"What can a teacher do about bright students who don't study enough!! Any new approaches to encourage them? Difficult eh?."
What are your thoughts on this question? How do you encourage bright students? Contact us.
This question is from Jackie Poulouktsis
Comments
rebecca1
Hi, Jackie.
The problem of gifted students not applying themselves enough seems to be a universal one. I teach upper high-school. My colleagues and I discuss this problem constantly, but can only conclude that sheer laziness (applies to boys, mostly) is the culprit. A lazy, albeit gifted, student at school is probably a lazy teenager at home. And how do teachers/parents deal with that.....?
Cemal Onem,North CyprusThe student himself has to grow up, become aware, take responsibility, at some point...! Probably this realization will come after high-school is through.... Having a personal chat with the student and hearing his/her views about this, is a start, of course, but...what can a teacher do other than provide necessary encouragement and incitement....? Of course there could be a myriad of other, physical or social reasons for low performance.
A chat with the school nurse or psychologist (if there is/are such persons available, that is.....!) might provide some clues. If, however, this student's level is more advanced than the rest of the group and boredom is the culprit, then I suggest you put a book that he/she would enjoy in the student's hands and let them find their own level that way. Let them do assignments based on reading and other media such as film.
At any rate, this is a topic well worth discussing and I hope to see more teachers bringing up the subject on this site! We all need help here!
Hans-Hermann Diestel, Germany
This may be an old hat but it sometimes helps: Give those students special tasks in preparing the next lesson (vocab, structures, idioms etc)or let them take over a group of (weaker) students. In order to be prepared for the challenge some (boys, mostly) get interested in things for which they couldn't have cared less before. Good luck
I would like to convey my thoughts and experiences on Jackie's question. I have been teaching for twenty years - the last ten years are completely professional - and I have observed that the brighter students become bored easily as they are in need of receiving more and because they understand quicker. So, to keep them going I give them extra homework, especially the kind which they would enjoy. Jackie should also base her teachings on these students and she should use the video, jokes and games as well.