While I don’t like standardized testing, I always hope Beorn does well on his tests. Here in Florida, we have what is called the FCATs. These tests cover mathematics and reading comprehension. In 4th, 8th, and 10th grade, essay composition and writing mechanics is also tested. The tests are scored on a five point scale, with 5 being the highest score, except on the essay composition, which is scored on a six point scale. A score of three is considered passing.
When Beorn took the essay and writing tests in 4th grade, I had requested evaluation of his issues, including his resistance to handwriting anything longer than a three word sentence, but he wasn’t tested, and we didn’t have the diagnosis of AS, until the following year. When he did have to write an essay then, it was brief, functional, and lacked expansion of his ideas. (sounds like his mother’s son, heh) That year, he just passed the essay composition test with a score of 3.5. It was a huge relief to all of us.
Since finding out about AS, and it’s co-morbid conditions such as both low and fine gross motor skills issues, I have pushed hard to get accommodations to enable Beorn to show what he is capable of doing without the physical and neurological issues he suffers from impeding him. We have been blessed since coming to the middle school he will soon be graduating from in getting a Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist who have gone to bat for him in getting things put in place for him when he is tested, despite the charge of ‘unfair advantage’ from others.
One of things we requested and finally had put into place mid-way through last year was the use of a word processor for all written work, called an Alpha-Smart. He got to write his essay using this, instead of hand writing it. I didn’t expect much difference from it, as his teachers said he still had difficulty expanding his ideas (and I had no idea how to help with this; B’H for Paul when it came to this issue), but Beorn felt pretty good regarding what he did write after the testing. He really liked the prompt given him, and felt he wrote quite a lot for him regarding the topic.
Today at his IEP meeting, we were verbally told that the writing scores for this year’s FCAT have returned. I’m not too concerned regarding the reading and math scores, as Beorn has always scored in the upper 97% or higher on those, but we were holding our breath on the essay composition and the writing mechanics scores.
I am proud to say on the writing mechanics, he scored a 5 out of a possible 5 points, and a 5.5 out of a possible 6 on the essay composition…
One small battle won for my son…
Proud Mommy Moment
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Alynna Lis Eachann
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Congratulations! Way to go, Beorn.
"We probably could have saved ourselves, but we were too damned lazy to try very hard... and too damn cheap." - Kurt Vonnegut
"Now if you remember all great paintings have an element of tragedy to them. Uh, for instance if you remember from last week, the unicorn was stuck on the aircraft carrier and couldn't get off. That was very sad. " - Kids in the Hall
"Now if you remember all great paintings have an element of tragedy to them. Uh, for instance if you remember from last week, the unicorn was stuck on the aircraft carrier and couldn't get off. That was very sad. " - Kids in the Hall
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