DS Not Concentrating/Listening in Class

[united4ever]

Hi, my wife got asked to come in for a chat after school pick up tonight. My son is 7 years old. Teacher said he does not seem to understand or perform the simple tasks he is sometimes asked to do like put his books away or take them out. She asked my son if he would like to be reminded or how she can help him....my son just mumbled something about needing reminding (he was holding back tears). Teacher asked if he could hear her which he said he could. He speaks another language at home mostly but its just very simple instructions he is not listening to.

I don't know what to say to him....so I didn't ask him about it tonight after my wife told me. Maybe he is a bit of a daydreamer or not so good at concentrating. He is maybe slightly below average in his class in maths and English. He is quite a hard worker at home....does plenty of homework before school, plays the piano and goes to school all day Saturday to learn his mums language where they also study maths.

Not sure how to help him.

Any suggestions

It could be a processing issue. There are so many types of that...mild, severe...all kinds. Receptive language disorders are very common....and can mean that the child takes longer to decipher what's being asked of them.

I would, if I were you...make an appointment to have his ears tested anyway...though he says he can hear, sometimes hearing issues are more complex than just not being able to hear...so see the doctor and tell them what the teacher said...and ask for the hearing test.

Then, if that comes back clear, go back to the teacher and ask her about getting DS assessed for any issues with processing.

There are ways they can get him help...so that if there is an issue, his life will be made easier.

He could be a dreamer of course...I was like that and still am. I've turned out fine though. :)

Poor little lad Sounds like he really wants to do what's expected of him, but is struggling with the listening/concentration skills. Remember that's all they are - skills - which can be worked on and improved.

There was a thread a while ago where a poster (steppemum) made some fantastic suggestions of games to improve those skills without the child even realising. I copied them into my 'things to do with DD' file . I'll list them below.

The other thing to consider is that his hearing might be a problem despite what he said. My eyesight got really bad at about 9, and I got into loads of trouble for not being able to do things which required seeing the board. The teacher even asked me if I could see the board, and I said yes! (The board was a complete blur). I'm not really sure why I said I could see it (kids are weird!) but I think it was because I just didn't realise what I wasn't seeing.

The suggestions from that post (as I say, I can't take any credit for these - they were from Steppemum) were:

play lots of board games. Simple ones if you concentration is poor.
Takes turns, she learns to lose and win.

Do activities together (make a cake?) Make it inot a game where you can only repeat each instruction once. (remember 'Allo 'Allo?? I sometimes do the voice "listen very carefully I will say this only once...") so she has to listen and do each instruction before getting the next.

Once she gets good at this, get her to give you the instructions. Or give her 2 at once. (weigh 100g of sugar AND 100g of butter)

In fact make a spy game for you both over the summer. Instruction only given once, maybe given as a whisper in your ear. celebrate each time a spy completes a mission (does what is asked) You can do this for everything from 'go and get you pyjamas on and brush your teeth', to actual fun spy things 'there is a clue hidden under the blanket, in the blue box, in the shed' and she finds a small pack of sweets.

make a spy chart, with some goal at the end.

get a friend round and give them separate instructions, which they have to put together. (so in above example, you tell one about the shed, and one about the blue box)