Getting Your Child Involved In A Penpal Program
Jenny Holt, a freelance health writer for a number of health sites and magazines sent us the following article on ADHD to share it with our readers.
She also wrote the following articles on Bullying. Please, take a look at the following links:
CREATING SPACES THAT ARE ADHD- FRIENDLY FOR KIDS
HOW TO SPOT AND DEAL WITH CYBERBULLYING
CYBERULLYING – THE COMPLETE RESOURCE GUIDE
CREATING SPACES THAT ARE ADHD- FRIENDLY FOR KIDS
MOVING HOUSE: HOW TO MAKE MOVING EASIER ON YOU AND YOUR CHILD
HELPING CHILDREN RIDE THE STORM
THE POWER OF ART FOR ALL CHILDREN
BENEFITS OF PETS FOR KIDS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
SPECIAL NEEDS GARDENING: SOWING SEEDS ON MANY LEVELS
HELPING YOUR YOUNG CHILD DEAL WITH ECZEMA
THROWING AN INCLUSIVE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR A CHILD WITH ADHD
SAFEGUARD YOUR CHILD’S LUNGS BY ASTHMA-PROOFING THEIR BEDROOM
THE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR HOMESCHOOLED CHILD
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND HOW TO TEACH IT TO YOUR CHILDREN
EDUCATING KIDS ABOUT ORTHODONTICS
HOW TO BUILD CHILDREN’S CONFIDENCE BY TEACHING THEM CLOTHES MAKING
DEALING WITH CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS IN YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD
HOW TO INTRODUCE MEDITATION TO YOUR KIDS
Thanks Jenny!
Getting Your Child Involved In A Penpal Program: How It Can Boost Their Learning Journey
Learning does not just happen in the classroom; it extends well beyond it. Children learn from experiences they encounter every day including their interactions with their peers. In a world where a child’s education is becoming increasingly digitally driven, there is still value in some of the traditional methods of interaction: penpals. The younger generation is less likely to pick up a pen and write a letter, with mail volume declining over 41 percent since 2001. However, encouraging your child to become involved in a penpal program can do much more than help their social development, it can help them become motivated to develop their writing skills and become more knowledgeable about the world, its blended culture and feed their thriving curiosity.
Helping Them Hone Their Communication Skills
One of the benefits of having a penpal is that it allows kids to practice their writing and communication skills. For many kids with special needs, communication can prove to be an incredibly difficult barrier for both child and carer. While several techniques such as the use of social stories, art, and sign language are some recommended ways of communicating with special needs children, the back and forth interaction in a penpal relationship encourages children to learn and utilize their communication skills with others of a similar age or interests. In regards to their writing skills, repeat letter writing helps to teach sentence construction, capitalization and grammar, and even word meanings, thereby expanding their vocabulary.
Addressing The Increased Isolation Special Needs Kids Can Feel
Almost one in 3 young adults with special needs such as autism are socially isolated, it was revealed by research published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Around 50 percent of them say they never received any phone calls from friends or invites to events while a stunning 28 percent had no social contact at all. Not only do they face increasingly difficult social situations, but they are also more likely to deal with mental issues as a result. For a child, a healthy social life is a must. It encourages their development and people skills. Because of the increasing isolation and barriers, they face in forming friendships, children with special needs can find themselves more prone to loneliness and face other emotional challenges.
A penpal is a way of meeting the emotional and mental needs of children where it may be lacking. More importantly, it teaches them to recognize, communicate and fulfill those needs with others around them. Many studies have recognized the link between letter writing and stress relief, feelings of acceptance and better processing of emotions. In addition, it can also foster a sense of independence for a disabled child; you can help your child to easily buy stamps online and draft out their letters, from the writing to the posting of it.
Encouraging A Love Of Curiosity And Learning
Finally, having a penpal encourages your child to want to learn. As children, we are naturally curious about everything around us. Penpals provides the opportunity for your child to get to know about the world and the many cultures since it connects them with other children in other countries. It encourages their creativity as they design their own letters to their penpals, and share a part of their own world. By seeing the world through the eyes of another person indirectly gives them a lesson in social studies, geography, and even current events outside of the classroom.
For many children, taking part in a penpal program can only bolster their learning in a non-traditional way. It can help them discover the world and equally, develop new strengths of their own. After all, learning is not limited to the classroom.
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