Sometimes a single word can be a revelation.
Matt and I were discussing the results of Jacques psycho-educational assessment with the psychologist, and she told us that Jacques main difficulty was that he had problems with sequencing. When problems were simple, he had no issues. When a problem got more complex, requiring several steps, then he was lost. Interestingly, he was significantly better with the more advanced problems, once he had a template to follow, to the point where you might not notice there was an issue.
For some reason, the word sequencing clicked. It explains so many things that I have not been able to label about Jacques.
When he writes his alphabet, there is no problem with the capital and lower case letters. The are nicely proportioned, and go above and below the lines as needed. Make him write a single word, and the letters seem more out of whack with each other, the ‘i’s the same size as the ‘l’s for example. Try to make Jacques write a simple four word sentence, even just copy one he can look at, and you’d be amazed at how awful his handwriting is, and how it all falls apart.
When Jacques talks, I can see the same pattern of disability. When he acquires a new sound, he can say it clearly, but it can be months before he can use it in a word. And getting the sound in a word that’s in a sentence, well that takes even longer. The sequencing issue is also interesting to observe in Jacques language and word production. The more syllables in a word, the more likely it is to get garbled, the more words in a sentence, the more difficult he is to understand. (No wonder the poor kid likes to keep it short and sweet!)
The sequencing issues even spills over into his gross motor skills. Jacques has been taking Judo for two years now, and I only understand now, why it is he cannot figure out what order to put his hands, then feet where they are supposed to go when learning a hold-down or throw. I have been trying to teach Jacques how to ride a two wheeler. Again, I realize now, how tall of an order that will be. He’s only just mastered pedalling his Green Machine last summer. Prior to that – he just couldn’t figure out how to alternate pushing his feet. The other day we tried the two wheeler, and he struggled to pedal, balance, and look where he was going at the same time. Mostly he just kept looking down at the wheels, and forgot to pedal, which only made everything more tippy. I am thinking of getting a tandem for my bike. I figure he will be able to focus on the balance without having to worry about pedalling and looking where he is going.
I wish I knew were we were going….nevertheless, I am happy to be on the ride.
