Grade Retention Can Often Be Avoided with a Massive Action Plan
Most grade retention is based on reading and reading comprehension levels.
Today, more and more parents are being confronted with the decision about whether or not to hold their child back in Kindergarten, First, Second or Third Grade. If your child is facing possible grade retention, you probably know your child is not keeping up. What you may or may not know is that next year is likely to be much harder, with the new and much tougher standards.
What Research shows about grade retention is not positive, but what is? This article examines some of the issues parents are facing for their child. Most parents want to know what needs to be done to help their child succeed so that they do not have to face this dilemma.
We have had parents who had previously invested in good tutors, programs like Kumon and Orton-Gillingham, but did not have the desired success. Part of the reason is they are often not teaching the way your child learns best and are not addressing the attention and visual processing challenges that are often present. This results in a combination of
- Difficulty recognizing words seen but not mastered
- Not understanding high frequency words (e.g. but, what, if, how and where)
- Not learning to visualize what he or she reads
- Your child not focusing on what they are reading, due to an underlying attention challenge
- Your child skipping words and/or lines when reading
- Comprehension continuing to lag below your child’s potential and/or
- Your child avoiding reading
Third Grade Retention Laws Are Impacting Students in Lower Grades Too.
With more states moving towards mandatory third grade retention laws, meaning that if a student does not pass state mandated tests, they will be retained, unless they meet Good Cause Exemptions. With this threat, more students are being retained in earlier grades in hopes that they can catch up before third grade.
Several parents who have called us in the last couple of weeks were concerned – they realize it would have been better to intervene earlier, and they ask
“Is it too late to intervene to avoid my child being retained this year?”
The question is the same whether they are in kindergarten, first, second or even third grade.
The answer is no, it is often not too late. We realize that every child is different, and a different perspective and holistic approach is needed for both the child and the parent.
3 Keys to Success to Avoid Grade Retention and to Achieve Success
Avoid Grade Retention By Focusing on Your Child’s Success
The Right Mindset to Beat Grade Retention and Achieve Success
When grade retention is a risk, we recommend a far different mindset, that is ….
The first step we recommend is adopt the mindset that Success is the Only Option.
We recognize that there are cases where grade retention is the preferred option. Especially for a younger student with ADHD, where it would have been better to start school a year later – but in the majority of cases we have seen, it is possible to get the child to near or at grade level, and sometimes above grade level by the start of the new school year.
It is critical to have the Mindset that “Success is the Only Option” and to create the right goals to get your child back to grade level or above.
Assess for Success
Very often both school-based testing and outside testing is designed to discover what is wrong with your child, BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE A CLEAR PLAN THAT ADDRESSES UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT WILL HELP YOUR CHILD.
It is important for a parent to understand where their child’s present level of reading comprehension is. Reading fluency and oral reading do not automatically translate into understanding what is being read.
Understanding your child’s strengths and how they learn best, is critical to the assessment process. This is the key to being able to help your child make dramatic gains.
Assess for attention and/or visual processing challenges — one or both of these challenges are often present.
Partner with the Right Professionals
To beat grade retention and to have your child prepared for next year and beyond, you want to consider working with professionals who have the following:
- A track record of helping students succeed in months not years
- A collaborative style that allows for school – to parent – to outside professionals cooperation
- Professionals that teach to your child’s strengths and identify and address the attention, visual processing and related challenges.
At 3D Learner, we focus on the whole child. We look at their strengths and how they learn with a mindset that says: We will succeed
For the last 20 years, 3D Learner has been helping smart struggling students significantly improve their reading comprehension to help them get back to, or above grade level, by working together with parents.
We offer a no cost Success Assessment you can take with your child that screens for a learning difference, attention and visual processing challenges. You will get immediate feedback and a no cost Stress to Success Strategy Session or
If you would like help ASAP– call us at 561-361-7495
For local clients, we often start with an in-office Focus Assessment that assesses your child’s reading comprehension, attention and visual processing – -and it is presently available for only $57.
What parents say:
Y.A., Coral Springs, FL
P.M., Cooper City, FL
The post Avoid Grade Retention with the Right Mindset, Assessment and Partner appeared first on 3D Learner.
