Parents,
We know this is a stressful time for all of you, and we are here to help. This page focuses on strategies you can use at home to better support your ESE student, as well as some resources that we feel may be useful to your at home learning experience. Please do not stress! We are here to help, so please feel free to reach out to us if you need further assistance.
Good Strategies for anytime during learning:
- Use a timer/Take a Break: Students often become frustrated when they are overwhelmed, confused, or feel like they can't succeed at a task, so please allow your student to take a break during their learning. Timers are a great tool to use. For students in grades Kindergarten-2nd grade set a 10-15 minute timer and allow them to take a "brain break" when the timer goes off. For students in 3rd-5th grade set a 15-20 minute timer.
- Allow movement while learning: If your students loses focus while working, then movement is key. If possible, allow them to take their work outside or practice math fluency while jumping rope, swinging, doing jumping jacks, etc. For example, for multiplication fluency ask your student to skip count by 3s, 4s, 5s, etc while jumping rope or doing jumping jacks.
- Break up assignments: If the amount of work your student is receiving is overwhelming, then reach out to their teacher to see if your student can maybe do the even number math problems, or the odd numbers. This will still test mastery of the skill, and it will allow you and your student to not become overwhelmed. You may also ask your student's teacher for " extra time" to complete assignments.
- Read directions to your student: If possible, read the directions of the assignment to your student, and then ask them, "What are you suppose to be doing?" This will allow them to tell you what they think their expectations are, and it will let you know if they have an accurate understanding of their expectations.
- Read questions and answer choices to your student: If possible, read questions and answer choices to your student. This is an allowable accommodation on most IEPs, and is incredibly helpful. For example, if your student is working on Achieve 3000, have them read the passage on their own, they could even read it aloud to themselves, and then call you over to read them the questions and answer choices. During this time you can direct them to refer back to the text when they face a difficult question. Referring back to the text will help them develop improved comprehension strategies.