Helping children at home

[CaramelTree]

I have a child starting at comprehensive in September. I would like to help her at home as much as possible. The impression I have from the school is that there isn't going to be much homework.

I would like to do it in a fairly structured way, as otherwise we will just become disorganised and not do it. Has anyone advice on how they helped? I cannot afford a tutor, and my main concern is English although will look at other subjects as well. Although she is meant to be getting 4A or similar in her teacher assessments, I have noticed that she lacks a lot of basic English skills. I have considered getting the Galore Park year six text book and covering the year six work again.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Personally, I would let the school take care of the technical side and, at home, encourage her to read, do drama, read newspapers and discuss and debate with you current affairs. More fun than the boring stuff which school should cover and all skills which will be transferrable to her English lessons. If they don't then you can pick up on it or at least discuss what you should do with them.

I don't consider that kind of stuff to be helping with English. It is just 'life' really. I want DD to catch up on basic skills she has missed out on, but am not sure how to go about it.

Wouldn't you start by identifying the basic skills you think she lacks?

Schofield & Simms do some good workbooks if that is what you are after.

I would really concentrate on encouraging to read as widely as possible- fact and fiction. Maybe you could read the same books as her so you can talk about that. Continued exposure to well written material expands vocabulary and enables students to see a wide range of sentence structure/grammar/ideas.

As she goes up to secondary school, she will have a lot else to cope with and I think that additional formal "textbook based" homework set by you will be resented and therefore not productive. I would see how she settles in for the first half term whilst encouraging reading and look at homework she is set carefully and encourage her to really do a good job on what is set.

Find out when the first "assessment grades" are due ( a lot of schools give out some kind of effort and attainment marks about half way through first term, if not earlier) and see how she is doing.

Good luck and hope your DD enjoys her new school