Every child has a unique range of abilities and skill levels. Some children excel in class whilst some face difficulty when it comes to learning and using certain skills. Learning disability is a general term that describes a specific kind of learning problems. Some of the skills affected are reading, writing, listening, speech and mathematics.
To help you in dealing with children’s learning disabilities, we have listed some tips to help you support the child. Here are five ideas to get you started.
1. Educate yourself about your child’s diagnosis
Learn about the difficulty your child is facing. You may contact the school which your child attends to conduct an evaluation on his learning abilities. It is advisable to ask about the teacher’s impression of your child’s engagement at school. With the aid of this evaluation, continue your research on the web and ask for advice from professionals.
2. Establish a positive relationship with your child
Having a positive attitude is essential for anyone who works with children with special needs. Make sure that you maintain an open communication with your child. Tell your child that having a disability doesn’t mean that he’s not as smart as the others ,it’s just that his mind treats information differently. You can also highlight the positive things your child can do to live and learn with the learning disability.
3. Individualise lesson plans
Because each child has a unique learning ability, it is important that a special plan should be made for him. Having an individualised plan can help the student improve on the parts that he is weak at. Focusing on the student’s struggles through proper guidance can help him perform better.
4. Engage in activities your child is comfortable at
Identify the learning style your child is comfortable doing. Once you figure this out, incorporate materials and activities that will make his learning fun. You can present new information by utilising technological resources such as audio, video and other media. Going on field trips or playing educational games can also be useful.
5. Give praise and encouragement
Always praise your child even for his small achievements. Encourage your child to pursue the activities he enjoys, and give him opportunities to do so. By giving compliments and the right support, you can boost your child’s self-confidence that can help build a solid foundation for his success.
At Caremark, we recognise that specific support is an individual need. In order to provide a personal level of support to our clients, we offer a quality, professional service, delivered by specifically trained childcare staff. Give us a call on 1800 844 414 to know more.
