How much to correct?

[IndigoBell]

I don't know how much to correct my DC with regards to their learning.

If they are doing their homework and they make a mistake should you tell them?

If they are not doing their homework and make a mistake should you tell them?

I guess this is going to differ wildly depending on your childs ability and confidence. So I guess I should quantify I'm talking about low ability kids who make a lot of mistakes - in fact get very little (age appropriate work) right.

Also how much help should you give them with their homework???

I think whatever you do, write a note at the bottom each time explaining your input, concerns etc. If the homework is too far removed from your child's ability then it is inappropriate and you should go in and see the teacher.

I'm with hocuspontas.

5 (nearly 6.July baby) year old DS likes to sit next to me when doing homework and we 'discuss'it. He is the sort of child who won't even try if he thinks he has to put any effort in so needs a bit of encouragement. If he was really struggling with homework I would put a note on it for the teacher.

I let 10 year old DS get on with it and then check it. Usually the issues are down to a lack of concentration or he's been a bit slap dash. Again we would then discuss the issues and he would correct it once I had established he knew what he'd done wrong.

In both cases if I thought the work was much too difficult I would write a note. I have always found teacher v appreciative of this. 10 year has at times tried to claim (esp. in maths) that he's not been taught how to do something at school but he's been caught out when I've asked the teacher!

Thanks Hocuspontas.

But what about when they write a sentance. Should you correct the spelling / punctuation? Should you correct only x things per time? Or should you not correct them so they build confidence in writing?

What if they do the work independentaly and are proud of it?

What if it's not formal homework but just work they are doing? Or in conversation?

TBH, I was more proactive helping DS when he was in infants, now he is in juniors I read it over, and if I see any mistakes just ask him to read it over again and make sure.

If he still does not see the error I just send it in as is, because my feeling is that the teacher needs to see what any issues are.

I'm working the same way with DD, and will do with littlest manky too.

When we are talking about something in general, if they say something the wrong way I just say it again properly, or if they have given some information that's not correct I tend to ask "why do you say/think that?"

Then use thats as a springboard to get the correct info into him.

If it is 'worksheet' homework it should be to reinforce work already done (whatever your dcs say ), so I would leave them to it. If your child is really having problems (particularly with maths homework), write a note on it for the teacher, or write a note in the home-school diary.

If it's writing sentences, annotate if any help given (or even mark and discuss with your child - no-one will mind).

If it's research, provide lots of support and discussion. Try not to print swathes of useless incomprehensible information from the internet (!), but find bullet points together (say, 4-5 for KS1). Then your dc can either write or type bullet points to take into school.

Independent work is very tricky!
Dd3 is always writing stories at home and is so proud of them but her spelling and sentence structure are SO bad. Now she is in secondary I wonder if I should have picked her up on more things. If I ever commented on a spelling mistake she would focus on that small criticism instead of my glowing praise of the story line itself. In short, I don't know the answer to that one!

"If I ever commented on a spelling mistake she would focus on that small criticism instead of my glowing praise of the story line itself." Exactly.

This is why I tend not to give any criticism. But I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing?

I mean if they choose to write a diary in the holidays, is it a good idea to correct it? I normally would make no corrections, and only give them help if they ask for it....

I remember reading somewhere that you should say something positive first about their work before pointing out the 'error'. I am also learning to ignore spelling mistakes that are correct if spelt phonetically e.g. 'kik' instead of 'kick' but then my dd is 5 and I still do not know when they would be 'free' of phonics and spell words correctly without depending on phonics.
I am, however, trying to get used to phonics now.

I'm struggling with this one with my 5yr old DD. I don't correct anything as she has a fit and will tear her work up at the slightest critisism , but then I go on letting her make the same mistake over and over again.

My Dad was over critical with me, so I'm so careful with DD, but she can't even cope with slightest suggestion, even though I give bags of praise.

I'm watching the replies with interest.

will be back to read other responses later but IMVHO it partly depends on how likely they are to learn from your correction - there's no point in correcting them if you know that in their current state of mind, for example, they won't actually remember the new spelling or whatever.

if they don't understand long division at all, for example, there's no point correcting an individual question.

my DSDs are very different from each other, one very good at English and I know if I correct her spelling on a new difficult word she is very likely to remember it.

the other DSD finds literacy incredibly difficult so we pick our battles so to speak. if she seems attentive it's worth it, if she's struggling enough with the actual work I don't correct her as much as it'd be demotivating.