When a child consistently has trouble with learning, I find many parents wonder- ing if they are doing something wrong. Some think they are using
the wrong learning style. Some think the
child needs a different teacher! Let me offer
some reassurance. I have helped hundreds
of homeschool families. Very few parents
are the primary cause for a child’s struggles!
To discover why it is hard for your child to
learn, it will help you to “think like a detective.” We will now examine three areas that
most frequently create learning difficulties.
1. Instruction
Are you using effective instructional meth-
ods? Some examples: Do you review prior
learning before introducing new skills? Do
you provide specific feedback and clearly
state what was well done and/or needs
some improvement? Do you stop to ana-
lyze a new task to ensure your child has the
required pre-skills? If you are using such ef-
fective teaching strategies, something else is
likely to be the problem.
2. Curriculum
Although one book worked splendidly for
one of your children, ask whether your
child’s textbook is a poor fit for another.
Poor curriculum design and inappropri-
ate teaching materials can cause many
problems! Some books and materials mar-
keted to homeschool families have poor
instructional design or have confusing
organization. Other materials fail to teach
the foundational skills your child needs
to build upon. Does your child’s textbook
present information in a well-sequenced
way, or jump from topic to topic? Does the
math or vocabulary book overemphasize
drill, or fail to provide adequate practice?
Would a different textbook help him work
better?
3. Unrecognized Learning
Disabilities
After considering instructional practices
and curriculum, we must now look within
your child. You know that countless factors
affect social and/or educational development: diet, environmental toxins, allergies,
emotional issues, and/or immaturity. We
126 Fall 2017 • Special Needs Homeschooling www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
By Judi Munday
Why Is It So Hard For My Child To Learn?
3 Things You Need To Know
Countless factors affect social or educational development: diet,
environmental toxins, allergies, emotional issues, and/or immaturity.
