7 year old boy, year 3, too slow in his work - help needed please

[hippipotami]

Ds is 7 and in Year 3. He struggles with concentration, listening, handwriting (left handed so it always looks smudged) and is in the bottom set for all subjects.

Recently he has started losing playtime as he does not manage to get his written work finished in time. The problem is both with his ability to do writing, and with his limited concentration span.

Does anyone have any tips for getting him to improve on these? Any games / activities I can do at home with him?

Here you go... It's refers to nurseries, but I would have thought the point about HOW boys like to learn would be valid for all ages...

nurseries failing boys

Interesting article, thanks for finding it for me!

DS's nursery and reception years were spent at a school with plenty of outside activities, so that was not too much of a problem. Even Y1 and Y2 had an outside classroom and a woodland enclave to explore. Unfortunately, now he is in junior school things are so different. It is a 3 story Victorian building with a playground. No garden, no woodland, and of course all lessons take place at desks indoors.

The more I think about it, the more I realise that denying ds playtime is the wrong way to go. Without the opportunity to let off steam he will only become more reluctant to sit still and do writing, so the whole thing could potentially become a downward spiral.

Have asked to have a quick chat with his teacher after school today. Am very nervous...

Good luck with talking to the teacher I hope you can resolve some of these problems.

Right, just back from seeing teacher.

All is well, she is swapping ds and the boy next to him around so that ds is on the left to minimise the elboy bashing effect.

She said that she - along with the other two Y3 teachers - have gone through all the workbooks and identified those children who need extra handwriting help. Ds was not amongst them .

She feels the problem is behavioural rather than physical (ie he can write neatly, he just messes about and daydreams and then does not get his work done)

Feel a bit happier now. He did not miss any playtime today because he managed to finish his work on time. So he can do it when he chooses to...

Will still check out the glue ear thing although I think dss' concentration problems stem from dis-interest and not a hearing problem.

Will have to think of creative ways to motivate him.

Thank you so much for all your help and input, I don't know what I did before I found MN!!

That is brilliatn news, I am so glad, and I hope things continue to improve for you.

brilliant even