Children are pretty good at resisting things you want them to do. Having a bath, brushing their teeth, and putting their coat on before they leave the house. If resistance was a school subject, they’d all get an A star. However, that resistance can cause problems if your child sits at 11+ and has stopped their revision sessions abruptly, refusing to continue. Nevertheless, that situation is fairly common. Motivation will always have peaks and dips. When it happens, you need some tried-and-tested tactics to get past that roadblock. Read on for our eight proven tips on how to motivate a revision-resistance child for the 11+ exam.
Tip #1: Get to the Root of the Problem
If your child doesn’t study or revise for the 11+, your first step is understanding why. Often, there is a reason why a child is resistant to the suggestion of study time.
Some children may feel pressure to pass, and with that, the feature of failure. For others, it can be a feeling of overwhelm when faced with the topics they need to cover. Some children may become resistant when faced with a topic they hate or find too difficult. Or you might find out that your child is simply tired, has been working too hard, and needs rest.
Dialogue is a meaningful way to solve this problem, but before you do that, be observant. Watching what your child does and how they behave is often the best way to figure out the core issue, especially since many children this age will feel reluctant to speak up about their feelings or might not know how.
When your child is ready to share, it’s important to be an active listener. This means hearing their words and demonstrating an understanding of their emotions and concerns through your response and body language. Even if their thoughts may not align with yours, allowing them to express themselves can strengthen your bond and open up avenues for discussion.
It’s essential to reflect on your own behaviour as a parent (or tutor.) While it’s natural to feel the pressure to support our children, it’s important to manage our own emotions. Children are perceptive and can pick up on our feelings, which might inadvertently add to their stress. By managing our own emotions, we can create a more positive and supportive environment for their studies.
Tip #2: Be Approachable
Foster an environment at home that values communication and honesty. If your child can trust your reaction to what they say, they will feel comfortable opening up to you with their concerns or fears. Be ready with your side of the conversation, too. You are unlikely to progress the conversation if you revert to critical talk about a lack of study.
Instead, take a problem-solving approach and look at ways to bridge the gap. Ask them to suggest ideas about how they want to prepare for the 11+ and use this as a starting point to develop a plan. When children feel like they can talk to you, they are more likely to listen to your suggestions.
Tip #3: Customize Your Home Learning
All children are different. So, if you have read tips from other parents about what worked for their kids with the 11+, that doesn’t mean it will work for yours. Each child has their personal interests and learning style. Often, the trick to motivating anyone is finding the right match.
Speak to your child about how they would like to learn. If they don’t want to sit and study at a desk, they could learn a maths trick with a short video online. If they aren’t avid readers of challenging children’s novels, boost their vocabulary with one of our adventure-based workbooks instead. Adapting a revision session is often the best way to reignite enthusiasm in a resistant child.
Align the study topics with their passions, too. If they hate learning about measurements in maths, do a cooking or baking session with them instead. Or get them outside to help you measure a vegetable garden for your home.
Tip #4: Improve Your Child’s Study Environment
If your kid doesn’t want to study, it could be that they face too many distractions. A messy or noisy room, or one with screens, makes it harder for a child to focus. If they can’t focus, they’ll find the work harder, and that makes them less motivated.
Examine your child’s current work area and look at some small changes you can make to improve the environment. Make sure it’s well-lit, has a comfortable chair, and is tech-free. Plenty of natural light is also essential.
If you have the means, consider providing your child with a dedicated work area that they don’t need to share with siblings or parents. This commitment to their learning environment can improve their focus, productivity, and academic performance.
You could also mix things up by doing some study sessions away from the house. A local library or quiet cafe can be a good change of scenery.
Tip #5: Create Small Goals and Celebrate Each Win
If 11+ preparation feels like a mountain to climb for your child, turn it into stepping stones instead. Work backwards from the exam date and create a bite-sized revision schedule, each with a mini target to hit. That way, your child won’t feel overwhelmed by the task in front of them. They can take things one at a time.
For example, you could focus on mastering fractions and nothing else. At the end of that revision schedule, do a small test to check their progress, and reward the efforts with a fun day out – something your child chooses. This approach helps break the motivation barrier by making the work effortless and manageable. Plus, every small achievement will help your child boost their confidence.
Tip #6: Get Creative With Your Study Sessions
Injecting some fun into a study session will help boost ailing motivation. You could try an educational game or puzzle, like Scrabble, to stimulate the brain cells without feeling like a study chore. Smarty Panthers’ workbooks are another helpful way to switch things up, swapping tedious study works for an engaging adventure-based story.
Online math games offer a dynamic and interactive approach to studying. If your child has a passion for reading, consider swapping out English study for a few hours of immersion in their favourite novel. This can be a refreshing and effective way to engage with the language.
Alternatively, head out for an educational day focused on something your child loves, like a science or history museum, and get them to create a diary entry or story at the end. It’s an excellent way to challenge your child with their writing and vocabulary skills without feeling like a revision session.
Tip #7: Encourage Independence
Your child is still young, but they will value any independence you grant them. You can choose that for 11+ prep, too. Autonomy over study topics and revision lengths can help a resistant child feel more in control, boosting both their motivation and confidence.
If this feels like an option for your independent-spirited child, start by asking them to create a revision timetable. It’s an excellent way for them to learn time management techniques. Guide them on how to make their timetable realistic and achievable.
If this approach works for you, the benefits will extend beyond the 11+ and give students valuable skills for future exam milestones like GCSEs and A-levels.
Tip #8: Consider Outside Help
Some hurdles may feel too high to jump. If motivation continues to slip, consider seeking outside help. A tutor can be a fresh start for a child.
Find one specialising in 11+ learning, as they will already have lots of experience engaging with children in a similar situation. Find someone who can boost confidence and motivation while tutoring academic topics.
Keep Motivation High By Adding a Sprinkling of Fun
11+ exam preparation might feel like a serious and stressful business to us adults. But it needn’t feel that way for your kid. If you spot signs of resistance, take a step back and ask if you need to approach things from a different angle. Injecting some fun into revision, like using our adventure books, can help reignite a passion for learning in any child.
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