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Who Will Help the Slow Learner?
Practical Suggestions for Teachers and Parents


 
 

Introduction
Characteristics of a Slow Learner
Traditional Strategies
Assistive Technology for the Slow Learner
Practical Classroom Applications
Software Suggestions
How Parents Can Help
Toward the Future

Introduction:
By definition, a slow learner is a student "who fails to reach the average achievement of the majority of students in his/her age group.  The term "slow" refers to the student's ability to either learn new material or retain previously taught material".  This definition is taken from The Slow Learner: How Parents and Teachers Can Help, which is distributed by the Columbia County Schools, Department of Special Services.  According to the statistics in the article, in a normal school population, approximately 20-25% of the group, that is, 1 in 5 to 1 in 4 will be slow learners.  In Columbia County, in 1996-97, 364 students were tested.  Of these, 83 were identified as slow learners.  These figures fit the national averages. Even more surprising than the size of this population is the fact that this is the "single largest educationally handicapping condition - more than twice the size of all special education categories combined."

Classroom teachers are continually struggling to find successful strategies to assist slow learners in the regular classroom, without any funding, and without an IEP for these students.  The average classroom teacher is ill equipped to deal with slow learners unless help is provided in the form of a resource teacher, classroom aide, or specific assistive technologies geared toward the slow learner.  Are there such technologies?  Not really; however, many of the devices used to assist other disabilities can and should be used in the regular classroom for slow learners. This page is designed to provide practical suggestions for both the classroom teacher and parents.

Characteristics of the Slow Learner:
 

    While the slow learner usually possesses common sense and  adequate memory, is physically adept and has normal dexterity, this does not mean that he/she has normal ability for school work.  It is not unusual to hear parents of a slow learner state that they are puzzled over their child's school difficulties since "he/she seems to understand so well at home(Lowenstein).
These characteristics come from The Slow Learner, a publication of the Department of Special Services, Columbia County Schools.  They are in line with Lowenstein's findings that "the measured intelligence of a true slow learner is about 75% to 90% of the average child's. ...They learn at a rate which is 4/5 to 9/10 of normal, and they tend to read approximately one year later than the majority of children."

Traditional Strategies:
Over the years, teachers have developed many strategies to assist slow learner in the classroom.  Unfortunately, the older the child becomes, the farther behind he falls, and traditional strategies may not be sufficient to engage the slow learner or to keep him from becoming discouraged.

More recently, research is showing that rather than lowering standards and expectations for slow learners, teachers and parents should identify each students areas of strength and capitalize on those areas to increase opportunities for success.  Dr. David Lowenstein notes that "Most authorities agree that slow learners may be slow in Reading and Arithmetic, but not necessarily slow to the same extent in shop, mechanical or social activities.  They may also be adept  in peer play activities, work, or sports."
Susan Glazer, writing in Teaching PreK-8, says, "We do lots of things that we shouldn't - especially with kids who find learning a problem.  For example, we often confuse different or lack of, experiences with lack of ability.  Instead of enhancing curriculum so that these students can succeed, we lower expectations for them.  We do this by slowing down the curriculum so they'll 'get it'."

Assistive Technology for the Slow Learner:
Slow learners are not considered to be learning disabled (LD). However, they experience many of the same learning difficulties as LD students.  It makes sense, then, that assistive technology designed to help LD students might also help the slow learner.  The following suggestions are taken from Assistive Technology Web sites, and refer to LD students.  Each of these applications could successfully be used to enrich and improve the learning opportunities for slow learners.
        "Individuals who have difficulty with skills that others takes for granted like reading, listening, organizing information, or writing may benefit from the use of assistive technology."  LDA Fact Sheet
        "Appropriate assistive technology...can include, but is not limited to, computers, taped books, spellers, tape recorders, readers, calculators, and electronic date books."  LDA Fact Sheet

Practical Classroom Applications:

It is the responsibility of each classroom teacher to meet the needs of all students in a classroom, including the slow learner.  While helping the slow learner is a challenge for teachers at any grade level, it becomes increasingly more difficult in upper elementary grades and beyond, as the student falls farther and farther behind. In an article describing the success of the HOTS program in helping low achievers, Stanley Pogrow writes:

         Indeed, if your school follows the national pattern, you probably  experience the heartbreak of seeing your Title 1 students and those with learning disabilities make substantial gains in the early grades and then begin to backslide, regardless od how much extra help they receive(Pogrow, 1996).


