Over Half of Parents Admit Struggling to Help Kids With Science and Language Homework

LONDON, December 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Over half (51%) of parents admit they struggle to help kids with their homework a study of over 1,000 mums and dads by Tutorfair.com has revealed.

Science and languages are the two subject areas where parents lack the most confidence. The study shows that Physics (65%), French (62%), and Spanish (81%) are the subjects where parents lack the most confidence.

These are the exact same subjects that kids also feel the least confident in when it comes to doing their homework, naming Physics (46%), French (56%) and Spanish (68%) as areas they struggle with most. Kids say they are more likely to ask teachers for help with homework from these subjects, rather than ask their parents.

There is a significant parental confidence issue when helping with Maths homework too, with two fifths of mums (41%) saying they find the subject a challenge.

These results are announced as employers continue to prioritise STEM subjects as essential skills for the future workplace. In 2014 a quarter (28%) of businesses who needed technicians qualified in science, technology, engineering or maths reported difficulty recruiting, while a third (35%) anticipated problems in the next three years.^[1]

Edd Stockwell, Founder, Tutorfair.com comments: "The support children get with their studies outside of the classroom is hugely important and while parents might struggle with some subject areas, this shouldn't put them off getting involved with their kids' homework.

"You don't have to pretend to be the teacher at home, just being there for them to talk through challenges and topics can be hugely powerful. Just asking kids to explain a subject or topic to you is a really good way of getting kids to think harder for themselves, and you will find tutors and teachers across the country using this technique to encourage learning."  

Tutorfair has pulled together a number of learning 'hacks' to get parents and children learning more collaboratively:

• Simple things matter, if you're interested in what they're doing, they'll care more about it.
• If you know about a subject then be excited by it, show off and be proud of your knowledge so they can know more and be ahead of the class.
• If you don't know about it, try learning it together. Get them to teach you some French or Maths (this role reversal to make the student the teacher is a great trick).
• Read together, maybe a book or the news and discuss it. Ask more why and how questions to help stretch their understanding.
• Bring things to life: maybe by visiting a castle / museum, or by using daily life to practice e.g. they count the change at the supermarket (whilst you apologise to the shoppers in the queue behind you!).

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1. Source: CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey 2014

Contact for more information: 

e: tutorfair@antidotecommunications.com

t: +44(0)203-740-4009