Talking About a Child’s Learning Needs: Essential English Vocabulary for Parents

Talking about a child’s learning needs is an important part of being a parent in Canada. Parents sometimes need to explain their child’s learning difficulties, ask teachers for extra support, or discuss ways to help their child succeed at school.

For newcomer parents, these conversations can feel challenging, especially when they are unfamiliar with Canadian school terminology.

In this article, you will learn essential English vocabulary for talking about your child’s learning needs, describing learning difficulties, asking for support, and communicating with teachers.

These words and expressions will help you feel more confident during parent-teacher meetings and conversations with school staff.

1. Learning Needs and Learning Difficulties

These words help you describe how your child learns and where they may need additional support.

Vocabulary	Simple Definition
Learning needs	The support a child needs to learn successfully.
Learning difficulties	Problems a child experiences when learning certain skills.
Learning disability	A condition that affects how a person learns specific skills, such as reading or writing.
Learning style	The way someone learns best; for example by seeing (visual), listening (auditory) or doing (kinesthetic).
Strengths	Things a child does well.
Weaknesses	Areas where a child needs improvement.
Learning goals	Skills or knowledge a child is working towards.
Progress	Improvement in learning over time.
Development	The process of growing and learning new skills.
Attention span	The length of time a child can concentrate on something.
Concentration	The ability to focus on an activity.
Processing information	Understanding and using information.

Example sentences:

• My child has difficulty concentrating in class.
• She needs extra support with reading.
• He is making good progress in mathematics.
• My child’s strengths are speaking and creative activities.
• I am concerned about my child’s attention span.

2. Common Learning Challenges

Parents may need to discuss different challenges with their child’s teacher.

Vocabulary	Simple Definition
Reading difficulties	Problems recognizing words or understanding written texts.
Writing difficulties	Problems expressing ideas in writing.
Spelling	Writing words using the correct letters.
Reading comprehension	Understanding what you read.
Math difficulties	Problems understanding mathematical concepts.
Speech and language difficulties	Challenges with speaking, understanding, or using language.
Memory	The ability to remember information.
Organization	The ability to plan and keep things in order.
Following instructions	Understanding and doing what someone asks.
Social skills	Skills used to communicate and interact with others.
Emotional regulation	The ability to understand and manage emotions.
Behavioural challenges	Difficulties with behaviour that may affect learning or relationships.

Example sentences:

• My son struggles with reading comprehension.
• She has difficulty remembering instructions.
• He finds it challenging to organize his schoolwork.
• My child sometimes has difficulty expressing feelings.
• I would like to know how she is doing socially.

3. Types of Learning Support in Canadian Schools

In Canada, schools may offer different types of support depending on the child’s needs, available resources, and school board policies.

Vocabulary	Simple Definition
Extra help	Additional assistance with schoolwork.
Learning support	Help provided to students who need additional assistance.
Small-group instruction	Teaching a small group of students with similar learning needs.
One-on-one support	Individual help from a teacher or support worker.
Special education	Educational services and support for students with special learning needs.
Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT)	A teacher who supports students with special education needs.
Educational Assistant (EA)	A staff member who helps students with learning or other needs.
Accommodations	Changes to how a student learns or demonstrates knowledge without changing the learning expectations.
Modifications	Changes to the grade-level learning expectations.
Individual Education Plan (IEP)	A written plan describing a student’s learning needs, goals, and supports.
Assessment	A process of evaluating a student’s skills, abilities, or learning needs.
Referral	A request for a student to receive additional assessment or support.

Important: Understanding an IEP

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a document that explains the specific learning expectations, accommodations, modifications, and support a student may receive.

For example:

• A student may receive extra time to complete tests.
• A student may use assistive technology.
• A student may receive small-group reading instruction.
• A student may work on modified learning expectations.

An IEP is not necessarily a requirement for every student who needs extra help. Schools and school boards determine appropriate support based on individual circumstances.

4. Useful Verbs for Talking About Learning Needs

These verbs will help you explain your concerns and communicate with teachers.

Verb	Simple Definition	Example
Struggle	Have difficulty doing something.	My child struggles with writing.
Improve	Become better.	I want him to improve his reading skills.
Recognize	Identify or know something.	She has difficulty recognizing letters.
Understand	Know the meaning of something.	He doesn’t understand the instructions.
Concentrate	Give attention to something.	She finds it difficult to concentrate.
Participate	Take part in an activity.	He doesn’t participate in group activities.
Encourage	Give someone confidence or support.	I try to encourage my child to read.
Support	Help someone.	How can I support my child at home?
Assess	Evaluate someone’s abilities or needs.	Can the school assess his reading skills?
Monitor	Watch or check progress over time.	How will you monitor her progress?

5. Useful Expressions for Talking to Your Child’s Teacher

Here are some practical expressions you can use during a parent-teacher meeting.

