Homework help for parents
A council service is moving to reassure parents about how they can help their children with homework after a report this week revealed that most struggle with this task.
According to a poll by Government agency Becta, five out of six, or 83 per cent of parents and carers say they are frequently unable to help their children with homework because they do not understand the task or have forgotten how to do it.
The poll, which questioned 2,000 parents and 2,000 children aged nine to 13, showed that parents found maths the most difficult to help with, followed by science. Some eight in ten parents said they would like more guidance on how they can help their child with homework or revision.
To tackle this issue Warwickshire County Council’s Adult and Community Learning Service provide family learning courses which teach parents strategies and techniques on how to be confident and effective in supporting their youngsters in literacy, language and numeracy.
A range of family learning programmes are on offer in the county for families with children up to sixteen. A key area is helping adults to understand what their children are learning in school, and supporting them to developing their own, and their children’s essential skills.
Some sessions are taught with parents only, or parents together with their children. They are led by qualified tutors who break down the terms and processes used in schools today, which can often seem daunting to parents and children alike.
Family Learning Co-ordinator, Debbie McLeod said: “We run a number of popular programmes around the county with great success. Feedback from participants is always positive and the courses have helped to raise self-esteem and confidence in both children and adults.”
“Bringing families together to learn not only teaches them key skills but also improves relationships and understanding between parents and their children.
Warwickshire County Councillor Izzi Seccombe, portfolio holder for children, young people and families added: “Struggling to help children with homework is a common problem for parents who may not have the right techniques or skills to support their offspring. I’m sure they will be reassured to know that help is available to address this issue through family learning programmes and other sources around the county.
“A great port of call for families looking for support on this issue and other matters is the local authority’s Family Information Service, who can provide useful guides or signposting on all areas of parenting and growing up.”
For more information about Family Learning contact Debbie McLeod on 01926 731202 or visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/adultlearning.
Contact the Family Information Service on 0845 090 8044 or go to http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fis