Homework & study skills
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The more interest you can take in your child's homework the better their results will be. Your support and encouragement will make an enormous amount of difference to your child's performance and achievement, and therefore their self-esteem and prospects in life.
If at all possible try to make sure they have a quiet room with good light in which to work. Get a copy of the school's homework policy and talk to the teacher about how much help you should give.
As they progress through school the homework load increases but they may seek your help less as teachers encourage them to work more independently.
But don't withdraw completely. Taking an active interest in your child's schoolwork and homework can certainly do no harm. If there's something your child doesn't understand, and you can't help directly, you can provide them with revision guides that explain subjects step-by-step, in language your child understands.
Homework Hints
- Your child won't be able to concentrate in front of the TV: find a quiet room with good light.
- Take an interest in their homework, but not too close, it'll sound like nagging!
- Find out what they should be doing and when it's due to be handed in.
- Help them to structure their time – it's a skill they will need throughout life.
Literacy
Most children learn to read between 4-7 years old but, even if your child can read independently, you should still sit down with them to read books. It gives them enthusiasm for reading, teaches them new words and it's an enjoyable way for both of you to spend quality time together.
We know children develop at different speeds so while some children will be blasting through pages, others may dwell on unfamiliar words. Don't try to change this: offer encouragement and help them to work out the word. You can always pause and help provide them with a context to guess at the word: ask them what's gone on in the story and look at the pictures to help them understand the new word.
Reading
- Read the books your child brings home; ask them what happens, who's their favourite character and why.
- Re-reading books is fine. They're learning more about the words on the page and it shows an appetite for reading so don't worry if they re-read books, or ask you to read a story to them again. Enjoy it!
- Ask them to tell you their favourite stories, and encourage them to experiment with different voices for each character.
- Buy books instead of other toys and let them build up a library.
Words
Words are everywhere, have fun with them!
- Read cereal packets with them in the morning.
- Buy books and read with them.
- Ask them to recap the story to make sure they understand it.
- Ask them to help you find the right shops by reading their signs.
- Show them pictures of famous people in the paper to encourage them to read the story.
- Get them to help you choose a holiday by reading brochures together.
As your child gains experience of books they will naturally want to start trying to read, write and spell themselves. Many schools now use a phonic-based approach to teaching spelling and reading. There is no rush to introduce this to your child but you may want to find out all about phonics for yourself.
Phonics
Children learn to read by listening, repeating and recognising individual syllables – the separate sounds that make up words (like ap-ple, bas-ket, or col-our). The next stage is breaking down those syllables into individual letters and the sounds they represent. That's what phonics is all about, understanding how sounds and letters relate to each other.
Writing
Writing is a fascinating new skill for children. The more they see you writing, the more they will want to do the same. The pleasure of writing and recognising your own name on paper is usually the first piece of writing that children learn.
- Get your child creating letters, either by joining your dots or using pen over your pencil outline. Don't be a perfectionist: writing should be fun and your child's motor skills (to control a pen or pencil) are still developing. Don't forget games like catch also help develop these skills.
- Always have some rough paper to hand so your child can practice writing words without having to cross out the wrong spelling all the time.
- Ask your child what happened at school then, with their help, write it down.
- Encourage and help them to make cards for special occasions, to decorate their notebooks with doodles and patterns and to make signs for their bedroom door.
- Help them to write a story; ask them who's in it, what they do, how it starts and ends and how each character deals with situations.
- Introduce the idea that different words are used for past and future.
Spelling
Spelling, particularly with a language as difficult as English, is very difficult for children to master. If the frustration that results is distracting, here are a few ideas to help your child win a few battles and feel better about spelling.
- Help your child to make an alphabet mural (a is for apple, b is for bag) for their room.
- Use fridge magnets, building block or tiles from word games.
- Take a list of small words and help your child put them in alphabetical order.
- Using old newspapers or magazines, get your child to circle related words; words beginning with ‘R', words ending in ‘-ing', words with just one letter different (peg, pig, pug).
Get your child to spell a word in a mirror and watch their mouth as each letter is pronounced. This helps demystify the hard and soft sounds each letter has. That is, of course, if the mirror doesn't de-mist first!
Numbers
In an age where everyone has access to calculator and we are used to computers automatically adding up for us, some see mental maths and the ability to work out sums on paper as an irrelevance. However, if you've ever been short changed, or ordered curtains that don't fit, you will realise that maths is a relevant as it ever was. Numeracy is an essential life skill.
Mathematics is a subject that needs lots of attention. Many people struggle with it but for most, the penny eventually drops and the mathematical mist clears. The more time you and your child can spend working on maths, the sooner the penny drops and it all adds up.
Remember, in 2003, the Government changed the Key Stage 1 National Test to place more emphasis on using and applying the maths they've learned.
Counting
- Get your child to count your change when you're out shopping.
- Sing counting songs with you, like ‘Ten green bottles', ‘One man went to mow', ‘Rock around the clock' and ‘A partridge in a pear tree'.
- Get them to count while skipping.
- Count the number of hats you see while you're out.
A helping hand?
If your child is struggling with a piece of homework there are numerous other ways you can help.
- If you understand the topic, try to explain it in ways you know your child can relate to.
- If you don't understand the topic, you can take a learning journey with your child and find out about it at the library or online. Revision Guides can provide all the information you need for each subject at your fingertips.
- Encourage them to phone their friends to talk through their work.
- Make sure they ask their teacher for a little extra help if they feel this is needed.
Study skills
Fitting in homework is much easier if your child can develop a routine and stick to it. Why not help them draw up a homework timetable? If you both keep a copy you will always know when their work is due. Remember, there’s plenty to learn in Key Stage 3 and without some level of organisation students can begin to struggle.
Study Tips
- Reading something again and again is not the best way to make sure you learn and understand what you have read.
- Instead, try to condense each paragraph down to just one sentence.
- Or, try to explain it in your own words to yourself, or, better still, to your parents or a friend.
- If you are having trouble memorizing something write it down and stick it on the fridge.
- In fact, stick it in as many places as possible.
- Or tape yourself and play it in the morning. Be careful it doesn't send you back to sleep though!