Case study of a slow learner Jovita Lepcha

Document Type:Case Study

Subject Area:Education

Document 1

A slow learner is one who learner at a slower than average rate. The causes of slow learning are low intellectual learning and personal factors such as illness and absence from school, The environmental factors also contribute to this slow learning. Identification of the slow learners and the crucial step. Then we have to advise educational programme for the slow learners. Slow learner work best with a changeful designed step. Most teachers who deal with average and below-average pupils meet children who do not seem to profit from the usual educational methods and content provided. The term 'backward' or 'slow learner' is reserved for these children who are not coping with the work normally expected of their age group (Bun, 1937) or whose scholastic performance is below the average expected of their age group (Kirman, 1975).

Sign up to view the full document!

For Kirk (1962), rate of learning is the basis of identifying a child as slow learner, average or gifted. For Kirk, the slow-learning child is not considered mentally retarded because he is capable of achieving a moderate degree of academic success even though at a slower rate than the average child. He is educated in the regular classes without special provisions except an adaptation of the regular class programme to fit his slower learning ability. These children display weakness in thinking, finding, out relationships, similarity, familiarity, reasoning, poor development of concept, language, and number concepts, memory. Socio-emotional characteristics include feeling of in security, withdrawal, immaturity, regression and fantasy. Who is a Slow Learner? It is a known fact that all children experience school-related problems at one time or another during their school years.

Sign up to view the full document!

A teacher on any working day may have to deal with problems ranging from aggressive behaviour to disinterest in the learning task. The cause of such difficulties may vary from an unknown conflict at home to simple headache. Nonetheless, every teacher should be on the lookout for the attributes which might point to the fact that a certain student is possibly a slow learner. The most obvious characteristic of the slow learners is their inability to 'match up" to the rest of the class in their rate of academic growth. For example, they probably learn to read a year later than most of the children. Their rate of reading development is then four-fifths to nine-tenths of a year during each succeeding school year.

Sign up to view the full document!

The late start means that they continue to fall farther and farther behind every passing year as they become older. In answering the tool it's miles expected that the procedure of sensitization has started. The look at additionally facilitates us to get an standard attitude of gradual newcomers. It's miles important that extra such research are completed to convey to the notice of higher government that this institution of newbies also need much attention thus making this observe more full-size. Having said all that, one should be very careful as to not confuse the slow learners with the emotionally disturbed, educationally retarded, or the mentally retarded. Therefore, one must be arbitrary about defining the group of pupils. The slow learner will rely on concrete learning rather than abstract learning.

Sign up to view the full document!

The behavioural characteristics of slow learners are symptoms of conditions or some factors present either within the child or outside the child. Slow learning is caused by a variety of factors such as: (i) Low intellectual abilities such as subnormal intelligence. (ii) Personal factors such as long illness,  long absence from school,  undetected physical defects , poor cognitive entry characteristics.  (iii) Environmental variables such as poor home facilities for learning skills , low quality and quantity of food,  shortage of sleep,  adverse parental attitudes towards education,  poor or inappropriate opportunities in school (large classes), poor quality of teaching,  choosing inadequate or advanced materials,  incompatibility between home and the school,  Repeated changes of school and consequent changes in  teaching styles and content. A teacher’s observance of a slow learner would find that he is often passive and seems uninterested; he writes poorly; he is poor in reading skills; he has little or no skill in interpreting data; he cannot plan her work for himself; he has poor study habits, he tires of an activity quickly; and he tends to give up more quickly than the average student.

Sign up to view the full document!

When it comes to physical attributes, in many cases, the slow learners are smaller than the average students in built, size, and motor ability. The slow learners, as a group, are somewhat smaller and more poorly coordinated than the population in general.   However, emotionally, slow learners are very similar to normal children. Characteristics like excitons, over sensitiveness, repression, shyness, and apathy are frequently attributed to the group of children; but it should not be concluded that they inevitably possess temperamental or emotional difficulties. Her biggest issue is self-behaviour for she constantly disagrees to follow classroom protocol.  Her report card for the last three quarters shows that she received below average grades in reading and language. Her grades in math are worse.

Sign up to view the full document!

Why Jovita is the right choice for the research of the case study rather than other students? Jovita is a north-eastern Indian student who is the only child to her hairdresser mother and her private employee father.  I chose her after talking to her first and second grade teacher: Ms. Jovita is consistently being described as a student who has the potential to excel academically, but that self-discipline is her problem. I noticed. Ms. Fernandes mentioned that during the instruction time when she should be writing what the teacher is dictating, she is sucking her thumb or just copying someone else's work. On one occasion when she should have been listening to the teacher, she was flicking paper off her desk.

Sign up to view the full document!

They were my source for gathering a comprehensive background information about Jovita’s familial upbringing. Impact of family: Ceka and Murat (2016) state that the interaction between parent and their children is constantly being a mutual influence and process moving from the parent to the child which as such triggers impact the children’s development and education, in both, positive as well as negative sense. In Jovita’s case, her parents understand the importance of good quality education and therefore worked hard to get her into a reputed private English medium school for girls run by nuns. Her father is an arts graduate while her mother’s family could only manage to fund her schooling till standard 10th after which she worked as a helper in a beauty parlour in the city.

Sign up to view the full document!

