But I DID Study!

How often have we heard this from a child who just brought home a poor grade on a test? The truth of the matter often is that they did study - or so they thought they did! This is especially baffling for the many parents who know their child has studied because they spent hours working with them!

Today some educators are providing study guides, and some simple approaches to studying. However, most often the process of studying is not taught and it is assumed that children know how to study! While some students can figure out how, many others don't really know how, but think they do. Looking over their notes is often a term used to define studying, but for most children it is not nearly enough to get information into their long term memory bank. There are actually two parts to the problem of studying effectively.

FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT: Does your child have all the cognitive, perceptual, visual and sensori-integration abilities crucial for them to study effectively and benefit from their studying?

If your child does homework, studies and especially if you study with them and they do poorly on tests this should be a big red flag to you that something else is going on! That is, there is some difficulty in how they take in and process information.

Without a strong foundation for learning, children will struggle to learn even with the best efforts and support from their parents!

Some parents may study for hours with their child while experiencing frustration, tears, resistance. They may or may not do well on the test and the next week after all that effort they may not demonstrate retention of that which they studied, from spelling words to a short novel they just read. Some bright children have a terrible time learning times tables because they are weak in some very specific cognitive abilities, which includes but is not only due to MEMORY.

This will continue to be a problem unless their foundation cognitive skills are strong. People do not outgrow learning problems!

Before you start thinking that your child is "just not trying hard enough" seek out some information about how your child best learns and if their critical foundation skills are well developed. A Standard I.Q. Test or achievement tests will not provide you with this information!

If your child is struggling to learn and isn't benefiting from studying then the answer is most likely NO!

What are some of the skills critical for your child to benefit from studying?

First of all is memory. While schools teach for comprehension, they test based on memory.

Children need to have strong memory for what they see and what they hear. They need to be able to remember information in sequence and patterns.

Memory is one of the easiest skills to develop through practice and essential to effective studying.

Another area of concern is the VISUAL SYSTEM. Children can have 20/20 visual acuity and still have a weak, inefficient visual system. They may experience visual stress, discomfort in reading, blurring. Distortion of what they are reading which will contribute to dislike of reading and resistance to studying. This is one of the most overlooked and critical issues in learning. Children can improve their reading skills just by having this system strengthened! Visual attention and Concentration is impacted by poor visual perception, memory and a weak visual system.

The Auditory System is the “captain of the ship” when it comes to learning, concentration and attention. Children attending the Center For Learning Enhancement who difficulty with reading and Math always demonstrate Auditory Processing System weaknesses!

There are many other factors which interfere with children's ability to make the most of their studying.

What is the best way for your child to study? Stay Tuned…

For further information about how to identify what is really going on for your child and what to do about it, contact MaryPat Correro at Center For Learning Enhancement at 856-234-7337 or email me at marypatcorrero@outlook.com