3rd grader with ADHD struggling badly with spelling and writing bilingual home, special ed, looking for honest perspective and non-screen games
Hi everyone,
My son is in 3rd grade. We speak Spanish at home, but he was born and raised in the U.S. and has been in English-speaking schools since kindergarten.
He has struggled with reading and writing since kindergarten. He can read now, but slowly. Writing is much harder. His handwriting is messy, and his spelling is very behind. A lot of his spelling makes sense phonetically, like writing “wat” instead of “what,” so it sounds right but is not standard spelling.
He is already in special ed and has improved, but he is still not where he should be. Both he and I have ADHD, and it is hard for him to stay focused. I work as a contractor, so I sometimes feel overwhelmed and guilty because I know he needs extra help at home.
His spoken English is also not as strong as I expected, and he seems more comfortable speaking Spanish.
I’m not looking for apps because I want him to practice handwriting too. I’m looking for short, fun, hands-on games with pencil and paper to help with spelling, handwriting, sentence writing, phonics, and confidence.
I’m also wondering how concerning this sounds compared to other 3rd graders. Is this common with ADHD and bilingual kids, or should I push for more testing or support for things like dyslexia, dysgraphia, or language processing issues?
Any advice from parents, teachers, special ed teachers, bilingual families, or people with ADHD/dyslexia experience would be appreciated.
Thank you.