Learning difficulties and disengagement at class

Published: 07 Aug 2020 Tagged: allied health professionscollaborationdisengagementearly interventionhigh schoollearning differenceslearning difficultieslearning disorderspre-schoolerspreschoolerprimary schoolersschoolsignsteachers

Classes tend to be standardised teaching and learning processes which are expected to generate fruitful outcomes to most, if not all, students. However, students are not simply empty bags to be filled with information – they have their own cultural, social and personal contexts, which sometimes might avoid them to perform at class in their best capabilities.

The sooner these difficulties are detected in specific students, the sooner the school can implement early interventions for their assistance. Parents can also identify such traits even at home with school homework, house chores or at playing. If you notice one or more of the characteristics below, try to pay more attention to identify if there is a real reason for concern:

• always being the last one still working on a timed assignment
• behavioural issues including aggression, violence, or social withdrawal
• being the class clown, being defiant, or pretending to be “too cool” to care how they’re doing in school
• cutting class, or skipping school entirely
• daydreaming
• difficulty copying from the board
• difficulty following directions – especially if the student is hearing the information for the first time or there are several steps to remember
• erratic or no attendance
• failing numerous tests despite having studied
• forgetting that there was a home assignment due at all
• hanging back during group projects, sitting in the back row, or doing everything in his/ her power to avoid being called on during class
• intelligence being obvious in person, but not reflected on his/her report card
• lack of interest in school and/or stated intention to leave
• low literacy or numeracy/poor attainment
• making frequent trips to the bathroom or asking to go to the nurse when faced with stressful assignments or tests
• negative interactions with peers
• refusal to participate in challenging activities
• serious pre-test anxiety
• significant change in behaviour, attitude or performance
• trouble remembering assignments and doing them correctly
• very messy handwriting

There are so many more possible signs of learning difficulties or the potential to disengage, so don’t stay limited to this list above. When one or more signs are detected, a deeper and broader observation should be conducted to understand which possible reason could be cause this. There could be easily identifiable ones such as the need of glasses, language barriers from an immigrant, family under problems such as a divorce, and other reasons. Maybe, they could be very subtle ones such as anxiety, dyslexia, autistic traits, recent negative experience from bullying, financial problem in the family, stigma for any minority condition, health-related conditions such as dehydration, hunger or constipation, and many other possibilities.

Whenever such concerning traits are identified, parents and teachers must immediately discuss about strategies to minimise these signs, or even to seek for allied healthcare to help with possible mental health or learning disorders.

Speakable is a speech and language pathology clinic with specialists ready to help students achieve their best when their barriers might be SLP-based. Just get in contact with is and check how we could help your child to perform at his/her best at class and in life!