Re: Suggestions for spelling test accommodations?

[Guest guest]

Can they break the list into two lists and test him on separate days to

relieve the pressure?

________________________________

To:

Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:34 PM

Subject: Suggestions for spelling test accommodations?

 

Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

[Guest guest]

That was my initial thought although I'm not sure if an additional test a week

would be more pressure of a different kind. We could try it though..the teacher

is pretty flexible and amenable to most of my suggestions.

>

> Can they break the list into two lists and test him on separate days to

relieve the pressure?

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To:

> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:34 PM

> Subject: Suggestions for spelling test accommodations?

>

>

>  

> Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At the school I work at, we routinely shorten the number of spelling words

tested on for our kids

who need it. Do you think they would be willing to just test him on less words?

Stormy

Sent from my iPad

>

> That was my initial thought although I'm not sure if an additional test a week

would be more pressure of a different kind. We could try it though..the teacher

is pretty flexible and amenable to most of my suggestions.

>

> >

> > Can they break the list into two lists and test him on separate days

to relieve the pressure?

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> >

> > To:

> > Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:34 PM

> > Subject: Suggestions for spelling test accommodations?

> >

> >

> > Â

> > Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

See, I thought that for them to give him less work he would have to have an IEP

and he is only going to have the 504. I will ask tomorrow for sure.

> > >

> > > Can they break the list into two lists and test him on separate days

to relieve the pressure?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ________________________________

> > > From: Loretta <Queenbee718@>

> > > To:

> > > Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:34 PM

> > > Subject: Suggestions for spelling test accommodations?

> > >

> > >

> > > Â

> > > Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504.

The kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just

overwhelms him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that

spike his anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this

for us. And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional

slowness...it takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of

wisdom from those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

They could give him less words with a 504 Plan. What happens after the test, do

they exchange papers to grade? (hate when class does that) If they turn it in

to teacher to grade, then maybe they can just grade your son on what he turns

in, with some minimum number he has to complete. Is he keeping up at all

currently with the spelling test? Was thinking maybe he could just randomly do

some out of the 50, not in a row, but have to get 15 or 20? Or do the first 15

or so and then not have to do the rest. And get graded on what he turns in.

Quick thoughts,

>

[Guest guest]

Another thought - how does he do orally? They could have someone test him

orally if that's easier. Hard part is when/where!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I talked to the teacher at the 504 meeting today and he actually said that he is

doing OK on the spelling tests and that there are only two left for the duration

of the school year so I am going to let this one go. I was relieved that the

plan will give him breaks between testing and allow him to use software at home

so that he does not have to write out his journal assignments...this way he can

go back and fix punctuation, spelling or grammar but does not have to write

everything out longhand. He tends to go back and erase and change things over

and over again and it ends up being torture. Going to the doctor Thurs to

discuss new meds since he keeps having bad reactions to the SSRI's.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My son is in the 504 plan. He does NOT have to stand up and speak in front of

class, he tells the teacher at his/her desk. He also is allowed extra time on

test taking or can finish at the end of the day. I hope this helps. I would

DEMAND it from the school that they accomodate your child in any way they can so

that she can become successful.

Pam L.

[Guest guest]

How about testing him on 10 words each day? He could do it after lunch or Before

school. Another idea....a verbal test. Decreasing workload is an acceptable

accommodation as well. Perhaps you can ask for a list of must know words by the

end of the year. Teachers don't like exceptions, but kids needs have to come

before that. If you have continued issues, you might want an IEP instead.

Bonnie

>

> Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

>

[Guest guest]

We have a 504 and when my son needed testing accommodations, he got them without

a fuss or hassle. He got to take tests at home and I would help him with the

test then put a sticky note on the test with the exact content of my help and

hand it all back in. The teacher would then grade it with the knowledge of what

my son knew in class and also the content of my help ( i.e. anxiety help or

knowledge base help). We also did some CBT stuff with tests where we

specifically handed in tests with wrong answers on purpose ( I had cut a deal

with the teacher unknown to my son that these tests would not count). By the end

of that year he took his first test at school and has been a straight A student

ever since

[Guest guest]

I used to say I would rather poke my eye with a fork than to help my son with

his homework! It seem to worsen as he got older (he is now in 7th grade).

Starting during last year, he no longer has homework. The homework that is

assigned is now done at school with the help of an aide or the teacher and it is

also modified so there is not as much of it. Personally, this was a God send

for me!

I would think they would be able to modify the spelling tests for him and

decrease the amount of words. The 504 and IEP plans are meant to help the child

become more successful in school (and in our case, to help us at home)

Good Luck,

Debbie

>

> Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

>

[Guest guest]

Oh boy, there's a lot of appropriate accommodations to be had here.

No timers!

Limit the number of words on a given test (50 is crazy)....why cover them all at

once?

Allow verbal tests.

Allow alternate means for assessment

>

> Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

>

[Guest guest]

If writing out the words is part of the problem (perfection, getting it right),

they could use pre-printed letters (like Scrabble tiles--only more of them) and

he could arrange the letters to spell words.

I agree that 50 words is ridiculous. And that a modification for doing homework

only at school can indeed be done. Sometimes it's important to back up for some

perspective--like getting an arial view of a child's situation. His condition

(OCD in this case; could be depression, bipolar, on chemotherapy for leukemia,

etc. etc.) is getting in the way of his doing the typical work load at school.

You (or the school) can insist that he do everything the other students are

expected to do--but if he can't do it all right now, insisting will only worsen

his suffering (and the family's). But he'll get better and whatever he didn't

learn to spell this year he can learn to spell then. And in the meantime, his

quality of life (and the family's) will be a little bit better. It helps to

analogize it to the leukemia example, doesn't it? No one would question

modifying and accommodating for a kid with that condition.

Hope some of this helps.

>

> Oh boy, there's a lot of appropriate accommodations to be had here.

>

> No timers!

> Limit the number of words on a given test (50 is crazy)....why cover them all

at once?

> Allow verbal tests.

> Allow alternate means for assessment

>

>

> >

> > Tomorrow we meet at the school again to work out the details of the 504. The

kids have a weekly spelling test of 50 words and I know that it just overwhelms

him and he shuts down. They have accommodated him on things that spike his

anxiety such as timed tests but I'm not sure how they could tweak this for us.

And while I am on the subject, my child's suffers from obsessional slowness...it

takes him FOREVER to do homework so if there are any glimmers of wisdom from

those who have traveled this terrain, I'd appreciate feedback.

> >

>

>