All students are different. They each have their own strengths, weaknesses, and learning capabilities. It can be frustrating to deal with under performing or weak students. It is all too easy to write them off as “lazy” or “unmotivated”. However, doing so can shatter their confidence and worsen their academic performance in the long-run.
Therefore, it is important to deal with weak students in a calm and strategic manner. They require your help as a teacher, and must be guided. It can be difficult to focus on weak students when there is a large class to cater to, but it is your responsibility as a teacher.
“Weak students” is a term commonly used to categorize students who have less-than-average academic performance. These students may be considered weak due to their trouble concentrating, paying attention, or low marks.
There are different types of students that may be referred to by teacher’s as “weak”. These are:
No matter what the reason for their academic underperformance is, it is vital that these students are not marked off as “weak”. Instead, they must be nurtured and guided in order to unlock their full potential. That being said, here are some effective teaching strategies to help the weaker students in your class.
Before you can help your underperforming students, you must address the underlying cause. Sometimes, students are dealing with an undiagnosed learning disability. Other times, they are dealing with emotional or physical neglect. Some students are naturally bright but slow learners, and others are simply demotivated. It is important to determine the root cause of their academic underperformance, so that necessary actions can be taken to help them.
Oftentimes, counselling or therapy is the solution. In such cases, it is important to contact the parents and suggest they visit a child psychologist, or the school’s guidance counsellor. Other times, a small pep talk or boost of confidence may be enough to motivate a weak student.
Criticism is a natural impulse when dealing with academically weak students. However, there is a fine line between constructive criticism and bullying. If the child feels belittled by the teacher’s criticism, it will make them give up completely on their studies. Therefore, it is important to refrain from putting the student down, and rather lift them up through gentle encouragement.
Small comments like “I know you can do better”, “you got this!”, or “good effort but I know you have so much more potential” can make a huge difference. This will not only raise their self-esteem, but will motivate them to work harder on their exam preparation. They will also feel more comfortable coming to you with questions or concerns.
Rather than calling them out in front of the whole class and then leaving them “to their own devices”, try to speak to them in private. Set them aside during class, or ask them to stay behind for a few minutes after the rest of the class leaves.
Start by asking them how they are doing and if there is anything they need help with. Then bring up your concerns, for example “I have noticed that you seem distracted lately. Is there any reason why?”. This will give them an opportunity to share what is bothering them, if anything. Then you can remind them that you are there to help them overcome their academic under performance and suggest solutions. In the end, let them know that you are always available to listen.
After speaking to the student, follow up by designing a game plan to help them overcome their difficulties. You can offer individual exam preparation sessions, provide them extra study resources, change their seat in class, or work with them to come up with a study schedule.
Check up on their progress every so often, but try not to babysit. It is important not to spoon-feed them, but rather to facilitate them in a way that they learn to work independently. You can ask them to give weekly reports of their exam preparation progress, or check up on their schoolwork to see if there is any improvement. Monitor their classroom behavior for positive changes as well.
Make sure you involve parents in the process. It is important to speak to them and share your concerns. Moreover, you should explain to them their role in helping their child improve. Do not speak to them in a complaining manner, but rather share your thoughts as a concerned teacher. Make sure you explain that they should not be punished, but that joint effort must be made to help the child overcome their difficulties.
You can suggest ways for them to help their child at home. This can include working together on exam preparation and homework, addressing any problems at home, or getting them extra help in the form of a tutor. This way, the child will receive help at school and at home both, to overcome any academic under performance.
After following these strategies to help your under performing students, be sure to evaluate the situation every so often. If there is no improvement in their performance and/or behavior, then you will need to go back and reassess the root cause. The end goal is the betterment of your students.
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