Weak students remedial teaching tips and techniques for teachers and parents

What is remedial teaching ? Who are identified as weak students? Characteristic feature of weak students at home. Characteristic feature of weak students at school.Story of a weak student. How to help weak students. Teacher role and responsibilities, parent role at home

1. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
1
“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Weak Students-Remedial Teaching Tips
and Techniques for Teachers and Parents



Rajeev Ranjan
Principal
B.Ed(English)
Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching English (PGDTE)
English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad
&
BA & MA (English)
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
www.rajeevranjan.net
Email .Id: [email protected]

2. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
2
“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Remedial teaching is core teaching methodology to empower
academically weak students. Academically weak students possess
normal physiological and psychological status however, could not
perform well in regular academic work. They pose a challenge before
a good parent and well -versed educator.
Remedial teaching is a unique way to provide intensive guidance,
support and assistance to the academically weak students. In fact, it is
integration of observation, interpretation and execution of method,
material and motivation according to the level of learner.
Everyone of this universe is capable of learning and possesses ability
to perform well in day to day school education system. Educator deals
with different types of individual in teaching and learning process. We
come across good academic performer, average performer and below
average performer in the classroom. Below average academic
performer is counted either as slow learner or weak learner.
Generally they possess natural physical and mental status.
Academically weak students show natural physical growth; however
they could not perform well in reading and writing. Weak students
could not develop understanding of different topics, key concepts and
other knowledgeable things. Gradually, they lose self interest of study
and develop a sense of delaying, excusing and blaming. They become
tasteless to taste the essence of success in a day to day life. Weak
students become a product of poor self confidence and poor self
image.
Since, academically weak students show natural physical growth as
well as show normal behaviour, attitude dealing with different issues
of life in the family, society and school. It becomes too much difficult
to identify the reason of poor academic performance. Parent and
educator tries to find out the basic reasons of poor performance but
they find that academically weak student shows nice behaviour with
their peers, family member and other stack holder of society when it
comes beyond study/academic matter.

3. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Academically weak student talks very well, plays well , watches
television, operates laptop, solve puzzles, achieves high level in
different video game but academic activity does not attract him at all.
It is difficult task for weak student to sit at a place to do academic
related tasks i.e. reading text, writing question answer, completing
homework, doing class work etc. Academic related tasks are big
burden for weak students. S/he may be aggressive or reluctant to
complete academic tasks. S/he may be become aggressive or hostile at
the time of study.

Educator counts student’s reluctant and aggressive nature as against
norms of discipline. Educator thinks that weak students do not want
to study. On the other side, since, weak students do not create self
interest in study; they do not want to perform academic activities. It
creates a big void between educators’ and students’ perception. Both
stakeholders perceive this phenomenon on two different layers.
Student weak academic performance is not result of a day, a month
and so one. Somewhere, we could not identify the real difficulties. It
becomes nature of student to show reluctant nature to read, write and
learn something.
Academically weak students’ activities at home: - Weak student
performs all activities with interest except study related activity
1. Ready to play, watch Television, play video game etc
2. Does not want to do sitting for study
3. Start doing abnormal activity during study:- feeling sleepy, can
skip dinner in night, may start fighting with sibling, can show
bad temperament before actual time of study at home, may hide
notebooks/books, may do emotional blackmailing or may show
emotional disorder (weeping)
4. May show various behavioral problems during study but when
regular study time get over ; s/he behaves normal

4. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

5. May not share school activity related to learning/poor academic
performance in test /instruction given by educators, reprimand,
scolding or other necessary and valuable information with
parent
6. Very active in telling various stories during study time and skip
completing homework, general reading and writing activity
7. May not share assigned home work to the parent and caretaker
at home to skip study at home
Academically weak students’ activities at school:- Weak student
performs all activities with interest except study related activity
1. May not come to school on regular basis
2. May not follow teacher’s instruction properly
3. May not copy writing work from blackboard/green board
4. May write very slow
5. May take extra time to complete an assignment
6. Filthy handwriting on notebooks
7. May keep head and shoulder down in the class
8. May unable to keep eye contact with teacher
9. May leave notebooks/books at home
10. May show reluctant behaviour in oral activity
11. May good in oral but not willing to write
12. May be very introvert to take participate in other activity
13. May give various excuses for incompletion of notebooks
and homework
14. May involve in indiscipline activities
15. May show decent behaviour; however weak in academic
work

5. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

16. May be weak in academic but posses’ unique quality i.e.
good singer, good in art and craft, sportsmanship, help others
on various occasion or handling electronic gadgets
smartly/efficiently (smart mobile phone/television)

God creates unique individual. Each individual has inbuilt unique and
distinctive features. Education nurtures to become an integrated
human being. When a child could not perform well in academic, we
count his/her as a weak student. An academic weak student is not
product of one day and one circumstance. Academically weak student
is product of inadequate and inappropriate care at home by the
parent and at school by the educator. A child starts learning good or
bad behaviour right from the day first at school. Indeed, weak student
is product of system. A large number of factors work throughout a
child life circle that determines academic performance. A child may be
good learner in the beginning of his/her academic life but may be
cultivated disinterestedness towards study at later part of life. It can
happen at any point of academic life right from nursery class to
university level. S/he may start not taking proper care of one subject,
more than one subject or in all subjective learning activity.

