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He's having so many issues writing. He is still using the big line and it is very hard to read it. Mostly he has difficulty with his fine motor skills.
That can be done at home if you're willing to put a little time in. I'll tell you what I do with my 4 year old, and you can adapt it to your 6 year old.
We got the Handwriting without Tears workbook, the tiny little crayons that come with it, and some Kumon workbooks that are letter and number and writing practice. I make traceable outlines of my son's name on the computer and print out several copies. I also make printouts of lines and shapes to cut. I also have some really easy coloring books.
Every day, 6 days a week (we take Friday off), I spend 10 minutes at the kitchen table with my son and practice. I rotate what I do every day. We practice writing his name one day, do handwriting without tears the next day, color while trying to stay in the lines the next day, a Kumon workbook the next day, cut out a circle the next day, etc. We have a little schedule up on the wall, and follow it. OT right after dinner, every day.
Start with hand over hand, where you put your hand over his and help. Gradually move to letting him try tracing on his own. Gradually move to letting him try writing without tracing, but looking at an example. Gradually move to having him write without an example. Gradually move to dictation of words, then dictation of sentences. Get some modeling clay and have him play with it as much as possible to help strengthen his little finger muscles.
Look at all the materials you can buy on the Handwriting without Tears website. They have lots and lots of things you can buy and use at home to help. The key is to practice everyday, with your son, at the table. EVERY day. WITH your son. Slow and easy 1 on 1 help from someone who really cares. Give it a few months, and you should definitely start seeing results.
Private school was partial financial aid and lawyer is doing it pro bono. My insurance will pay for eval and speech but not OT(he really needs it). I am making an appt now. I will see how much OT cost. I may have to use my credit cards for now. I fear for his safety.
I was going to say with the first poster above did - if you can afford private school, you can afford an eval and some OT. Use your credit cards if you have to. Your child's well-being should be your #1 priority, even if you have to cut back in other areas. Usually medical providers give a discount for people who are self-pay.
That can be done at home if you're willing to put a little time in. I'll tell you what I do with my 4 year old, and you can adapt it to your 6 year old.
We got the Handwriting without Tears workbook, the tiny little crayons that come with it, and some Kumon workbooks that are letter and number and writing practice. I make traceable outlines of my son's name on the computer and print out several copies. I also make printouts of lines and shapes to cut. I also have some really easy coloring books.
Every day, 6 days a week (we take Friday off), I spend 10 minutes at the kitchen table with my son and practice. I rotate what I do every day. We practice writing his name one day, do handwriting without tears the next day, color while trying to stay in the lines the next day, a Kumon workbook the next day, cut out a circle the next day, etc. We have a little schedule up on the wall, and follow it. OT right after dinner, every day.
Start with hand over hand, where you put your hand over his and help. Gradually move to letting him try tracing on his own. Gradually move to letting him try writing without tracing, but looking at an example. Gradually move to having him write without an example. Gradually move to dictation of words, then dictation of sentences. Get some modeling clay and have him play with it as much as possible to help strengthen his little finger muscles.
Look at all the materials you can buy on the Handwriting without Tears website. They have lots and lots of things you can buy and use at home to help. The key is to practice everyday, with your son, at the table. EVERY day. WITH your son. Slow and easy 1 on 1 help from someone who really cares. Give it a few months, and you should definitely start seeing results.
Agree with all the above! Get the little pencils or crayons-- that really helps. Also they love to play with the Clay. Keep it light and fun for them. Be very positive with him.
My son struggled with holding the pencil last year and he has improved so much since then. Good luck!
He's having so many issues writing. He is still using the big line and it is very hard to read it. Mostly he has difficulty with his fine motor skills.
It's totally normal to have trouble writing neatly or legibly at that age. You can get some handwriting books and practice with him at home, but messy handwriting doesn't automatically mean that he has a problem, neater handwriting will come as he gets older.
The kid needs to be evaluated before mom can attempt to do OT herself. There may not even be a problem.
The child does need to be evaluated, yes. But I disagree with the other part. You don't have to wait to be evaluated for it to be helpful to sit down with mom at the table and practice your letters. All kids, with or without problems, can be helped by a little extra 1 on 1 time with a parent or other tutor.
Then OP will have made life just a little easier for them by freeing up a spot in the classroom and with the public therapists. The teacher will have a tiny bit easier time for having one less student in the classroom, and the child who needs the free services will be one slot higher on the waiting list.
Would you prefer those who can afford private take all the free resources, so those who can't afford private have to wait? I thought not. I always try and save the free resources for those who cannot get them any other way.
Most private schools offer financial aid and grants. At my children's school 40% of the kids are on some kind of aid.
OP ask about Title 1 funding. My kids' private school provides resources under Title 1, even if your school doesn't currently have it they may be able to be reimbursed for any special services they provide. Look into it and make the sacrifice and send him back. Best of luck.
Of the private schools in the area, even with financial aid, you are looking at least $10K per year. Most middle class families can't afford it. I think the issue at hand is the BS that has seeped into our public schools.
Definitely take your kid out of that school. He should not be afraid to go to school. Get him evaluated by an OT. And if the OT determines he is behind, can you afford to pay for a session or two a month? I worked for a family who's child had learning delays. The child saw speech therapy, physical therapy and OT. They had some covered but not many sessions. Anyway, the therapists let them video record every session on their tablet. Then they would watch video while working with the child daily at home. The parents did a lot of it on their own with their time.
He has been put on the waiting list for speech at Mount Sainai, Columbia, NYU, and Lennox Hill Hospital. I have also left a message for 12 different speech providers. He needs a FULL evaluation (covered by insurance). He has no issue with his math problems unless its a word problem. He can read; however, he is a level G when he needs to be I. He has grown so much. Since he could barley read at the beginning of the year but I work with him everyday and my mom (retired teacher) also does intense work with him. But it is still a huge struggle and I feel as if he has just memorized words and uses context clues to read because he can not blend the words (knows the sound cannot put them together. Reading is also very hard with his speech issue because he cannot annunciate the words properly ( certain sound he has difficulty with saying ex. st sound can say it alone not in a word like stay) he is not hearing what the word is supposed to be. I have also noticed some memory problems when working with him.
Private school says they cannot take him at this time of the year. He can come in the fall to get his financial aid back and I don't have 36k for the whole tuition. I ask the school he is currently in if he could be home schooled. I was first told by his school and district that I cannot homeschool without a medical reason and if I took him out of school they would call cps. That was a lie I called the central office at the Depart of ed and they said I can and there were forms online to fill out and bring it in and they day after he doesn't need to go. Once he is out of the school the district will follow up with his services. I will work with my mom and my father, even though he works with h.s students, to work on a curriculum.
Last edited by allnaturalkiki; 02-02-2016 at 01:16 PM..
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