Learning Disabilities And Summer Learning

The end of the school year has arrived!

My son is officially a first grader, and will be looking forward to a much-needed break.  He has worked extremely hard all year long to learn, and process the information presented to him so he could succeed along with the rest of his peers.

And although he’s on summer break, he will have to hit the books and review his coursework of the previous school year to continue to strengthen and build both his short-term and long-term memory.

See having an auditory processing disorder, as in my son’s case, means, always needing to review what he’s already learned to make sure it remains in his head. The bane of his existence (and mine) right now is math.  Since it is too abstract for him, it often gets lost on him. So we need to review (constantly) what he has already learned and introduce new concepts a few at a time. This method helps keep old info fresh and gets him familiarized with new information so he won’t feel lost when presented in school.

So for now, we have been reviewing math facts, showing him how to tell time (analog), and how to count money. Along with that he reads a lot. He reads anything and everything to expand his vocabulary and comprehension of stories read to and by him.

This year-round school learning has become our reality. We understand what is at stake. We understand that if we do not have these frequent reviews we are risking him falling behind academically and having it affect him emotionally. And even at such a young age, this combination can negatively affect how he approaches things in life.

So while the extra work wasn't part of our summer plans, we are making the most of it by making it fun and keeping the workbooks to a minimum. Museum visits, beach trips, road trips, and simply walking through neighborhoods have proven to be just and at times a much more important part of learning.