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With all the holidays finally over, time to address all the other real issues in our lives. Our focus this time round, is on the assessment process for dyslexia.
Dyslexia symptoms typically only become obvious once a child starts going to school. Most parents are not aware of the early signs and symptoms of dyslexia and so, they do not realise its presence until the kindergarten teacher( if you are lucky!) notices that the child is unwilling to do carry out pre-writing tasks such as colouring and tracing. Handwriting issues are the first signs of dyslexia at school. Other signs include inattention and poor behaviour.
Generally, the teacher will assume that the child is "spoilt" and is non compliant. So, then, the disciplining starts. The child, being high functioning, starts to act out more often. Both parties quite blissfully unaware of the presence of a specific learning difficulty! You cannot expect a child to know he / she is dyslexic but the teacher?? I find it quite disturbing that with all the awareness and availability of information on the internet, that, mainstream teachers choose to remain ignorant of the existence of specific learning difficulties.The prevalence of a specific learning difficulty in any school aged population is 10-15%. This means that in every classroom of 30 learners, there are at least 2 students with learning difficulties!
Once identified as being a learner with a learning difficulty, then, teachers will quickly tell parents that they are unable to cope with a learner with specific learning difficulties. BUT, they would be willing to do private tuition, if you like, just not teach in school.
Parents then start the process of seeking professionals to help with diagnosis.
There will be friends and family who will offer their "expert" opinions, all the while confusing the parents and adding to the already stressful predicament. The professionals out here, are wonderful too!
You will find medical doctors offering diagnosis of cognitive based learning difficulties with absolutely no training, clinical psychologists offering intervention classes, visual tracking specialist "cures" (the latest one I have heard off in PJ), NLP, occupational therapists and speech therapists offering intervention, not to mention the other 1001 baseless intervention programmes out there as well. Each of these, will offer parents "assessments"! Few of which are psychometrically sound, standardised or even validated! Since parents do not know about this, so its done - can make money!
Parents, just happy that they have found a solution, go to where the most number of people have been to. No research is done as to the validity of programmes, its efficacy or to find out what is best. Most parents will experience placebo effects of improvements in their children, in the first few months. Others choose programmes out of convenience - nearer, cheaper, and some others, by race of professional conducting the sessions!! Yes, believe it or not... that too, still happens in Malaysia!
Then, the child who is now in middle primary, starts to face a new set of difficulties since the "miracle cures" failed to cure! And the rolling effects, of poor diagnosis and intervention, continue...
Psychologists in Malaysia will typically run an IQ test to diagnose a specific learning difficulty. At best, an additional "screening test" such as the Dyslexia Screening Test will be administered. As the name suggests, it is merely a screening tool not an assessment tool. Again, that is the wrong way to diagnose. Newer research and developments have made assessment far more precise and effective. To stay current, these psychologists would need to attend professional development courses overseas.. but who wants to spend money doing that when you can still make money from the multiple sources of "referral income"? Yes, this too happens! For example, a doctor will refer parents to a specific professional who does intervention, or vice versa knowing that they have the trust of their client. One professional will pay the other for the referral made!
Then, once a diagnosis is made, no written report is given!! Why? Because no formal testing was done to justify the diagnosis AND a written document holds you accountable in the event of a wrong diagnosis!! When parents ask for a written report, they are told to wait weeks!
Parents, should check to see if the professionals they go to are trained, if they have any professional memberships with organisations overseas (there are none in Malaysia!), survey the kind reviews umbrella methods have online. Everyone goes around with a "smart" phone these days. Time to use it "smartly"! Stop relying on what your friends say, the multiple support groups who advocate one professional over another, or what referrals you get from one professional to another. Find out for yourself, research it yourself, use the internet and stay current. Sure its going to take effort and time but it's worth it! It's YOUR child's future at stake!
Good luck in 2017 with seeking proper services in special education. Look further outside the box and do the best you can for your child! All children deserve a future - one that leads to success and brings satisfaction and joy!
