Page 19 - SEN106 SEN Magazine May-June 2020

Schools are closed for most children in order to stem the spread of COVID-19. As hundreds of families are now isolated in their homes, this time is certain to be difficult for parents, as they juggle their own workload, ensure their children’s education is not compromised, and keep their households running. Make the environment conducive to learning Whatever the age of your child, they will need to be sitting comfortably at a table and in a chair that’s suitable for their height and size. The environment should be free from distractions and ideally near to an open window, to provide them with consistent levels of fresh air and natural light. Some children find it soothing and helpful to have quiet, instrumental music playing in the background to help them to focus, but this may be distracting for others. Make a timetable for each day It’s good to have a timetable that children can either fill in independently or with their home educator. Children of all ages thrive on routine and boundaries; schools provide this in abundance and it will make most children feel secure and happy if they can follow a similar routine for their home-schooling. Vary the learning style Make sure that all learning does not only mean sitting and completing worksheets. Children of all ages love variety to keep them stimulated and thriving. Worksheets and workbooks are great for quieter and more independent learning, but iPads, YouTube and online websites and games can also be used. Add fun and variety into the day! Most children will be used to using technology within their school day and, providing that it is educational and that they limit their time to 30 minutes per session, it should most definitely be used as a great learning tool. Include an hour of physical exercise Each day should include at least an hour of physical exercise. This doesn’t need to be high-impact or intense - it can be anything from running around in the garden, walking the dog, a game of football or dancing around your living room! Again, keep it varied to alleviate any chances of boredom. Read, Read, Read It doesn’t matter what they are reading, as long as they are keeping up with this skill. It’s vital for life and for accessing all areas of the curriculum as they progress through their learning journey; it’s also a lovely, independent and quiet activity to do, helping children to relax and explore their imagination. Cut them some slack and have fun! No child or young person can be expected to be working at 100% all day, every day. There may be times or whole days when the timetable of learning needs to be scrapped completely in favour of a family activity or watching their favourite film This time with your children is precious. Try not to feel too pressured to make everything perfect and stick religiously to expectations. Children pick up on negative feelings and will begin to shy away from learning if they associate it with boredom or ending up being ‘told off’. Try to have fun with your children, have conversations with them, learn together and grow and thrive as a family. Nicola Anderson is Head of Customer Support at the UK’s leading online tutoring service MyTutor Simple ways of maintaining a positive learning environment senmagazine.co.uk SEN 106 19 COVID-19 Keeping kids focused