If your child is becoming frustrated with English, avoiding homework or losing confidence in class, it can be hard to know whether they need more time, more support or a different learning environment. Perhaps you have heard them say, “English is boring,” or noticed that homework often ends in tears and frustration.
The reassuring news is that struggling with English doesn’t define a child’s ability or potential. It also doesn’t necessarily mean your child has dyslexia. With the right teaching, structure and encouragement, many students can develop the skills and confidence they need to engage more positively with reading, writing and communication.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. More importantly, neither is your child. The first thing to understand is that literacy difficulties don’t look the same for every child.
One student might stumble over reading aloud or struggle with comprehension, while another might find spelling, grammar, or putting their thoughts into writing almost impossible. Some children have creative minds brimming with ideas yet find it incredibly frustrating that they can’t translate those thoughts into words on a page.
This is why the right support matters. Addressing a child’s specific literacy challenges before they become bigger barriers can make a real difference to their progress and self-belief.
How can I tell if my child is struggling with English?
Recognising that your child needs extra support with English isn’t always straightforward, especially when they may be trying hard to hide their difficulties or don’t quite understand why certain tasks feel so challenging.
Common signs to look out for include:
- Finding it difficult to explain what they have read or answer questions about a text.
- Reading fluently but struggling to understand the meaning, themes or key details in a passage.
- Difficulty learning and using new vocabulary.
- Producing written work that lacks structure, detail or clear sequencing.
- Repeated spelling, punctuation or grammar errors.
If you’re noticing several of these signs consistently, it’s worth exploring practical ways to support your child. It’s essential to understand that these difficulties don’t indicate a lack of ability, effort or imagination. In fact, many children who struggle with English are bright, creative thinkers who simply need a different approach.
Why do some children find English difficult?
There is rarely one single reason that a child struggles with English. They may have missed some teaching because of illness, a school move or disruption to learning.
Although not quite as linear as maths, English is made up of interconnected abilities that support and reinforce one another. When one area becomes challenging, it can create a ripple effect that makes other aspects of learning more difficult.
It is also worth remembering that children learn differently. One pupil may respond well to structured classroom learning, while another may need interactive activities, more shared reading or one-to-one support to improve literacy skills.
Why do English gaps become harder to manage over time?
Over time these literacy gaps become harder to manage as reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension combine to help children access texts across English and other subjects. Spelling, grammar and punctuation directly affect a student’s confidence in writing, even when they have strong ideas.
The challenge deepens when a child finds reading difficult. If they spend all their energy decoding words, they have little capacity left to understand and analyse the text. Likewise, students who lack confidence in writing may avoid it altogether, missing the practice needed to develop structure, accuracy and personal style.
Most importantly, literacy skills extend far beyond English lessons themselves. Students need to read instructions, understand exam questions, communicate ideas clearly and write extended responses in virtually every subject. That’s why the goal shouldn’t be to improve a grade quickly, but to understand where the challenge lies and build secure, lasting skills.
Six practical ways to help a child who is struggling with English
Is your child struggling with English? Here are six practical tips for supporting them:
1. Read together daily
One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve literacy skills is to read with your child daily, without making it feel like a test.
Reading long passages can feel overwhelming, so sharing the load makes a big difference. Take turns reading pages aloud, read in unison or let your child follow along while you read.
If reading aloud together is challenging, audiobooks are a helpful alternative. Pairing an audiobook with the text lets your child hear fluent reading while following the words on the page.
Keeping reading consistent and enjoyable is key. Let your child choose what they would like to read. This could include:
- graphic novels
- magazines
- joke books
- short stories
- fact books
The goal is to build a positive relationship with language while improving your child’s confidence and English skills.
2. Build vocabulary through play and conversation
Strong vocabulary is the foundation of reading comprehension and confident writing. A child who encounters too many unfamiliar words when reading quickly loses understanding of the material. Similarly, they may struggle to choose the right words when it comes to expressing ideas clearly and precisely in writing.
Building vocabulary doesn’t have to feel like a chore. For younger children, word games, rhyming activities and spotting new words in books all make vocabulary a natural part of daily life. For older children, talk about word meanings during and after shared reading, ask them to guess meanings from context, and make a habit of noticing interesting or unusual words together.
3. Making phonics and sounds awareness part of daily life
Difficulties with reading often begin at the phonics stage. If a child struggles to sound out words, everything else becomes much harder.
The ability to hear, identify and work with sounds in spoken language can be practiced anywhere. For younger children, practical activities include:
- Make rhyming a game at mealtimes.
- Play games like ‘sound detective’, asking your child to identify the different sounds in words.
- Clap out syllables in family names, favourite foods or characters from a book.
If your child is older and you suspect difficulties with phonics, it’s worth raising this with their teacher or seeking specialist support.
4. Encourage writing for real, everyday purposes
The biggest barriers for a child struggling with writing is a blank page or a topic they might not be interested in and the knowledge that it will be marked. Writing for everyday life removes that pressure.
There are many ways you can encourage your child to express their ideas. Depending on their age and ability, why not try writing:
- a card for a friend or family member
- a shopping list
- a personal diary
- captions for photos from a day out
- imaginative stories about their toys
Writing regularly in a relaxed environment builds fluency, confidence and the habit of getting ideas onto a page.
