Remedial teaching causes a stir for both teachers and students. On one hand, the teacher has to cover the syllabus within a stipulated time, make lesson plans, correct note books, and conduct tests and examinations. Besides, he has to identify the slow learners, diagnose the problems of the child and plan the remedial work. Generally the remedial work is done as a special activity after the regular class hours.
On the other hand, the child gets disheartened on being tagged as a slow learner. Most of the time, we only test the writing skills of the child. The other skills are usually neglected. The unit tests and terminal examinations rarely test the listening skills and the speaking skills of the child. I have few questions about remedial teaching in schools
- Is it necessary to conduct remedial work as a special activity, exclusively for the slow learners alone?
- Should we have a heterogeneous group of children that includes the slow learners and the high achievers? Here the students who have problems in reading and writing can get help from the children who are high achievers. Learning in peer group builds the confidence of the child, and the child learns the importance of team work.
- Does remedial teaching amount to reteaching of the lesson or content?
- sureshr's blog
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Nice to meet you, sureshr. Hello everyone,
I hope not to misspell your username.
In a school where a colleague of ours used to work the staff decided to split apart slow students and higher achievers, into two different classrooms.
I hope to help you out with what I'm going to say. The point is that this comment is based on real life.
So there were two class-groups. Obviously the staff wanted to boost learning English in this way, having two more homogeneous groups.
In few words. With the passing time, the staff realized that this conducting did not help the pupils.
Basically the slow students did not improve their English: the atmosphere of low effort at working plus cognitive and operational treats did not solve any problem; even more, the students of this group tended to lower the ambiance of work: there were no leaders or hard-working students who would push the group upwards.
Definitely all the staff agreed after, say, two or three academic years, there should be a high-level reference: hard-working students who would set an example, and help or monitor their classmates' process of learning. Mixed-ability groups again. The experience of this implementation was better.
Best wishes, and at your entire disposal
Fernando M Díez
Granada (Spain)
Dear Mr. Fernando,
I agree with you. When we have a mixed ability group of students, the slow learners get lot of guidance from their peers, and they feel more confident. It also develops the skills like collaboration and team spirit. This gives us good results.
Thank you sir
Suresh
Hello sureshr and everybody else,
sureshr, just to thank you for your response to my comment on so necessary remedial work.
I have had to work a lot on this field. Many pupils arrive to me with big flaws all kind.
For further information about my teaching experience and research, you can, if you wish, have a peek at my blog, which is http://fernandoexperiences.blogspot.com
I keep having a look at the BBC - British Council website - from some months ago, and I'd like to keep on learning from other teachers worldwide plus trying and posting some comments, if any helpful for any teacher.
Best wishes
Fernando M Díez
Granada (Spain)