How To Cope With Students Learning Challenges

Jun 12, 2011 by Aiza Reeves

For the most part of their careers, teachers as well as tutors deal with a flock of students whose abilities and skills vary. There are several factors that affect how students cope with the lessons, how they deal with their classmates and how they perform during class discussions. Modification of teaching methods in terms of the learning and adaptive abilities of every student is thereby significant.

A teacher can proactively cope with these challenges in two ways. First, by determining students learning difficulties; and second, by assessing their skills. Some of the common learning and teaching-related problems are as follows:

• Dead time equals boredom – Some students are fast in accomplishing a particular task while others spend a great deal of time finishing a seatwork. It depends on how easy or difficult the task is for them. There is a tendency for fast learners to feel bored and sometimes unease with the class pace. Those in the slower group, on the other hand, tend to be more pressured and later on exhausted doing the given task.
• Lack of motivation results in disruption – Often, students who are frequently unoccupied and bothered by boredom tend to lose their interest in the lessons. While the slow learners are vulnerable to losing their determination to accomplish a given task. A teacher can overcome this teaching problem by utilizing the reward system not only for the top achievers but also for slow learners’ small accomplishments. Words of encouragement like giving praises can make a difference.
• Teachers’ adaptability – Teachers dealing with bright pupils and slow learners ought to apply methods that are suitable to the learning spectrum of their students. Preparing special works or activities, however, are time consuming. They are also expected to teach to the middle, meaning their language of text or instructions must be clear for both parties.

Knowing these problems enables every teacher to set clear and appropriate learning objectives.  Moreover, it allows every educator to improve, modify and develop teaching and learning instructions.