Currey Ingram Blog

As a parent, the first reaction upon hearing that your child has ADHD, dyslexia, or another learning difference is concern about their education. However, learning differences can take a major emotional toll as well.

While many children with learning differences don’t show outward signs of an inward struggle, many do. Like many private schools in Brentwood, TN, Currey Ingram Academy trains teachers to notice signs of low self-esteem, anxiety, and other side effects of learning differences. While certain behaviors, such as crying and acting out, are obvious, others might not be so easily recognizable as stress and anxiety.

Some students believe that being the “bad” kid in class is a smart way to drive attention away from their struggles. If you are a parent hoping to better help your student manage their emotions after a learning difference diagnosis, it’s crucial to know how to react based on how they’ve internalized their feelings.

If your child believes they are not smart, begin by helping them understand what their learning difference means. They should be taught from the very beginning that difference does not mean disability. Give them chances to show themselves that they are every bit as capable as their neurotypical peers. When you are deciding between private schools in Brentwood, TN, talk to staff and educators about ways they challenge their students to succeed based on their abilities.

Some children with ADHD and other learning differences believe that they stand out. While this may be true to a degree, this is mostly just self-perception that must also be worked through with parental and educational guidance. Remind your children that everybody is different in some way and that their differences are part of what makes them unique.

Something else to keep in mind as you tour private schools in Brentwood is how teachers and staff react to classroom fatigue. Students who have difficulty reading or decoding numbers may find that they have to work extra hard just to maintain pace with the rest of their classmates. This can lead to feelings of frustration. To help offset exasperation and to encourage children to continue doing their best, help them learn how to set achievable goals. You should also remind them of their strengths, which they can turn to when they’re feeling down.

In an academic setting, children with learning differences should be given ample time to read, write, and better absorb and digest their materials. As one of the top private schools in Brentwood, TN, Currey Ingram offers each student an individualized learning plan, which can help them get into a better groove in their academic career.

Ultimately, having the right academic environment is crucial for children, especially those with learning differences that may affect their self-esteem. It is up to you to support your children emotionally by giving them opportunities to thrive in areas where they tend to struggle. Create an environment that’s conducive to their specific differences and never let them lose sight of their unique talents. It is possible to achieve academically, regardless of learning style. Children just need the right kind of support to become the master of their own domains. At schools like Currey Ingram, they will learn how to advocate for themselves and their unique needs, so that they ultimately receive the education they truly deserve.

Currey Ingram Academy is one of the only private schools in Brentwood, TN, that focuses on students as individuals. Our program is tailored to those with learning differences, and we welcome you to our campus to see how our programs can benefit your young learner.

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Many children with learning differences struggle in school long before they are diagnosed, affecting their confidence and motivation. It is crucial to identify learning differences early on so both teachers and parents can provide the support they need.

What are learning differences?

Learning differences stem from the inability to process information; this prevents a person from learning a skill and using it. Learning differences can affect a child’s ability to read, write, work, and compute. These results can even affect non-verbal skills.

Reading-related learning differences

Children with reading-related learning differences often find it hard to understand how letters represent a sound and how letter combinations make a word. They may also have problems working with working memory or handling information at the moment.

Be on the lookout for the following signs even if your child has mastered the basic reading skills. A child might struggle with:

- Reading at the standard pace
- Understanding what they read
- Accurately recalling what they read
- Making inferences based on the reading
- Spelling words

Writing-related learning differences

Writing requires complex visual, motor, and information-processing skills. Writing-related learning differences may cause the following:

- Slow and difficult handwriting
- Difficult to read handwriting
- Difficulty putting thoughts into writing
- Written work that’s poorly organized or hard to understand
- Problems with spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Math-related learning differences

Children with math-related learning differences find it difficult to:

- Understand how numbers work concerning each other
- Calculate and solve math problems
- Memorize basic calculations
- Use math symbols
- Understand word problems
- Organize and record information while solving a math problem

Learning differences related to non-verbal skills

These can be seen in a child’s visual-spatial skills, visual-motor skills, and other skills necessary in social or academic functioning. A child may have trouble with the following:

- Interpreting facial expressions and non-verbal cues in social interactions
- Using language appropriately in social situations
- Physical coordination
- Fine motor skills such as writing
- Attention, planning, and organizing
- Higher-level reading comprehension or written expression

Identifying the signs of learning differences

A child might be struggling with learning differences he or she:

- Has a poor mastery of reading, spelling, writing, or math skills expected of their age and grade levels
- Finds it difficult to understand and follow instructions
- Has trouble remembering what someone just told them
- Has poorly-coordinated motor skills
- Quickly loses or misplaces belongings
- Has difficulty understanding the concept of time
- Resists doing homework or activities that involve reading, writing, or math
- Consistently can't complete homework assignments without significant help
- Acts out or shows defiance, hostility, or excessive emotional reactions at school or while doing academic work

Helping a child with learning differences

Early intervention is essential as learning differences can lead to more severe problems if these are not addressed immediately. A child who has not mastered fundamental math skills in grade school won't tackle algebra in high school.

Children with learning differences might experience performance anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, chronic fatigue, or loss of motivation. Some children might act out to divert attention from the challenges they face in school.

If your child has learning differences, you might want to consider the following:

- Seek extra help. A tutor or other trained professional can help your child improve academic, organizational, and study skills.
- Arrange for accommodations. Talk to your child’s school and see if your child can be given more time to complete assignments or tests, be seated near the teacher to promote attention, use computer applications that support writing, or listen to audiobooks to supplement reading.
- Explore therapy options. Occupational therapy might improve your child’s motor skills, while speech therapy can help address language skills.
- Enroll your child in a school focused on helping children with learning differences. Currey Ingram Academy is a private school in Brentwood that empowers students with learning differences to reach their fullest potential. The school’s life-changing, personalized instruction will help your child thrive and succeed beyond the four walls of a classroom.

Currey Ingram Academy is a private school in Brentwood that supports and empowers students with learning differences to achieve their fullest potential - academically and socially - within an environment that fosters holistic student development. Get in touch by calling (615) 507-3173.

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