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In this term paper we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning and Definition of Slow Learner 2. Classification of Slow Learner Children 3. Characteristics 4. Etiology 5. Problem 6. Remedial Procedure 7. Development 8. Educational Provision.
Term Paper Contents:
- Term Paper on the Meaning and Definition of Slow Learner
- Term Paper on the Classification of Slow Learner Children
- Term Paper on the Characteristics of Slow Learners
- Term Paper on the Etiology of Slow Learners Children (Causes)
- Term Paper on the Problem of Slow Learner Children
- Term Paper on the Remedial Procedure for Slow Learners Children
- Term Paper on the Development of Slow Learner Children
- Term Paper on the Educational Provision for Slow Learners
Term Paper # 1. Meaning and Definition of Slow Learner:
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Slow learners constitute an appreciable fraction of our population. As Burl (1973) has rightly pointed out the term ‘backward’ or ‘slow learner’ is reserved for those children who are unable to cope with the work normally expected of their age group. Kirk (1962) took ‘rate of learner’ as the basis for identifying slow learners. According to him, the slow learners, gifted and the average children can be classified according to their ‘rate of learning’.
He also strictly refused to equate slow learners with mentally retarded because the former is capable of achieving a moderate degree of academic success even though at a slower rate than the average child. As an adult, a slow learner usually becomes self-supporting, independent and socially adjusted; but in the early stage, he adapts himself to regular class programme which fit in with his slower learning ability.
The term ‘slow learner’ is frequently used to cover various groups of children otherwise referred to ‘dull’, ‘retarded’ or ‘educationally subnormal’. In the present circumstances it is used more widely to indicate the fairly large group of children whose learning is slowed down by one or more factors of which limited ability may be one.
The common factor with all pupils seen was some measure of educational retardation, the contributing factors being manifold e.g., cultural and poverty, family inadequacies and parental disharmony. Pupils from such homes as these may well function as ‘slow learner’ even through their intellectual potential may be considerable higher.
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Previously psychologists held that slow learning is directly related to intellectual ability. But recent studies in this regard revealed that heredity alone is not responsible for the backwardness of the child; but environment contributes significantly to the scholastic achievement of the child. The backward child is a slow learner and he finds it difficult to keep pace with the normal child in his school work. Taking only I.Q. into consideration, we cannot call a child who is a slow learner, mentally retarded. On the whole the only difference between a slow learner and the average child is his slower rate.
Slow learner is not discussed in the standard special education text-book. In fact, slow learners are not special education students. Slow learners receive additional supportive services, in the regular classroom, curricula and learning. Some slow earners are not special education classroom or because they would otherwise fail in the regular classroom, even though they do not have special education needs.
There is no diagnostic or descriptive profile that characterises the slow learner. Slow learners are describing by their specific academic weakness.
During the last several years there has been increased interest in the education of slow learners, otherwise known as backward pupils in schools. These groups as has been said does not come under special education categorisation, yet because of their incidence in the classroom there is a need for prevention and treatment of backwardness, whether they are in ordinary schools or in special education classes. The word ‘slow learner children’ is a broad generic term as stated by Tansley and Guilford, (1971).
Term Paper # 2. Classification of Slow Learner Children:
These ‘slow learners’ can be placed under three categories:
Those who show signs of brain damage or neurological deficit like Aphasias (can see and read the words but cannot say what it means-can bear words but cannot given their meaning-can hear and see words but cannot write). The use of unaffected sensory apparatus (Vision of Hearing) and hand in building up proper meaningful associations yield positive result in these cases.
Reports reveal that some children have either been forced to change from their left-handedness to right-handedness or have a ‘Split-literality’ (Crossed-Eye-Hand Dominance), i.e., they have a dominant right-handedness with a left eyeless or difference in the perception and shape of the object through their left and right eyes. This is popularly known as ‘Primary Reading Disability’.
Research has shown that specific reading disabilities (dyslexia) are seen in about 10-12 percent of school-sense children who are intellectually normal. They have a poor sense of self-esteem and some children show signs of mind depression. They have adequate vision; but their reading ability is retarded. Usually this disability is more pronounced in the boy than in girls. Very often, these children show signs of tension in habitual manipulation of body parts, and aggressive behaviour. These children can memorise will, often spell words or numbers without working that they are spelling or having a “numbers-sense”.
