How to help your child learn at home

Guest Post by Geoff Taylor, Head of Young Learners at British Council Malaysia

During the pandemic we have juggled work, family commitments and the stress and strain of living under the MCO. Many of us have also been given a new job: teaching our children.

Many parents I speak to tell me that they find themselves overwhelmed by this. They find themselves becoming irritable with their child and feeling guilty. They worry that their child may fall behind with their schoolwork.

However, there are tremendous benefits to a parent teaching a child that cannot be replicated in a classroom. With a few basic strategies in place we can ensure our children profit from our help and relieve some of the pressures we put on ourselves.

Routine

Children, particularly younger children, need a routine. Not going to school and seeing their friends is an enormous disruption to their lives and can be upsetting and stressful. Help your child by putting in a routine for home study. At the same time every day your child will study, and you will be available to help when needed. While none of us have time to replicate a regular school day, we do not need to. As we are teaching the kids one to one, rather than in classes, they can get more done in less time.

Patience

What takes us a few minutes may take a child half an hour. We need to be patient and have realistic expectations. Be prepared for everything to take longer than you anticipate. If we start to get frustrated, we need to take a breath and control our emotions. A positive attitude is contagious, and we want our children to enjoy learning. So, take a breath, count to ten, smile and try again.

Breaks

We need to remember that children are still growing and physically developing. Because of this it is actually painful for them to sit still for a long time. If they must sit for a long time they will start to fidget and become distracted. We need to have regular breaks where the child can move around. In classes at the British Council teachers will build this into the lessons – a ‘treasure hunt’ for children to find answers that are ‘hidden’ in the classroom for example. Google ‘brain break’ activities and check out some of the fun ‘action songs for kids’ on YouTube to ensure your child is quickly refreshed and ready to continue to learn.

A good learning environment

Having a suitable environment for learning is vital. The place where your child studies should comfortable, ideally with a desk and a chair, be well lit and well ventilated. It should be free from distractions – there are so many things in our homes that are more fun for a child than studying! Ensure laptops, iPads, toys etc. are not visible. Where possible siblings should study separately, again to avoid distractions. While we need to be close at hand to provide help where needed, we should avoid ‘looming’ so our children can focus. Often, we are the biggest distraction of all!

At the British Council we offer a range of courses for children. We have both online courses and courses in our teaching centres. If you are struggling to help your child learn at home, perhaps we can help share the load. Find out more here