If your child is having issues at school, you’ll want to know why and what you can do to help them. The good news is you can read all about this in the post below.
Cognitive and learning issues
Sometimes kids struggle at school because of cognitive or learning issues. These are issues that primarily impact their ability to understand the information that’s being given and can include things like dyscalculia, which is having a problem with numbers, dyslexia, which is having a problem with words, dysgraphia, which is having a problem with writing and even ADHD or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The latter is an issue with being able to focus and direct attention.
If you suspect that your child may have a learning issue that is impacting their achievement in school, it’s important to speak to their teacher and then get them properly assessed. Once they have been assessed, it’s much easier to get them the additional help they need, which can include support in class, extra lessons, and additional accommodations such as more time in tests or the ability to use a keyboard instead of handwriting things.
Social issues
Another major issue that could be impacting your child’s ability to succeed at school is their social development. Your child’s social development is important because it’s this that allows them to make friends, work well in groups and pairs and make meaningful relationships that help them to enjoy their time in school.
Social issues can be caused by a wide range of things, from two students just not getting along to more serious problems such as trauma or mental health challenges. Some social issues can even be caused by disorders like ADHD and autism, which impact the way that children see the world and interact with others.
The most important thing here is to identify what is causing your child to experience social issues, so it can be addressed. For instance, if you suspect that they may have autism, checking their symptoms and even getting them tested is often the next step. Then once they have their results, you and the school will be in a much better place to add extra support and provision, such as social groups and activities, which can help enhance their skills.
Poor motivation
Sometimes problems at school come from a lack of motivation. This can be a tough one to address because again, there can be multiple reasons why your child is not feeling motivated. Yes, it can be that the work is too hard, and they are having trouble engaging with it, but it can just as easily be that it’s too easy as well. It can also be that the teacher isn’t using the right learning style to help your child engage, or that they just find certain subjects more uninteresting than others.
If you notice that your child seems to have a lack of motivation, the first step should always be to discuss this with them and see what they say. After all, they will always have the best insight into their specific situation. Observations of your child when in a learning environment can be very helpful too, especially if they struggle to explain why they are not engaging with schoolwork.
It can also be helpful to use external rewards to motivate your child, such as a star chart that allows them to collect merits and then change them for a prize every so often.
Distractions
Many distractions can get in the way of your child doing well at school, including the way in which other kids behave. That is why it’s a good idea to send your child to a school where they have a clear and consistent behaviour policy, as this should nip this sort of thing in the bud.
You can also help them work on their focus skills at home by encouraging things such as reading and drawing outside of school. Limiting phones and screens is also a good idea, especially short-form media, which can make concentrating for longer periods seem much harder than it really is.
Home stress
Occasionally, it’s stress at home that is causing your child to do poorly in school. Remember, children thrive on routines, so making sure they have a regular and predictable home life is very important for their well-being and success.
If your child is going through any major emotional changes, such as bereavement or a divorce in the family, making sure they have access to regular therapy where they can discuss these concerns with an objective person can be highly beneficial for both their happiness and their school achievement.
