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

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.

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 theclassroom is hugely important and while parentsmightstruggle with some subject areas, this shouldn't put them offgetting involved with their kids' homework.

"You don't haveto pretend to be the teacherat home, just being there for themto 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 countryusing this technique to encouragelearning."  

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

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

 

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