Why Does my Child with a Learning Disability Have Low Self-Esteem?
Does your child suffer from low self-esteem? Do they often feel bad about themselves when they score poorly on tests or can’t read as well as their peers? Your child may frequently receive negative marks on their homework and quizzes, despite trying their very hardest, which can feel demoralizing to them. Help your child with a learning disability feel motivated and empowered with the tips detailed below.
Praise their efforts
It is important to praise your child’s efforts as much as possible.
Many children with learning disabilities work very hard on their schoolwork – often much harder than their peers – but their grades don’t reflect this effort. If your child doesn’t score well on a test or assignment but you know how hard they worked and how much time they put in, praise them! Make sure they know that you appreciate this effort, and that a strong work ethic is a skill that will ultimately help them become successful in life. The more you empower them and praise their hard work, the more confident they will become.
Play up their strengths
Children with learning disabilities may struggle with reading, writing, math, or executive functioning skills (or a combination of these skills), but they often have incredible gifts and talents. Those with dyslexia may be very creative and are talented artists. Others are fantastic actors, and many are very social with strong “people skills”. Play up these strengths with after school art classes or acting workshops – or perhaps even encourage them to babysit younger kids when they’re older to flex their great people skills. You may also want to consider Orton Gillingham tutoring if your child has dyslexia and struggles with reading. This specialized learning disability tutoring can boost your child’s academic skills and self-esteem.
Use a multi-sensory approach
Research tells us that using a multi-sensory approach when teaching children with learning disabilities is optimal for their learning. Aside from instruction at school, you can try using a multi-sensory approach at home with your child to help further develop their skills. With younger children, for instance, you can work on letter writing using colored sand or even sugar on a cookie sheet. Tell them the formation of a letter out loud (for instance “down, up, and around” for p, or “down and across” for t) and have them trace the letters in the colored sand or sugar. You can also try this activity using sand at a beach or dirt at a park. For older children, you can build reading comprehension and active reading skills by teaching them to identify three elements when reading: the topic, which is one two or three words describing the passage; the main idea, which is what the author is saying about the topic; and the important details. They can then highlight the topic in blue, main idea in green, and important details in yellow – or choose their own favorite three colors. Multi-sensory tutoring can help them immensely.
Learn more about the Orton Gillingham multi-sensory approach at The Orton Gillingham Approach – EBL Coaching.
They are not alone!
Remind your child that some of the greatest leaders and most successful people in life have a learning disability or ADHD. Tom Cruise and Whoopi Goldberg have dyslexia. Michael Phelps has ADHD. Steve Jobs had dyslexia, and Leonardo Da Vinci likely had both dyslexia and ADHD. Having a learning disability is a gift, and it certainly should not hold your child back in life.
Turn to academic tutoring if needed
Many students with learning disabilities struggle in school. They might have trouble with one skill, like reading, while others struggle with a combination of skills, like reading and math, or executive functioning skills. Some students receive enough support at school to help them thrive, and certain parents can provide extra support at home. However, if your child continues to struggle despite these efforts, you may want to consider one-on-one multi-sensory tutoring or executive functioning coaching. Make sure, however, that it is not homework help or generic tutoring, but that it is specialized tutoring, ideally using a multi-sensory approach, provided by someone with extensive experience working with children with learning disabilities.
Learn more at Orton Gillingham Tutors NYC and NJ – EBL Coaching.
Parents in New York City and New Jersey who are looking for specialized tutoring for dyslexia, ADHD, or executive functioning will find that their child can benefit from EBL Coaching’s research-based, multi-sensory tutoring that is individualized tailored to each child’s needs.
Individuals with learning disabilities often have so many strengths – they are typically bright, creative, and social, but they don’t always see it. Try these ideas to empower your child, build their self-esteem, and ultimately help them thrive in school and in life.
Don’t let your child continue to struggle with reading, writing, math, or executive functioning skills! EBL Coaching’s specialized one-on-one tutoring can make a significant difference in their academic skills and self-esteem. Contact us at www.eblcoaching.com to learn how our multi-sensory, individualized tutoring can help your child build their academic skills and confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do children with learning disabilities have low self-esteem?
Children with learning disabilities often struggle academically. They may notice their peers excelling in reading, writing, or math, while they demonstrate challenges with these skills. Remind your child that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Your child may be social and creative but has a harder time with reading or another academic skill. Building your child’s academic skills with specialized tutoring can also help improve their self-esteem.
How can I help my child with dyslexia feel more confident?
Remind your child about their strengths and praise their hard work and effort. Also show them any concrete progress. For example, if they were only able to write one sentence six months ago but can now write a full paragraph, show them the difference in their writing samples and encourage them to feel good about their own progress.
When should I seek tutoring for my child?
If you notice your child is struggling academically and their self-confidence is taking a toll, you may want to seek tutoring for them. The right specialized tutoring can be life-changing for a child, especially if they have a learning challenge.
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