Course Project: Final Paper Assignment Instructions Paper Components: The body of your Final Paper must be 3,000–3,500 words; include title, abstract, and reference pages; use current APA format; a

Kelly-Ann Riddell

Liberty University

EDUC 701 (B17)

Dr. Black

September 6, 2020

Introduction

Learning and teaching faces numerous challenges and obstacles for both students and teachers. Sometimes these problems are incredibly complex and stressful and require intervention from several parties. These problems take a significant amount of time to be properly understood, researched, and resolved. However, real change in education will occur once the problems are reformed and there is a significant progress made (Brennan, 2018). This paper seeks to discuss the problem of slow learners in schools who are often left behind in terms of learning and how this integrates to teaching, and elaborate more on the need for researching this problem.

Slow Learners

Slow learning generally means that the individual or the child takes more time to grasp concepts than the average person. They go through the development stages at the same rate as others but just at a much slower rate (Brennan, 2018). In children, slow learning can be identified by poor speech patterns, socially being more comfortable with younger children, personal frustration, and difficulty building academic information and connecting concepts together. In schools, these slow learners are often left behind and there learning needs are often unmet. Teachers are often unaware or lack the knowledge and tools, and patience that will accommodate these students. The student becomes increasingly reluctant to study while at the same time the teacher’s patience with the student grows thin and this leads to constant underperformance of the student (Brennan, 2018). This often creates an academic gap between these students and their peers, especially in subjects such as mathematics, reading, and science. Slow learners are significantly behind in year level expectations and this carries on throughout their years of schooling. These students then associate school with difficulty, frustration, and label themselves as underperformers. Slow learners in environments where the teacher neglects them or makes negative remarks about their performance record a large percentage of school dropouts (Chauhan, 2011). Slow learning has been identified as a problem because they make up a majority of underperforming students in schools and continuously fall short of the minimum education standards of success. In addition, 45% of teachers complain of being overworked and therefore do not have enough time to pay special attention to students that may require this time (Chauhan, 2011). However, the problem has not been fully researched to precisely figure out ways to identify slow learners from an early age and the solutions and steps they require to follow in order to live a more wholesome life. Also, the student’s achievements are also placed side by side to those with other students because they are not special students. Students are sometimes labelled as slow learners because they do not understand English and all the lessons are in English. Indigenous students make up 25% of underperforming students who are unable to pass the national minimum standard of education (Choi, 2019). Slow learners are bonded into a path of low achievement and demotivation for learning.

Practices, Procedures, and Policies leading to the Problem

Procedures that put students against each other have massively contributed to the tail of slow learners under the underachievement category. In public schools, programs such as the National Assessment for Educational Progress measure student’s achievements according to the year and determine the minimum standard required to progress to other levels (Choi, 2019). This program has highlighted that slow learners statistically comprise a large portion of underachievers section, while further highlighting that a large percentage are indigenous. School leaving qualification exams and certificates such as the high school diploma is a procedure that has also help bring the problem of slow learners as academic underachievers and school dropouts to light because majority are left behind and don’t meet the basic standards of achievement.

Importance of the Problem

This problem is significant to teaching and learning because it highlights the loopholes in the current education system and also invites the education department to the need to properly address the needs of slow learners. Slow learners require special attention from teachers and currently, teachers are overworked and overburdened and cannot provide adequate teaching aid to these students (Vasudevan, 2017). In the past, this problem has been addressed by transferring slow learners into special education systems where they can gain learning momentum and then transfer back to normal schools' systems. Another way it has been handled in the past is that the students to enroll slow learners in extra remedial classes. There is also the use of board games and logic games in schools especially in lower classes to help in cognition. However, it is still not clear if these remedies guarantee aid or that slow learners always gain academic momentum which is why their tail in the underachievers section is still growing.

Steps Taken

Teachers can create a collaborative environment in the classroom is one of the steps taken to help students with slow development to feel included and motivated to learn. The collaborative classroom includes creating groups where children share ideas, learn and teach each other, and initiate activities amongst themselves (Vasudevan, 2017). This step is aimed at reducing the number of slow learners in the underachievers section and also helps encourage indigenous students to learn English faster from their peers.

Biblical Worldview

Biblically, all children are created equal in the eyes of God and we all have unique abilities and gifts. Even though the education system compares children’s learning abilities to each other, it is important to note that not all children are blessed academically and the world offers a variety of opportunities, not just in academics. Treating slow learners with patience and empathy will ensure that they are able to pass the minimum educational requirements and not be constantly placed in the category of underachievers. Biblically, it is important to treat each person uniquely as we are all unique creatures.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, slow learners still comprise of the majority of underachievers who fail to reach the minimum achievement standard. However, teachers and students need to work together to increase motivation towards learning and refuse to accept the label and frustration that comes with being a slow learner.

References

Brennan, W. K. (2018). Shaping the education of slow learners (Vol. 3). Routledge.

Chauhan, S. (2011). Slow learners: their psychology and educational programmes. International journal of multidisciplinary research, 1(8), 279-289.

Choi, M. (2019). Exploring Slow Learners’ Dream Using Photovoice. 인문논총, 48, 21-41.

Masters AO, G. N. (2016). Five challenges in Australian school education.

Vasudevan, A. (2017). Slow learners-causes, problems and educational programmes. International Journal of Applied Research, 3(12), 308-313.