It is common for parents to feel stressed out over their child’s academic performance? Well, parents will be glad to know that we have found the solution to this common parenting woe. There is an old saying which says “Teach a man to fish and he can fish for life” and we cannot agree more with this classic adage.
Help your child to focus when learning: Possessing key skills
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There are several essential skills which are needed for a child to do well in school. Rather than emphasising on WHAT to learn as most schools do, teaching them HOW to learn which will enable them to develop efficient lifelong learning skills which can be used not only in the classroom but also in any other aspect of life.
By learning these valuable skills from a young age, the child will have a huge advantage as these skills can be used for primary school, secondary right through till complex tertiary levels. Learning is a lifelong process and these necessary skills should not be taken lightly. We have already highlighted some key skills in a previous article, here are two more essential skills which ThinkersBox will arm your kids with.
Importance of paying attention
One key skill which a child needs to possess to excel in school is the ability to pay attention in class and not be distracted by the surroundings or the other kids. It helps them maximise their learning when they are able to focus and absorb the information that the teacher is imparting. However, the many distractions present in a classroom often hinder the child from learning what the teacher is teaching. But there is no need to worry as with practice and time, we can actually train up a child’s attentional abilities and improve his/her persistence to stay on task.
Different types of attention need for learning
Firstly, we need to understand that there are different kinds of attention needed for learning:
- Sustained Attention: The ability to stay on task for the given duration of time.
Example: Pay attention for the whole period of English (for 30 – 60 minutes).
- Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a given task and not be distracted by other things.
Example: Complete given worksheet without stopping to talk to the classmate next to him or stopping to see how his classmate is doing.
- Divided Attention: The ability to complete two separate tasks at the same time.
Example: Write down the things on the board while still listening and understanding what the teacher is teaching.
- Auditory Attention: The ability to follow the pace of teaching via auditory input.
Example: Following the teacher’s pace while she is reading something from the book.
Mastering these skills to excel academically
Just as we can improve any skill with targeted practice, we can also help a child improve their ability to pay attention by carrying out targeted training. By possessing these skills, your child will have no trouble focusing on the lesson. By paying more attention in class, you should see an improvement in your child’s academic performance as well. Furthermore, these valuable skills can be utilised outside of the classroom as well.
Join us now
To find out your child’s ability to focus and other skill areas for learning, JOIN US for a Complimentary Learning Assessment at https://www.thinkersbox.com/p/registration.html
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