Overcoming the barriers to your children’s learning
As a parent, you will understand the importance of your child’s learning. The better educated they are the better their job prospects will be when they older, and in some respects, they will have a few more life skills too.
For these reasons (although you can probably think of others) it is important to overcome any obstacles that may be in the way of your child’s learning.
To help your kids do better at school then, consider the following if they are relatable to you.
Overcoming The Common Barriers To Learning
#1: Motivation
School is boring!!
This isn’t a personal statement but your children might be of that opinion. Some children struggle to motivate themselves to learn when they don’t like the school environment. They might perform poorly in the classroom as a result and they might neglect their homework too.
Tip:
Convincing your child that learning is important isn’t easy, especially when they are very young. However, if they are of an older age, you can remind them of the career they are looking to pursue after school. You can use this as a motivating factor when encouraging them to make more of an effort with their learning.
But no matter what age your children are, here are some other strategies to motivate your child to learn.
#2: Special educational needs
We aren’t saying that children with special educational needs can’t learn effectively, but they might need more help than most. We are thinking about children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism, as examples. If their conditions have gone unnoticed, they might start to fall behind in the classroom. They might also struggle if their teachers don’t have time to cater to their specific needs.
Tip:
Talk to your child’s school. Most have support systems in place to help children with special educational needs, including support staff, so make sure your child is getting the help they need. Speak to the SEN-co-ordinator at the school or contact the relevant department at your local council.
You might also consider sending your child to a specialist school if their current school isn’t meeting their learning requirements. This autism-friendly school is but one example.
Alternatively, consider homeschooling, perhaps with the assistance of a personal tutor, as this is one way to make sure your child’s special educational needs are being catered to. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started.
#3: Problems at school
The problem might not lie with your child but with the school itself. In some cases, the teacher could be at fault, especially if they aren’t making an effort with their lesson plans. Or there could be other issues within the school that are affecting your child’s ability to learn, such as peer pressure and bullying, two issues that could throw your child’s emotional state off balance.
Tip:
Work with your child’s school to overcome any school-based issues. If problems persist, take these issues to the governors or to your local education authority, and perhaps consider moving your child to a different school if their needs aren’t being met. You can also take other steps to help your child, such as teaching them tactics on how to deal with bullying.
These aren’t the only barriers to learning your children might experience and we haven’t been able to go into great detail on the ones we have included. However, there is plenty of information online, so consider the needs of your children and commit to research to learn more about the specific help they might need.