Why Are My Kids Struggling To Learn At School?
All kids learn at different rates. However, you could be starting to worry if your child is bottom of the class and struggling to keep up despite their potential. There are countless reasons as to why a child may be having trouble learning – here are just a few questions to ask yourself that could be an indication of certain common problems.
Do they squint a lot?
It’s possible that if your child squints a lot that they could be struggling to read the board and see things far away. Getting glasses for your child could be the easy solution. You should ask them if they are having trouble reading things far away and then book an eye test if they confirm this.
Where can I find an eye exam near me? Almost all opticians offer eye exams and some may have discounts for children. In fact, glasses can often be much cheaper for kids, so don’t avoid going to the opticians if you’re worried about the expense.
Is it mainly reading that’s a problem?
If your child is having trouble reading in general and keeps getting letters mixed up, it could be possible that they have dyslexia. With so much emphasis put on reading and writing in the early stages of school, it might seem as if your child is seriously lagging behind, but many people with dyslexia are able to catch up with the right support, excelling in other areas that don’t require proficient reading and writing skills.
To confirm that your child has this condition you should get a dyslexia assessment done. This could allow your child extra support in the future such as extended exam times and help in the classroom if needed.
Could it be another learning difficulty?
There are various other learning difficulties out there that can affect everything from a child’s attention span, their ability to work with numbers or indeed motor skills. You should try to get a professional diagnosis before taking steps to deal with any learning difficulty as this could help you to get the specialist help you need. You can contact Tailored for Kids for a free assessment to understand why your child struggles in school. Some learning difficulties can be serious whilst others can be relatively mild – support can often be state funded, although you may be able to pay extra for additional services such as a home tutor.
Perhaps something else is getting them down?
Many kids – especially older children – can let other factors prevent them from learning. If you’ve recently been through a break up or moved school, you child could be having trouble adjusting to this change and you could be finding that it affects their learning. There could also be issues such as bullying or other distractions. The best way to get to the root of the problem is to talk to your child and let them know that you are there for them.
Do they need more motivation?
Some kids are simply demotivated by the school environment. You should consider how much emphasis you put on learning at home and whether your extra motivation is needed. Leading through example by continuing to learn new things and emphasising the importance of learning could encourage your kid to get more involved at school.
Of course, it is possible to be too pushy and expect too much from a child. If you’re constantly applying pressure to succeed, it’s possible that this pressure could be negatively affecting their learning by making them resent learning or making them prone to more mistakes out of pressure. Know when to ease off and give your child room to breathe.
