Reaching The Child Who Struggles From The Start
Most educators will agree that every student learns differently. There are no two students who learn in exactly the same way. Understanding this and being able to build your lesson plans such that all learners can benefit from it is part of being a good teacher.
The difficulty arises when you have a pupil who appears to be struggling from the outset. It is consequently critical not only to detect the problem but also to determine why the learner is struggling and how you may best assist him or her.
How can you spot a struggling learner?
You may not always be alerted to a learner who requires additional assistance. As a result, it is critical to recognize the indicators of a struggling student.
As you begin the school year with your class, you may notice a learner who is struggling right away. This learner may be unable to keep up with peers and may not understand the lessons. There could be a variety of reasons for this. A youngster may have an underlying learning problem that has yet to be identified. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, and auditory processing problems are excellent places to start. You will need to collaborate with the child study team to determine the root cause of the problem.
Once you’ve discovered why the learner is having difficulty, you can collaborate with the team to develop a learning plan for the learner.
What can you do in the classroom?
There are things you can do in the classroom to support the student after you have the necessary knowledge.
You could approach teaching in simple steps. In this manner, you will only impart small chunks of material at a time. This allows the struggling learner to properly absorb and assimilate what you are teaching before moving on and developing the principles being taught.
Giving this type of learner the opportunity for hands-on, multisensory learning is also quite valuable. Because no two students learn in the same way, having multiple ways to learn the same lesson is excellent. All learners can benefit from using materials such as handheld chalkboards with chalk or a sponge and water, foam letters, letter tiles, counting cubes, and so on. Use as many of the five senses as possible.
Timing is everything.
Try to time your lessons as efficiently as possible. Is your struggler more alert first thing in the morning? Then, first and foremost, present new notions. Is the learner more settled now that he or she has expended energy after recess? Perhaps this is a good moment to begin a new lesson. It’s also a good idea to keep the lesson brief and sweet. As a result, the student is not overburdened.
It takes a village to get things done.
It is critical to communicate with parents and caregivers at home. Make sure you have an open line so you can collaborate. This reduces anxiety and stumbling obstacles for the learner and helps to put the learner up for personal success.