Weaknesses Of Slow Learners

The second group of learners found in a general educational classroom is the ‘slow learners’, who perform poorly at school yet are not eligible for special education” (Mercer, 1996). Slow learners may have difficulties with math, reading or penmanship (Eastmead, 2004), but their strengths are in intelligences such as music and kinaesthetic expression, that are often overlooked. T&T’s education system did not facilitate this type of learner during the colonial and post-colonial era. Education was based on a purely academic curriculum resulting in these learners to become outcasts in society. For this reason, school reform is imminent in such countries. Howard Gardner said that “a skilled teacher is a person who can open a number of different

“To do this, teachers must incorporate relatable aspects of students' daily lives into the curriculum. Such familiar aspects include language (which may include jargon or slang), prior knowledge, and extracurricular interests such as music and sports.” “Once students feel comfortable with how a teacher talks and discusses academic material, they will feel comfortable to learn “(Rajagopal, 2011). Learners who come from low socio-economic homes are not exposed to the formal language which teachers usually use. Although this puts them at a disadvantage, teachers can help students translate phrases from casual to formal register ( Payne, 2008) since “language itself becomes a very powerful tool of intellectual adaptation” (Vygotsky, 1962). The author believes that teachers can boost the self-esteem of learners who live in poverty by praising their success rather than what they own ( Thompson). When the author used positive reinforcement, such as sunshine notes, and designated simple classroom jobs, learners were motived. They felt important and more confident to participate in class. These learners are financially disadvantaged and seldom get the opportunities to broadened their experiences like visits to museums and parks, which can help them to connect the theory learnt with real life scenarios (Thompson, ). Teachers should

This tutor can be an adult such as a parent or teacher, or can be a peer who the learner has worked collaboratively with, and have understood the instructions provided and have internalized the information to change his/her performance. (McLeod, 2014).

The use of assistive technology in the classroom can allow teachers to personalize lessons for learners of varying disabilities to be part of a classroom with diverse learners. The assistive technology takes into consideration types of learning styles such as tactile and audio-visual. In this digital era, technologies can be engaging not to mention, learners are very capable of using them. There are many applications (apps) to meet the requirements of special needs students such as ‘dyslexia quest’, ‘autism ihelp’, ‘be my eyes’ and ‘iwritewords’ (educatorstechnology.com, 2017).

Miss Shamla Maharaj who has suffered with cerebral palsy from birth, attended the same secondary school with the author. The author relates her admiration for Shamla because she never allows her disability to discourage her from achieving her goals. The author also commends the school for making relevant accommodation to include her into the mainstream