Understanding And Helping The Slow Learner

About one in every six American children is a slow learner. The slowly learning child is difficult to recognize, identify, and understand. So many children give the impression of being slow that teachers and parents are confused as to what the cause of their slowness really is.

Any number of causes, whether physical, psychological, or social, may contribute. The slow learner is usually normal in appearance and is able to function satisfactorily in many situations. This is precisely why they are difficult to understand and identify.

While slow learners usually possess common sense and adequate memory, are physically adept, and have normal memory, this does not mean that they have normal ability for schoolwork. It is not unusual to hear the parents of slow learners say they are puzzled over their children's school difficulties because they "seem to do so well at home."

The measured intelligence of a true slow learner is about 75 percent to 90 percent of that of the average child. Their maximum mental age ranges from 11 years to 13 1/2 years. They learn at a rate of 4/5 to 9/10 of normal, and they learn to read approximately one year later than the majority of children.

Most authorities agree that slow learners may be slow in reading and arithmetic, but not necessarily to the same extent in shop, mechanics, and social activities. They may also be adept at peer play activities, work, and sports.

Most elementary school classes in an average community can be expected to include three to five slow learners.

Characteristics of the Slow Learner

The slow learner in the regular classroom usually exhibits the following behaviors:

Labored abstract or deep thinking. The child needs to think in relation to her experiences in concrete ways.
A short attention span. The child may find difficulty in concentrating as long as other children.
Awkward in self-expression. The child is not adept at words or their meanings. Their speech may not be as fluent as that of other children.
Has a harder time than others figuring things out for himself. The child requires more direction and supervision, but should not be overprotected.
Reacts and learns slower than other children. The child is not as quick to grasp what the teacher says. Things must be explained more simply, repeated in different ways, and reviewed from time to time.
Worldview is narrower than that of their friends. The teacher can counteract this by tying the child's daily life to classroom teaching.
Reading seems to be more difficult. Subject matter is often mastered more easily when extensive reading is not required.

Regardless of these limitations, the slow learner does learn. The child can make progress in the classroom if the teaching and the materials used are at her level.