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Primary education

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Year 2 child has disengaged with learning

3 replies

mintdream · 22/09/2021 09:30

DS(6) has become increasingly negative about school on the past week or so, saying he doesn’t want to go and the work is too hard. This morning he was very down and I have to say he has lost his spark and enthusiasm for school almost completely.

We are already aware he is very behind in phonics (Yellow band) due to his refusal to engage until only a few months ago. Maths be is only slightly behind in.

I mentioned his attitude to his teacher this morning and she said he is having 1-to-1 with a TA for phonics and maths each day, as when they are sent off to do independent learning he will just sit there and do nothing. Obviously the TA must be spread across the whole class so I can’t imagine he gets individual attention for long (and nor should he), probably just to get him going with the work.

I’m having a 10 minute meeting with his teacher next week but is there any questions I should ask her? Aside from doing the obvious like his reading book and Numbots, reading to him a lot which we have always done, and incorporating maths into daily life, how else can we help him re-engage with learning? His teacher said she also doesn’t want him becoming dependent on having individual support constantly when the other pupils are doing what they are asked ok.

DS suffered a lot emotionally during the lockdowns, as being an only child the total isolation was crippling, and I can see my child slipping back to like he was then Sad

OP posts:
Exteachergirl · 22/09/2021 17:11

I think that you should listen to your child when he tells you that the work is too hard. Read with him for a few minutes every day. Start at a level that you think will be way too easy for him and give him loads of praise for whatever he gets right (even if it's just coming to sit down next to you!). Keep the sessions really short. Repeat the same thing many times. Learning to read is all about seeing the same words/ letters over and over again. Don't worry that it seems way too simple. You have to learn to walk before you can run.
I would also suggest that you really listen closely to what the teacher is telling you. They are already giving him support and it might be that he will need a lot more. Be grateful for whatever they can give him and be prepared to help him every day to back up what they are doing at school.
Good luck.

Eatenpig · 23/09/2021 23:28

Firstly be positive that this will pass. Been there with mine. I forget now how bad things were at points

Eatenpig · 23/09/2021 23:32

Get him doing extra curricular stuff to build social skills & confidence. What does he do now? Ask school for educational aps and let him have these for screen time: our school have a few. Ours use certain aps to help without pressure

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