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As a parent, have you ever wondered, “Where do I even begin?” with helping your child with learning disabilities study? It can be a difficult and a DRAINING task for sure. This blog post highlights five of my favorite study tips I’ve seen work well for students with learning disabilities.
As a child, I was always struggling to focus in class. I was told that I had ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder traits.
In school, I always seemed to skate by barely making it with low average grades. In college, I had to study extremely hard to pass.
5 Study Tips for Kids With Learning Disabilities That Work
#1 Flashcards
My favorite study tip is making flashcards. Flashcards are an easy way to organize information that you want to remember. They help you learn as you are copying the information to the flashcards and are small and compact so that you can take them anywhere.
I have seen flashcards help students learn:
- Countries in Africa
- US presidents
- State capitals
- Anatomy of a frog
- Vocabulary words
You can make flashcards by hand with index cards or on your computer so you can print them out. Also, if you have a tablet or phone, great apps make it easier than ever to create your own flashcards!
One of my favorite apps is Quizlet. It is one of my favorites because not only can I create the cards and study on my device, but I can access other people’s decks as well. You can also make your own decks and share them with classmates or friends!
#2 Games as Study Resources
Games are a great way to practice learning the information students have to study. Below are a few game ideas to help students study.
Game Ideas
Games help keep your child from getting bored easily when it seems like just another school assignment on their list.
Creating Your Own Games
You may want to design a game yourself using everyday household items like dice or cards or even using a game you already own, such as Connect 4 or Twister.
Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are great for studying things such as:
- Spelling
- Vocabulary
- Word usage in context
Choose words from your textbook or the material you’re studying to make these challenging!
Word Searches
A popular game among elementary school children is a word search. Players find all of the hidden words in a puzzle without using any given letters more than once.
My students would play this with their list of key terms they need to remember after working on them during class time.
You could also try making up your own word searches based on what topics your child is studying and see if he can find the words in the search puzzles!
Online Games for Studying
There are many apps out there that make studying, making flashcards, learning vocabulary words, or taking practice tests into an interactive game filled with:
- Colors
- Sounds
- Points
- Prizes at the end
It’s not only easier for your child to have some visual appeal while they learn, but the reward system will keep them motivated to continue playing.
Quizizz is a great question resource that they can use. Another great online resource that most school systems use is IXL.
#3 Develop a Study Routine
The chances are that your child has something to study each night after school. Another study tip would be setting up a study routine. There are so many distractions for your child, like playing video games, watching tv, or hanging out on social media.
If your child has a set time and place for studying every day, it will be easier for his brain to stick with the routine.
Tips for Developing a Study Routine
- Create a study space that is quiet and free of distractions so that they can focus.
- Encourage your child to study at the same time each day.
- Set up an area with all their materials ready and organized. This will help them focus on studying rather than looking for what’s next.
- Some kids find it helpful to have a snack close by so that if hunger pangs interrupt, they’re able to get right back into the task without delay.
- Set guidelines around when he can engage in other activities like TV or video games during breaks between subjects.
#4 Read Highlight and Rewrite
Most children come home with many notes that they have been given or have written down that they need to study for a quiz or test. In my time as a student, I used the read, highlight, and rewrite strategy.
First, I would read over my notes fully to recall the information. Break down long text into sections. Smaller pieces are much less intimidating than looking at a big page full of pages upon pages to read.
Next, I would highlight the most important information or the information that was supposed to be on the quiz/test. Afterward, I would rewrite the important pieces of information on another sheet of paper or flashcards.
#5 Movement and Songs
Finally, movement and songs can help keep your child’s brain alert and ready to study.
Movement
Kids with learning disabilities often have trouble sitting still during long periods of time, so you can help them concentrate better by incorporating some movement before starting, as well as taking short breaks throughout a study session.
They can move any way they like, such as:
- Jumping jacks
- Hand-clapping games
- Turning on music to dance to
- Going for a walk
Singing can also be beneficial because it allows them to use different parts of their brain, like those responsible for art and creativity. This helps to improve memory recall and learning skills that are essential in producing reading comprehension.
There have been many songs created helping with specific topics such as:
- Days of the week
- Planets
- Alphabet
- Multiplication facts
- Periodic table
- State Capitals
Additional Resources for Helping Your Children with Learning Disabilities
As a parent, I know that studying is hard and almost seems like a workout at times. Using these study tips will give you a great start to study time.
Don’t forget to allow them to take breaks! It’s so vital that your child doesn’t get too frustrated when studying. If he feels discouraged, have him take a break for a bit and then come back refreshed.
Have you found a study tip that has worked with your child? Drop it in the comments below.
You may be interested in these additional resources:
- Why Retrieval Practice is the Best Study Strategy
- 3 At Home Study Hacks For Middle Schoolers
- Why Virtual Tutoring Works and Reasons Your Child Will Love It
Do you have a child that needs one on one assistance?
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