Parents' Role in the Learning Process During the time of Covid-19

• Summer has arrived!  The kids are excited and parents are relieved.  The pressure of meeting academic deadlines is over.  Although the academic year has ended, parents may still want to engage their children in some type of  direct instruction. One way to experience success in this endeavor is to:
• 1. Create a specific time for loosely structured learning opportunities. It may still be necessary to create a level of organization during the day to give your child a sense of normalcy and comfort. 

2.  Periods of learning can range from 10-20 minutes depending on the age of the child. 

3.  After each "learning opportunity", engage in some type of physical activity, e.g., exercise, completing a puzzle, building with blocks, dancing, etc.
4. Your learning segments may range from a total of one hour daily or perhaps longer again depending on the child's age.  
5. I am suggesting that tech devices be minimized and hands-on activities be maximized to build improved concentration and lessen distractibility.  
6. Your learning opportunities may consist of reading an interesting book and drawing or painting a picture about the story events; playing a sight-word bingo game; reviewing math concepts while earning chips to play Connect 4; creating a story about figures made with clay or slime; playing charades guessing animals, foods, actions, transportation items, etc.  You may also want to carry-over some of the activities that were presented by the teacher during the school year.  

​The overall goal is to continue to engage your child in the learning process, while creating a non-threatening, supportive environment.

I understand that this unusual time is requiring all of us to develop new ways of approaching the learning experience with our children.  Helping them to navigate our new normal may be challenging, but with some preparation, this time can prove to be productive and even enjoyable for all.

Here is a link to a website that provides some free instructional activities in the resource section:  https://www.home-speech-home.com/speech-therapy-resources.html

For more information regarding Parent-Child interaction, specifically designed for children from birth to three years of age, please Click Here to review Lullabelle & Friends' Parent Guide: Enhancing Your Child's Speech-Language Development From Birth to Three Years and Beyond...

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