It is here that she learned the tricks of the trade. They spend their lunch breaks together and Andrea lets her copy off her classwork and sometimes homework too. She is perhaps the only person Jovita talks to in the class. As for other students and teachers, Jovita is just one odd child and slow learner who fails miserably in studies and therefore is a nuisance to a class. Methodology of Data Collection: The research was a long-distance task. That is while I studied in a foreign country, I undertook the research in my home country with the help of a friend who is the class teacher of my case study: Jovita. Fernandes and her classmate and friend Andrea. The method of collecting data and information from these persons was then determined.

Sign up to view the full document!

The appropriate method was the interviews, whether verbal or written. Verbal interviews were conducted with Jovita (because she was more responsive verbally rather than on paper) Jovita’s teacher and her classmate, and the interview with her parents were conducted by Ms. Fernandes on the PTM day. The data of this study literature indicates that Jovita’s personality is shaped by many factors. These factors intertwine with each other to play an important role in shaping her character in all aspects. These factors have contributed to making Jovita what she is as of now The analysis was divided into two broad categories: First category was the analysis of Jovita as a person, her likes dislikes, her hobbies and her relation to her immediate surrounding that is to her parents and relatives at home and the second category was her relationship with secondary influencers like friends, peer groups, teachers etc.

Sign up to view the full document!

Analysis of Jovita’s personality, her likes dislikes, her hobbies and her relation to her personal surrounding: Studying the data collected based on the interview, I found out that Jovita since childhood has been a very recluse child. When asked about whether she likes going to school or staying home, she very quickly answered that she likes home. Jovita was questioned about who she likes more, her father or her mother and why; she responded that she doesn't like her father because he always scolded her and punishes her for everything. This unfavourable relationship with her father is one of the prime factors that contributed to her being a recluse child because she is afraid that she might be scolded or punished again.

Sign up to view the full document!

Jovita mentioned that she likes drawing colouring and singing but does not like to study. Ms. Runa, her art teacher also pointed out that Jovita takes part in the art class with a lot of interest and focus. She was very playful with their neighbour’s daughter but recently around 6 months ago they decided to send her to a boarding school in Mt. Abu and as a result Jovita lost the only friend she had.  This points to the fact that Jovita probably is dealing with separation anxiety which is making her behave like she does. Further questioning about Jovita’s childhood revealed that she suffers from regular bouts of pharyngitis and tonsillitis and as a result has been forced to take strong antibiotics since she was a child.

Sign up to view the full document!

The doctor advised her to gargle with hot water everyday morning and night, her father is very particular with the practise but Jovita hates it, and as a result her father must force her to do it. They lack the connection. Jovita agreeing that she wants a sister points out to the fact that she indeed feels lonely at times and wishes to have someone to play with. Her mentioning about playing with the doll house and dressing up also shows that she is just a regular child like the other girls. Relationship with secondary influencers like friends, peer groups, teachers etc: Jovita’s only friend in school is Andrea who is her classmate and lives in the same housing society as her.

Sign up to view the full document!

When Andrea was asked to say something about Jovita, she said, “Jovita is very good at drawing, she draws very beautiful scenery” which reconfirmed the fact that Jovita is indeed talented artistically. Jovita’s relationship with Andrea is no different from that of a normal child and her friends. They both share the same interest for a certain cartoon and a very beautiful friendship. But the fact that Jovita doesn’t talk to anybody but Andrea is because Andrea took the first step to initiate conversation with her while the other students just look down on her because she is academically weak. This showcases the stereotype around academically weak students that has plagued the society. The society tends to harbour negative attitudes towards these children, they even tend to teach their children to stay away from students who are academically weak fearing that they might be a bad influence, but they refuse to look at the other talents and skills of the child.

Sign up to view the full document!

Considerable repetition is usually necessary and the material should be adapted appropriately for the slow learner. Positive reinforcement technique should be used as much as possible. The following recommendations are useful for the teacher: 1. The teacher needs to emphasize the concrete and the specific with regard to the problems and materials. Instruction should be directed towards satisfying those needs that are more immediate and more easily recognised and identified. Teachers should be careful about the number of things taught and the abstractness of the material. Sheer numbers can overwhelm any one, especially the slow learners. REFERENCES J.  Harris & W. D.   bibliography. of research studies. in education  Gadamer (2004) The Case of the Disappearing/Appearing Slow Learner  Ciasca,,Lima, Mello, Massoni,(2003). Characterization of school-related problems and diagnose APPENDIX Interview with Jovita: 1.

Sign up to view the full document!

Good morning, what is your name? how old are you? Hello! My name is Jovita and I’m 8 years old. She is a very quiet and good child. Do you have any plans for Jovita’s future in terms of what she wants to become when she grows up? She says she wants to be a painter, but we know we will support her nonetheless with whatever she wants to be. Do you think it would be better for her if she had a sibling? Yes. Because she doesn't go out to play with friends. She usually watches tv or sits and colours her sketchbook. How did you meet Jovita? We met in the bus. She had no place to sit.

Sign up to view the full document!

I moved my bag and offered her space to sit. We live in the same colony. Do you meet Jovita often? No ma’am. She is a good friend to me. She has no other friends than me. So, I stay with her. What does Jovita usually get for tiffin? She brings Maggi, but she loves the rajma chawal I get. We share the tiffin. While other children go out to play, Jovita stays in class and eats inside sometimes alone, sometimes with Andrea. Do you think Jovita needs extra attention, care, love, some personal time as compared to other students? Yes. She is usually aloof, and I have met her parents in a PTM and got to know that they work which means the child is usually left alone.

Sign up to view the full document!

From $10 to earn access

Only on Studyloop

Original template

Downloadable