Home Learning
What is home learning?
Home learning refers to any work or activities which pupils are asked to do outside lesson time, either on their own or with parents/carers. It is an important aspect of a child’s education, encouraging them to see that learning can take place outside the classroom, and it promotes independent learning. It supports, prepares and consolidates school-based learning and allows parents, carers and the school to work in partnership for the benefit of the child.
How to help home learning activities
Helping your child with reading
Reading with your child is vital. Research shows that it’s the single most important thing you can do to help your child’s education. It’s best to read little and often, so try to put aside some time for it every day.
Think of ways to make reading fun – you want your child to learn how pleasurable books can be. If you’re both enjoying talking about the content of a particular page, linger over it for as long as you like.
Books aren’t just about reading the words on the page, they can also present new ideas and topics for you and your child to discuss.
Tips for helping your child to enjoy books:
- Encourage your child to pretend to ‘read’ a book before he or she can read words.
- Visit the library as often as possible – take out CDs and DVDs as well as books.
- Schedule a regular time for reading – perhaps when you get home from school or just before bed.
- Buy / borrow from the library dual-language books if English isn’t your family’s first language – you can talk about books and stories, and develop a love for them, in any language.
- Look for books on topics that you know your child is interested in – maybe dragons, insects, cookery or a certain sport.
- Make sure that children’s books are easily accessible in different rooms around your house.
Helping your child with maths
As with reading, try to make maths as much fun as possible – games, puzzles and jigsaws are a great way to start. It’s also important to show how we use maths skills in our everyday lives and to involve your child in this.
Identifying problems and solving them can also help your child develop maths skills. If you see him or her puzzling over something, talk about the problem and try to work out the solution together.
Don’t shy away from maths if you didn’t like it at school. Try to find new ways to enjoy the subject with your child.
Tips for helping your child to enjoy maths:
- Point out the different shapes to be found around your home.
- Take your child shopping and talk about the quantities of anything you buy.
- Let your child handle money and work out how much things cost.
- Look together for numbers on street signs and car registration plates.
Tips for good homework habits
- Do find a quiet place at home to use as a homework area. It needs a flat surface, a good light source and the right equipment eg pens, pencils, ruler, scissors, glue.
- Do be aware of modern teaching methods, eg in long division (see our Mathematics curriculum guides on the year group pages)
- Do plan a homework timetable and agree on when your child will do their homework.
- Do allow your child to have something nutritional to eat before starting on homework.
- Do discuss any homework tasks with your child and how it connects with what they are studying at school.
- Do turn off the TV – but you could have music on if they find it helpful.
- Don’t give your child the answer in order to get a task finished. Instead, explain how to look up information or find a word in a dictionary.
- Don’t teach your child methods you used at school. It could confuse them.
- Don’t let homework become a chore. Keep it fun and make it a special time that you both look forward to.