In each classroom, students are different, including their learning abilities. Just as no two children look exactly alike in the classroom, so they differ in adjustment, attitudes, and learning ( Brennan, 2018) . If the differences are extreme, it is essential to consider special attention and consideration. One of the issues in kindergarten is a slow learning child. A slow learning child describes a child who has achieved their developmental markers at a very slow rate in comparison to their peers ( Brennan, 2018) . In most cultures, the condition is misunderstood and some people believe that such children are failures in learning or they are ‘dumb’ (Khan, 2018) The intervention will play a critical role in assisting parents and the local community in understanding that there are some children who naturally learn faster while there are others who take a longer time to learn similar lessons and concepts (Khan, 2018). Also, the intervention will assist parents in knowing the characteristics, causes, challenges, and how to help such special children.
Characteristics
The characteristics will be categorized into four main groups: educational, developmental, personal, and social.
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Educational
Children with educational or learning disabilities often take longer to understand and process information ( Brennan, 2018) . Although they may be proficient in intellectual knowledge, they may take longer to process and grasp different concepts.
Developmental
Some of the developmental characteristics include a delay in language and speech developmental patterns, and poor memory ( Brennan, 2018) . It means that the child may take longer to start speaking in comparison to their peers or it may take repetitive lessons so that they can learn most concepts.
Personal
Children who are slow learners often have less control over their personal emotions. They are highly likely to get depressed because of minor setbacks, easily fall to anger, express anxiety, and get more frustrated than their peers (Khan, 2018). There are most likely to experience challenges with confidence, self-esteem, and are prone to acts of emotional instability or aggression.
Social
Children who are slow learners tend to relate better with younger children and avoid interacting with their peers. Also, they tend to have behaviors that are usually associated with children who are younger than them (Khan, 2018). Some people may label such children as introverts because of their inability to relate properly with their peers causing them to be more reserved or quiet.
Causes of Slow Learning
There are no clear causes of slow learning, but there are factors that could contribute to slow learning, such as:
Trauma
The child could have experienced a trauma that could have caused developmental issues. The trauma could be emotional, physical or psychological (Khan, 2018).
Premature Birth
Premature birth could cause a child to have a slower rate of brain development in comparison to their peers (Khan, 2018).
Medical
The child could be experiencing diseases of the nervous system or the brain that could cause the children not to hit their developmental markers (Khan, 2018).
Pampering
The most common cause of slow learning is over-pampering by parents. Children who are over pampered are used to have their problems ‘solved for them,' and that is why they do not adapt or learn properly (Khan, 2018).
How to Help Such Children
Praise: Praise helps such children to keep motivated and continue learning. It helps them to understand a technique or concept correctly ( Brennan, 2018) . Even the tiniest victory should be praised or acknowledged.
Rewards: It is important to reward the slow learning child after achieving a milestone to keep them focused and motivated.
Being patient: It is essential not to compare the slow learning child to other children because it may de-motivate them (Khan, 2018). Parents should not lose their patience or scream at their child because it may de-motivate them.
Being supportive: It is important for a parent to keep encouraging and being vocally supportive until the child succeeds.
Conclusion
The intervention will play a critical role in creating awareness about slow learning. It will assist both parent and the local community to learn about the condition and how they should respond. Two one hour sessions per week will be sufficient for the program.
References
Brennan, W. K. (2018). Shaping the education of slow learners : Routledge.
Khan, A. (2018). Dealing with a Slow Learning Child – Challenges and Tips to Help: First Cry Parenting. Retrieved from https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/dealing-with-a-slow-learner-child-challenges-and-tips-to-help/
