Learning at school
Children learn many different things at school. For example, they learn to read texts, history or English vocabulary. For these tasks, your child has to use or remember information. There is a great deal of information. And your child still has to learn how to deal with it. This includes concentrating, planning, searching for information on the internet and organizing information. Every child learns differently and at their own pace. As a parent, you can support your child with this.
What do children need when learning?
Remembering information
Does your child have to learn vocabulary? Or do they have a geography test? Simply reading all the information is often not enough to remember it. It can help to:
- Write down the words or cities. Writing helps your child remember them better.
- Think together about what your child already knows. For example, think about what your child knows about a city they have to learn about or who lives there.
- Come up with memory aids, so your child has something else to help remember a word. For example, a rhyming word.
- Quiz your child. For example, ask: What is the capital of Gelderland? And which city is next to it?
- Repeat it a few times. Studying for fifteen minutes three times often works better than studying for one hour at a time.
Using information
Does your child have to write a report? Then they first have to understand the information in a text and then use it. It is important for your child to learn to distinguish between the most important information and the less important information. You can help your child by:
- Asking your child to explain what the text is about after reading it. If a child first explains aloud what is important about the text, they can then more easily write down what the text is about and extract the important information.
- Asking your child questions. Questions about “who, what, where, why and how” in particular make a text clearer to your child.
- Thinking together about which information is needed. Imagine that someone else is reading the text who knows nothing about the subject. What do they need to know first, and what comes next?
How can you help your child get started with homework?
Some children start their homework on their own. But for many children and young people, it is difficult to get started and then keep working. They also sometimes do not know exactly what they are supposed to do. In addition, there may be many distractions at home. This can make it difficult for a child to get started on their homework.
Make a plan together
- Look together at what your child has to do for school.
- Discuss what your child already knows and what is most important to learn now.
- Decide together how much time your child needs, when they should start and how long they will continue working.
- Make sure your child starts on time, so there is enough time to repeat things. For example, to practise English vocabulary a few times.
Give responsibility
The older your child gets, the more responsibility they can handle. This can happen in small steps. At first, it may be necessary to make a plan together and supervise them. Later, you can simply remind your child that it is time to start. Try to leave the responsibility with your child. If your child notices that starting on time helps, this gives them a positive feeling and they will be more likely to do it again. But for many children and adults, this remains a challenge. So look for a balance between helping your child get started and allowing your child to make their own mistakes.
Limit distractions
When your child has to study, it helps if they have few distractions. For example, agree that the mobile phone will be somewhere else while they are doing their homework. Research shows that when the phone is in the same room, it interferes with learning, even if your child does not look at it. A quiet workspace or headphones can also help. But some children prefer to be in the same room as others. See what works for your child.
Encourage motivation
Motivation is important for being able to learn. If your child feels that they are succeeding at learning something, they can learn and persevere more effectively. Children and young people learn better when they feel that their efforts are paying off. Schoolwork should be challenging, but not too difficult. Feeling that you cannot do something causes a great deal of stress. This is very distracting, making it more difficult to understand what you need to do.
- Help your child see what they have already learned. Point out what a child found difficult a year earlier and what they can do now. Children often cannot see this clearly for themselves.
- Help your child persevere. For example, think of a small reward for when your child has persevered, such as doing something fun for a while.
- Stimulate your child’s curiosity. Understanding why you are learning something often makes it easier.
- There are tricks for learning boring subjects. For these, watch this video by NeurolabNL.
What if my child spends too long on homework?
Some children do not need encouragement to do their homework. They like to do things well and get started quickly. But sometimes children want to do things too well. If your child is afraid of doing something wrong or making mistakes, they may try too hard. For these children, it is especially important that they do not continue for too long and take enough breaks. They also need to know that they do not have to know everything perfectly, and that making mistakes is fine.
If you notice that your child is stressed or spends a long time doing homework, it is a good idea to keep an eye on things. How does your child learn? Do they think for a very long time or daydream? Do they dare to make mistakes? Can they distinguish between important and less important information? Discuss with your child what they need to do and when it is good enough. Encourage your child to stop if it is taking too long. It is important for children and young people to have free time, be able to do enjoyable things and get enough rest.