Explaining your concerns

• I am concerned about my child’s reading skills.
• My child seems to be falling behind in mathematics.
• She has difficulty following instructions.
• He needs more time to complete assignments.
• I have noticed that my child is struggling with homework.

Asking about your child’s progress

• How is my child progressing in reading?
• What areas does my child need to improve?
• Have you noticed any learning difficulties?
• Is my child meeting the grade-level expectations?
• Does my child participate in classroom activities?

Asking for additional support

• What kind of support is available at school?
• Could my child receive extra help with reading?
• Is small-group instruction available?
• Would an assessment be helpful?
• Could I speak with the special education resource teacher?
• Does my child need an Individual Education Plan (IEP)?

Asking how to help at home

• What can I do to support my child’s learning at home?
• Are there any activities you recommend?
• Should we practise reading every day?
• Could you recommend some learning resources?
• How can we work together to help my child improve?

6. Important Differences: Accommodations vs. Modifications

These two terms are commonly used in Canadian schools. It is important to understand the difference.

Accommodations	Modifications
Change how a student learns or demonstrates knowledge.	Change what a student is expected to learn.
Learning expectations remain the same.	Learning expectations are adjusted.
Extra time to complete a test.	Working towards different grade-level expectations.
Using a computer to complete writing tasks.	Completing fewer or different learning expectations.
Sitting near the teacher to reduce distractions.	Learning material from a different grade level, where appropriate.

Remember: Accommodations provide different ways to access learning. Modifications change the learning expectations.

Practice

Exercise 1: Match the vocabulary with its definition

Match each word with the correct definition.

Vocabulary	Definition
1. Concentration	A. Additional help with schoolwork
2. Accommodations	B. The ability to focus
3. Assessment	C. A written plan describing learning needs and support
4. Extra help	D. Changes to how a student learns or demonstrates knowledge
5. IEP	E. The process of evaluating someone’s skills or abilities

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences

Choose the correct word from the box.

Word bank: accommodations · concentrate · extra help · progress · learning difficulties

1. My son has __________ with reading and writing.
2. My daughter finds it difficult to __________ in a noisy classroom.
3. The teacher says my child is making good __________.
4. My child needs __________ with mathematics.
5. What __________ are available to help my child complete tests?

1. My son has ______ with reading and writing.accommodationslearning difficultiesprogress

2. My daughter finds it difficult to ______ in a noisy classroom.concentrateprogressextra help

3. The teacher says my child is making good ______.extra helpprogressaccommodations

4. My child needs ______ with mathematics.concentrateextra helplearning difficulties

5. What ______ are available to help my child complete tests?progressaccommodationsconcentrate

Exercise 3: Choose the best expression

You are meeting your child’s teacher. What would you say?

1. Your child has difficulty reading.

• A. My child is very good at reading.
• B. My child struggles with reading.
• C. My child enjoys reading.

2. You want to know what you can do at home.

• A. What can I do to support my child’s learning at home?
• B. When does school finish?
• C. Can my child go home early?

3. You want to ask about additional support.

• A. Does my child like school?
• B. What time is lunch?
• C. What kind of support is available at school?

Speaking Practice: Talk About Your Child’s Learning Needs

Imagine that you are attending a parent-teacher meeting.

Answer the following questions using the vocabulary and expressions from this article.

1. What subjects does your child enjoy?
2. Which subjects does your child find challenging?
3. Does your child have difficulty reading, writing, or concentrating?
4. What are your child’s strengths?
5. What kind of support would help your child?
6. How can you support your child’s learning at home?

Useful speaking expressions:

• My child is good at…
• My child finds it difficult to…
• I have noticed that…
• I am concerned about…
• I would like to know if…
• I think my child would benefit from…
• At home, we try to…

Canada Tip: Working with Your Child’s School

In Canada, parents are encouraged to communicate with teachers and school staff about their children’s learning needs.

If you have concerns:

1. Arrange a meeting with your child’s classroom teacher.
2. Explain what you have noticed at home.
3. Ask about your child’s strengths and areas for improvement.
4. Find out what support is available at school.
5. Ask whether further assessment or a referral may be appropriate.
6. Discuss how you and the school can work together.

Depending on the school board and your child’s needs, you may also speak with a Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT), school principal, or other support professionals.

Remember that you are an important part of your child’s education. You do not need to know all the educational terms. Asking questions and sharing your concerns is a good first step.

Vocabulary Review: What Have You Learned?

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe your child’s learning strengths and difficulties.
• Explain concerns about reading, writing, mathematics, and concentration.
• Understand common school support services.
• Explain the difference between accommodations and modifications.
• Ask teachers about assessments and additional support.
• Discuss ways to support your child’s learning at home.

Your turn: Practise using three new vocabulary words in sentences about your child’s education. You can also practise explaining your concerns as if you were speaking to your child’s teacher.