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Amidst the countless disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, there have inevitably also been a few silver linings. One such positive outcome is that parents have had more opportunities to get involved in their child’s learning and education.

Why is this important? Research shows that parental engagement has a positive effect on a child’s academic achievement, regardless of age or socio-economic status.

Children whose parents are more involved in their education tend to earn better grades and have higher test scores, develop better social skills, have more positive attitudes about school, and are also more likely to attend postsecondary education.

So, given the importance of creating a supportive home learning environment, what are some practical things parents can do to continue to engage with their children’s education and motivate them to learn?

Here are a few ideas.

1. Talk about school  

The first step towards becoming more involved in your child’s learning is to develop an ongoing dialogue with them. Of course, communicating with kids about school isn’t always easy, and questions like “How was school?” may frequently be met with vague responses, which can be a bit discouraging for parents.

The best way to get around this is to focus on starting a conversation rather than just asking a lot of questions. For instance, instead of asking “How was your day” you could ask “What did you enjoy most at school today?”

Another way to encourage your child to open up about school is to share some details about your own day. For example, you could say something like “We created a new menu for the restaurant today. What sort of things did you work on at school?”

Listening is also an important part of this, so when your child does open up about school, show them you’re interested by putting away your devices and maintaining eye contact.

2. Schedule time for homework

Children need structure and routine, so another way in which you can support your child’s learning is to set aside a fixed time of day for completing any homework they’ve been assigned. Research shows that creating routines or so-called ‘habit loops’ frees up brain power which can then be used for other things, such as, in this case, learning something new.

Planning in a dedicated “learning hour” a few times a week can be a great opportunity to go over any subjects your child may be struggling with. If you have your own home office or work area, you could even add a desk or designated area for your child so they have a place to go when they need to concentrate on their schoolwork.

3. Make reading a priority

Putting out a variety of age-appropriate books and setting aside time to read to your child is another excellent way to encourage and support their learning. Research shows that when parents get involved in the development of reading skills and make reading materials readily available, it can critically enhance children’s academic performance.

Even if you don’t have a lot of spare time to read to or with your child, making sure they have access to different types of books will go a long way. For toddlers, choose books that contain lots of pictures and tell simple stories through rhymes. If you have older children, try to introduce them to a wide variety of books, from comic books and magazines to fiction and nonfiction to informational how-to books. This will allow them to develop their areas of interest as well as a better understanding of different methods of communication and storytelling.

4. Encourage active learning

One of the best ways to support your child’s learning at home is to encourage active learning. What does this mean? Active learning is any learning that occurs throughout the day as your child experiences new things or solves day-to-day problems.

Focusing on this type of learning shows kids that learning can be fun and allows them to explore their own interests.
Everything from a trip to the supermarket to a walk in the park can be an opportunity to learn something, so encourage your child to ask questions and express new ideas.

Of course, you won’t always have all the answers, but you will have the opportunity to look for answers together and teach your child how to do basic research in order to find factual, unbiased information. Learning more about how to help children achieve their potential is also a great way to acquire the tools you need to communicate and collaborate with children in an educational setting.

5. Encourage goal setting

Setting goals is a great way to keep motivation levels high and build self-esteem. Research shows that goal setting can also have a positive impact on children’s academic achievement and motivation to learn. Start by helping your child identify some areas they would like to improve in, whether it’s reading, writing or learning a specific skill such as playing guitar.

Once you have a better understanding of their areas of interest, you can come up with one or two specific goals they can begin working towards. Kids and adults alike often underestimate how difficult it can be to achieve a goal, so start by setting some smaller goals that can be completed within a shorter time frame. Once they understand the persistence this requires, you can choose some bigger goals and break them up into smaller and more realistic steps.

Finally, keep in mind that it’s better to praise children for their effort rather than intelligence. Research shows that praising a child’s ability tends to teach them a ‘fixed mindset,’ where they believe their abilities are fixed. Praising effort, on the other hand, teaches them that they can develop new skills with hard work, and this is known as a ‘growth mindset.’

Do you get involved in your child’s learning at home? Tell us what you do in the comments below.

  • So glad i didnt have to tackle this

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  • These are utterly important tips!

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  • These are all fantastic tips

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  • The above are all really great tips!

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  • I’m a teacher and when parents take interest in a child’s learning it can be really positive but it’s not always done well. The parents who almost micromanage cause more stress and tension. Talking to your kids about what they’re learning and keeping them accountable is good. It’s hard when they get to their teen years though.

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  • Being involved in your child’s learning experience is so important and also helps strengthen that bond.

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  • Thank you for these tips! My son will be going to big school next year and I will need all the advice I can get

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  • When the kids get home, they can have some of their time, but then homework starts at the same time each school day. Outside of homework, just in everyday chats, can help the children to think, listen and learn, which helps teach them many things, even about everyday life. They see me budget, they know why, when they want something, they need to do the sums on saving money to buy that item. Keep kids healthy and happy.

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  • Unfortunately I was working when the boys were going to school so I wasn’t much help to them. They would have most of their homework done by the time we got home. They would save any questions until after dinner then we could sit down and relax and give them what help they needed.

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  • Look after you child’s mental health! They can’t learn if they are feeling anxious and stressed. Make learning enjoyable, read recipes together and create wonderful foods. Learn music and play songs together. Learn maths through building, weighing, or measuring things in the garden.

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  • I agree with reading is very important when child to encourage learning.

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  • I was working and doing home schooling.

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  • Just wondering, how much homework time does everyone spend with their kids ?

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  • My 4.5 is starting school next year and we already doing some reading and counting exercises to help him

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  • This is a great article and very important.

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  • My son did years 11 and 12 at home so I was very hands on. Its a fine line tho between helping and doing it for them. I dont think I crossed the line. I did enjoy it

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  • I try to do lots of incidental learning and weaving their work in with a bit of fun so that it doesn’t seem too onerous.


    • Fun in learning does indeed make it seem effortless and enjoyable.

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  • We are a household that likes to set and work towards goals.

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  • Good tips. The time that I have to help my eldest 3 with homework has gone, although some prompting here and there is needed and they may ask our help when they can’t solve it themselves. My youngest has Down Syndrome and first of all can’t really communicate about her day and answers open questions with “yes”. I do schedule time for homework with her and that’s hard work as she lacks motivation and often doesn’t want to cooperate. Reading and an active learning approach is so important. Goal setting is hard too in her case, as she doesn’t have a clue. Of course I can set goals for her, which I do.

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  • Reading something at home helps them so much, I see the difference in my daughter

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