Few children like doing homework, but what do you do when your child consistently refuses to complete his homework assignments? Talk to your child about the problem. Take time out so you can talk undisturbed. Assume she wants to do well at school and to please you and communicate this to her in your attitude. Above all, be non-confrontational. If you give her the message that she's unmotivated and lazy, she's likely to respond negatively. The most important thing is to find something she can succeed at. It doesn't have to be academic, it could also be artistic, athletic or practical - can she build things? Is she musical? Is she a good cook? Find your child’s talents and help her exploit them.

Explain you're worried that she'll find it difficult to get a good job later in life, if she doesn't do well at school. What does she say in answer to questions like 'Do you find the work difficult to do?' and if she says she finds the work difficult, ask if there's anything you (or the school) can do to help.

Ask her 'What's your best subject at school?' and 'What subjects do you like?' as this will give you something to build on, and outlines areas where she can perform well. Ask 'Which teachers do you like?' and 'Why?' This will be useful for clues as to how she should be encouraged to learn and the best way to motivate her. Ask 'What's stopping you from getting your assignments in on time?' Let her take some responsibility for solving her own problems. Listen to her, and encourage her to commit to doing something.

A good teacher encourages, supports, and helps the pupil to want to learn. Shouting, impatience, and telling-offs all make learning an unpleasant experience. Your child no doubt wants to do well but if she feels pressured, she'll get nervous and scared of failing.

If you want to help, be calm and low-key. Don't get anxious, you'll make her anxious too. Get her to break up the tasks she has to do into manageable chunks and divide up the time she has to complete them. Talk to her about the bits she finds difficult and when she gets it wrong, don't quarrel with her, instead encourage her to try again. Praise her when she gets it right.

Your overall objective should be to find her talents and encourage her to develop them so that she can succeed at school and carry forward that feeling of success into later life. It won't be easy but persevere now before a pattern of failure and low achievement is established.