Self-esteem is a bit like the foundations of a house. If they are solid, everything built on top has a chance of standing firm, resisting storms, and rising. For a child in primary school, this foundation is built day by day, through their interactions, successes, and, above all, the way they perceive their own failures. At school, where performance is often measured and compared, this base can be put to the test. A failed exercise, a hesitant reading in front of the class, difficulty concentrating… and suddenly a crack appears in the student’s budding confidence.
At Dynseo, we are convinced that technology, when designed with kindness, can become a powerful lever to strengthen this self-esteem. It is in this spirit that we developed our applications COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES. It is not just about offering fun exercises, but about creating an ecosystem where every child, regardless of their strengths or difficulties, can experience success at their own pace. At the same time, we know that the tool does not do everything. The teacher is the cornerstone of this support. That is why we have implemented training dedicated to teachers to help them identify and support students with DYS disorders, those students for whom the school journey is often fraught with obstacles that can undermine their self-esteem.
In this article, we wish to share our vision with you and show you how, concretely, we work to ensure that every small progress is seen, celebrated, and transformed into a solid brick to build your students’ confidence.
Before diving into the solutions we propose, it seems essential to take a moment to understand the very nature of self-esteem and its crucial role during primary school years. It is a pivotal period where the child builds their relationship with knowledge, others, and themselves.
What is self-esteem exactly?
Self-esteem is the judgment or evaluation one makes of their own worth. It rests on three main pillars:
- Self-love: the ability to love oneself unconditionally, regardless of performance.
- Self-image: the image one has of oneself, of one’s qualities and flaws.
- Self-confidence: the belief in one’s ability to act and succeed.
In primary school, these three pillars are constantly challenged. A child will feel loved and valued if they receive encouragement. They will forge a positive self-image if they feel competent. They will develop confidence if they manage to overcome challenges. Conversely, repeated and unsupported failures can undermine each of these components.
The impact of school on building self-esteem
The school environment is, by nature, a place of evaluation. Grades, comments, implicit or explicit comparisons with peers are all mirrors held up to the child. For a student who succeeds without apparent effort, this mirror reflects a gratifying image. But for one who struggles, who must exert considerable effort for a result deemed “average,” the reflection can be painful.
The gaze of the teacher and peers plays a determining role. A child who feels perceived as “slow,” “distracted,” or “struggling” risks internalizing this label and eventually believing it themselves. This is the beginning of a vicious cycle: low self-esteem leads to a fear of failure, which leads to inhibition and disengagement, which inevitably leads to new academic difficulties.
Students with special educational needs: a double penalty
For children with learning disorders, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia (the “DYS disorders”), the situation is even more complex. Not only do they face real cognitive difficulties that make learning harder, but they are also constantly confronted with a gap between the efforts they put in and the results they achieve.
Imagine having to run a marathon in shoes that are too small. You would put all your energy into it, you would suffer, and yet you would arrive well after everyone else. How would you feel? This is somewhat what a dyslexic child experiences when facing a text. The effort is immense, cognitive fatigue is real, and the result (a slow and choppy reading) does not match the investment. Without appropriate support, the child may wrongly conclude: “I am useless.” It is not the effort that is at fault, but the tool that is not suitable.
COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES: a caring environment for progress
In light of this observation, our goal with COCO has been to create a universe where the rules of the game are different. A digital space where the pressure of performance fades in favor of the pleasure of learning and the satisfaction of progressing at one’s own pace. COCO is designed as a learning companion, not as a judge.
A personalized and non-judgmental learning experience
The first strength of COCO is its adaptability. The application continuously evaluates the child’s responses and automatically adjusts the difficulty level of the games. If an exercise is too difficult, COCO will offer a simpler version or another game to work on the same skill in a different way. If it is too easy, the difficulty will gradually increase to keep the child in a stimulating but never discouraging challenge.
In COCO, there is no red ink, no angry “X” crossing out an answer. An error is nothing more than information for the application, a step in the learning process. The child can make mistakes, try again, without the gaze of others. This private and secure dimension is fundamental for daring to take risks, and thus for learning.
Valuing effort, not just results
In the traditional school system, it is often the final result that is graded. With COCO, we emphasize the process and participation. Every game played, every attempt, is rewarded. The child earns “acorns,” the currency of the game, which allows them to customize their avatar or unlock new elements.
This reward system shifts the focus. The goal is no longer to get “everything right” to please the teacher or be the top of the class, but to participate for one’s own enjoyment and see their engagement materialized by a concrete and immediate reward. It is a way of telling the child: “Your effort has value, regardless of the result.”
Games to learn, not to evaluate
Our catalog of over 30 games covers a wide range of cognitive functions: memory, logic, language, attention, visual-spatial perception… Each game has been co-designed with health professionals (speech therapists, neuropsychologists) to target specific skills in a playful way.
- COCO THINKS focuses on fundamental cognitive functions, with games for calculation, vocabulary, reasoning…
- COCO MOVES adds a motor dimension by offering activities that link movement to thought, which is particularly beneficial for children who need to move to concentrate or for those with dyspraxia.
The playful dressing (endearing characters, a colorful universe) helps to demystify learning. The child does not feel like they are “working” or taking a test, but rather playing. This approach reduces performance anxiety and frees the child’s cognitive resources so they can focus on the task itself.
How does COCO concretely value every progress?
Valuing progress is much more than just a slogan for us. It is a guiding principle that has infused every aspect of our applications’ design. Here is how this translates tangibly for the student and for you, the teacher.
