Preparing the Teacher for Your Learning Disabled Child
It is always exciting when a child hits that momentous moment of the very first day of school. They are stepping out into the world for the first time to learn and make friends. With new clothes, supplies, and a backpack, a child is truly excited to see what school is like. For most parents, this is a happy and stress-free time to enjoy with your child. For parents who have a child with a learning disability, the first day of school can be a frightening time. They don’t know what to expect for their child. What if their child cannot sit still, or cannot make friends? What if they are constantly in trouble or struggle to understand what is going on? Many parents face these questions every year as they send their child off to school. There are ways to make sure that your child will enjoy school too and get all they need. When you enroll your child and get assigned a teacher get a conference with him or her. It is very important that they know that your child has a learning disorder and what that child’s individual needs are.
Explain to the teacher that sometimes your child misbehaves when he or she becomes frustrated. It isn’t a behavior issue; it is a way of expressing his or her feeling when he or she is overwhelmed. Explain techniques that have worked at home for helping the child relax and better control his or her behavior. Give the teacher signs your child exhibits prior to an outburst so it might be prevented. Talk to the teacher about how your child can become distracted. Explain how others talking or sitting still in one place too long can cause your child to not hear or comprehend what is going on. His or her mind will wander and they might get lost in what is expected of them. Tell the teacher what learning styles work best for your child and where their learning intelligence lies. Explain that when you child finds that schoolwork is too hard they might shut down. Show him or her ways to keep you child engaged and make the lesson understandable to the child. Altering the learning strategies to improve your child’s academics is far better than disciplinary ones. The child should never be punished for something that he or she cannot control.
A child with a learning disability may be too embarrassed to ask the teacher for help. Remind the teacher to discretely ask your child if she or he has any questions. This should be done in a way that does not point the child out openly with his or her peers. Walking to different children and asking them if they need help can be a very discrete way for the teacher to provide assistance, but make it look like it is normal for all students. Explain that if the teacher uses teaching methods that are designed for all learning intelligences and geared towards kids with learning disabilities, it will help your child learn better. This method will also make it easier for the teacher to deal with him or her because they will be less frustrated. It is important that the teacher be aware of any specific triggers your child has so they can be avoided. Make sure that all work is explained thoroughly and all the child’s questions are answered. This will help the child to understand and process what is expected. If your child understands the expectations they will much more likely to succeed.
Discuss what your child’s weaknesses are. Explain how these areas might prove to be keys to frustration for your child and might require extra help. Talk over some possible strategies that might make it easier for your child to learn in the areas of his or her deficits. This will make him or her more interested in learning about a subject they have difficulty in. ask the teacher if he or she keeps learning fun and promotes question asking. This is very beneficial to a student with a learning disability. This can really help keep the behavioral and disciplinary issues to a minimum.
If your child has a hard time sitting still, make sure there are adequate times for stretching and movement. See if your child can bring the occasional note to the office or to another classroom to give your child the opportunity to move and expel pent up energy. Also share your child’s strengths. Just because he or she has a learning disability doesn’t mean that you have to focus only on the negative. Make sure the teacher praises him or her often in these areas to keep his or her self-confidence up. It is important to your child to know they are succeeding and feel good about themselves. Make you and the teacher keep communication open and speak often. This will make sure there is nothing left out of the school day that might be important for the parents to know. A child with a learning disability needs all the adults in his or her life working together to make sure school is a fun and great learning experience.