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Term Paper # 3. Characteristics of Slow Learner:
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One of the most frequent complaints about backward children is the weakness of the memory. Burt (1946) remarked ‘or all special mental disabilities that hamper educational progress, the most frequent is a weakness in what may be termed as long distance memory’. Dull children need to go over mental more times before it is fixed in their minds, and more frequent revision is required to prevent forgetting. There is no doubt the ESN or slow learning children have poorer powers of retention than average children but it would be a mistake to assume that remedy lies in repetition. The quality of imparting initial learning is important.
1. Slow learners have limited cognitive capacity. They fail to dope with learning situations and to reason abstractly. Rational thinking becomes practically impossible. They have the capacity to succeed in rote-learning. These children show interested in learning where relationships are clearly demonstrated. With regard to retentive memories they require more practice and revision in comparison with normal children.
2. One of the pertinent characteristics of slow learners is poor memory. It occurs due to lack of concentration, it is impossible to say how much a child can learn and retain although he is motivated externally and internally. Experimental evidences reveal that very often the dull children can recall facts about their local cricket team as well as its players.
3. Classroom situations include distraction and lack of concentration of slow learners. This typical behaviour is also associated with poor motivation. Again different studies also report that when the learning material are presented through concrete situations, the slow learner’s concentration and attention do not differ significantly from that of a normal child.
4. Inability to express his ideas through language is another significant characteristic of a slow learner. A slow learner also lacks imagination and foresight. He faces difficulty to foresee consequences in the future.
5. In developing societies, has slow learners invite social as well as educational problems. Of course, some dull children are very poor in scholastic achievements in the school. Their performance is not satisfactory. But some children who come from sophisticated homes show good performance, because they get help and encouragement from home. This is only possible at the primary stage of education. But at the secondary stage, the frustrations and failures come from different sources. The children develop an attitude of resentment towards the authorities and create problems. This kind of attitude may lead to anti-social behaviour in the future.
The above characteristics of slow learner are related to three major areas:
I. Physical Characteristics,
II. Weakness of Attention, and
III. Feeling of Insecurity.
The details of these areas are given as follows:
I. Physical Characteristics:
There are three groups of children who are shown to develop both mentally and physically and three appears to be a slow growth potential resulting in all round immaturity.
(i) The ENS/slow learning children are poor in dressing, using drawing and writing materials and tools. They need large practice in climbing, jumping, skipping, dancing, games etc. They also need feelings of success and confidence and improved social development.
(ii) Man ESN children have better physical development than mental development.
(iii) Children whose capacity to learn is reduced because of sickness, minor ailments, malnutrition etc. The children can be screened for sensory defects if any which are not easily observed but affect the learning and adjustment of children. Regular physical and motor development activities can be introduced to benefit these slow learners.
II. Weakness of Attention:
One cause of poor memory is weakness in attention. These children and restless and destructible. There are evidences of avoidance resulting from previous failure and consequent dislike of a subject. They often glance at words than read them carefully. Attention may be poor because of mismatched or irrelevant materials. The method of presenting learning materials may not facilitate accurate perception of it.
One of the say’s in which memory of slow learners can be improved is by ensuring that as many associations are made as possible. These children are weak in this regard. The teacher must therefore pay special attention to getting children to see links which brighter children would probably see for themselves various sensory modalities can be used to present the links and associations. For example the word ‘night’ can be first sequence of letters n-i-g-h-t.
Then visual displaying, speaking, asking him to write down, and linking it with light, sight, plight. What is important-presenting the material in a way that facilitates the making of generalizations. Meaningful associations are of great importance. Woods can be taught by appropriate actions here, there, down, up, over, under. The slow learner can learn by understanding and then they need more repetition, revision and practice to retain.
III. Feeling of Insecurity:
Slow learning children have a feeling of insecurity which arise out of personal inadequacy physical or mental. They are unable to control feelings of aggression or outbursts. The ESN children continuously seek attention and approval of the teacher. They do experience the need for acceptance from the peer groups.
The isolated child may withdraw still further. School should provide means for successful achievement which will enhance the sense of self-esteem. These children are more dependent and have limited capacity for taking responsibilities, opportunities for becoming independence and responsible are to be provided in the school. They are as such not curious. If school can offer security and affection it can go a long way in the education of slow learners.
On the other hand, children whose basic needs have been inadequately satisfied they may be difficult to motivate to learn. They instead are upset by feelings of hostility and jealousy or riddled with anger with anger for their own failures. They use several defenses: immaturity, regression, compensatory activity, withdrawal, fantasy.
The characteristics are not directly related to low intelligence so much as to the educational consequences of low intelligence. Educational and social failures are to be avoided in planning activities in the school.
