How to Support a Child with Learning Disabilities at Home

How to Support a Child with Learning Disabilities at Home: Proven Strategies

Learning disabilities can present significant challenges for both children and their families. When a child struggles with learning, whether due to dyslexia, dyscalculia, or other learning challenges, it can affect their self-esteem, academic performance, and overall confidence. As a parent or caregiver, supporting a child with a learning disability requires understanding, patience, and the right strategies.

In this article, we’ll explore proven strategies that can help you support your child with learning disabilities at home. From creating a structured learning environment to using the right resources and seeking professional support such as psychology, occupational therapy (OT) and play therapy these strategies will help your child thrive, both academically and emotionally.

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Understand the Specific Learning Disability (Including ADHD Challenges)

Before you can effectively support your child, it’s crucial to understand their specific learning disability. Different learning disabilities affect different skills, such as reading, writing, mathematics, or executive function (e.g., organisation and time management). Understanding the nature of your child’s difficulty is the first step in providing appropriate support.

Common Types of Learning Disabilities Include:

• Dyslexia: Affects reading and language processing.
  
• Dyscalculia: Impacts the ability to understand and work with numbers.
  
• Dysgraphia: Affects handwriting and fine motor skills.
  
• Nonverbal Learning Disabilities: Challenges with spatial reasoning, organisation, and motor skills.
  

For children with ADHD, the challenges often centre around executive function, which includes planning, organisation, time management, and task initiation. These difficulties affect the way a child approaches learning and completing tasks, leading to struggles in school and at home.

Type of Support That Can Help:

• Psychology Support for Life Skills: Psychologists can help children with ADHD improve life skills such as organisation, time management, and problem-solving. Through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or behavioural strategies, children can develop coping strategies to manage their difficulties with executive functions, leading to improved academic performance and personal growth.
  

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Create a Structured, Supportive Learning Environment

Children with learning disabilities often benefit from a structured environment that reduces distractions and provides clear routines. Here’s how to create a supportive learning space at home:

• Designate a Quiet Study Area: Choose a space that is free from distractions, such as the TV or noisy siblings. Ensure the area is well-lit, organised, and equipped with the necessary tools (e.g., stationery, books, or a computer).
  
• Use Visual Aids: Many children with learning disabilities benefit from visual aids that help them process information. This can include charts, diagrams, written instructions, and colour-coded notes.
  
• Establish a Consistent Routine: A regular schedule can help reduce anxiety and keep your child on track. Set specific times for homework, breaks, and meals. Predictability helps children feel secure and organised.
  

Type of Support That Can Help:

• Occupational Therapy (OT): Occupational therapists are trained to help children develop skills in daily tasks, including organisation, fine motor skills, and focus. For children with ADHD, OT can help build strategies to improve their ability to complete tasks, stay organised, and manage sensory input.
• Play Therapy: Play therapy can be highly effective for children struggling with emotional and psychological challenges related to their learning disability. It allows children to express themselves through play, helping them process emotions, develop social skills, and build self-esteem, while also providing a safe space to discuss challenges and frustrations related to their learning struggles.
  

Break Tasks Into Manageable Chunks

For children with learning disabilities, especially those with ADHD, large tasks can feel overwhelming. Breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps is crucial for preventing frustration and ensuring success.

How This Helps:

• Children with ADHD or learning disabilities may struggle with multi-step processes, and the longer the task, the more difficult it can be for them to stay engaged. By dividing the task into clear, simple steps, you help your child understand what’s expected and focus on completing one part at a time.
  
• Visual Checklists: Use checklists that outline each step of the task. This helps your child visually see their progress and stay motivated. Each small step completed is an achievement, encouraging them to keep moving forward.
  
• Timers: Use a timer to help your child focus on one task for a set period. For example, they might work on a task for 10 minutes, take a short break, and then continue. This helps build focus and prevents the child from feeling overwhelmed by long, continuous sessions.
  

Focus on One Skill at a Time

Focusing on one skill at a time is essential when supporting a child with learning disabilities. Many tasks require multiple skills, such as writing a journal entry, which involves thinking of ideas, organising them into sentences, focusing, spelling, handwriting, and more. Trying to tackle all of these aspects at once can feel overwhelming for children with learning disabilities.

How to Choose Which Skill to Start With:

The first step is to identify which skill your child may struggle with the most. If your child struggles with writing due to dysgraphia (difficulty with handwriting and fine motor skills) or dyslexia (difficulty with reading and spelling), it’s a good idea to start with storytelling rather than writing.

For example, if the task is to write a journal entry:

1. Start with Storytelling: Have your child tell the story first. Let them express their ideas verbally without worrying about writing or spelling at this stage. This allows them to focus on their creativity and thinking.
   
2. Write What They Say: As your child shares their story, you can write it down for them. This helps them focus on the content rather than worrying about handwriting or spelling.
   
3. Copy the Text: Once the story is written down, encourage your child to copy the text onto their journal page. This allows them to practice handwriting without the added pressure of trying to come up with both the content and the writing at the same time.
   

In this way, the child is scaffolded to focus on one skill (storytelling) while you assist with the other skills (writing and spelling) that are not the primary focus for that task.

How This Helps:

• Psychological Support: A psychologist can help with strategies for task breakdown, managing frustration, and building persistence. This approach encourages children to see progress and feel successful, even if they don’t tackle the entire task at once.
  