Furthermore, upper elementary teachers do not usually have a full time para professional in the classroom to allow for more individualized instruction.  It is vital,  therefore, that teachers use all available assistive technologies to help the slow learners in their classrooms. There are some procedures that should help.

1.   First assess the Learning Styles of each child.  this can be done by means of an online inventory, and children have fun learning about how they learn best.  It will help teachers to know whether the slow learner is an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner when selecting appropriate technology to assist the learner.
2.  Tape record notes, vocabulary definitions, spelling words, and study guide questions for auditory learners. Radio Shack has micro cassette recorders for as low as $12.95 which could be checked out to students for practice at home.
3.  Use drill and practice software for basic skills in math, grammar, and spelling.  These programs, such as Spell-it DEluxe, Math Blaster, and Grammar Games allow students to progress at their own pace and give positive reinforcement for correct responses.
4.  Use organizational software (Inspiration) to help with grasping Main Idea concepts and outlining.
5. Subscribe to SchoolNotes and post homework, flash cards, study guides for parents to use with their children.

The next section provides titles and links for specific software applications.

Software Suggestions:  Click on the links below for a more detailed description.

Help Read  - a free text reader for dyslexic or reading disabled people
Write:OutLoud - an easy-to-use word processor that lets users see and hear what they type
ULTimate KidBooks - a multimedia publishing system that enables teachers, parents to create electronic talking books.
Let's Go Read! An Island Adventure - 175 lessons and 12 interactive books
Intellitalk - a talking word processor ideal for young children
Zoomtext 5.0 for Windows - magnifies screen for individuals with low vision
Dragon Dictate - voice recognition software enables a person to control computer via voice
WiggleWorks - 72 books and scaffolded reading and writing activities
Inspiration - graphic organizer software, a must for all students!

How Parents Can Help

It is critical for both parents and teachers to identify the slow learner as early as possible.  Denial by parents in believing that their child is a slow learner, as well as teachers' and parents' beliefs that extra practice will "cure" the problem, only add to the problem and delay the development of positive strategies to help the child.  Parents and teachers need to work together as a team to provide the highest possible educational experience for the slow learner.  In Columbia County, we utilize Student Support Team to help struggling students.  The "team" consists of the parents, the teacher(s), and the assistant principal or guidance counselor.  The team meets monthly to evaluate the child's progress and to discuss possible strategies to help the learner.  In our county, slow learners would be assisted by the SST process.  Parents must be willing to work with their child at home, consistently, to reinforce and review concepts.  Parents can use the same strategies, software programs, and assistive devices that are used at school.  Most importantly, parents need to be aware of and to encourage their child's areas of strength in order to help their child maintain a positive attitude toward learning.
Links for Parents:
PARENTLINE
CAST Initiatives
Family and Community Literacy
Selecting Software
SchoolNotes
Kids Domain


Toward the Future

As we move into the 21st century, technology will be more available and more necessary both in schools and in the home.  For handicapped learners, it is important that the available technology is designed to be accessible to all learners.  Accessible means not only economically accessible, but physically accessible - designed to be used by all learners regardless of handicap.  Organizations such as CAST continue to review and evaluate new programs for universal design qualities.  For the slow learner, unless there are fundamental changes in the eligibility guidelines for special education, assistive technology will be the single most valuable tool for providing and maximizing the learning experience.

Click here for reference page.

This page was created by Judith C. Murdoch.  It is not intended to be a comprehensive source on the Slow Learner; rather it is intended as a practical guide and starting point for teachers and parents.  If you have comments or links to suggest, please email me:
carolynmurdoch@hotmail.com