My child has attention issues and gets pulled out of class. I worry it is holding him back

Schools are generally becoming more inclusive in their attitude towards children with mild learning difficulties, but the individual needs support they offer depends on their resources and the ethos of the particular school

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Your child’s teacher needs to know about issues so they can offer support.

Published: 8:02pm, 17 Apr 2018Updated: 8:02pm, 17 Apr 2018

My son has attention difficulties in class and sometimes finds it hard to control his behaviour, a Hong Kong parent writes. He is academically bright but the teacher says he is nowhere near reaching his full potential.

He gets taken out of class for some lessons to help him concentrate but gets embarrassed about this and says the other children in his group are slow with their work and naughty. I’m worried that this is holding him back and not really helping his behaviour.

The approach to individual needs support varies from school to school, depending on different factors including human resources, the school’s ethos and the ideology of the managers and teachers in charge.

Many schools are now beginning to have a more inclusive approach, especially for those students with mild learning difficulties. This means children are more often supported in class alongside their peers on an individual level or working as a small group either in or outside the classroom.

Schools are trying to be more inclusive towards children with learning difficulties without disrupting the class too much. Photo: Myrleen Pearson

This can be better for their self-esteem as they do not feel different or pinpointed. Nor are they excluded from activities in the classroom as they naturally arise.

It can be embarrassing for students to be withdrawn from class for extra help or behavioural support, but where the school has a sensitive and open-minded ethos it can also be an effective way to offer support and it’s seen as a natural part of a typical school day.