Why Talking Helps
When children feel heard, it fosters trust and encourages them to communicate their struggles openly. This dialogue can uncover areas where they feel most confident or pinpoint specific hurdles, like difficulty understanding instructions, keeping up with reading tasks or finding the motivation to do their homework.
How to Have Meaningful Conversations
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of yes/no questions, try “What do you find hardest about reading?” or “Is there something that would make writing easier for you?”
Validate Their Feelings: Let them know it’s okay to find some tasks difficult and that everyone has unique strengths and challenges.
Act on Their Feedback: Use their insights to adjust support strategies, whether that’s providing more visual aids, offering alternative ways to show understanding, or incorporating their interests into learning activities.
Regular conversations can build a collaborative approach to addressing their needs and boosting their confidence.