Enhancing Low-achieving Language Learners' Performance: Techniques and Strategies
Yaser Khajavi, Iran
Yaser Khajavi is an ELT instructor and teacher trainer in Iran. He currently teaches English in both high schools and Islamic Azad University, Izeh branch, Iran. He is also an editorial board member of Theory and Practice in Language Studies Journal. His recent articles have appeared in English Australia Journal, Porta Linguarum, English Teaching Professional and Humanizing Language Teaching. His area of interest includes teaching methodology and cognitive aspect of language teaching.
E-mail: yaserkhajavi@gmail.com
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Introduction
Techniques and strategies
Search for reasons of failure
Let low-achievers know the importance of learning a language
Magnify the strengths of students
Teach them how to learn a language
Compare low-achievers with themselves not with their classmates
Involve them in class activities
Do not ignore the role of parents
Assign compensatory homework for them
Do not over correct students
Consult with teachers of other courses
Work on multiple intelligences
Address all levels when teaching
Conclusion
References
As language teachers, we sometimes are faced with some students who fail to perform successfully in language learning. Most of the teachers are interested in finding how to help these students achieve better results. In present article, I will try to give some practical strategies based on my personal experience in rural regions which sometimes are replete with these types of students with the aim of improving the situation. Of course, there are many factors involved in educational failure of students. However there are some general guidelines which are appropriate for different situations. The strategies are as follows:
In this section, some general guidelines are given and some procedures will be proposed.
It goes with out saying that there are different reasons for whatever happens. So failure in language learning may have diverse reasons. Try to find the obstacles in the way of students' learning and do your best to alleviate the problems.
In many cases, the failure of students relates to the fact that students do not know why they should learn something. For example, if you ask them to study more, they will tell you what is the use of that? In these instances, the most efficient strategy is to let them know the value of learning as well as the importance of learning a foreign language. Knowing the reasons for learning a language would contribute to students' motivation. Many second/foreign language researchers believe that motivation is a critical component for the successful development of language skills (Wu, 2006). Familiarizing students can be done by explaining the use of foreign languages in their lives and the opportunities which can be made for them in future. Doing this requires attention to the age of learners i.e. you must consider age factor in explaining and motivating learners.
Due to the fact that low-achievers usually obtain weak results compared with other students, teachers often do not encourage them in the class. This sometimes leads to de-motivating students and hinders their persistence. It would be very motivating when students make even a bit progress to encourage them in presence of their classmates in order to reinforce their progress. This motivates them and gives them further impetus in perusing their studies. For example, suppose that you ask a question and one of your weak students answer it accurately, you can ask other students to clap for him/her and acknowledge his contribution in this way. This can lead to improving students' self-concept and consequently their learning.
One of the causes of failure of students is lack of familiarity with the ways and techniques for learning a language. In these situations, it is upon language teachers to teach students techniques and strategies of language learning. For example if your students are weak in learning vocabulary, teach them how to learn vocabulary through repetition, practice, memorization and association. Oxford (1990) believes that learning strategies make learning easier, quicker, more pleasant and more successful.
Many teachers evaluate all students and rate them in the same manner. This may not be true and logical because individuals are different and diverse in terms of their capacities, strengths, styles and performance. As such, when testing students' skills, try to see how much they have moved forward in comparison with their previous status not with those of other classmates.
As Khajavi & Abbasian (2011) maintain, when students are involved, they take part in class activities; this will generate an energetic atmosphere in the classroom which consequently leads to optimal learning.
In language classrooms, low-achievers are often silent; they do not tend to participate in discussions and activities. After a while, some teachers do not pay attention to these students and engage more clever students. This may be done unconsciously by teachers but it actually occurs. In order to avoid this situation, keep in mind that you should engage all of your students in class. Therefore, do not ignore a part of your class if they are not active or fluent.
Students spend most part of their time with their families. So a short portion of their time is spent in your class. As such, parents are more cognizant of students' characteristics and actions. Some students have some problems with their families or with their friends. This contributes to lack of participation in class activities which leads to academic failure in their studies. Try to keep in touch with parents in order to provide appropriate situation for your students to learn. In addition, keep them informed of the status of students.
In case you understand that your students have problems in special areas, whenever possible, assign some extra-activities to them to be done at home. This helps them strengthen weak areas and build on their present knowledge. After completion of homework, check them to ensure that weak areas have been covered.
Many low-achievers have many errors in their speaking and/or writing. Avoid constant correction of students' errors in order to let them be confident and practice more. In case you are going to correct errors, do it in an indirect manner. Whatever is believed to de-motivate students should be avoided.
It would be very helpful to ask other teachers to see if a student in language class has the same performance in other classes. Some students have problems in all courses. But some of them are weak in special courses. In this way, you will be able to devise the most appropriate solution for amending the situation.
Based on MI theory proposed by Gardner (1983), individuals have diverse types of intelligences. Therefore, they learn in different ways. When teaching, do your best to provide your students with a variety of activities and tasks which engage all intelligences. For example, some people are stronger in bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, so role plays are beneficial in this case; if a person is strong in interpersonal intelligence, pair and group work will be much helpful. Therefore gear your teaching to students' tendencies.
Your teaching should address all levels. Some teachers do not consider the levels of low-achievers in their classes. They believe that all students should know basic things. When teaching, start with basic materials which are meaningful and understandable for all students and move forward to more complex material. Be careful about your assumptions about background knowledge of students i.e. sometimes we as teachers start explaining a grammatical point without paying attention to the fact that maybe some of our students are not able to make out a part.
Present article strived to suggest some practical techniques which can help teachers in enhancing the performance of low-achieving students in language classrooms. These techniques are based on authentic experience in that they have been utilized in some contexts and have come to successful results. Teachers can use these strategies with the aim of keeping the balance among different students in heterogeneous classes. In doing so, teachers should tune the techniques with context of classes. It is hoped that these strategies would be promising and beneficial for language teachers and learners.
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind. Basic Books: New York.
Khajavi, Y., & Abbasian, R. (2011). Some Practical Techniques on Managing Large English Language Classes. Humanizing Language Teaching.
Oxford, R. L., (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House Publishers.
Wu, C, P. (2006). The Effects of goal Orientation, Self-efficacy, and Cognitive /Metacognitive Self regulatory Strategy Use on EFL College Students’ Course Achievement. Unpublished Ph D dissertation. University of Southern California.
Please check the Dealing with Difficult Learners course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the How the Motivate your Students course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Building Positive Group Dynamics course at Pilgrims website.
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