3littleangels
asks:
Q:
School says son appears not to have learning disability but grades weren't good enough to be promoted to 4th grade. Says he may not be mature enough. Have you heard of such a thing?
The school year has recently ended and my sons grades were not good enough to be promoted to the 4th grade.He goes to tutoring 2dys/wk and I work with him at home, but he still appears to be struggling at times. He knows the work, but he doesn't seem to be focused all the time.The school agrees that he appears not to have any learning disabilities, but he may not be "mature enough". Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?
In Topics:
School and Academics, Motivation and achievement at school, My Relationship with my child's school
> 60 days ago
What the Expert Says:
Additional Answers (2)
Yes I have. Have him test for ADHD. I had my son test for it and he is. He knows allot of the work, but he can't focus and struggles at times. I is really bad when it come to math. I had my oldest test when he was in the fourth grade. I also might have to have my youngest test for it to because he is showing signs to.
> 60 days ago
Since you are clearly working with him and clearly care deeply, too, I suspect the school is mistaken or there are behavioral issues at work.
There are two possibilities: Your son is of low intelligence, or he has a learning disability.
A child who has low intelligence but not low enough to be classified as mentally retarded will not qualify for any assistance and will be held back.
A child who is not of low intelligence and is performing that badly either has a learning disability or a behavior problem interfering with his school performance.
First, what's the source of the problem? Is he struggling with the material? Or is he behaving badly so that he doesn't do what he needs to in class?
First, the second possibility: Some behavior is just plain bad behavior. Some apparent bad behvior, particularly if it is school-specific, is actually a learning disability in disguise, ADHD or otherwise.
You was that the school "agrees" that he "appears" not to have a disability--he needs to have a full academic work up and possibly an evaluation for ADHD. That's the only way to tell what the source of his problems actually are. If its low IQ, ADHD, a specific learning disability, or whatever else--that will be found. Many very successful people are learning disabled, and it's a far sight better than the other alternatives. Make them evaluate him! "Mature enough" means nothing, and holding him back won't help.
There are two possibilities: Your son is of low intelligence, or he has a learning disability.
A child who has low intelligence but not low enough to be classified as mentally retarded will not qualify for any assistance and will be held back.
A child who is not of low intelligence and is performing that badly either has a learning disability or a behavior problem interfering with his school performance.
First, what's the source of the problem? Is he struggling with the material? Or is he behaving badly so that he doesn't do what he needs to in class?
First, the second possibility: Some behavior is just plain bad behavior. Some apparent bad behvior, particularly if it is school-specific, is actually a learning disability in disguise, ADHD or otherwise.
You was that the school "agrees" that he "appears" not to have a disability--he needs to have a full academic work up and possibly an evaluation for ADHD. That's the only way to tell what the source of his problems actually are. If its low IQ, ADHD, a specific learning disability, or whatever else--that will be found. Many very successful people are learning disabled, and it's a far sight better than the other alternatives. Make them evaluate him! "Mature enough" means nothing, and holding him back won't help.
> 60 days ago
