Make it easier to concentrate

No television playing in the background and a tidy work area where everything has its place! The idea? An environment with as few visual and audio distractions as possible. Of course, the laptop is kept out of the way to avoid any temptation to glance at it. If the child has to share a work table with others, why not try portable barriers that can be installed in a flash.

Help him get organized

The first step in helping him get organized is to empower him. Helping him doesn’t mean doing things for him, but rather explaining things to him and giving him some leeway. For example, you can create a list of tasks with him at the beginning of the day, then prioritize them by importance.

To help them plan their homework, it’s also important to introduce the concept of time. For example, you can tell them that this exercise should take them 15 minutes and use a visual cue (clock, timer, etc.). If they don’t finish in the allotted time, don’t scold them and add a few extra minutes.

Create not one, but several “homework” corners

Standing at the kitchen table? Outside, lying on the terrace? Much like in a flexible classroom, your child may feel the need to move around and do their homework in different places in their room or even around the house as needed. It’s therefore important to give them this opportunity, while maintaining the essential points for their concentration: a quiet place away from all distractions and with all their materials available.

Provide dynamic seating

Does your little one have trouble sitting still in their chair and lose focus easily? Even for us adults, it can be difficult to sit still in a chair with a straight back for several hours, so imagine for children! There are various solutions to adapt to the needs of each little one: Dynair cushions, seat balls, dynamic stools, or simply stand, provided you have a high table. These dynamic seats allow the child to stay in motion. Children with learning disabilities or students with a kinesthetic learning profile generally find in this type of flexible work environment an approach that meets their needs.

Help him create a bubble of concentration

Jean-Philippe Lachaux, a neuroscientist and attention specialist, suggests that to facilitate their concentration, children need to create attention bubbles. These attention bubbles must be focused on a single, very concrete objective and for a limited time. To help them create their bubble, you can guide them (the goal being for them to participate so they can later be able to do it themselves) and break down their homework into micro-tasks. For example, to write this essay, I must first choose a topic, and I give myself 5 minutes; then I must determine a plan, and I give myself 15 minutes; etc.

Finally, whether reading, counting, or any other activity, teach all family members to respect each other’s concentration bubbles. The slightest word or gesture can burst this bubble, and we must then start our entire concentration process all over again.

If you want to go further, discover more advice in the following books:  100 ideas for better managing attention disorders , by Francine Lussier and Promoting attention through sensory strategies , by Sonya Côté.

Help him better understand his learner profile

We don’t all learn in the same way. Helping your little one better understand their learning profile will be a major asset. They’ll then be able to implement learning strategies independently. To do this, you can help them identify which senses they use best and be aware of their sensory preferences. They may then favor one sense over another. For example, if your little one is more kinesthetic, they’ll need to manipulate things to learn.