For children who find the act of writing difficult alongside coming up with ideas, try separating the two: let them speak their thoughts while you type, or experiment with speech-to-text tools. Once ideas are captured, the writing process feels far less daunting.
5. Break writing tasks into manageable stages
Many children struggle with writing not because they lack ideas, but because they try to organise the idea and make it sound good, all at once. Breaking it down into manageable stages can help your child approach writing in steps:
- Discuss – talk through ideas before anything is written down.
- Note – jot down key words or phrases without worrying about sentences.
- Plan – consider how to on structure and order.
- Draft – write freely without stopping to correct errors.
- Review – read it aloud and work together to make changes.
Simple visual ways for planning can be especially helpful for children who find structure and sequencing difficult. Breaking the process down like this reduces writing anxiety and helps children with strong ideas get those ideas onto the page.
6. Speak to your child’s teacher
Teachers can often provide useful insight into what is happening in the classroom. They may be able to identify a particular gap in knowledge, suggest resources, clarify the methods being taught or explain which aspects of English are the challenge.
Useful questions to ask include:
- Which areas of English does my child find most difficult?
- Are there particular literacy skills they should practise at home?
- Do they understand the teaching in class but struggle to work independently?
- Which methods and vocabulary are being used in school?
- What progress would be realistic over the next term?
Understanding how your child is learning at school can help you gauge what methods are best suited to your child’s needs and learning style and where the knowledge gaps are.
When might extra English support help?
Extra support can be useful when a child has persistent gaps in learning, low confidence or increasing anxiety around reading and writing. The right option will depend on the child, the nature of the difficulty and the family’s circumstances.
Possible forms of support include:
- additional help or intervention within school;
- a homework club or small-group catch-up session;
- online English tutoring;
- one-to-one English tutoring in-person;
- structured revision resources and guided activities;
- support from a specialist teacher where appropriate;
- live online learning or an online school setting.
For some children, a smaller group, more opportunities to ask questions and teaching at a more manageable pace can be particularly beneficial. Others may prefer face-to-face support, practical resources or help from a familiar teacher at school.
Can online learning help a child who is struggling with English?
Online learning can be a helpful option for some children, particularly when it includes live teaching rather than relying only on independent worksheets or recorded videos.
A well-structured live online lesson can allow students to ask questions in the moment and receive feedback as they practise. It may also offer more flexibility for families managing health needs, anxiety, travel, caring responsibilities or a timetable that does not suit a traditional school day.
However, online learning is not automatically the right choice for every child. Before choosing an online course, tutor or school, it can be helpful to consider:
- whether lessons are live and interactive;
- class size and how easily students can ask for help;
- how teachers assess gaps in knowledge;
- whether teaching is adapted to the child’s starting point;
- how progress is monitored and shared with parents;
- what pastoral and technical support is available;
- whether your child is comfortable learning online.
The most important factor is finding a setting where your child feels supported, understood and able to participate without fear of getting things wrong.
When should I seek further advice?
If difficulties with literacy are persistent, severe or affecting your child’s wellbeing, it may be worth discussing your concerns with their school’s SENCO or another appropriate member of staff. They can help consider whether further assessment or specialist support may be helpful.
Some children experience specific and ongoing difficulties with phonics, spelling and punctuation, that are not explained simply by missed learning or a lack of effort. Dyslexia is one possible explanation, although only an appropriately qualified professional can assess this. Seeking advice does not mean labelling a child; it can help families and schools understand what support may be most effective.
Helping your child rebuild confidence in English
A child who is struggling with English does not need to master everything at once. Small, consistent steps are often more effective than long, stressful study sessions.
Start by finding out what feels difficult, revisit the skills underneath it and celebrate genuine progress along the way. Whether the right next step is support in school, practice at home, tutoring, a small group or live online learning, the goal is the same: helping your child feel more secure, capable and willing to keep trying.
To learn more about how TLC LIVE could help your child with their literacy skills, either through private online tuition or online schooling, get in touch today.
FAQ
Can online learning help a child who is struggling with English?
Yes. A well-structured online learning environment can support children who are struggling with English by providing live teaching, regular interaction with a qualified teacher, structured practice and progress monitoring. At TLC LIVE, students learn in small live classes with qualified subject-specialist teachers, giving them more opportunity to ask questions and receive personalised feedback.
What are the first signs that a child is struggling with English?
Common signs include avoiding reading aloud or writing tasks, frustration with English homework, difficulty understanding what they’ve read, repeated spelling or grammar errors, trouble organising ideas in writing and a noticeable drop in confidence or willingness to engage.
Why does my child struggle with writing when they have good ideas?
Many children can articulate ideas clearly in conversation but find it difficult to organise, write and refine them. They may need support with planning, structuring sentences, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation or managing the many demands of writing all at once. Breaking writing into stages and using planning tools can make a significant difference.
Is online English learning suitable for GCSE students?
Yes. TLC LIVE supports Key Stage 4 students working towards IGCSEs with structured lessons, qualified teachers and consistent support across English and other core subjects.
Will my child have to be on camera during online lessons?
No. TLC LIVE uses a no-camera approach, meaning students are not required to have their cameras on. They can still participate fully through activities, chat, audio and direct interaction with their teacher.
Can my child join TLC LIVE during the school year?
Yes. Students can join at any half-term point, rather than needing to wait for the beginning of a new term or school year.