Hi Elaine,

      Have you talked to Briana about the reading? I don't think holding her
back is productive. Not every child takes to reading immediately or in a
spectacular fashion - I dispared that Amber with a 135+ IQ was ever going to
learn to read. And I do mean ever!!!!!!!!!!!! She started 2nd grade as a
poor reader and caught up. She was always pulled out for math - I think -
and these are my thoughts and observations only and on my child - Ammber
works very hard at making the right side of her body work - all of her
waking hours - this means a portion of her cognitive functions are always
diverted to mainaining balance, keeping her arm limp and at her side, not
spazing out when she does something. I know this because I have watched her
learn things and as she concentrates and focuses on the task - her right arm
curls up - I have gotten hit becasue I was to close and she lost contact
with her arm and suddenly it was in my face. Briana must face the same
difficulties - she will learn how to multitask but I suspect with her
walking and with growth spurts attention is focused on the body control and
the learning curve slips a bit. Elaine what have you observed like this
about Briana - I found this year once I ran it by her teacher - she indeed
had noticed the same struggle. What is Briana's problem with reading?

                   Brightest Blessings
                         Trisha


-----Original Message-----
From: Elaine Taylor
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 6/7/00 6:29 PM
Subject: Need School Advice

Hi guys, I need your expert advise.  Currently, Briana is in a 2nd grade
contained class for math, science, social studies.  She is mainstreamed
for
her specials (computer, art, music, etc.), and she is in a 1st grade
mainstream ILA class (Integrated Language Arts, a fancy name for
reading).

She was recently tested by her ILA teacher and came in at a second grade
reading level, and she scored 118 on her I.Q. test (124 without the math
portion, she didn't do very well on the verbal math part) According to
the
Child Study team person, 118 is above average.

Now for my quandary, I want to mainstream Bri for all subjects on a
third
grade level, but, in order to do that, I need to jump her up a grade in
reading.  Now I plan on getting a tutor over the summer for reading, and
I
told them she could be put in the lowest level 3rd grade reading class
they
have, but I have a feeling that they want to keep her back in second
grade
and mainstream her in 2nd instead of jumping into full mainstream on a
third
grade level.

I haven't had my IEP meeting yet, and I do trust her teacher, I just
don't
know what to do.  Also, how do I explain to my daughter who's been
getting
awards and A's all year that she has to stay back?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Elaine