Question -What is slow learner?
Answer :-
A “slow learner” is not a diagnostic category, it is a term people use to describe a student who has the ability to learn necessary academic skills, but at rate and depth below average same age peers. In order to grasp new concepts, a slow learner needs more time, more repetition, and often more resources from teachers to be successful. Reasoning skills are typically delayed, which makes new concepts difficult to learn.
Question:-How we identify them?
Answer :-
The characteristics of a slow learner are:
- Functions significantly below grade level.
- Is prone to immature interpersonal relationships.
- Has difficulty following multi-step directions.
- Lives in the present and does not have long-range goals.
- Has few internal strategies (i.e. organisational skills, difficulty transferring and generalising information.)
- Scores consistently low in achievement tests.
- Works well with "hands-on" material (i.e. labs, manipulative activities.)
- Has a poor self-image.
- Works on all tasks slowly.
- Masters skills slowly; some skills may not be mastered at all.
Question : - What I do after my child have slow learning problem ?
Answer :-
Here are some tips on how to work with slow learners:
- Reduce distractions by providing a quiet, private place to work.
- Emphasise strengths. Use lots of praise and reinforcement frequently.
- Make lessons short. Limit the working time and have several short work periods rather than one long one.
- Add variety to the academic routine. Do active things and use educational games, puzzles, and other techniques as much as possible.
- Work on material that is somewhat challenging but allows success. Work that is too hard or too easy is a turn-off.
- Make learning fun and comfortable. Your positive attitude is very important.
- Encourage your child to talk to you. Ask what he did in school. Ask what was the best part of his/her day. Ask questions about the TV shows he/she watches. Talk about what he/she has heard, done, and plans to do. Communicate with your students.
- Go over his/her daily work to reinforce the learning. Slow learners need repetition.
- Provide meaningful, concrete activities rather than abstract ones.
- Give short, specific directions and have your child repeat them back to you.
- READ! Set an example by reading yourself. Read to the student and have the student read to you.
- Work closely with the teacher to help strengthen academic areas that are weak in school.
- Stress the importance of education.
- Encourage the student to explore an area of interest to him/her.
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