The teacher in trying to promote social and emotional development must try to recognise the where the child is and start from that point. The child has to learn how to control socially unacceptable expressions of temper, jealousy, egocentricity.
The family is of first importance in creating a sense of security. The child besides other family conditions (disharmony, separation) feels insufficient share or affection or is disappointed then there is an emotional problem. School can provide experience of success but attitude of the family is more important. Parents are not prepared to accept the child’s backwardness. Sometimes, they are over anxious which contributes the education backwardness.
Term Paper # 4. Etiology of Slow Learners Children (Causes):
Educationally subnormal children or slow learning children were pupils who by reasons of limited ability or other conditions resulting in educational retardation required some specialised form of education, wholly or partly in substitution for the education normally given in ordinary schools.
These terminologies have less stigmatised effect. They neither are nor based on medical or psychological categorisation but purely on educational needs. The causes of the educational backwardness are- school absence, ill health, unfavourable school and home conditions, and emotional barriers to learning. The cause is not so much of limited ability. Therefore, these children need suitable arrangements in ordinary school. The forms that special educational treatment should take will need to vary according to local circumstances. The causes of slow learning are many.
Some important ones are discussed below:
(1) Poverty:
In a developing country like India, poverty is considered to be the primary cause of slow learning.
Poverty affects children in two ways:
(i) By impairing children’s health, and
(ii) By reducing their learning capacity.
Again, it brings rare opportunities to acquire general knowledge through enriched experience. In other words a child from a sophisticated family has a variety of avenues to explore and he gets plenty of materials to meet his requirements. He gets educational toys and books which are conductive to acquire general knowledge to improve his educational background. On the contrary, a child from an impoverished family does not get enough opportunities to live a full life. However, poverty is not the sole cause of slow learning. We have to investigate into other causes to gain first hand knowledge about slow earners.
(2) Intelligence of Family Members:
Another potent factor of learning is the level of intelligence of parents as well as family members. It indirectly affects the slow learning of children. It is true that educated and intelligent parents can provide educational experiences and materials to their children according to their according to their own intellectual level. But, if the parents are not intelligent or sophisticated, they cannot take positive steps towards the upliftment of their children.
Again, the economic condition of the family also plays a major role permit the parents to spend a little amount of money on their children regularly. If their purse permits, then they become interested to purchase for their children some materials which have educational value. A sophisticated family which is economically sound can provide better opportunities for their children. Children coming from affluent families which have high socio-economic status are not usually slow learners. Research evidences also confirm this fact.
(3) Emotional Factors:
Emotional factors contribute a lot towards the slow learning of children. Psychologists conformed this through their research analysis. When a child comes to the school, he brings his emotional world with him. Experiments have already established the fact that tensions and conflicts exercise a negative effect on learning of the child.
So the tensions at home, the relationships between the siblings and parents themselves have an adverse effect in the child not to mention the frustrations, which he sustains from his family and from the external world. Research data revealed that in the democratic homes, children get less frustration than the autocratic home. So, in a way, we can conclude that children from autocratic homes are usually slow learners.
(4) Personal Factors:
Besides all these above factors, there are some personal factors which are more or less responsible for slow learning. Personal factors include long illness or long absence from school and lack of confidence in self. It was found that children who lack self-confidence are usually slow learners.
Slow learners or backward children may be of three types:
(i) Very backward because of retarded mental development accompanied by psycho-social deficiencies. They need special educational treatment outside the ordinary school-special school or special class.
(ii) Ability are not quite limited but have difficulty in learning than average children-due to school and family or personal factors.
(iii) They can be dealt with in ordinary schools although they may derive benefits from special classes not limited in intelligence but have problems in reading and writing whereas arithmetic and other subjects are high. Their cause may range from specific perceptual difficulties to emotional maladjustments. For them some form of remedial teaching is required.
The slow learning children have IQ as high 90s but are within 75-90 points. Remedial education benefits these children although in some regular school there are many slow learning children and hence, a special class for them is sometimes necessary. The children receive education in special class or school, but move to regular school after backwardness is removed.
There has been growing interest in placing slow learning children in regular school. But, there is a need to allot enthusiastic and experienced teachers to remedial classes dealing with slow learners. In addition all teachers during training should have some instruction in methods of teaching, the early stages of reading and number and to be made aware of the methods of helping children who cannot keep up with their age group.
