10 Questions for Parent-Teacher Conferences About Learning Difficulties
For families on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and throughout New York City, parent-teacher conferences provide a great opportunity to better understand a child’s academic progress and identify additional support that may help them. If your child is struggling with reading, writing, math, or executive functioning skills, ask about the school’s intervention options and available instructional resources.
Below are 10 questions to ask at your next parent-teacher conference if your child has learning challenges.
1. Is My Child Struggling with Reading, Writing, or Math?
Learning how your child is performing in class relative to grade-level expectations is an important place to start. While report card grades may give you some insight, they might not fully portray your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses.
Ask your child’s teacher whether your child is meeting grade-level benchmarks in reading, writing, and math. If your child is performing below expectations, try to gather more information about which specific skills they are struggling with.
A child who struggles with reading, for instance, may have difficulty decoding words, reading fluently, or comprehending the material they read. A student who struggles with writing may have trouble organizing their ideas, creating well-written sentences, or developing paragraphs.
Identifying specific challenges can help you determine which skills may need specialized tutoring.
If you’re concerned that your child may be falling behind academically, learn more at 10 Signs Your Child Is Struggling in School and May Need Help – EBL Coaching.
2. What Are My Child’s Greatest Academic Strengths and Weaknesses?
All children have unique learning profiles, including areas of strength and areas that may need additional support.
Ask your child’s teacher which academic skills your child does well in and which ones are challenging for them. Ask if your child performs better during oral discussions versus written assignments, or if they demonstrate a strong grasp of concepts but struggle to complete work independently.
Understanding these differences can help you identify patterns in your child’s learning. A student with dyslexia, for example, might demonstrate strong verbal reasoning skills but struggle with reading accuracy and spelling. A student with ADHD may understand concepts but struggle to organize their assignments or sustain attention during longer tasks.
3. Does My Child Have Difficulty Following Directions or Completing Assignments?
Following directions, initiating tasks, and finishing assignments require a combination of focus, working memory, and executive functioning skills. Children who struggle with these skills may have difficulty recalling multi-step directions, starting assignments, or finishing tasks within the allotted time.
Ask your child’s teacher whether your child often needs reminders, forgets instructions, or struggles to work independently.
If these challenges are present, discuss techniques with the teacher that may be helpful, such as breaking down assignments into smaller steps, providing written instructions, using visual checklists, or creating consistent classroom routines.
Learn more about the executive functioning skills students need to succeed in school, including organization, time management, and task completion at Executive Functioning Skills Every Student Needs This School Year – EBL Coaching.
4. How Does My Child Perform on Independent Work Compared to Group Activities?
Some students perform well when they receive guidance from their teacher or work together with classmates but struggle when asked to complete tasks independently. This discrepancy may indicate challenges with focus, organization, task initiation, reading comprehension, or other academic skills.
Ask your child’s teacher if your child requires frequent prompting or extra assistance when doing independent work.
A student may participate actively in classroom discussions, for example, but struggle to organize their ideas into a written paragraph or essay. Another student may understand a math concept during a classroom lesson but have trouble applying it independently.
Identifying these patterns early can help determine what type of additional instruction or support may be helpful for your child.
5. Have You Noticed Any Signs of Reading or Writing Difficulties?
Reading and writing challenges can affect multiple academic subjects. Ask your child’s teacher whether they have noticed challenges with decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, sentence structure, or writing.
Some children may read accurately but struggle to comprehend the information. Others may have great ideas but have difficulties expressing their ideas in writing.
If your child demonstrates persistent literacy challenges, ask their teacher which instructional techniques are being used to address these challenges.
For students with dyslexia or other language-based learning disabilities, structured literacy support, including Orton Gillingham instruction, may be particularly beneficial because it incorporates direct, systematic teaching of foundational reading and spelling skills.
Explore the signs your child may benefit from Orton Gillingham tutoring at Back-to-School Reading Struggles: When Does Your Child Need Orton Gillingham Tutoring? – EBL Coaching.
6. Does My Child Struggle with Attention, Organization, or Time Management?
Executive functioning skills play a key role in academic success. These skills help children organize materials, manage time, initiate tasks, prioritize assignments, maintain focus, and complete tasks efficiently.
Ask your child’s teacher whether your child:
- Often loses assignments or school materials
- Has trouble staying focused during lessons
- Struggles to start tasks independently
- Needs frequent reminders to finish assignments
- Has difficulty managing long-term projects
- Frequently rushes through work or makes careless mistakes
These challenges may be associated with ADHD, executive functioning weaknesses, or other learning challenges.
Speak to the teacher about strategies that can help your child develop stronger organizational skills, such as assignment planners, visual schedules, checklists, and structured routines.
7. How Does My Child Respond When Academic Work Becomes Challenging?
A child’s emotional response to rising academic demands can offer important insight into their learning experience. When students struggle academically, they may become easily frustrated, avoid difficult tasks, or lose confidence in their skills.
Ask the teacher whether your child seems discouraged when completing challenging tasks, hesitates to participate in class, or becomes easily upset when they make a mistake.
A child who struggles with reading, for instance, may avoid reading aloud, while a student with writing challenges might become overwhelmed by lengthy written assignments.
8. What Interventions or Accommodations Are Currently Being Used?
If your child is struggling academically, it’s important to understand what support is already being provided in the classroom.
Ask your child’s teacher whether your child receives extra support such as small-group instruction, individualized help, modified assignments, extra time, or other interventions.
You may also want to ask how often these supports are provided and whether they are helping your child make progress.
A student with reading difficulties, for instance, may benefit from targeted, research-based literacy instruction, such as Orton Gillingham tutoring, while a child with executive functioning challenges may benefit from structured organizational systems or executive functioning coaching.
