As millions of kids return to school, many parents are concerned with how their children will perform. Past challenges may resurface, or new ones may arise, as the new school year brings its own set of expectations. Understanding and addressing learning challenges right from the start is the best way to help students succeed. There are programs and professionals that do one-on-one training that parents need to know about to help their children prosper in school and beyond.
“Recognizing struggles early and instituting the right intervention is critical for academic success,” says Leanne DiSanto, owner and managing director of LearningRx Irvine, in Costa Mesa, CA, one of their 100-plus brain training centers. “If they are falling behind, it will compound until it is addressed. Whether your child has a diagnosis such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or is struggling in any way academically, this is often due to weak cognitive skills. Waiting too long to address these challenges can be detrimental to your child, both academically and emotionally.”
There are a number of powerful things parents can do to help their student be more successful this coming school year, including the following:
- Watch for signs of struggle. It’s important to notice the red flags so that any issue can be addressed right away. If a struggle continues, kids can fall behind, lose their confidence, and disengage from school. Signs to watch for include the student hating school or hating doing their homework, not making progress in reading or math, poor time management, and trouble organizing materials.
- Take action when there is an issue. Children don’t know how to progress past an issue holding them back from excelling. This may cause them to withdraw or act out as a way to cope. The adults in their lives must recognize the struggle and take action.
- Develop the skills that will help them succeed. The subject matter is not nearly as important as having the set of skills that will help a child succeed academically. This is why brain training is so necessary. A study published in the journal Medical Science Monitor Basic Research reports that brain training can significantly improve cognitive function, which includes our ability to remember, think, and learn. Brain training helps students excel in school by improving cognitive skills, including concentration, attention, working memory, logic, reasoning, auditory processing, visual processing, processing speed, and long-term memory. Once their cognitive functioning has been strengthened through brain training, they can take on their studies and be better equipped to succeed.
- Get involved with your child and school. Most schools love parental involvement, and it shows them that parents care about their students’ educational outcomes. Getting frequent feedback from the teacher is critical to understanding the full picture of your students’ academic journey.
- Talk to kids about their studies and success. Parents rarely ask their children what they need to succeed at school. Asking that simple question helps your student feel empowered and may provide some eye-opening answers. Ask them what they are learning about, what they like about it, and if they need anything. Encouraging an open dialogue and checking in frequently can catch any red flags early.