have twins, and one has learning.problems

[smcneely1970]

i have twins that are 6 and  one has problems with learning, and i am so fustrated with our school,they dont had an LD class but to reiceve extra help, they have to test him for learning disabilities......his sister and him are in the same class and she excels........but he gets so fustrated and i see why.....when you dont learn as fast as everyone eles,you get left behind, and that isnt right! i know many people now days home school their kids for this reason, i have an older son that is now 22, and we found out he has kline feltters syndrome, and he has learning problems to, they both also have AD/HD , we are going to have devan (the twin) tested for the kline feltters , but until we know for sure , i was wondering what i should do  about helping him so he doesnt feel like he is so behind...he is also having trouble with his reading..........got any input or anyone going thru the same thing?

[othermom]

Can you afford a tutor at all or maybe work with him some at home. Hooked on phonics was great for my kids when they were learning to read.. Keep talking to the teacher and see if the teacher has any ideas of what can help.I do a lot of work with my kids at home, playing games to help teach them, there are online games that my kids like too that are learning games. Good luck

[eztwins]

I can relate. I have 9 year old twins. i swear my ds has a photographic memory. He picks everything up right away.  His twin sister has struggled from kindergarten.  It takes her 3x as long to learn something and then she has trouble dispensing the knowledge she has.  It is hard on her that her brother gets it so much easier but she is pretty good about it.  She knows she has to work harder than other kids.  We are in the process of getting her tested now.  The go to a catholic school so they have always been in the same class.  We don't have special LD classes but her teacher has been wonderful.  Since we don't have a diagnosis yet we have just met alot and worked out our own strategies to help her.  I would have a meeting with the teacher and discuss what you see and what they see in class and try and work out some coping skills to help him right away.  For example DD does not take a test as a whole.  They give her the first section and then as she completes each section they give her another.  This has really helped.  She went from getting 70's to 90's.  We also work with her after school alot.  Often we have to approach the material from several different angles until we find something that sticks and makes sense to her.   Keep working with him and be in constant contact with his teacher to work things out.  Get the school to evaluate.  They are required by law to provide testing.  We also stress working hard vs just the grade.  I also let her see me talking to her brother about working hard even though things are easy for him.  She has heard me say that to us an 85 you worked hard for is more important than a 90 you just walk in and get without any work. He tends to want to do the minimum because things come so easy for him. 

[jjmueller]

It's so hard to see your child struggle and it really does affect their confidence.

 

I'll tell you what we used for our 6 & 8 yr olds and how it helped. Perhaps it will help you. This program only takes 15 min per day and our children like it. They use a variety of games to hold a child's interest.

 

Before Easyread Magdalena would never want to read. She always said, "You read it to me." (never 'reading' a book, only looking at the pictures) "I'm NEVER going to learn to read!"

We started the program on March 14th this year. We aim for 6 lessons a week. In May we were at a hotel for a weekend and we had forgotten to bring books to read the children at night. Magdalena looked in the night stand and pulled out the Bible and said, "I'll read this." My husband and I looked at each other over her head in wide-eyed disbelief! Then, with a little help she read the first two verses of Genesis. She had never shown that kind of 'want to' before.

We have seen a huge improvement. It's not always smooth sailing. She will still have her moments of frustration, usually do to being tired.
Our son, Hamish is 6 yrs old. From the way he was reading (or not reading) in two years I could just see him being in the same place as Magdalena. So we have him using Easyread as well. Now he is excited to try and read signs when we are out and about.

The program we now use is called Easyread Reading & Spelling System by Oxford Learning Solutions. It's an online Program to help those who have Reading Difficulties including Dyslexia. It uses imaginative synthetic phonics to help struggling children learn how to read. It is specially optimized for dyslexic children and highly visual learners. This program has helped our two children by using lessons that are less than 15 minutes per day 4-6 days per week. Easyread is able to help 96% of the children who use their program.

 

The bottom line is that I cannot thank Easyread enough! Before Easyread I would wake up at night and fret about how 'behind' my children were in reading. I no longer fret. I am very happy with the progress we have seen so far.

Sorry to ramble . . but this is just one of the programs that is out there. Give it a look over and try a sample lesson.
http://www.easyreadsystem.com/index/index.html

 

Let me know what you think of the program or if you have any additional questions. (if you have a referral you can get a 10% discount - Just use my ID name "jjmueller")

 

[funhappymom]

I'm sorry mama. How tough (((HUGS))). My boys aren't twins but they are a year apart in school. My oldest learns slower than the younger one. We explain all the time about how it's ok to learn at a different pace. We sometimes let the them compete with it each-it seems to help them since they're very competitive in nature.

[Kris_PBG]

If they find he has a LD, they will have to provide services.

It sounds like they have not completed the testing process yet.

[maxswolfsuit]

Are you sure he's really behind? Most six year olds struggle with learning to read. Just because his twin isn't doesn't mean he's really behind the other kids. 

Also, just becuase he isn't getting special services, that doesn't mean he's not getting any help. What does the teacher have to say about all this?

[smcneely1970]

we are starting with the testing for LD at school, we are also going to have him tested for klinefellter syndrome also, i have an older son who is 22 now, and we found out he has this and it causes the LD with him, so im trying to get a headsup ith devan...but it is very hard for him, because he is noticing that his sister is much better at reading and math then him, , we just tell him everyone learns at different speeds, so i hope we get some answers here soon.

[super_mom_08]

I found a great website that has games for spelling and vocabulary words,phonics and the like it*s free its called vocabularyprolonging.com. my daughter is way behind in her reading as well, but her twin brother isn't'

 they both use the website and they go at their own pace and its fun for them.

[mom22tumblebugs]

Get the ball rolling to have him tested for special services and getting an IEP in place. It does take some time.

I am a twin and my brother excelled too, like a pp said, he too has a photgraphic memory. The first thing to do is stop comparing him to his twin. He is an individual and learns at his own speed. By comparing, you foster a competition between the two kids (I can personally attest to this) and the feeling of being the inferior twin. Your son has strengths too, focus on them. Get help where needed, but understand that they don't need to be at the same place academically.

For instance, my brother was great at school, excelled in math and science, barely had to study to ace everything. He got a BS in physics. I on the other hand, was awful at math, school, had to study for hours and even then I still didn't "get it", but I excelled in creative writing, and ended up with a BA in journalism, public relations and sociology.... and up until 10 yrs ago, I worked as an accountant, go figure. Math.

[mom22tumblebugs]

 

Quoting eztwins:

You are fortunate your catholic schools will accomodate your child's LD. Our catholic school does not test nor provide services. If you need them, your child needs to transfer to the public school system to get an IEP in place and get services.