Don’t Ignore These Back-to-School Warning Signs of Learning Struggles
As children head back to school, it’s crucial for parents and educators to be aware of potential learning struggles that might hinder their academic progress. Recognizing the warning signs early on can help address the issues and provide the necessary support to ensure children’s success.The red flags we cover in this blog should not be ignored. By supporting your child at the first sign of struggle, you can set them up for a more confident and successful school year.
Additional Resource: Back to School: What Lots of Families Forget >>
Hating School or Avoiding Doing Work:
One of the most obvious warning signs of learning struggles is when a child expresses a strong dislike for school or consistently tries to avoid doing their schoolwork. While it’s normal for children to occasionally feel uninterested in certain subjects, a persistent aversion could indicate deeper issues. It’s important for parents and teachers to investigate the underlying causes, such as difficulty understanding the material, feeling overwhelmed, or experiencing bullying or social challenges.
Lack of Progress in Reading or Math:
Reading and math skills are fundamental to a child’s academic success. If a child consistently lags behind their peers in these areas, it may be a sign of learning difficulties. Struggling with basic phonics, reading comprehension, or number concepts could indicate a need for additional support or intervention.
Instead of letting them flounder, taking steps to find out why they’re struggling (and helping them gain some ground) is critical to their confidence and future success.
Trouble Organizing Materials or Managing Time:
Disorganization and poor time management skills can significantly impact a student’s ability to succeed academically. If a child consistently loses assignments, forgets deadlines, or struggles to prioritize tasks, it’s an indication of poor executive function and forethought.
Weak organizational skills or difficulties with planning and time estimation impact every area of life. Providing strategies for organization and time management, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and using visual aids can be beneficial in supporting these students in the moment. However, long-term support relies on building up these skills in the brain so the root cause of the issue can be addressed.
“Fight, Flight, or Freeze” in Kids: Stress Responses to Learning Struggles:
Children experiencing learning difficulties often face emotional and psychological stress. When confronted with challenging tasks or situations, they may exhibit stress responses, commonly known as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. These responses can manifest as:
- Emotional outbursts
- Hyperactivity
- Avoidance behaviors
- Shutdowns
- Saying “I don’t know”
- Distractibility
If your child has these reactions towards school, it’s not just a behavior problem. It’s a signal that their brain is stressed out, and they don’t know how to pull themselves out of it. While mindfulness, stress management strategies, and positivity can help address these concerns, it’s important to look for ways to build your child’s resilience as well.
One of the things you can do to expand your child’s ability to handle stress in learning environments is to strengthen their cognitive skills. When their brain can adequately process the world around them, learning becomes less burdensome and overwhelming. It truly is an investment in their future confidence and success.
What to Do When You Notice These Signs of Learning Struggles
At the first signs of learning struggles, you may jump immediately to asking what accommodations you can put in place for your child. While these can help temporarily, they are not a long-term solution to fixing the reason WHY your kids are struggling.
Read More: Things to Think About When Considering In-School Accommodations >>
Getting an inside look into your child’s brain is a critical starting point when you notice warning signs of learning struggles. This will allow you to find they “why” AND a clear direction to help them overcome.
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