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Understanding Skill Gaps
Skill gaps represent the difference between a student’s actual level of academic performance and the required level of performance for a given grade. Poor marks on progress reports are often the first indicators of when this difference can become a problem.
While poor grades or problems in the classroom are certainly indicators that a child is struggling academically, there are often more subtle signs that parents should look for. The most common areas in which students develop skill gaps are reading, writing and math.
Reading
“The foundation for reading is developed between kindergarten and 3rd grade,” notes Larry Schwartz, tutoring industry expert and founder of Tutoring Club. “If this foundation is shaky, it can affect subsequent academic progress.” There are two major transitions that occur in reading development. The first occurs in the 4th grade, when students are no longer learning to read, but begin reading to learn. The second occurs when students advance to middle school where classes become more in-depth. Parents often think their child is having problems in a specific curriculum area, when the real problem is simply reading comprehension.
Warning Signs of Reading Skill Gaps
- Slow reading
- Incorrect reading of words
- Frequent spelling errors
- Inability to summarize what is read
- Limited vocabulary for age
Writing
In the second grade, students are taught proper sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They also begin developing vocabulary and spelling skills. At this point, writing becomes the main indicator of comprehension for other subjects. According to Schwartz, one modern learning obstacle is the use of computers to auto-correct spelling and sentence structure. “Relying on computers to correct writing is a major factor in the decline of a student’s writing skills,” says Schwartz. The problem has become so prevalent it was addressed in the revamping of the SAT college entrance test, with the addition of an essay section.
Warning Signs of Writing Skill Gaps
- Inability to identify parts of speech
- Incorrect sentence structure
- Frequent punctuation errors
- Inability to present point of view or identify main ideas
- Poor spelling
Math
Contrary to popular belief, there is no “math gene.” Success in math requires mastery of basic skills. “The critical period for establishing this foundation is between 1st and 8th grade,” notes Schwartz. “If students fall behind during this period, their ability to grasp high school algebra is reduced.” Math skills build iteratively on one another - failing to master a particular skill area creates a shaky foundation for those that follow, and can ultimately lead to a loss of confidence.
Warning Signs of Math Skill Gaps
- Incomplete homework
- Prolonged completion time
- Inability to understand or recall mathematical terms
- Inability to apply or identify concepts in problem solving
Schwartz further notes, “Parents need to understand that when children say, ‘I just don’t get it,’ they may be telling the truth.” Tutoring Club provides individualized instruction in reading, writing, and math, for children in grades K-12, which targets and corrects skill gaps. Tutoring Club is unique among learning systems, not only in its methodology, but also in its guarantee to raise a student’s academic level in less time and at lower cost than any other program.
For further information, contact:
Chad Schwartz
Tutoring Club
(702) 588-5288
cschwartz@tutoringclub.com
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