To help children enjoy the start of the school year, acknowledge their feelings about the holidays ending and talk through their worries. Re-establish bedtime and wake-up routines several weeks before school starts, set up a regular homework time and quiet workspace, encourage extra-mural activities, share positive school memories and help them set realistic goals for the year.
Parents can develop a good attitude towards learning by being lifelong learners themselves, encouraging questions and linking schoolwork to their child’s interests. Set up a learning space with fixed daily learning times, create a vision board together, let children take turns teaching, treat mistakes as learning opportunities and allow children to learn in their own way.
Children learn in different ways, and the four basic learning styles are visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinaesthetic. Parents can identify their child’s learning style by observing how the child reads, expresses themselves and solves problems, then adapt study methods to suit, such as diagrams for visual learners or hands-on activities with breaks for kinaesthetic learners.
To study for exams using WorksheetCloud, start with the Study Notes, which break topics into bite-size slides with key definitions and textbook references. Next, work through the Practice Questions, using hints when stuck and checking the memo afterwards. Only then attempt the Practice Exams, which have 20 to 40 questions and mirror real exam conditions.
Signs of a learning barrier include a significant drop in marks, incomplete or disorganised work, hyperactivity, inattention, impulsivity and unhappiness at school. Parents should talk to the teacher, have the child’s hearing and sight tested and consult medical professionals, because identifying a learning barrier early means support can start sooner. Trust your instincts and keep communicating.