A crucial time for getting to groups with backwardness is the last year of the primary school and beginning of junior school (upper primary). Remedial assistance should continue the secondary school. Because, the gap between the average pupil and the slow learner widening with age.
Hence, the special class for the slow learning children should have 1:20 TP ratio and a little lower standard curriculum. Usually in our school system they are placed in section C or a special section of the same class.
It is not possible to clearly find out who are backward because of limited potentiality for development and those whose emotional disturbance has retarded development. The latter group cannot be placed in the classes for ESN or slow learners. Many infant schools arrange for extra attention to be given to these children either by holding reading groups in the head of teacher’s room by running a small remedial class. Such arrangements can be most valuable’s a first step in the prevention of backwardness. From here one can know who are to be leads to dirt and the foundations give in special school would be lost.
Show learning backward children do will in lower Primary School if they follow the infant school approach or if there is a special class. A proper diagnostic procedure is followed by using medical examination, psychological evaluation, educational assessment, social history of family and cultural setting.
Term Paper # 5. Problem of Slow Learner Children:
A checklist containing 69 behaviour symptoms arranged under five problem patterns was primarily aimed at identifying specific problems of mild retardates who constitute a significant group of slow learners.
A single problem provides a cue to analyze certain learning problems of child:
1. Cognitive Learning Problems:
(i) The slow learners learn at a slower rate and they face difficulty in retaining what they have learned.
(ii) The slow learners prefer concrete learning to abstract learning.
(iii) Transfer of learning becomes impossible for slow learners.
(iv) They lack judgement and common sense and they are highly destructible.
(v) They gain from direct teaching and do not acquire skills incidentally, and
(vi) A slow learning is an under achiever and has a very short span of attention.
2. Language or Speech Problems:
(i) Verbal expressions for slow learners are difficult.
(ii) Oral reading is more difficult than silent reading.
(iii) Slow learners face articulation problems.
(iv) Proper expression of thoughts becomes difficult for them.
3. Auditory Perceptual Problem:
(i) Slow learners face trouble in writing from dictation. They usually leave common prefixes and suffixes while writing.
(ii) Slow learners fail to understand verbal directions. So, they are unable to give proper reply, when a question is asked.
(iii) They prefer visually presented materials to orally presented materials.
(iv) Identification of different sounds becomes difficult for them. They also find difficulty in distinguishing between similar sounding words (e.g.; Tap-Tap-Tap, Pen-Pin etc.).
(v) Slow learners usually given inappropriate answers to verbal questions. They also fail to learn the art of counting by memory.
4. Visual-Motor Problems:
(i) Slow learners are easily directed by visual stimuli. They have awkward movements.
(ii) They find it difficult to discriminate between colour, size and shape relationship and are unable to recall a memory the objects that they see.
(iii) They have a very poor handwriting and face difficulties in motor work. Very often they complain about physical problems. Recognition of common objects becomes a problem for them.
(iv) Slow learners prefer part learning to whole learning and final oral learning tasks easier.
5. Social and Emotional Problems:
(i) Slow learners do not have the stamina to sit in a class for long periods.
(ii) They are lovers of solitude and are not gregarious. They fail to make friends and are not at all sociable.
(iii) Slow learners become aggressive towards their friends and peers on trivial matters and they are afraid and self-conscious. They daydream in excess compared to normal children.
(iv) Nail-biting is another interesting characteristic of slow learners. Sometimes, they also engage themselves in anti-social activities.
(v) Their mood changes frequently and their achievements are below expectancy.
(vi) They prefer not to work in a group and have inappropriate and excessive verbalisation.
Term Paper # 6. Remedial Procedure for Slow Learners Children:
The following are the three major procedures for slow learner’s children:
1. Remedial Instruction.
2. Health Environment.
3. Periodical Medical Check-up.
The details of these procedures are as follows:
1. Remedial Instruction:
Generally, teaching experts provide remedial instruction for slow learners. Studies have shown that the remedial instruction proved profitable in case of special slowness in a specific subject area. First, the deficiencies are determined and confirmed by the experts given these children some diagnostic tests. The cooperation of specialists is sought to deal with special slowness.
The following points are taken into consideration for smooth working of a remedial programme:
i. Gradation of teacher materials may be carefully done taking the capacity and requirements of children into consideration.
ii. Short frequent lessons should be introduced instead of long lessons every-seek.
iii. Experts should be aware of the fact that a friendly approach in remedial teaching is highly conductive.
iv. To generate interest, social skills and confidence in slow learners, priority should be given to art, music and drama.
v. Practice, drill and review should be given importance to by teachers while dealing with slow learners. Repetition and direction should also be emphasized.
