Homework can be a struggle for children with learning disabilities. In fact, many parents report spending hours on homework that should only take minutes with their learning disabled children. There are many strategies you can use to reduce homework stress and help your child finish homework more efficiently. Here's how:
1. Homework Space - Create a Great Homework Space for Your Child
One of the easiest and most important things you can do to help your child with homework is to organize a well-stocked, efficient study space. Having materials close at hand will help your child stay on task and reduce time spent looking for materials. Learn how to organize a homework space.
2. Create a Regular Time for Homework - Set a Homework Schedule
Create a homework routine by setting a regular time for your child to begin working. Consider providing a healthy snack and having some physical activity before beginning. This can help your child focus more when he begins to study. It is usually best for kids to finish their work before early evening.
If your child has a rigorous extra curricular activity that uses so much of his time and energy that homework becomes an impossible problem, consider trying parks, recreational, and church leagues with more flexible schedules and obligations than public school teams.
Block out a starting time for home work every evening. If your child finishes early, consider a reward like a preferred activity.
3. Ensure Your Child Records All Information Needed for Homework During the Day
Have your child record all of her homework assignments every day in a planner. Teaching her to appropriately use a planner will help her become better organized for homework tasks and to determine which homework is priority and what deadlines are coming up. Ask her teacher to initial the planner at the end of each class to ensure your child has written the assignment correctly. Reward your child for remembering to bring the planner home. As your child becomes more proficient at recording the assignments, she will no longer need the teacher to check.
4. Consider Developing a Study Group for Homework
Developing a study group takes time and effort, but the rewards are tremendous. Consider helping your child develop a study group. If that is not workable for you, consider using online resources to share information on assignments, communication with other responsible students concerning home work and projects.
5. Check with the School for Homework Help
Many schools offer homework helplines, online resources, and after school tutoring to help students with home work. Contact your child's school to see what is available. If you find the school has few resources for home work, suggest these ideas to the principal.
6. Build Breaks Into the Homework Schedule
If your child has difficulty with attention and staying on-task, consider building breaks into his routine. Offer a five-minute break every twenty minutes. During break time, your child can exercise, play a quick game, munch a healthy snack, or other preferred activity.
7. Should You Ask for a Second Set of Books for Your Child to Keep at Home?
While this seems like a reasonable request, it is important to consider the school's financial situation. Many schools have faced major funding cuts over the last ten to twelve years. For that reason, schools often use one set of books to meet the needs of as many as five classes of kids in high school. Books are often kept in classrooms rather than being assigned to individual students. They may simply not be available every time you need them. Instead, encourage your child for keeping up with his own materials with a reward system. Encourage schools to adopt books with electronic editions available online.
