How to Close Early Learning Gaps with Home Tools

Every child learns differently, whether it is the pace of completing assignments or how quickly they grasp concepts, and it is important for parents to identify the child’s gaps or struggles as early as possible so they can help their student overcome these issues and stay on track.

The early elementary years are formative and foundational especially when parents are the primary teachers for their children at home. Enrolling in an accredited K-2nd grade homeschool curriculum in print format is a necessary start that can put kids on the right path to gaining a solid education. The educational material should be reliable, consistent in building concepts and present concepts in a logical order so students can understand what they are learning before they advance to the next grade. This is also the time period when learning habits and disabilities can start to form or make themselves apparent.

It can be difficult for a parent to initially recognize the signs of a learning gap, but this is the best time to identify learning gaps so that students can receive the help they need as quickly as possible and make the necessary learning adjustments. When you enroll in a quality backed homeschool program, it is a good idea to check out their additional resources and whether they have a tool or supplemental program that provides assistance in this area. It may be a website that provides learning assessments in core subjects and gives help with the areas where the student struggles or it could be an entirely different curriculum that is designed for students with difficulties.

Learning issues vary in how they present themselves and they may not happen with every subject. Some kids excel in grammar while they struggle in math or reading could be a challenge which will affect every subject to a certain extent. Parents need to work closely with their children to watch how they learn, if they appear to be slowing down in work or if things change in how the schoolwork is getting done. In addition to working in the best 2nd grade homeschool curriculum, it is worth getting an assessment performed and engaging your child in a site that can directly impact where they are struggling. Closing the learning gap early helps the student stay on track, maintain their confidence in their work and sets them up for success in future grades. The homeschool program may work with a 3rd party resource or have a direct program of their own, but it’s important for parents to look into this before enrollment.  Having this resource available is important if it is needed at some point in the elementary grades.

Teaching kids at home can be a challenge by itself and when there are learning issues, teaching can be an even bigger problem -- but it doesn’t have to be a concern when there are resources available to help the student catch up on their lessons. When selecting a homeschool program, take the time necessary to check out the websites for top homeschool programs and decide which one is right for your student both in the short and long-term.. Homeschooling can be a temporary solution or a permanent educational path for a family.  So making the best decision early on is important not only for the student, but also for the family as a whole.