2. Health Environment:
An important aspect of remedial measures for slow learners is rich environment. The school atmosphere of children should be healthy and reasonably free. Sometimes poor environmental factors contribute a lot towards the slowness. These should be removed as early as possible. Again, there must be provision made for a variety of approaches to the various subjects. Very often, the slow learners suffer from emotional problems. So, care must be taken to place them in protected environment.
3. Periodical Medical Check-Up:
Physical anomalies are important contributory factors for slow learning. Poor health and other malfunctions also have similar effects. If a particular anomaly is detected and correctly recognized, then a slow learner may become a normal learner after treatment. So, special medical check-up should be arranged for every slow learner.
Term Paper # 7
. Development of Slow Learner Children:
This can be looked from two points of view:
1. Personal Development and
2. Social Development.
1. Personal Development:
The personal development of the slow learning children should ensure development of personal hygiene, capacity to organic leisure time activities and capable of understanding limitations and of matching the aspirations to the abilities. Social qualities would include getting along with others, listening to and learning form others, as well as avoiding over compensatory behaviour such as showing off, boasting and lying. These can be cultivated during the school years by training.
2. Social Development:
Social development must be viewed as an integral part of the whole educational process-in play, in school work, at home. The special/ school special class teacher must have some understanding of the child’s family and community setting. The regular classroom teacher where the slow learners are found at the early stages of education must be sensitive to these needs and provide directions.
The following are some of the cardinal principles:
i. Children cannot become socially competent and mentally well if they do not have feelings of success. In school only curricular success is assessed rightly or wrongly.
ii. All learning situations and procedures should be so planned as to encourage independent work habits and self-direction. Pupil’s anticipation in learning is a must.
iii. Some aspect of social education must be developed step by step procedure, demonstration and daily practice (feeding, dressing, cleanliness).
iv. The way school and class are run as communities can make a contribution to the development of social responsibility. The discipline system should therefore be consistent and fair and imposition of authority may be kept at a minimum.
Only then development of independence, so; reliance and an ability to adapt the changes by the slow learners would be possible. The “regular class teacher” should have all these competencies outlook and experience to handle slow learners in the classroom integrated or otherwise.
Term Paper # 8. Educational Provision for Slow Learners:
One of the pertinent characteristics of slow learners is that they learn slowly and unevenly. Again, they are unable to cope satisfactory with the usual educational standards of the ordinary school. However, with proper guidance and care they are capable of being educated. In adulthood, they become self-supporting, independent and socially adjusted. One defect, however, which is worth noting, is that most of the slow learners are not properly identified till they attend school.
Conscious efforts are being made to help the children after being identified. Psychologists specify that the remedy for slow learners lies mainly in their nature and the extent of the causes which produce it. Of course, each case is unique and requires specific remedial measures. Psychologists recommend the following remedial measures which may prove conductive to slow learners.
Organization of Curriculum for Slow Learners:
In case the slow learning children are placed in the special class or special school, the curriculum has to be based on logical, physical and social aspects. The contents however, may vary according to the age and need of the child. The curriculum must be specially designed to assist the total growth as well as to develop basic skills and knowledge. It should not be mere watering down of the curriculum designed for a normal school. To segregate children and give such a curriculum would be a travesty of special educational treatment. On rare occasions they should be placed in a special class.
However, it must involve:
i. Central core language and number.
ii. Periphery subjects e.g., environment, creative and aesthetic activities and practical interests. Both should be related. Time-table must keep a balance between core and periphery subjects as well as social and group activities.
The organization should take the following consideration into account:
a. The smaller the school, the more generous should be teacher-pupil ratio. The class size should 20. The school is all age and mixed.
b. The younger the age the smaller should be the class if the teacher is to provide stimulating environment.
c. Some provision should be made for extra remedial work.
Flexible Curriculum:
Educationists may take care in preparing the curriculum for slow learners which should be as flexible as possible to suit the requirements and needs of the individual students. Slow learners are generally interested in concrete perceptual experiences. So, attention must be paid towards concrete aspects of work. Educationists should lay less emphasis on abstract and theoretical studies. Because slow learners do not grasp abstract things of work.
Experiments on slow learners revealed that the learning of generalisation abstractions and concept is difficult for these children. So, teaching experts should strictly avoid these concepts. The crafts which are found to be conductive for these children include mental work, wood work, leather work, cane work, knitting, unearthing and other subjects of household economy.