The reward system: intrinsic motivation
We mentioned the acorns. Their role is crucial. By allowing the child to customize their avatar (changing clothes, buying accessories), we give them control over their gaming environment. This avatar becomes their representative in the world of COCO. Improving it is symbolically improving oneself. Motivation is no longer just extrinsic (getting a good grade) but becomes intrinsic (the pleasure of seeing their avatar evolve through their own efforts). This is a powerful driver of perseverance.
Adaptive difficulty levels: the “zone of proximal development”
This concept, developed by psychologist Lev Vygotsky, refers to the space between what a child can do alone and what they can do with help. It is in this zone that learning is most effective. Our algorithms are precisely designed to keep the child in this zone.
- No crushing failure: If the child fails several times in a row at a level, the application does not persist. It will offer a lower level or another game to avoid frustration and feelings of helplessness.
- No boredom: Conversely, if the child succeeds too easily, the challenge will increase to avoid monotony and maintain their interest.
Thanks to this fine adaptation, each gaming session is an opportunity to feel a sense of competence. The child succeeds in challenges that are within their reach, reinforcing their belief that they are capable of learning and progressing.
A visible progress tracking for both the child and the teacher
For progress to be valued, it must be visible. COCO offers a simple and visual dashboard that allows the child to see their evolution. They can observe their scores improving over time, see the levels they have unlocked… It is tangible proof that their efforts pay off.
For you, the teacher, we have developed a more detailed tracking platform. It provides you with valuable data on each student’s performance, not to grade them, but to better understand and support them. You can identify:
- The strengths of each student.
- The skills that require particular support.
- The evolution of their performance over time.
This objective data allows you to personalize your pedagogy and value the specific progress of each child based on concrete facts. You can tell a student: “Look, last month you took an average of 30 seconds for this calculation game, and now you are at 20 seconds. Well done for your efforts!” This targeted recognition has a much stronger impact than a general compliment.
Beyond the digital tool: training teachers to support DYS disorders
A tool, no matter how effective, can only express its full potential when used by expert hands and an enlightened mind. We know that you, teachers, are on the front lines facing the diversity of student profiles. Supporting a child with DYS disorders requires specific knowledge and strategies.
Why is specific training essential?
DYS disorders are often invisible. A dyslexic child does not have a vision problem, a dyspraxic child is not “clumsy” due to lack of will. Understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying these difficulties is the first step to adopting a kind and guilt-free perspective on the student. It is to stop thinking in terms of “he doesn’t want to” and to think in terms of “he can’t do it this way.”
Proper training gives you the keys to decode the behaviors of these students, to anticipate their difficulties, and, above all, to implement simple and effective pedagogical adaptations that can radically change their school experience and preserve their self-esteem.
Our training: “Identifying and Supporting DYS Disorders in Primary School”
Aware of this need, we have designed an online training program specifically aimed at primary school teachers. Our goal is to provide you with theoretical and practical tools to feel more comfortable and effective in supporting all your students. The program revolves around several axes:
- Understanding: What is dyslexia, dysorthography, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, ADHD? We demystify these terms and explain their concrete impact on learning.
- Identifying: What are the warning signs that should attract your attention in class? We provide you with observation grids and clear indicators for effective pre-identification, without turning you into diagnosticians.
- Supporting: This is the heart of our training. We offer you a range of concrete strategies and pedagogical adjustments to implement in your classroom: adaptations of materials, oral instructions, use of compensatory tools, time management, etc.
From theory to practice: tools for the classroom
Our approach is not purely theoretical. We know that your time is precious and that you need directly applicable solutions. The training gives you access to practical sheets, concrete examples, and case studies. It shows you how tools like COCO can fit into a comprehensive support strategy, serving as a support to work on specific skills in a playful and differentiated manner.
The alliance between the teacher, the student, and the tool: a virtuous circle
Our vision is not to oppose humans and machines, but to make them collaborate to create a more inclusive and fulfilling learning environment. It is the synergy between the teacher, the student, and the tool that allows for the sustainable construction of self-esteem.
The teacher as conductor
With the information from our training and the data provided by the COCO tracking platform, you become a true conductor. You have a fine understanding of each student’s needs. You can propose COCO as a personalized training workshop, and then reinvest the skills worked on in collective activities. You are the one who gives meaning to progress, who verbalizes successes, and who encourages in the face of difficulties.
The student as an active participant in their learning
Thanks to COCO, the student is no longer a passive receiver of knowledge. They become an actor. They choose certain games, they see the direct impact of their effort on their avatar and scores, they experience autonomy. This feeling of control over their learning journey is an extremely powerful confidence lever. They learn that they have the power to act on their difficulties and overcome them.
COCO, the discreet and encouraging companion
The application plays the role of the ideal training partner: always available, patient, non-judgmental, and capable of proposing the right challenge. It offers a secure framework where the student can practice as many times as necessary, away from the social pressure of the classroom. It materializes progress and makes learning fun.
In conclusion, building a child’s self-esteem is a delicate and essential craftsmanship. Every interaction, every school experience leaves a mark. At Dynseo, our mission is to provide you with the best tools so that these marks are positive and constructive. With COCO, we offer the child a space to succeed and gain confidence in their abilities. With our training, we give you, the teachers, the keys to become even more effective confidence builders, capable of seeing and valuing the unique potential that lies behind each student, especially those for whom the path through school is more challenging. For we are convinced that a child who believes in themselves is a child ready to learn, to grow, and to move mountains.
The article “Self-esteem in Primary School: COCO VALUES Every Small Progress” highlights the importance of strengthening self-confidence in children from a young age. A related topic is addressed in another article that focuses on supporting adults with autism, emphasizing the importance of personalized support to foster personal and social development. To learn more about this topic, you can read the article Supporting Adults with Autism. This article explores strategies and tools to help autistic adults thrive in their daily lives.
