Skills Training for Struggling Kids: Empowering Them to Succeed

: Understanding the Unique Needs of Struggling Kids

Struggling kids face a unique set of challenges that can hinder their academic, social, and emotional development. They may struggle with learning disabilities, ADHD, dyslexia, or other conditions that affect their ability to focus, process information, or interact with others effectively.

Skills Training for Struggling Kids: Promoting Your Child's Behavioral, Emotional, Academic, and Social Development

by Michael L. Bloomquist

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8477 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	275 pages

FREE

To help these kids succeed, it is essential to provide them with targeted skills training that addresses their specific needs. This training can help them develop the fundamental skills necessary for academic success, social competence, and emotional regulation.

Essential Skills for Struggling Kids

1. Academic Skills: These skills include reading, writing, math, and science. Struggling kids may need additional support to improve their foundational skills and develop effective learning strategies.
2. Executive Functioning Skills: These skills include attention, memory, planning, organization, and self-control. Struggling kids may have difficulty managing their time, staying organized, and controlling their impulses.
3. Social Skills: These skills include communication, cooperation, empathy, and conflict resolution. Struggling kids may struggle to interact with peers, make friends, and resolve conflicts peacefully.
4. Emotional Regulation Skills: These skills include managing emotions, expressing feelings appropriately, and coping with stress. Struggling kids may experience difficulty regulating their emotions, which can lead to behavioral problems and anxiety.

Evidence-Based Skills Training Strategies

There are numerous evidence-based skills training strategies that have been shown to be effective in helping struggling kids develop the skills they need to succeed. These strategies include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps kids identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that interfere with their learning and development.
• Social Skills Training (SST): SST teaches kids social skills, such as communication, cooperation, and empathy, through role-playing, modeling, and feedback.
• Executive Functioning Training (EFT): EFT helps kids improve their attention, memory, planning, organization, and self-control through structured exercises and activities.
• Emotional Regulation Therapy (ERT): ERT teaches kids how to identify, understand, and manage their emotions through mindfulness, breathing exercises, and problem-solving techniques.

Practical Approaches to Skills Training

In addition to evidence-based strategies, there are also several practical approaches to skills training that can be implemented in the classroom and at home. These approaches include:

• Small Group Instruction: Working with struggling kids in small groups can provide them with personalized attention and support.
• Peer Tutoring: Pairing struggling kids with peers who are strong in specific skills can provide them with a valuable learning opportunity.
• Technology-Based Interventions: Using technology, such as educational games and apps, can make skills training more engaging and interactive.
• Home-Based Practice: Providing parents and caregivers with strategies and resources for supporting skills training at home can enhance the effectiveness of the intervention.

Benefits of Skills Training for Struggling Kids

Skills training can provide numerous benefits for struggling kids, including:

• Improved academic performance
• Enhanced social skills and relationships
• Better emotional regulation and self-control
• Increased confidence and self-esteem
• Reduced behavioral problems

: Empowering Struggling Kids through Skills Training

Skills training is an essential intervention for helping struggling kids overcome challenges, reach their full potential, and lead successful and fulfilling lives. By providing targeted training in academic, executive functioning, social, and emotional regulation skills, we can empower these kids to succeed in school, build strong relationships, manage their emotions, and achieve their goals.

Resources for Parents and Educators

• Nationwide Children's Hospital
• Understood.org
• ADDitude Magazine
• Neurodiversity Learning Disabilities Association
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder