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The Struggling Student: :warning: student-plan-landing-2x :warning: How…
The Struggling Student:
:warning:
:warning: How to help all students succeed
Possible signs of a struggling student
Lack of fluency or comprehension
Students who take an extended period of time to become "fluent" in different subject, or who put so much energy into sounding out the basics of a skill that they cannot focus on using it in tandem with other skills may be struggling
Disruptive or reactive behavior during certain subjects
Could indicate a student's frustration with a certain subject, or be an attempt to distract self and others from lesson due to frustration or fear
Low attendance rates
Student may be struggling at home or reluctant to come to school for fear of frustration or being judged
Reluctance to engage with material
If a student does not understand a subject, or is struggling with it, they are less likely to engage with material regarding it
Lack of attention to personal hygiene
Could indicate a student struggling at home which may have effects on school work
Noticeable change of behavior
Ex: a student who is normally engaged who suddenly becomes withdrawn or reluctant
Educator Response
Observe signs and collect data to support theory that student is struggling
Intervene with differentiated instruction
For assignments and projects, assign student to small group with peers of similar needs and abilities
Observe growth within both group as a whole and students individually; observe each student's individual struggles and needs and develop ways to address them
If necessary, create individual additional or alternate assignments for student to work on which focus on the skills they need to build
If possible, try different modalities of teaching the problem skills to students; tailor to their personal learning styles and needs
Identify specific subjects with which the student is struggling
Identify specific skill-sets within those subjects with which student is struggling
Spend short amounts of time working on specific skills daily
Observe student progress and growth over time
Initiate RTI (response-to-intervention) process. Based on this process, educators will be guided to either:
Refer students to special services
Communicate between special services instructors, school administration, parents, and "home" classroom teacher to create a support team for student; continue to provide resources to parents and monitor student progress
Continue with differentiated instruction in "home" classroom only
Continue communicating and supporting parents and reporting student growth and progress
Open communication with parents/guardians
If parents do not request referral, they can still be provided with resources to help their child continue their education with difficult subjects at home in a more comfortable and individual environment
Educator must be sure to share information with guardians about not only the student's struggles, but also the milestones they reach
Parents/guardians may request that the student be referred to special services
References
Betschart, Kimberly, personal communication, May 29, 2018
LaPorte, Melina, personal communication, May 27, 2018
Link to interviews with K. Betschart and M. LaPorte
