Virtual Learning Red Flags
As your child worked on-line, did you notice any behaviors that you questioned? Some behaviors may have been compensatory strategies that helped your child, while others were red flags suggesting that something is amiss. The following are some behaviors to look for as your child works virtually:
Reading - Young Children (grade 2+)
o Listen to your child read aloud and do they:
try to sound out words they should know
fail to accurately read words they see every day
insert, substitute or omit small words and suffixes (endings)
read in a halting/choppy fashion, lack fluency
Reading – Middle &High School
o When they read do they:
struggle with larger words (multisyllabic words), skip over them
repeat words and phrases – looking ahead for difficult words
insert, substitute or omit small words and suffixes (endings)
avoid or dislike reading - why? Usually it is because it is hard for them to read.
Listening to virtual classes or directions you give your child. Question - are they struggling to process, comprehend or attend to language? Here are some things to think about:
Do they process 2-3 step directions?
When you give directions can they follow through?
Are they able to sit and attend to the information, especially remote learning?
Do they have to go back and listen to the information 2-3 times?
Do they comprehend the information?
Can they hold information in mind long enough to follow through?
Did they repeat what was said?
How quickly are they able to process information?
Did they get up in frustration and leave?
Writing Younger Children
Pencil grasp - is it awkward, can they hold a pencil?
Do they bare down heavily when writing?
Can they space letters in words and words in sentences?
Do they write directly on the lines?
Do they begin to write on the left hand side of the page and does their work slant to the right?
Can they organize words in a simple sentence?
Do they fatigue easily?
Writing - Middle & High School – higher order skills
Do they struggle to start the paper/assignment?
Do they struggle to retrieve words they want to use?
Can they write complete sentences?
Can they write a cohesive paragraph?
Do they spell accurately?
Do they include punctuation?
Do they proofread their work?
Math
Does the grade 4+ child/teen count on their fingers when making calculations?
Do they trace on the table when they don’t have pencil and paper?
Do they jump about a sheet of math problems, not doing them in order?
Do they miss problems or not attend well to the signs - add when subtraction is required?
Do they understand the language of word problems?
Can they follow the steps in a sequence to complete an algebraic equation?
Attention
How long can your child sit and do work without a break?
Do they need frequent breaks (some breaks are good)?
Were they easily distracted by the slightest sound or visual distraction?
Do they avoid work by engaging in conversation?
Did they have to constantly move about and fidget?
Did they lose their place in their work, or when they stopped could they come back to it?
Could your Teen Work Independently
Could they get the work done?
How much instruction did you have to give them, what did that look like?
Did they proofread their work?
Could they do their work in a timely manner? Some teens take hours to work while others take minutes.