Slow learners

Characteristics of slow Characteristics of slow learners:learners:

1. Functions at ability but significantly below grade 1. Functions at ability but significantly below grade level.level.

2. Is prone to immature interpersonal relationships.2. Is prone to immature interpersonal relationships. 3. Has difficulty following multi-step directions.3. Has difficulty following multi-step directions. 4. Lives in the present and does not have long range 4. Lives in the present and does not have long range

goals.goals. 5. Has few internal strategies (i.e. organizational 5. Has few internal strategies (i.e. organizational

skills, difficulty transferring, and generalizing skills, difficulty transferring, and generalizing information.)information.)

6. Scores consistently low on 6. Scores consistently low on achievement tests.achievement tests.

7. Works well with "hands-on" material 7. Works well with "hands-on" material (i.e. labs, manipulative, activities.)(i.e. labs, manipulative, activities.)

8. Has a poor self-image.8. Has a poor self-image. 9. Works on all tasks slowly.9. Works on all tasks slowly. 10. Masters skills slowly; some skills 10. Masters skills slowly; some skills

may not be mastered at all.may not be mastered at all.

· Emphasize strengths. Use lots · Emphasize strengths. Use lots of praise and reinforcement of praise and reinforcement frequently.frequently.

· Make lessons short. Limit the · Make lessons short. Limit the working time and have several working time and have several short work periods rather than short work periods rather than one long one.one long one.

Add variety to the academic routine. Add variety to the academic routine. Do active things and use educational Do active things and use educational games, puzzles, and other games, puzzles, and other techniques as much as possible.techniques as much as possible.

· Work on material that is somewhat · Work on material that is somewhat challenging but allows success.challenging but allows success.

Work that is too hard or too easy Work that is too hard or too easy is a turn-off.is a turn-off.

Make learning fun and Make learning fun and comfortable. Your positive comfortable. Your positive attitude is very important.attitude is very important.

Ask what was the best part of Ask what was the best part of his/her day. Ask questions about his/her day. Ask questions about the TV shows he/she watches.the TV shows he/she watches.

Talk about what he/she has Talk about what he/she has heard, done, and plans to do. heard, done, and plans to do. Communicate with your students.Communicate with your students.

· · Go over his/her daily work to Go over his/her daily work to reinforce the learning. Slower reinforce the learning. Slower learners need repetition.learners need repetition.

· Provide meaningful, concrete · Provide meaningful, concrete activities rather than abstract.activities rather than abstract.

· Give short specific directions and · Give short specific directions and have your child repeat them back to have your child repeat them back to

you.you.

· READ! · READ! Set an example by Set an example by

reading yourself.reading yourself.

Stress the importance of Stress the importance of education.education.

· Encourage child to explore · Encourage child to explore areas of areas of

interest to him/her.interest to him/her.

Career opportunities often come Career opportunities often come from these interests .from these interests .

Provide a quiet place to Provide a quiet place to work, where the child work, where the child can be easily observed can be easily observed and motivated.and motivated.

Keep homework Keep homework sessions short.sessions short.

Add a variety of tasks to Add a variety of tasks to the learning even if not the learning even if not assigned, such as painting assigned, such as painting a picture of a reading a picture of a reading assignment.assignment.

· Teach how to use a · Teach how to use a calendar to keep track of calendar to keep track of assignments.assignments.

· Read to the child.· Read to the child. · Be patient but consistent.· Be patient but consistent. · Do not reward unfinished · Do not reward unfinished

tasks.tasks.

Allow for success.Allow for success.

Ask questions about the Ask questions about the assignment while the assignment while the child is working.child is working.

Have the child do the most difficult Have the child do the most difficult assignments first and leave the assignments first and leave the easier ones to later. easier ones to later.

Call it the dessert principle. Don’t Call it the dessert principle. Don’t be overprotective. be overprotective.

Students whose parents frequently Students whose parents frequently intercede at school are teaching that intercede at school are teaching that they do not respect their child’s they do not respect their child’s abilities. abilities.

Sharing the child’s strengths and Sharing the child’s strengths and weaknesses could make the school weaknesses could make the school year more beneficial for all concerned.year more beneficial for all concerned.

Learning disabilities is a Learning disabilities is a general term that refersgeneral term that refers

to a heterogeneous group of disorders to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in manifested by significant difficulties in the the

acquisition and use of listening, acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical skills. or mathematical skills.

These disorders are These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to presumed to be due to central nervous system central nervous system dysfunction, and may dysfunction, and may occur across the life span.occur across the life span.

Problems in self-regulatory Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities exist with learning disabilities but do not, by themselves, but do not, by themselves, constitute a learning disabilityconstitute a learning disability..

Language-Based Language-Based DisabilitiesDisabilities

dyslexia (reading)dyslexia (reading)

dysgraphia (writing)dysgraphia (writing)

dyscalculia (calculations and math dyscalculia (calculations and math facts)facts)

language deficitslanguage deficits

difficulties in articulation, difficulties in articulation, recalling expressive words, recalling expressive words, elaborating similarities elaborating similarities

and differences, or and differences, or identifying and using identifying and using appropriate verb tensesappropriate verb tenses

Sensory-PerceptualSensory-Perceptual DisabilitiesDisabilities

Visual Visual (e.g., judging distance from (e.g., judging distance from an object, visuallyan object, visually determining the determining the difference between two objects, difference between two objects,

identifying figure against identifying figure against competing background--including competing background--including reading a line of text in a book, reading a line of text in a book, copying information from the copying information from the board, etc.)board, etc.)

AuditoryAuditory

e.g., detecting sounds e.g., detecting sounds over background noise, over background noise, processing verbal processing verbal instructions, sequencing, instructions, sequencing, fatigue from listening to fatigue from listening to lecture materiallecture material

Executive and Cognitive Executive and Cognitive DisabilitiesDisabilities

Attention deficits Attention deficits

e.g., inability to e.g., inability to concentrate, remain on concentrate, remain on task, budget time .task, budget time .

Memory deficitsMemory deficits

e.g. inability to e.g. inability to engage in rote engage in rote

memorization such as memorization such as facts, tables, dates, facts, tables, dates, etc.etc.

Reasoning deficits Reasoning deficits

e.g., unorganized or non-e.g., unorganized or non-logical thinking, inability to logical thinking, inability to properly prioritize tasks, properly prioritize tasks, difficulty with application of difficulty with application of new material.new material.

Spatial Spatial organizational organizational

difficultiesdifficulties e.g., problems with e.g., problems with

compass directions, right compass directions, right and left, up and down, and left, up and down, ahead and behind, over ahead and behind, over and under, etc.and under, etc.