In addition to developing a stronger awareness of the teaching strategies known to target specific areas of learning, there are a number of strategies that can help improve learning outcomes more generally. These strategies can be used by parents to support their children at home but are also of value to the classroom teacher. A table outlining these eight strategies appears on the following pages.
Strategies
How to implement
- Express a belief that all children can improve their academic levels
- Encourage and support your child to set high personal learning goals
- Maintain an expectation that your child can achieve in line with their potential
- Help your child to use appropriate resources or assistive technology that will allow them to access the same material as their peers
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Find ways to adjust homework or set tasks so they are in a format your child can use e.g. read out written questions, scan instructions and use text reading software on the computer, find audio versions of text books, re-write questions in simplified text.
- Discuss goals with your child in advance, making expectations clear
- Ensure your child is aware of the steps required to achieve goals
- Break homework tasks and assignments down into smaller steps and provide feedback along the way to ensure success
How to implement
- Talk to your child’s teacher about classroom strategies and adjustments that will allow your child to participate and learn
- Follow up with your child and their teacher to ensure adjustments are being used and are actually helping your child to engage with the curriculum and are minimising any barriers to learning
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Alternative methods to access curriculum content, such as e-books, video, assistive technology (voice to text/ text to voice software) used at home and at school
- Additional time to access material or complete an examination or assessment task
- Request summaries of teaching content, and glossaries of new terms that you can discuss with your child
- Assist your child to request an alternative task if the format of the task does not allow them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge
How to implement
- Encourage your child to focus on one subject at a time when completing homework
- Break down homework tasks into small clear achievable steps that can be checked off as they are completed
- If your child is practising a new skill, assist them with working through the task in a step-by-step manner and ensure each step is mastered before the next step is introduced
- If possible, provide immediate corrective feedback and reinforcement as your child completes their homework
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Demonstrate or model the steps required to complete a homework task
- Find one of your child’s friends that is competent with subjects your student finds hard to act as a homework buddy
- Request that the teacher provide an example of the finished piece of work so that expectations are clear
- Ask your child to complete smaller “chunks” that build together to complete the larger task
How to implement
- Monitor your child’s ability to complete their homework independently and ensure they are able to ‘master’ the set task
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Alert the teacher if your child is struggling to learn or remember the skills being sent home for homework
- Ensure your child is receiving explicit, structured, cumulative programs at both a whole-class and small group/one-to-one level (see pages 26-30 for examples)
How to implement
- If your child is learning new skills at school, try to provide scaffolds and support to assist their learning and then gradually withdraw the supports as they become more competent
- The provision of scaffolds and support will help your child to achieve their learning goals and reduce anxiety
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Modelling the steps required to complete a task
- Cue cards, checklists, concept maps and writing templates/guides
- Request a model of the completed task against which your child can compare their own work
- Use of assistive technology (e.g. electronic spellchecker, literacy software programs)
How to implement
- Ask the teacher to provide regular and targeted feedback alongside the practice of key skills and concepts
- Feedback should provide information to help your child to develop their skills
- Feedback should be given at a time and frequency that allows it to be useful (e.g. immediately following completion of a task)
- Check for understanding by asking your child to explain what they have learnt after completing their homework
- Ask your child about their set homework – did they learn anything from doing it? What could be done differently to help them complete the task?
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Request that teachers provide detailed written feedback on assignments, projects, tests
- Ask teachers for a marking grid that offers specific feedback against a pre-determined criteria
- Provide positive feedback on things your child was able to do successfully and offer feedback outlining specific ways in which they could improve their performance next time
- Ask your child how they feel they performed
How to implement
- Repeatedly use visual and verbal strategies concurrently to teach new concepts and skills
- Assist your child to highlight key words, statements, concepts and instructions in their homework to reinforce what they need to do
- Talk about previous homework tasks that may assist your child to learn and understand new material
- Understand that the more curriculum material is revisited, repeated, and reinforced, the stronger the neural connections to this knowledge become and the more easily accessible it is
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Try to explain homework tasks using a different methods such as visuals, hands-on materials, and verbal explanations if your child does not understand, or request that the teacher provides an alternative format
- Ask your child to summarise what they have learnt or to repeat directions or procedures
- Stop and check your child understands what they are required to do for their homework as they work through it
How to implement
- Ask that teachers make adjustments and modifications to assessment tasks for your child to cater for their specific learning needs
Example of Resources/Approaches
- Ensure your child is provided with alternative modes of assessment or extra time on examinations to read and analyse questions, organise thoughts, plan answers, and sequence material.
In this section:
- Helping to improve the learning outcomes of all students
- Effective communication between home and school
- The rights of students with learning disabilities in the education system
- What to look for in the school setting
- Explaining a specific learning disorder diagnosis to your child
- Is a learning disability a gift?