When your child can't do their homework - what are the options?

[Pipistrella]

I have a 12yo in Y8. He is dyslexic, uses a laptop but still obviously struggles with certain things.

He has a large project to complete this weekend. He's only had a week, and it involves writing at least 7 newspaper articles about a topic and putting them into a document that looks like a newspaper.

He's got to read all the background info and then write the articles.

He can't absorb the information.

He's asked me to read it out loud to him, which I have, and I'm trying to talk through it with him. Then I've suggested some bullet points to break it down. He's still really struggling.

What should I do? Should I sit with him for several hours, prompting and suggesting what to write? Should I do nothing and let him tell his teacher he just can't do it?

It's not reading itself which is the problem, its processing and organising the information. It feels like they are testing him on something he simply can't do. And I don't want to do it for him as that proves and achieves nothing. Yet he is compliant and wants to do it. Giving in nothing would seem like a bad move as his attitude is good.

WWYD?

BTW, if using Wikipedia, change the language to "Simple English" if it's available.

My dc often get info to present in the form of newspaper articles too. I think one reason why they may have asked for this format is that the info can be presented in a quote subjective way - eg pick a particular date for the publication (eg. the day the suffragette was run over by the horse - Emily Pankhurst, was it)? Then do a made up interview with an eyewitness - "one source reported...." etc with quotes. Another article could be an interview with a suffragette who sets out the main aims of the movement, another with someone who does not think women should get the vote. Then it can all be more subjective, and less a list of detailed facts (like an essay). Use images too - draw the flag, etc.

Thank you for the excellent advice and suggestions.

I had not thought of BBC Bitesize, I thought that was for GCSE level work and so on, but will have a look.

I had not heard of differentiating work, so might email school about that.

Also I hadn't heard of 'Simple English' so that's a brilliant idea.

We had another try last night and we did much of the first article together, with the Wiki page on hand. As we wrote it, he changed some of my suggestions into his own sentences and we had some in depth discussion about what words meant and context and so on.

He was then able to finish it alone, and he went on to write a few more of them after that and again worked on it by himself this morning.

It was a baptism of fire really, in at the deep end, and actually he's surprised me by how well he is coping with it after a bit of a crash course.

So thankfully it's worked out alright. He's still got tonight and then has to hand it in tomorrow. I don't think I'll be needed now. It might be obvious that I gave him some help with the first part, but frankly if the teacher isn't going to give them a hand with it then someone has to.

So now he has a really good grasp of how to do it and will be better prepared next time.

AND we managed to go and get his new boots.

I still think it's bizarre to give them a massive project like this on a subject they haven't studied, and I might query that if it happens again. He is planning on giving up History as soon as he can anyway as apparently you get more field trips with Geography and you have to do one or the other!

Unfortunately, they do get some large pieces of work thrown at them at short notice and sometimes 2/3 pieces in one week.

The school need to be made aware he's struggling with it, why and decisions made on how to help and move forward. If he can't do seven articles, I'd be tempted to put a note in saying he's spent 10 hours, is struggling and has therefore done 3 articles. The main thing is to hand something in that he's done.

Some newspaper articles are very short. Could he write two sentences on say five of the topics and then do a picture/photo/cartoon for the other two. It is probably best if its his work rather than your work because then the teacher will realise there is a problem. I would say quite a lot of non dyslexic year 8s would have a problem with this amount of work

My DD is dyslexic. I realise that this is a bit of 'shutting the door once the horse has bolted' but what she does is schedule in the work on her calendar. 30 mins on the project on day abc so that she does it in little bits.

If there is a lot of writing expected, then we tend to get her to use bullet points and make sure her sentences are packed with info. Less is more and all that.

Personally - in your position I'd encourage short articles with lots of pictures!

For DD she needs a lot of breaks, work for 20 minutes, 5 or 10 minute break, then back to work. She could never sit and produce her best work if she was facing hours on a single task.

I'd email the teacher to explain the issues so that the teacher is aware of the challenges and is primed to expect the level of work being handed in.

My daughter is severely dyslexic too. When faced with this kind of homework, I help her read through sources for information. She then dictates back to me what she wants to say and I type it. We discuss Similarly once she has handed the homework in she will explain that she has had help. But she always has scribes for tests, has extra time and support in class so teachers are aware of what she can and can't do.

Another thing to find out is how they give the note sin class. I discovered that dd was expected to copy everything down - she is slower and was missing huge chucks. Now the teachers are meant to give her notes on her memory stick to help with homework or revision.