The Importance of Reading Skills

Importance of reading skills

Reading skills are critical for children’s development, studies have shown a link between competency in reading and overall attainment. Scientific research has linked childhood reading ability to improve life outcomes such as higher earning.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies conducted a study in 2015:
“Overall, it has shown that reading skills are associated with significant increases in gross hourly wages and gross weekly earnings.”

There are so many digital distractions these days, it can be difficult to get children to read, here are some ideas to help:

Dedicate a set time for reading

Create a set time in the day where your child has to read for at least an hour. Turn off all distractions so they can 100% focus on the reading. As a parent, you can also join in and read with them so it can seem like a joint activity.

Reward good reading

Setting a target to read maybe 2 or 3 books a month with a reward at the end will be an incentive for your child to get reading!

Find books that interest them

Reading will certainly be a challenge if your child is reading books that do not interest them. Consider what interests your child has, and then try to find books related to that. For example, if your child is interested in fantasy, there are a great number of ‘fantasy fiction’ books out there that will interest all different readers!

Exhibit a love of reading throughout your household

If your child observes that you as parents love to read, it is very likely that they will develop a love of reading themselves.

English Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/

Danielle Reid

Help your child improve their maths skills

Help Your Child Improve Their Maths Skills

Maths can be a tricky subject for many people and as a parent, you may feel helpless if your child is struggling. There are many easy, simple ways you can help your child improve their math skills, here are a few suggestions we have that you can try out.

Use real-world maths

A worksheet full of maths is not always the best method for some learners, try engaging your child in solving real-world problems with you, this might help them catch on and learn much more quickly.

Some examples:

Have them try to figure out the shopping total before you get to the checkout
When out shopping have them figure out how much change you should get back from your purchase
Baking, particularly when you halve, double, or triple a recipe is a great way of learning fractions

Ask your child questions.

Look over your child’s homework and spend time with them reviewing their answers. Ask them the steps they took in order to get to their answer, this will give you an insight into their level of knowledge and if they understand the process. This will give you the opportunity to understand where they need help and identify any breakdown in understanding.
Play games that encourage mathematical thinking or reinforce skills
There is a high possibility that when your child thinks of maths they dread it, try and make it fun by playing mathematical games. Playing math games are a great way to have fun and improve skills, you can find math games online or can even find some such as Sumuko, Prime Club and Monopoly, in store!

Develop a healthy mindset

Confidence is key when it comes to learning a subject like math, if your child is struggling and has lost some confidence, go back a few steps to the skills that they feel comfortable doing and go on from there. Praise for effort not for performance, it is the continued effort that is important. Making mistakes isn’t bad, it will be part of the journey for every learner, be sure to use positive language such as “I can’t do it,” to “I can’t do it yet.” to keep your child motivated to learn!

Maths Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/maths-tuition/

Danielle Reid

How to improve children’s concentration skills

How to improve children’s concentration skills

For your child to make the most of their education, it is vital that they have good concentration skills. The school day will involve listening and doing classwork, so it is important they are able to stay engaged throughout the day.

Here are a few ways you can help your child to improve their concentration skills:

Sleep

Sleep is without a doubt a major influence on how well anyone concentrates, especially for children. It is recommended that children get at least 9 hours of sleep a night. Having a designated bedtime will be easier as they can get into a routine.

Diet

Having a good diet is important, particularly amongst children, diet has a great influence on energy levels and concentration skills. Having a well-balanced diet consisting of food from the four main food groups will help brain function and concentration.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure your child never skips breakfast. Breakfast such as oats, whole-grain cereal, and bread release energy slowly, which will help them to stay alert for the day ahead.

Exercise

Research by educational experts has linked physical activity and improved concentration levels. Regular exercise throughout the week is important, even activities such as walking to school and back will be helpful.

Play focus games and exercises

There are studies that have shown that gadgets reduce attention span and memory power of children.

Some ideas of things you can do:

• Thinking games- playing games such as crossword/jigsaw puzzles and card games like ‘Memory’ and ‘UNO’ are a great way to strengthen their concentration!
• Sitting- if your child finds it hard to sit still for a long period of time, try playing ‘statue’ this involves challenging your child to sit in a chair without moving/fidgeting to see how long they can do it.

Extra Tuition

If you feel you have helped your child as best as you can but they still need help, maybe consider a tuition centre where your child can get tailored help from a skilled professional. Here at StudyBox each student has a unique lesson plan & works at their own pace guided by the tutor, goals are set and monitored with weekly feedback to parents.

StudyBox is a maths and English tuition centre based in Wallington and Sutton, to find out more click here: https://studybox.london/

Danielle Reid