference is astonishing now I'm giving her one on one attention.

Six year olds are SO young really. They've so much to learn about the world. Making proclamations about their lack of ability at this age is ridiculous.

Report
nooka · 25/02/2010 04:15

Memory problems are a typical sign of dyslexia, as are having a big gap between your ability to read/write and the level that you are speaking at. When you say "educational women" do you mean an Educational Psychologist (sometimes called EP)? Or was it just the SENCO, because if it was the SENCO, I'd see about having her properly tested by an EP. If she is bright then what reason is there to say that she isn't going to be academic? It sounds like she has a specific learning disability, and she needs help to overcome it.

My ds is dyslexic (principally he has issues with his working memory and perceptual reasoning), this was never picked up at school, and even when he had his diagnosis they didn't provide him with any help as he wasn't far enough behind (yet). We did get some specialist help with his phonetic skills, and it has made an enormous difference.

We got the assessment from Dyslexia Action, and the help from a Sound Reading System tutor (recommended by a poster here). He didn't get the help until he was eight, so I don't understand the "it's too late to help" line.

I also found dyslexia.org (although the site looks very different to the last time I used it) and the Reading Reform Foundation www.rrf.org.uk/ really good reading in understanding why ds was struggling.

Report
mrspoppins · 25/02/2010 04:22

it will be what you do at home that will make the biggest difference to her. Lots of patience and practising educational stuff when she doesn't realise it...games...making books etc...
Keep

Report
mrspoppins · 25/02/2010 04:26

Also, very ill informed teacher to have made such a dreadfully sweeping statement. I would also ask for a specialist referral and cite that comment as the reason why but don't sound judgemental. Just simply say that you would like a full assessment so that in these early years, you may instigate learning methods to allow her to fully reach her potential, whatever that may be.
xx

Report
SofiaAmes · 25/02/2010 05:06

Absolutely ridiculous that a teacher makes such a judgement about such a young child. I had a similar problem with my ds. I was told when he was 5 that he was going to fail first grade because he was not learning to read as fast as the other kids. As it happens, ds is now in 4th grade and one of the most proficient readers in his year. In fact, last year I had him tested (because of ongoing complaints from teachers every year) and he was tested as a genius who reads (and comprehends what he reads) at high school level. He just processes slowly. By the way, it also turned out that he had a problem with his eyes that made the physical act of reading very difficult and tiring. He had problems with his pursuits and siccades (sp?) and he has now outgrown it. You may also want to try to give your dd other things to read than what they are using in class. My ds was bored silly with the reading system they were using and ended up learning from the Goosebumps books which were far more difficult, but much more interesting to him (full of vampires and monsters) and therefore more useful.

Report
SeaTrek · 25/02/2010 08:09

If a couple of anecdotes help:

I was rubbish at reading for most of primary school compared to the class. Ended up with five A levels, and a good 'hard' degree from a good university.

My nephew attends one of the most competitive schools in London - didn't get reading until he was eight.

I'm not saying don't give her extra help, just that at SIX it is WAY too young to make any longterm judgements.

Report
belgo · 25/02/2010 08:13

How stupid to judge a child at age six.

In Belgium they don't even start teaching reading and writing until age six, and in some countries it's age seven, and the overall standard of education from that age to university is higher then in the UK.

Report
bruffin · 25/02/2010 08:15

DS 14yrs had problems remember sight words and still can't spells. But he was taught synthetic phonics and the reading clicked when he was 7 in yr2. He still has a lot of problems with spelling and writing but is in the top set at secondary and his teachers say he is oxbridge material.
I said to one of his primary teachers that he would never be academic and she said no he was the complete opposite, actually very academic which he is now proving to be

At primary they said he wasn't dyslexic because he could read well, but he was on the SEN register and got a lot of extra help with spelling. However SENCO at secondary said he is almost definitely dyslexic but he reads well because he was taught phonics. DH had similar problems but couldn't read until he was 10 because he was taught Look and Say and had to be retaught with phonics.

Report
oddgirl · 25/02/2010 08:27

Its absoultely ridiculous to say that-my brother was very behind academically at primary school-struggled to read and write-and even missed a year of schooling due to serious illness- he sailed through secondary school getting 4 As at A Level and is now an intensive care consultant with a masters, phd etc etc etc!!! There is absoultely no way they can tell what she is like aged 6-I would question hoe academically "bright" the teacher is for making sucha ridiculous totally unfounded statement.
The question of help for your DD is what she shd be focusing on-has she seen the SENCO or an educational psychologist-it is their JOB to help her not dismiss her-
Really hope things are sorted soon

Report
Sakura · 25/02/2010 08:28

So so stupid to judge at 6. Some kids only really come into their own at 14! Some even later. Some of the cleverst and conscientious students at my university were mature students who hadn't made it to uni the first time round because they'd been judged as being "unacademic" whilst in school.
Some really bright, academic kids run out of steam by the time they get to university.
I could go on. My point is, don't worry and just let him take his time.

Report
BlauerEngel · 25/02/2010 08:33

What a silly teacher!

My dd2 didn't even start reading until they were 6 (in continental Europe, as belgo mentioned), and they have the first 2 years to learn before anyone starts passing comments.

Wasn't Einstein also told he was not academic?

A friend of mine has a child who was struggling (a bit older, though) and she took him for an IQ text. Came out extremely well, ds clearly highly intelligent, so she was able to use those results whenever the teachers complained - her ds was doing badly through sheer boredom. You just need to persist and believe in your dd, she needs your mental energy if it's not coming from the school.

Report
blinks · 25/02/2010 08:33

teacher sounds like a daft bint.

