Strategies enable us to pre-plan and organise activities and tasks.
We use strategies to pull in our processing strengths while compensating for processing weaknesses.
This ability is very beneficial in a wide range of situations throughout our lives.
Some strategies are obvious, such as mnemonic phrases.
Students learning music use the mnemonic “Every Good Boy Does Fine”, the first letter of each word in this phrase stands for the notes on a music staff: E; G; B; D; F.
The mnemonic “Never Eat Shredded Wheat” can help students remember directions in sequence: N for North, E for East, S for South and W for West.
As we help our students use strategies, we may initially need to model how to use the strategy and provide practice.
The end goal is for students to develop independence in automatically using strategies.
No two people have the same learning style and every individual is a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses.
Therefore, a strategy that is extremely beneficial for one student may not be useful for another.
In developing a toolbox of strategies, parents can help their students learn when and how to select the appropriate tool.
Organisation
Some ideas for helping your student organise his bookbag or backpack follow.
To help increase your child’s follow-through, initially you may want to check the bag every few days, providing comments and suggestions to help maintain the organisation.
- Use different coloured folders for different subjects.
- Have a special place for papers that need to come home.
- Have a special place for papers that will be returned to the teacher.
- Develop a consistent routine for your child to replace homework in the appropriate spot in the bookbag immediately upon completing it.
- Have a specific place for your child to place the bookbag when it is ready to return to school and encourage your child to use this location consistently.
- Praise your child for following through with the routine.
Understanding the task
Review the basic assignment with your child to ensure that she understands what is required.
Many children miss the overall message or global concept.
Visual organisers, also called mind maps, are very efficient in presenting the global view in a concrete visual manner.
In previewing the assignment with your child, be alert to his understanding of vocabulary used.
Misinterpreting vocabulary (words) is a frequent source of frustration for students.
Many books describe various forms and use of graphic organisers.
Submitted by Wynandus Bezuidenhout, Protea School principal.
