LearningRx Savage student high-fiving trainer

The Limits of Accommodations (IEPs or 504 plans)

David’s Experience – Accommodations or Root Cause?

David is very bright, but his struggles with attention (ADHD), memory and processing speed made school very difficult. His mother was told that, given David’s struggles and difficulties, he would need accommodations to be able to get through school.  However, Kristine (David’s mother) wanted to avoid this route and seek other strategies focused on address the root cause of his difficulties. 

She found LearningRx and shared,

“We had such a positive experience with LearningRx! Prior to training, we were told by the school district that our son would need all kinds of aids and cheat sheets to progress in school due to deficits in memory and processing speed. After completing training, our son does not need these supports, and he is beginning to learn basic math facts and proceed to higher levels of learning in math and comprehension. He has skyrocketed in his perseverance and self-confidence skills, leading to him trying tasks that he would previously avoid. We cannot recommend this program enough! It has given our son the chance to learn at a higher level and pursue any future he desires. Thank you!!”

IEPs and 504 Plans

Accommodations like IEPs and 504 plans are common recommendations when kids struggle.  For example, students who struggle with attention or are diagnosed with ADHD can be provided accommodations like sitting at the front of the class, completing work in a quiet area, or being given more time to complete their work. These can help make school less stressful and help them get through.  Accommodations may be helpful in the short-term. Howevery, they are not ideal long-term strategies as students do not receive accommodations in life. They are expected to cope.

An Alternative to Accommodations

Rather than lowering expectations, LearningRx Savage is focused on identifying the root cause of the learning struggle and addressing these weaknesses.  For example, if a child received an accommodation of more time to take tests or more time to complete their work, it’s likely the root cause is a weakness in processing speed.  

If a child is accommodated by being able to complete work in a quiet room, they likely struggle with sustained attention or selective attention.  

At LearningRx, our focus is on strengthening these skills with the goal of reducing the need for accommodations.  Rather than lowering expectations, our goal is to strengthen skills to enable students to meet expectations.  

 

Results are from past clients. You or your loved ones may or may not achieve the same outcomes. 

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