Young Students & Foundational Skills
“Has my child missed out on foundational skills?”
I’ve been asked this question by parents of younger students (kindergarten-2nd grade) more times than I can count. Because these young students lost most of their spring education last school year to the pandemic, parents are becoming increasingly worried that their young learner missed out on some of the most important educational skills…reading, writing, multi-sensory math, taking turns, sharing, etc.
The reality is young students are like mini-sponges – they absorb nearly everything and learn a massive amount about the world around them and themselves each day. Being in a classroom is very different than attending class behind a computer screen. In addition, young students are asked to switch gears (between classes and teachers) so often that they frequently feel lost throughout the online school day. I’ve seen it! Young students already have a limited attention span without the addition of computers or iPads to their school day. Teachers have been doing an INCREDIBLE job of making the best out of this situation, but despite their best efforts, online classes have their limitations.
Tangible Skills
At Wright Academics, we feel fortunate to have a space conducive to learning for our younger learners. Early education is all about making learning tangible and engaging the students’ senses. Our academic coaches give students the opportunity to write in shaving cream, play games that focus on sound-symbol connection, or learn print concepts through reading with other kids. These fun tactics bring these foundational concepts to life, helping young learners practice their skills on a much deeper level. The best part about having young students work with our academic coaches? We can see the students improving before our eyes, AND parents feel much more at ease knowing their child is getting extra practice.
Social Skills
Social skills are another crucial skill set that young students typically learn through engaging with others in a traditional classroom. Through classroom interactions, children learn to take turns, work cooperatively, share, regulate their emotions, and much more. These students are always so excited to come to our office because they are craving social interaction…they WANT to learn from each other!
Potential Options
If you’re reading this and you have a student who could use some extra help, we have options for you! First, we offer 1-on-1 academic coaching. Additionally, we have summer programs available for young learners. These groups are kept small (4-6 student max) in order to optimize social interaction and 1-on-1 instruction. Our goal main goal is to help students feel prepared for next school year.
We’re also aware that many young learners receive packets to complete over the summer. In order to help with these, we have created neighborhood pods where we bring a tutor out to a group of students in the same neighborhood.
Wherever you’re at today, I want you to know you are not behind. You are right on track and so is your student.
If you need us, we’re here to help!
Looking for academic support? To learn about the services we offer, click HERE.
About Evelyn Wright
Evelyn Wright is the Director of Wright Academics, a tutoring business created to target kids’ specific needs. Her passion is helping students and families succeed so that they achieve their maximum potential in and out of the classroom.
With over 25 years of experience working with children and their families in public and private schools, as well as in private practice, Evelyn’s focus is understanding the individual’s learning profile, guiding families of children with learning differences and matching students to the tutor or coach that best fits the student. She believes in not only matching educational needs to the right tutor’s skills, but matching a student to the tutor with the right personality.