Homework help and tips ... for pupils and parents.

Modern Languages Faculty
Mintlaw Academy

As a Faculty we recognise that it can often be challenging for parents to support their child with their language learning homework as there are often lots of barriers getting in the way; for example parents may have learned German and their kids are learning French or it’s been years since parents have used the French they learned at school. However, most children are able to succeed at language learning without their parents being fluent in another language. 

Helping your child effectively with their French/German/Spanish homework doesn’t require you to become fluent in all three languages! By implementing routines and habits that will help your child tackle homework and study effectively, they are more likely to succeed. 

Here are our top 10 tips to help with homework...

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1.     Power Hour
Provide a regular study time for your child each day/night/week away from television and other distractions. Having a specific area or place for them to complete their homework, a desk in their room, the dining room table or the breakfast bar, is a good way to get pupils in to the routine of studying. It’s also a good idea to ensure that ipads/phones/tablets etc are stowed away during this time too as it allows your child to focus solely on the homework or revision that they have to complete. 

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2.   Guidance not answers
It can be incredibly difficult to simply offer guidance rather than answering the questions that children don’t understand but by encouraging them to look at the question differently, revise their class notes on the question or think about it from a different, parents are able to help their child find their own solution to the problem increasing their ability to do this under exam conditions and encourage children to rely on themselves and their skills instead of turning to someone else for the answer. 

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3. Teamwork makes the dream work
Research suggests that the more children feel like homework is a punishment, the less they do! By taking the time to sit near your child, catching up on emails or ordering the weekly food shop, it encourages them to see this as a task to complete – much like the ones we have to complete as adults. 

We understand that time can be tight for parents but working with your child on their learning homework for example, 10-15minutes every few days will encourage them to integrate this type of revision into their day to day life. It also means that they’re not always working independently but working as part of the team. 

4. Have them teach you
Not only does this enhance your knowledge but it gives pupils a platform to boost their confidence, understanding and motivation. When they are able to teach you new vocabulary or explain a new grammar point, and you understand/don’t understand their teaching!, it allows the pupils to iron out any areas that they themselves are not sure of or that you have highlighted aren’t clear because you’ve not understood. This can be a great way of a pupil seeing what they have taken or not taken from their lessons in school. 

5. Consistency is key
Learning homework (learning of words and new vocabulary) is incredibly important when learning a Modern Language. We suggest that pupils spend 10minutes a day when possible or 15minutes every two days, revising their vocabulary. This doesn’t always have to be new vocabulary as pupils should always be going back to revise topics that they have covered previously. Topics such as numbers, dates, months, clothes etc are always good topics to go back and revise… especially as pupil progress to learning more challenging phrases and topics of vocabulary such as environment for example. For example: Pupils can complete this by working with a parent/sibling/carer etc and you asking them the word in English and them giving the French response or by them revising indecently and using “LOOK, COVER, WRITE, CHECK” as a method of revision. 

7. Failing to Plan is planning to fail.

Encourage your child to plan their homework in advance. Generally, homework will be issued with a deadline of 1 week as we are aware that children participate in lots of out of school activities.

However, if your child is busy with football or dancing, encourage them to take responsibility for their homework and plan when they are going to complete it so that they don’t have to miss doing the fun things they do outside of school or fail to complete the homework that has been set.

8. Ask for help
If you have exhausted all avenues for homework completion and neither you, nor your child are any further forward – encourage your child to come and speak to their teacher who will be able to explain the homework again, go into more depth, provide additional resources to help or give examples of how to answer the question.