Report
Doodlez · 25/02/2010 08:35

Unusual for them to test for dyslexia before the age of 7.

We were refused testing on my DD, aged 6. Too young to tell for sure, so test would be a waste of time. Leaving it until she's 7.

I double-checked with a local, private testing place and they said the same - age 6 is too young.

Here:- website of place I contacted

Extract from web site:-

"We do not normally do full assessments on children below the age of seven as it is not felt that they have yet gained enough maturity of vision to cooperate with all the tests. Indeed some of the tests are not designed for children below this age, but we are always happy to see a child of any age for a routine screening or even for a full assessment if there is a specific problem."

Report
Doodlez · 25/02/2010 08:37

Also, DD "not academic" in her last school. Behind in the same way that your DD is.

Moved schools, smaller class, shit-hot teacher.....guess what, she's romping home! I actually enjoy listening to her read now. I even enjoy doing spellings with her because she is enjoying it now.

Time & attention works wonders and a great teacher knows it!

Report
msrisotto · 25/02/2010 08:41

Awful of her to say that, what a self fulfilling prophecy, also missing out by 2 months is so arbitrary when your child is struggling, they should be allowed access to al available resources! I think you should go to the head about this.

Anecdote - My OH was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and struggled alot at school and teachers had no hope in him and he's now an accountant.

Report
Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 25/02/2010 08:45

Another anecdote - my brother was thought as a a bit slow and really didn't get reading and writing, They ended up making a special book for him at 7 with the names of cars in (so much more exciting than Jane and Jonny!). He then went on to get a scholarship at 13 and is now a civil engineer.

The three r's are important but surely at 6 they can't decided your entire future????

Report
MrsChemist · 25/02/2010 08:48

My teacher said this to my parents when I was about 6yo (well their exact words were "she'll never make anything of herself," but they are similar sentiments). My parents reply was that if I wasn't academic it was their damned fault and they pulled me out of school and sent me to another, much better school.

The head teacher of my new school personally tutored me in Maths and English so I could catch up with my peers (he was awesome).

I went to University in the end (Russell Group dontcha know )

Report
MoChan · 25/02/2010 08:51

Utterly idiotic to label someone "not academic" at this age. Really. It makes me so angry. Also makes me angry when small children are labelled "clever". It makes for expectations which can be disappointed.

FWIW, my brother was considered a complete academic failure, and went on to get a first at a good university, then did his PhD in three years whilst also working to support a family.

In any case, being 'academic' isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Being able to read is an obvious life skill, but it takes some children longer to get it than others.

Report
Summersoon · 25/02/2010 08:58

Haven't got time to write much because I am about to start work but just wanted to second what the others said - what a load of nonsense from your teacher! Please don't let it get you down.

Report
specialsmasher · 25/02/2010 09:04

I teach in a secondary school. I taught a dyslexic girl whose parents had been told 'not to expect much' from her in Y3 or thereabouts... they were really pleased, as was she, when she got her A grade in English at GCSE last year -

Not that this child is dyslexic, but it is ridiculous to say someone is not academic at that age - talk about lowering expectations. Self-fulfilling prophecy, anyone?

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

maverick · 25/02/2010 09:19

Do NOT accept any of the following excuses for your child's reading and spelling difficulties:

  • Your child is lazy / isn't trying / doesn't pay attention / needs to concentrate / lacks motivation
  • Your child spends too much time watching television / playing on the computer
  • Your child has emotional barriers to reading created as a result of your anxieties (Rose 2009 p21)
  • S/he hasn't memorised the list of essential sight words yet
  • Boys are often slow learning to read
  • His/her brain is wired differently from other children
  • S/he's got an phonological processing disability
  • His/her particular learning style / 'intelligence' doesn't suit phonics
  • His/her 'brain isn't well matched to a literacy-based society' (BDA. Pollak p131)
  • S/he's still at the whole word stage
  • Don't worry, s/he will catch up -s/he's just a bit slow developmentally
  • You have unrealistic expectations; s/he's just not academic.
  • It's because s/he's left handed / 'right-brained'
  • S/he suffers from 'visual stress' and needs tinted lenses or overlays.
  • It's because his/her diet is deficient in essential fatty acids
  • You haven't /don't read to him/her enough at home
  • S/he's inherited your dyslexia genes
  • It's because English is his/her second language...
  • It's because of his/her ''medical difficulties - constipation (!), anaemia, poor diet etc'' (UK Gov. LI16.Hewes)


Note that all these excuses place the source of the problem with the child or their parent, never with the teaching or the teaching materials, yet we know that, 'If a child can speak in whole sentences and participate in everyday conversation, the child has adequate prerequisites to be taught how to read' (Prof.Schutz)

www.aowm73.dsl.pipex.com/dyslexics/should_I_have.htm
Report
tummytime · 25/02/2010 09:27

You poor thing. If it halps my brother was diagnosed with a visuial memory problem at 8 when he was hugely struggling with reading and writing. He recently got a 1st in Maths from Oxford and is doing a PhD. He really doesn't struggle now and is very academic.

Report
lilandbill2009 · 25/02/2010 10:12

thanks for all your replies was talking to another couple of mums this morning and another child in my daughters class has been told that he has a memory problem the same as what i was told yesterday i think the problem is with this teacher she is only 25 and assistant deputy head and so as a result if never in the class very often

nooka
my daughter hasnt seen anyone only the teacher told me she has read up and decided that she hasnt got dyslexia

been told today to go and see the head and demand that my daughter gets put in this intense reading group but i dont know what to do i just feel like crying about the whole thing but that isnt gonna work so i decided to leave it to parents evening which is in a couple of weeks and ask for the ep woman to come and acess her she will be 7 in april and see here to go from there

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.