My 7 year old niece , and what should her mom do?

Question

she had a spelling test and got none right and my niece studies and everything but she said she can't remember that is why she gets none right. Could there be something wrong that can cause you to study and study but still can't remember how to spell words. She is in 1st grade. The teacher says that she got upset during the spelling test , she is having alot of trouble in school.
Her mom told her tat she got a F on her paper and she was so upset when she was told that and she said she hates spelling test. There is someone working one on one with her. I told her mom she is crying out for help. She had alot of trouble in kindergarten and she is still having alot of trouble and she is in 1st grade.
I love my niece and i want her to get whatever help she can get and i don't like seeing her suffering and having so much of a hard time in school.

Do you have any suggestions and ideas?
Do you think she has any special needs or what?

Answer 1

I am a teacher of higher education, but from what I understand about the learning habits of little kids is that they can vary greatly. If she is about six, and she is struggling with remembering how to spell words, this might indicate that her learning style is different (and she hasn't gotten in the groove yet as far as performing well on tests, etc).

I think the worst problem is that SHE feels so badly about. This may be contributing to her continued difficulties--sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy for her. She is a little kid--there is enough time in the future to put pressure on her to be a studious, successful student. So, I would adivse that her mother back off a little (if she is putting too much grade pressure on her), and just let the kid be a kid!

Answer 2

Sounds like she needs to head back to Kinder for another year. I'm not a fan of passing kids onto other grades if they are obviously having troubles.

I've had to make that decision with my own son when we moved across the country and the expectations from one state to the other were *not* anywhere near equal. So rather than have him struggle and drown and eventually repeat a grade because he failed we decided to take a step back and put him back into the earlier grade where he ended up thriving.

Some kids just need a little more time to catch onto things. I honestly would suggest that she go back to Kindergarten for another yeat especially since you say that she struggled there as well. She might just not have been ready for Kinder last year and she's obviously not ready for 1st grade this year.

Beyond that, I think if you feel there are learning disabilities that you talk to her parent and have her evaluated by a professional. It's important to get this figured out before she's too far along in school.

Answer 3

Well I was in the same situation last year and I keep my daughter back in kindergarten and this year she is doing wonderful. She might have been to immature for the first grade. I wouldn't let them stick her in special ed for nothing. She will be alright even if she has to say in first grade for another year. Kids adjust faster than adults so just keep working with her and something might just click and she will be able to spell anything. But tell your aunt to take sticky notes and put up all over the house and when she walks by them ask her what is says. All kinds of tricks and games like that help kids even if they don't know they are playing them.

Answer 4

If this is a public school the parents can ask for a thorough evaluation to try to identify specific needs. An education specialist and school psychologist can observe the child in the classroom and get specific comment from the teacher (last year & this year). Many learning problems are able to be adressed very successfully especially if the child is young. As soon as difficulties in school are seen action to identify and treat the situation should be pursued so that the student does not begin to associate school with failure and frustration.

Answer 5

I had the same problem in the second, third, and fourth grade. My mom put me in a private school and that still didn't help. Then she found out I had ADD so I started taking adderall and after that I got A's on every test. Have her tested. It might help.

Answer 6

Rainbow Kid, you've asked this before and I think in your previous questions you gave details about the school history of your family. I think you need to take the suggestions made in the last questions and act upon them.

Tell her mom to ask for a meeting of the intervention committee and tell them she wants her daughter tested. IF they won't, maybe it is time to contact a disabilities advocate. IF you will tell me what state you live in I will try to find a website or number for you.

Answer 7

with my son who has learning problems he is 6 we make up flash cards when it comes to his spelling words and we go over them everyday until the day of the test he only misses one or two out of 10 words and other times he misses none at all, and this has helped him greatly, I hope this helps and good luck

Answer 8

She could have spewcial needs, or she could have emotional problems that prevent her from retaining information too. Stress hormones block neurons in the brain from firing as well as they could, reducing memory.

Maybe she's so obsessed with doing well that she "psychs" herself out.

Answer 9

maybe she has dyslexia or some kind of learning disability. she has to consult a specialist to determine the real problem before it gets tougher on her

Answer 10

I have lots of experience in this stuff. I think your ncice need a "visual" I allways use them because pictures are easier to remember than words.
example:
dog----------------------draw a dog
pool---------------------draw a swimming pool
flower----------------------draw flower pedals