Let’s say I’m a really bad tennis player, but I want to get better.

I decide to go to a tennis pro and after sizing me up the pro gives me the following suggestions:

• Get a tennis racket with a bigger head size so you will miss the ball less
• Make sure to wear a headband to keep vision clear and unobstructed.
• Get a good pair of tennis sneakers so you are sturdy on your feet.
• Get a really good grip so the racket doesn’t turn in your hand.
• Make sure you have a strap for your glasses.
• Do a lot of push-ups and start running each day.

Now go play tennis and let me know how it turns out.

Wait, I’m confused.  I’m a really bad tennis player.  I don’t know how to play tennis. Shouldn’t someone teach me the skill before I start playing?

Drawing a parallel, here are some of the primary items on an IEP I saw recently for a kid who was severely struggling with reading, spelling and writing:

• Access to electronic text (e.g., downloadable books).
• Limit number of items student is expected to know.
• Read test aloud.
• Provide books on tape, CD or read aloud.
• Go for OT & Speech and Language.

There were about 10 more of these type of suggestions, but you get the idea.

Like the tennis teacher’s ideas, these are modifications, or work-arounds.  They may be nice, just like getting good sneakers will be nice, but my tennis game is not going to be improving much with a new grip, sneakers and headband.

Neither will my reading, spelling and writing with the modifications proposed.

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