• OT: Occupational therapists can assist with fine motor skills like handwriting and support children with dysgraphia by helping them improve their writing technique, making it easier for them to focus on other parts of the task.
  

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Provide Multisensory Learning Tools

Children with learning disabilities often process information better when multiple senses are engaged. This approach is particularly beneficial for children with ADHD, who may struggle with sustained focus.

How This Helps:

• OT: Occupational therapists often use multisensory strategies, such as tactile tools and fidget items, to help children stay engaged and improve focus. This sensory input can be especially helpful for children with ADHD, who often struggle with maintaining attention.
  

Focus on Strengths and Build Confidence

Children with learning disabilities often experience low self-esteem due to academic challenges. To help build your child’s confidence, focus on their strengths and celebrate their progress.

• Highlight Interests and Talents: Whether it’s art, music, sports, or another area of interest, help your child focus on activities that make them feel confident and successful.
  
• Positive Reinforcement: Use praise and rewards to acknowledge their efforts, not just their achievements. Encourage a growth mindset by praising their hard work and resilience, rather than focusing solely on outcomes.
  

How This Helps:

• Psychological Support: Psychologists help children build resilience and self-esteem through techniques that foster a positive attitude towards learning and overcoming challenges. Cognitive strategies can help children focus on effort and progress, rather than just outcomes.
  
• OT: OT also helps children focus on their strengths, improving skills that support day-to-day activities, fostering both confidence and independence.
  

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Ask for Accommodations at School and Take a Collaborative Approach

While supporting your child at home is essential, it’s equally important to ensure that their educational environment is supportive and accommodating. If your child is attending school, working together with educators to create a collaborative plan can significantly impact their success.

Why It Matters:

Children with learning disabilities often benefit from accommodations that provide them with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom. Schools can offer a variety of accommodations, such as extra time on tests, alternative formats for assignments, or assistive technology, to help your child thrive.

How to Request Accommodations:

1. Know Your Rights: In Australia, children with learning disabilities are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, which ensures they receive the support they need. Understanding your rights and your child’s rights is an important first step.
   
2. Collaborate with Educators: Approach your child’s teachers or school support staff to discuss the specific challenges your child is facing. Working together with school professionals allows you to create a support plan tailored to your child’s unique needs.
   
3. Create an Individualised Plan: Depending on your child’s needs, the school might implement an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a Personalised Learning Plan (PLP). These plans can include accommodations like:
   
   • Extra time on assignments or tests.
     
   • Use of assistive technology, such as text-to-speech software.
     
   • Breaks during long tasks to help your child focus.
     
   • Alternative methods of presenting information (e.g., oral reports instead of written assignments).
     
4. Involve Your Child: When discussing accommodations, involve your child in the process, if possible. Explain why these changes will help and ask for their input. When your child is part of the conversation, they may feel more empowered and engaged with the changes.
   

Type of Support That Can Help:

• Psychology for Life Skills: A psychologist can work with both the child and the school to implement strategies that support your child’s learning style and help them cope with challenges.
  
• Occupational Therapy (OT): OTs can also work in collaboration with schools to help your child manage sensory needs, improve organisational skills, and support them in staying focused during lessons. OTs may provide specific interventions on-site, helping children use strategies such as fidget tools, visual aids, and breaks to maintain focus and engagement throughout the school day.
  
• NDIS-Funded Support: Many of these therapies can be accessed through the NDIS, reducing wait times and making it easier for families to get the support they need.
  

Why a Collaborative Approach Works:

• A collaborative approach between parents, teachers, and therapists ensures that everyone is on the same page. It creates a strong support system where everyone works towards the same goal: helping your child succeed. By fostering open communication, you create a partnership that encourages positive outcomes both at home and at school.
  

Seek Professional Help

Throughout this blog post, we’ve highlighted several types of support that can help you and your child, including psychological support for life skills, occupational therapy (OT), play therapy and other strategies to improve organisation, focus, and emotional regulation. These supports can make a significant difference in your child’s ability to succeed academically and emotionally.

What’s important to note is that these supports can be delivered in a variety of ways, tailored to your child’s specific needs. Whether through Telehealth sessions, which offer flexibility and convenience, or in-person sessions that can be implemented at home or school, professional support ensures that your child receives the right tools in the environment where they need it most. Many of these services can be accessed through the NDIS, reducing wait times and making it easier for families to get the help they need without added stress.

By incorporating these professional supports, whether at home or at school, you create a collaborative network of care that addresses your child’s challenges and fosters their growth.

Final Thoughts

Supporting a child with learning disabilities at home requires patience, understanding, and the right strategies. By creating a structured environment, breaking tasks into manageable chunks, and focusing on your child’s strengths, you can help them thrive academically and emotionally. Additionally, collaborating with educators to request the necessary accommodations at school can ensure your child receives the support they need in all aspects of their life. Remember that professional support, such as psychology, play therapy and occupational therapy, can also make a significant difference in helping your child overcome challenges and develop the skills they need to succeed. If you’d like to learn more about how Body & Mind can support your child with learning disabilities, get in touch with us today. We offer NDIS-approved services, with no waitlist, to ensure you and your family get the support you need. Contact us today.