Dyslexia symptoms typically only become obvious once a child starts going to school. Most parents are not aware of the early signs and symptoms of dyslexia and so, they do not realise its presence until the kindergarten teacher( if you are lucky!) notices that the child is unwilling to do carry out pre-writing tasks such as colouring and tracing. Handwriting issues are the first signs of dyslexia at school. Other signs include inattention and poor behaviour.
Generally, the teacher will assume that the child is "spoilt" and is non compliant. So, then, the disciplining starts. The child, being high functioning, starts to act out more often. Both parties quite blissfully unaware of the presence of a specific learning difficulty! You cannot expect a child to know he / she is dyslexic but the teacher?? I find it quite disturbing that with all the awareness and availability of information on the internet, that, mainstream teachers choose to remain ignorant of the existence of specific learning difficulties.The prevalence of a specific learning difficulty in any school aged population is 10-15%. This means that in every classroom of 30 learners, there are at least 2 students with learning difficulties!
Once identified as being a learner with a learning difficulty, then, teachers will quickly tell parents that they are unable to cope with a learner with specific learning difficulties. BUT, they would be willing to do private tuition, if you like, just not teach in school.
Parents then start the process of seeking professionals to help with diagnosis.
There will be friends and family who will offer their "expert" opinions, all the while confusing the parents and adding to the already stressful predicament. The professionals out here, are wonderful too!
You will find medical doctors offering diagnosis of cognitive based learning difficulties with absolutely no training, clinical psychologists offering intervention classes, visual tracking specialist "cures" (the latest one I have heard off in PJ), NLP, occupational therapists and speech therapists offering intervention, not to mention the other 1001 baseless intervention programmes out there as well. Each of these, will offer parents "assessments"! Few of which are psychometrically sound, standardised or even validated! Since parents do not know about this, so its done - can make money!
Parents, just happy that they have found a solution, go to where the most number of people have been to. No research is done as to the validity of programmes, its efficacy or to find out what is best. Most parents will experience placebo effects of improvements in their children, in the first few months. Others choose programmes out of convenience - nearer, cheaper, and some others, by race of professional conducting the sessions!! Yes, believe it or not... that too, still happens in Malaysia!
Then, the child who is now in middle primary, starts to face a new set of difficulties since the "miracle cures" failed to cure! And the rolling effects, of poor diagnosis and intervention, continue...
Psychologists in Malaysia will typically run an IQ test to diagnose a specific learning difficulty. At best, an additional "screening test" such as the Dyslexia Screening Test will be administered. As the name suggests, it is merely a screening tool not an assessment tool. Again, that is the wrong way to diagnose. Newer research and developments have made assessment far more precise and effective. To stay current, these psychologists would need to attend professional development courses overseas.. but who wants to spend money doing that when you can still make money from the multiple sources of "referral income"? Yes, this too happens! For example, a doctor will refer parents to a specific professional who does intervention, or vice versa knowing that they have the trust of their client. One professional will pay the other for the referral made!
Then, once a diagnosis is made, no written report is given!! Why? Because no formal testing was done to justify the diagnosis AND a written document holds you accountable in the event of a wrong diagnosis!! When parents ask for a written report, they are told to wait weeks!
Parents, should check to see if the professionals they go to are trained, if they have any professional memberships with organisations overseas (there are none in Malaysia!), survey the kind reviews umbrella methods have online. Everyone goes around with a "smart" phone these days. Time to use it "smartly"! Stop relying on what your friends say, the multiple support groups who advocate one professional over another, or what referrals you get from one professional to another. Find out for yourself, research it yourself, use the internet and stay current. Sure its going to take effort and time but it's worth it! It's YOUR child's future at stake!
Good luck in 2017 with seeking proper services in special education. Look further outside the box and do the best you can for your child! All children deserve a future - one that leads to success and brings satisfaction and joy!
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