Why is it that your child always seems to lag behind?
Other parents can be critical, even at play dates and play group or at ball games and sports. They can be competitive and cruel. Adults as well as children can seem smug or dismissive. Even sympathy can feel like pity, which is not what you wish for. This doesn’t stop. For children who find it hard to learn, the future can seem bleak.
You don’t need a label to know your child is struggling. It doesn’t take a genius to see they need a different sort of help.
Children are naturally curious; they naturally want to learn, to experiment, to explore. The child who struggles and sees everyone else outperforming them can sometimes lose this curiosity and desire to learn. Although they may be working really hard, the challenge can be depressing and demotivating.
Some become disruptive, some just give up, some soldier on no matter what, putting in the extra work even when they know they are not keeping up with their peers.
It can be even harder for a child who is self-aware, who may have some strengths as well as challenges, even if those who have not been diagnosed. They can fully appreciate their difficulties but have no idea how to solve the problem.
Here’s the reality…
It’s not that they’re “learning disabled” or stupid. It’s that your child learns differently and at a different pace than their peers. It is not essential to get an official diagnosis of learning disability. The differences often overlap and merge into one another. The label is often only useful for applying for funding rather than for providing a solution.
It is important to identify and understand exactly what is getting in the way of your child’s learning, and address it. This involves how they take in information, process it and use it. Addressing the challenges, adapting the teaching and the environment can all support the development of resilience.
In our experience the best outcomes are achieved by combining specialist study skills with an individualised neurodevelopmental program.
For those who learn and think differently it is important to unpick what their needs are in order to succeed in learning and in life.
You and your child need to understand how they learn, and how to adapt as they progress through education. New learning approaches and insights are needed. The strategies they learn with us, they can use forever. We don’t teach subject content.
They need to get hurdles out of their way. We work with them to identify exactly what about their body-brain doesn’t work efficiently for them. Some accommodations can often be made immediately (at home, at school) to make life and learning a bit easier.
Then they need to work, with your support, on their neurodevelopment, to improve resilience and adaptability.
Constant tutoring and support is not usually needed. This approach is designed to help them become independent lifelong learners.
