Strategies for motivating slow-learners in the classroom

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Strategies for motivating slow-learners in the
classroom

• Prepared and presented by
• Abdelaziz Adnani

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• You will never leave where you are, until you
  decide where
• you'd rather be.
• Dexter Yager

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• Your aspirations are your possibilities.
• 
  Samuel Johnson

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• If constructive thoughts are planted positive
  outcomes will be the result. Plant the seeds of
  failure and failure will follow.
• 
  Sidney Madwed

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• Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires
  less energy to go faster and farther when the
  wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform
  better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions,
  goals, and values are in balance.
• 
  Brian Tracy

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What do we know about slow-learners

• Prone to be immature in interpersonal
  relationships
• Have difficulties following multi-step directions
• Do not develop long term goals
• Tend to live in the present only

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What do we know about slow-learners

• Tend to have a poor self image due to awareness
  that they dont keep up
• Work on all tasks slowly but can be methodical
• Do not have strategies for problem solving or
  decision making

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• Also
• They do well with manipulative or hands-on tasks
• Can perform repetitive tasks well
• Can master skills when broken into steps

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The problem is

• Slow learners need help but special education is
  not the answer.
• Testing is not the answer
• Setting higher achievement standards and goals is
  not the answer
• How do we help them succeed?

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How to monitor these students better?

• 1. Picture book Some pupils are more interested
  in learning, but slow-learners still cant read.
  
• Choosing a suitable picture book is the key
  consideration.
• 2. Peer guidance some pupils get help and
  improve their alphabetic knowledge, but some
  others dont.
• 3. Heterogeneous grouping willing slow-learners
  
• benefit most, but unwilling ones sometimes
  stay as indifferent as before.

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How to monitor these students better?

• 4. Playing games Pupils are interested in class.
  However, T has to be selective about which
• games involve more Ss and help with
  slow-learners more.
• 5. Multi-media instruction Pupils become
  interested in learning. However, they may not
  have access to the equipment at home.

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Suggestions

• Other activities can be included in teaching
• to make learning English more fun
• - Creative work e.g., art craft
• - Songs
• - Learning by doing e.g., making a sandwich
• - Field teaching e.g., going to the
  Scientific Centre / convenience stores
• 2. Try to avoid giving too many quizzes.
  (quizzes pressure)

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Suggestions

• 3. Future plan If peer guidance can help,
• how do we motivate
  fast-
• learners to be
  enthusiastic
• about helping slow-
• learners?

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Examples of interventions for slow learners

• Environment
• Reduce distractions.
• Change seating to promote attentiveness.
• Have a peer student teacher, and allow more
  breaks.

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Examples of interventions for slow learners

• Assignments
• Make assignments shorter and with more variation.
  
• Repeat work assignments in various forms.
• Give more hands-on work.
• Have assignments copied by students.
• Have students use three transfer method.

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Examples of interventions for slow learners

• Assessment
• Use shorter tests.
• Use oral tests when possible..
• Redoing tests.
• Short feedback times.
• Dont make students compete.
• Have test errors redone correctly.
• Give more hands on assignments.

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Examples of interventions for slow learners

• What to avoid
• Dont use cooperative learning that isolates the
  student and places him or her in a no-win
  situation.

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Examples of interventions for slow learners

• What to encourage
• Grouping with a patient partner.
• Learning about the childs interests.
• Placing the student in charge.  
• Mapping, graphic organizers, and hands-on work.

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Proven ideas to help slow learners

• Use the Three Transfer form of learning, in
  which the student must take information and do
  three things with it beside reading.  For
  example,
• read it, explain it to someone else, draw a
  picture of it, and take notes on it.
• Be patient but consistent.
• Do not reward unfinished tasks.

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Proven ideas to help slow learners

• Provide a quiet place to work, where the child
  can be easily observed and motivated.
• Keep homework sessions short.
• Add a variety of tasks to the learning even if
  not assigned, such as painting a picture of a
  reading assignment.

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Proven ideas to help slow learners

• Allow for success.
• Teach how to use a calendar to keep track of
  assignments.
• Read to the child.

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Tell me and I forget, Teach me and remember
, Involve me and I learn.
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• Thank you