Role of Classroom Teachers
Generally, an educator possesses quality of a keen observer. Educator
observes, analyzes and interprets individual’s learning habits and
attitudes in the classroom. The moment, we realize that individual
academic interest, performance and growth are not as per as
expectation, we should increase our interest and observation for
weak students. We should “find out” the real cause of poor academic
performance. We can take help from colleagues, other students of
class, and parent/care taker of student. Sometimes, school driver also
gives insightful feedback especially student’s behaviour during travel.
These insightful feedbacks help educator to make specific plan and
execute that plan to bring weak student into mainstream.

6. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Let us read the story of Bhaskar:
Bhaskar got admission in class 3
rd
. He was performing below average
in the class.
Activity of Bhaskar at Classroom:-Used to sit silently in the
classroom/Not eager to talk to classmates and teachers/Dull facial
expression/Used to show laziness in almost all activities (Academic &
Non Academic)/Unable to read properly/Used to write something
very slow/Performed very poor in class test/teacher used to send in
principal office for various lacking points
Observation:-Habit of laziness/dullness/incomplete notebooks/torn
books
Interesting fact:- We came to know that he only loves to play (chhupa-
chhupi) hide and seek so that he can hide himself somewhere and stay
there for long times
Class teacher started monitoring him continuously i.e. his etiquettes
at school & at home/learning interest & habit etc through
collegues/peer students/parent. Proper guidance and continuous
assistance started reflecting in Bhaskar performance after 60 school
working days. Three concerned subject teachers only complained
about his non-performance in almost all areas; the one teacher (class
teacher) discussed the case with principal, planned properly, and
executed those plans. Bhaskar turned into a new Bhaskar and coming
up with positive learning traits, i.e. resulted in a nice poem recitation
in morning assembly with full of confidence. The teacher made this
difference.

7. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

To help a weak student to perform better in all academic activities is a
time taking process, requires patience, persistence and consistent
desires to work for longer and for long time.

1. Help weak students to realize that you love them and care them
irrespective of their all weaknesses
2. Help weak students to communicate with you without fear of
punishment/scolding/threatening
3. Help weak students to speak in the classroom i.e. initially one
word to one sentence in different situations
4. Help weak students to learn most common and easiest things i.e.
spelling of a simple word, meaning of most commonly used
words in a day to day life, most easily and basic points and facts
of topic/lesson (name of character or things, number of
character or things etc, basic mathematical formulas, scientific
or social facts)
5. Help weak students to learn and write correct spelling related to
all subjects i.e. most commonly used words which they
encounter during regular reading and writing activity
6. Help weak students to frame correct sentence/write correctly
i.e. starting from one word answer, one sentence answer to 2-3
sentences answer
7. Help weak students to improve writing style i.e. correct
formation of letter/word/sentence (sensitize them regarding
“gap between two letters, gap between two words, and number
of words in a line)
8. Help weak students to develop interest of attentive listening in
the classroom i.e. call him by his name during lesson, ask most
basic and known facts related to the text so that s/he can reply
you with confidence
9. Help weak students by asking answer supported question in
simple words/questions based on illustrations

8. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

10. Help weak students to develop interest of writing from
blackboard/green board to their notebooks
11. Help weak students to read the text easily and pronounce
written text properly
12. Help weak students to complete the subject related
assignments on time (initially focus should be to develop a habit
of work completion on time later on, focus should be on correct
writing and learning as soon as weak students gain confidence).
Pending work on daily basis creates extra pressure, havoc and a
sense of disinterestedness to complete tasks on time.
13. Help weak students while completing class
work/homework/learning points/concepts etc. We should not
expect that weak students will complete learning activities by
own effort. Be there to support them ‘no matter’ in ‘what ways/
which methods/means’ at early stage, however we can avoid
gradually proportionate to the growing interest and learning
level of students to avoid complete dependency on teacher,
parent and guide. Our whole effort should be to make weak
students self dependent. They have to learn. They have to stand
by own. We will not be everywhere to support them. Make them
self desired learners
14. Help weak students to develop an interest to write
“homework” in Student’s Alamance instructed by all subject
teachers
15. Help weak students in developing a positive self image and
positive attitude for him. Help them in realizing their own worth
and potential that yes “he can”
16. Help weak students in developing a sense of
achievement/taste of being successful in regular teaching
learning activities by giving them “initially easiest and
achievable task”

9. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

17. Appreciate weak students on their small non-academic or
academic efforts and achievement (showing
improvement/helping others /supporting others/ shown
wisdom in an activity)
18. Point out weak students’ weak areas initially in a mild
note i.e. writing simple word’s spelling incorrect or simple
sentence incorrect which they can improve with little effort
19. Develop a rapport, a trust with weak students to explore
their personality traits, and bring them back on academic
platform to perform as an integrated individual
20. Instill the idea of being successful and let them feel the
difference between a performer and non- performer
21. Observe weak student’s progress minutely i.e. behavioral,
habitual, psychological and attitudinal with the help of
colleague at school, peers at classroom and parent/caretaker at
home
22. Keep your moral/inspirational/intrinsic values high while
helping academically weak students; consist of persistence and
consistence to bring desired changes. Educator trust on self
effort and trust on weak students’ capability will certainly bring
positive changes in academic performance. Your positive
approach will certainly bring noticeable changes. Indeed, it is a
time taking process, however slow but noticeable progress in
weak students leads us to walk on the path of success towards
our goal. We should hope for the best and remember universal
thought by PB Shelly “If Winter comes, can Spring be far
behind?”. Let us hope for the best, do right effort for the best for
gradual progress of academically weak students if not magical
progress!

10. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Let us read the story of Arnav and Sumit
Arnav studies in class 5
th
. He never completes his work. He does not
bring notebooks and sometimes book in the classroom. He performs
very weak in the class.
He is under the observation for more than one year. Class teacher,
subject teacher and principal of the school shared his learning traits
and etiquettes with mother of the child on different occasions. She
expressed her ignorance. She fulfills all unnecessary demand of Arnav
with no command since she is second wife of her husband and Arnav
is only one child of the lady along with other step daughter and sons.
Arnav father is a teacher but he never ever cares at home in his study.
School has been trying to help Arnav in every single moment at school
time. His academic performance fluctuates in day to day; however he
has shown a little bit improvement in academic.
Sumit studies in class 7. His father is a contractor and mother is a
teacher. His father met principal of the school and shared Sumit poor
academic performance. Principal started doing minute observation.
Sumit is a naughty student however can perform well in almost all
areas. He has shown a little bit improvement. His father never ever
sits with Sumit at the time of study; never ever check his Alamance,
except his report card of term end examination. Principal was sharing
Sumit’s poor academic performance with his mother and came to
know that although Sumit mother is a school teacher but, she does not
sit with Sumit to check his regular academic progress. She shared that
Sumit does not share school activities with her. These days, she was
not caring and observing Sumit. Several questions arises in my mind
i.e. What could happen if Sumit parent cares him at home, could share
regular feedback with educators and could develop a strong channel
with school authority?
Does Sumit father regular check his academic activities?
Does Sumit father share some parental moment with him?
Does Sumit father sit with him for half an hour during study?

11. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Parent plays essential and central role to nurture a weak student. He
helps to develop learning traits, his self confident and self desire to
perform well in academic as well as learn the skills to face real life
situation rationally.
1. Help your ward to develop good manner at home- respect for
family member, elder as well as older people of society and
develop habit of living a mannered life
2. Help your child to form good habit in day to day life
3. Help your child to complete achievable task first to gain proper
confidence
4. Help your child to form positive self image that s/he can learn
this
5. Help your child to complete academic tasks on time
6. Help your child to learn basic facts of learning lesson
7. Help your child to improve his weak areas with great tips and
specific techniques
8. Always spend some parental time with your kids to know what
is going on
9. Always share real observation of your child with educator
10. Coordinate with educator and executes fundamental
suggestions given by educator time to time for the welfare of
your child
A child is born with unique ability and unexceptional potentiality.
Parent, school and society should nurture this inherent talent and
potentiality in right direction. Change will be there.

12. Weak Students’ “Remedial Teaching”
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“Teaching is an art.” Rajeev Ranjan

Reference:-
 www.rajeevranjan.net
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-develop-thinking-skills
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-prepare-for-exam-study-
tips-techniques-guide-for-students
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-help-weak-students
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/life-skills-69799343
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-handle-weak-students
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/constructivism-a-methodical-
learning-approach
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/habits-of-mind-art-de-costa
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-deal-with-discipline-
problems-in-the-classroom-tips-techniques-and-strategies-for-classroom-
management
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/creative-thinking-characteristics-
tips-and-techniques-to-become-a-creative-thinker
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/critical-thinking-skill-learn-to-
thinktips-and-techniques-to-develop-cts
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-teach-weak-students
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-develop-thinking-skills
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/how-to-handle-weak-students
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/life-skills-69799343
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/writing-skill
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/multiple-intelligence
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/students-misbehaviour
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/questioning-technique
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/techniques-to-teach-drama-in-a-
language-classroom
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/planning-a-lesson
 https://www.slideshare.net/rajeevelt/blooms-taxonomy-a-revolutionary-
learning-approach