Understanding which strategies are effective can help you reinforce similar approaches at home.
9. How Can I Support My Child’s Learning at Home?
As a parent, you play an important role in reinforcing your child’s academic skills and helping them establish productive learning habits.
Ask your child’s teacher which skills you should prioritize at home and any activities that may be beneficial.
For a child with reading difficulties, this might involve practicing specific decoding skills or reading together regularly. For a student with writing challenges, it may include working on sentence construction, paragraph organization, or brainstorming written assignments at home.
Children with executive functioning challenges may benefit from consistent homework routines, organizational checklists, and breaking down larger homework assignments into manageable steps.
Focus on a few specific goals rather than trying to address every area of difficulty at once.
10. What Are the Next Steps if My Child Continues to Struggle?
One of the most important questions to ask during a parent-teacher conference is what should happen next. If your child is experiencing persistent academic struggles, coordinate with the teacher to establish a clear plan for improvement.
Ask which academic skills should be prioritized and what instructional strategies will be implemented. You may also want to discuss whether additional academic interventions, specialized tutoring, or a comprehensive evaluation would be appropriate.
Before leaving the conference, come up with a timeline for reviewing your child’s progress and scheduling follow-up discussions.
A collaborative approach can help ensure that your child’s learning challenges are addressed consistently and proactively.
Parent-Teacher Conferences in New York: Understanding Your Child’s Support Options
For parents in New York City and surrounding areas, parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity to learn more about your child’s performance at school and additional support that may help them.
If your child struggles with reading, writing, math, or executive functioning skills, ask about the school’s intervention options and available instructional resources.
If you suspect that your child has a disability, you may want to request a special education evaluation. In New York City public schools, this process generally involves the appropriate school-based special education team or Committee on Special Education (CSE).
Discussing these options with your child’s teacher can help you better understand the resources available for your child and determine appropriate next steps.
Parent-Teacher Conferences in New Jersey: How to Advocate for Your Child
For families in Bergen County and throughout Northern New Jersey, parent-teacher conferences can help identify learning challenges and explore available academic support services. If your child is struggling academically, ask about the school’s Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) process, targeted interventions, and available academic support programs.
You may also want to discuss the availability of reading specialists, academic support programs, classroom accommodations, and multi-sensory methodologies, such as Orton Gillingham instruction.
If you think your child may have a learning disability or another disability affecting their education, you can request an evaluation through the district’s special education process. In New Jersey public schools, Child Study Teams help determine whether your child is eligible for special education and related services.
Early identification and intervention can have a significant impact in helping your child develop stronger academic skills and self-esteem.
Frequently Asked Questions About Parent-Teacher Conferences and Learning Challenges
How should I prepare for a parent-teacher conference if my child has learning difficulties?
Before your parent-teacher conference, review your child’s recent homework assignments, assessments, and report cards. Make a list of specific concerns, including challenges you’ve noticed with homework, reading, writing, math, or organizational skills. Bring examples of assignments that were difficult for your child and prepare questions about your child’s academic progress and classroom performance.
What if my child’s teacher says they are doing fine, but I notice learning challenges at home?
Some children perform differently at school than they do at home. During the conference, share specific examples of the challenges you have observed, such as spending excessive time completing homework, struggling to read independently, or becoming easily frustrated with writing assignments. Ask the teacher whether additional assessments may help clarify your concerns and observations.
What are common signs of a learning disability?
Signs of a learning disability can include persistent challenges with decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, math, or grasping new academic concepts. These difficulties do not necessarily mean your child has a learning disability, but they may warrant further evaluation, particularly when they persist despite appropriate intervention.
Should I request a learning disability evaluation after a parent-teacher conference?
If your child continues to struggle and you think they may have a disability, you may want to request an evaluation. You can submit a written request to their school and discuss the evaluation process with the appropriate school team. Schools must follow specific procedures when responding to evaluation requests.
Can tutoring help children with dyslexia, ADHD, or executive functioning challenges?
Yes! Individualized tutoring can provide targeted support for children who struggle with reading, writing, math, and executive functioning. Students with dyslexia may benefit from Orton Gillingham instruction, while children with ADHD or executive functioning difficulties may benefit from explicit executive functioning coaching.
How EBL Coaching Can Help
At EBL Coaching, we specialize in providing individualized tutoring to help students develop core academic and executive functioning skills and strengthen their self-esteem.
We help students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and other academic challenges. Our one-on-one tutoring incorporates research-based, multi-sensory techniques, including the Orton Gillingham approach, to support students who struggle with reading, spelling, writing, math, and study skills.
With locations on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and in Northern New Jersey, EBL Coaching provides personalized academic support customized to each student’s individual needs.
Parent-teacher conferences can be an important step in understanding your child’s learning challenges and performance at school. By asking the right questions, collaborating with their teacher, and seeking appropriate support, you can help your child develop the skills and confidence they need for long-term success in school.
About the Author
Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching and has more than 20 years of experience helping students develop their academic and executive functioning skills. She has worked with thousands of students with dyslexia, ADHD, learning disabilities, and other academic challenges.
Dr. Levy is the author of the Strategies for Study Success student workbook series, the Flags and Stars Orton Gillingham student workbook program, and the Flags and Stars Multi-Sensory Math student workbook series. She speaks nationally at educational conferences and frequently appears on podcasts as an educational expert. Her expertise has also been featured in publications including Newsweek, Autism Parenting Magazine, The Epoch Times, and Macaroni KID. Read more about Dr. Levy at About Dr. Levy ADHD treatment New York City.