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Remedial Instruction Reference Material

BSEd-English (Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology)

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 1

LESSON
1
REMEDIAL CLASSROOM: ORGANIZATION AND
MANAGEMENT

THE REMEDIAL PROGRAM

A remedial program primarily helps students
address language skills deficits by helping
them acquire self-confidence to face their
own weakness and overcome these through
the acquisition of self-help strategies. A
thorough assessment must be conducted
before organizing a remedial program, while
consistent monitoring is imperative in
managing the program.
Below are general instructional guidelines
that should be considered (Strickland, 1998
cited in Gunning, 2003 and in Vacca, Vacca,
and Gove, 1991):

1. Instruction is systematic when it is planned, deliberate in application, and

proceeds in an orderly manner. This does not mean a rigid progression of one-
size-fits-all teaching.
2. Intensive instruction on any particular skill or strategy should be based on need.
Thus, intensity will vary both with individuals and groups.
3. There is no substitute for ongoing documentation and monitoring of learning to
determine the order in which skills should be addressed and the level of
intensity required to help a child or group of children succeed in a particular
area.
4. To track specific goals and objectives within an integrated language-arts
framework, teachers must know the instructional objectives their curriculum
requires at the grade or year level they teach.

BACKGROUND OF REMEDIAL EDUCATION

The need for remedial education can be traced back over 150 years. Remedial studies
were offered at Yale University in 1828 for students with “defective preparation”. The
first documented remedial program began in 1849 at the University of Wisconsin with
course offerings in reading, writing, and mathematics. The remedial department was
abolished in 1880, at least in part, because of the university’s embarrassment caused
by their students’ need for such remediation. Despite perceived embarrassment,
remedial courses emerged over the next 20 years at such prestigious institutions as
Cornell, Harvard, Wellesley, and the University of California at Berkeley.
By the turn of the century, 84% of all colleges and universities had some form of
remedial course work. By 1928, William Book at the University of Indiana “began to
laud rather than condemn the practice of assisting underprepared students”. He

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began a “How to Study” course in addition to developmental reading courses in

response to the dilemma that one half of all University of Indiana students had not
met course requirements.

ORGANIZING A REMEDIAL PROGRAM

In organizing a remedial program, one must consider the following factors: (1)
curriculum, (2) instruction, and (3) assessment.
1. Curriculum. Curriculum is taught and learned.
It is the structured set of learning outcomes
for a prescribed course of study. It is a
standards-based sequence of planned
experiences where students practice and
achieve proficiency in content and applied
learning skills. Curriculum is the central guide
for all educators as to what is essential for
teaching and learning, so that every student
has access to rigorous academic experiences.
Goals within a curriculum are the standards-
based benchmarks or expectations for
teaching and learning. Most often, goals are
made explicit in the form of a scope and
sequence of skills to be addressed. Goals must
include the breadth and depth to which a
student is expected to learn.
(a) Base goals and standards for language learning on theory and
research. Teachers should be using research-based strategies in
teaching and put all theories in practice.
(b) Relate teacher beliefs and knowledge about instruction to
research. All beliefs of the teacher (approaches, methodologies and
strategies) should always have a theoretical explanation.
(c) Organize the curriculum framework so that it is usable. The
curriculum should be systematic. Teacher should consider the needs of
the students in crafting the syllabus. They should also consider
theoretical paradigms and frameworks to support the organization.
(d) Select materials that facilitate accomplishment of school
goals. Prepare materials that will support the syllabus. Materials and
activities should be aligned to the goals of the school. Materials and
activities should be based on the curriculum guide of a certain level or
grade.
2. Instruction. It is “how we teach”. An instructional repertoire is the array of
teaching and learning strategies we use to design experiences that promote
student learning of the curriculum.
(a) The program must identify instructional strategies and
activities for learners. Use appropriate learning methods and

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strategies based on the needs of the students. One should consider the
following:
• learning styles
• learning modalities
• differentiated instruction
• multiple intelligences
(b) Instruction must be based upon what we know about the
effective teaching of language skills. It should be supported by the
theories and principles of teaching and learning. Assessment should be
holistic. One should use the Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives to double check if TLP is complete.
(c) Those involved in designing or selecting instructional activities
need to consider the variables that contribute to success in
language learning, given its interactive and constructive
nature. Consider other factors of learning like learning styles,
individual differences, context, environment, cognitive, affective and
psychomotor skills, etc. Prepare activities that are based on the four
macro skills and viewing skill.
(d) Time must be provided in the classroom for practice. Give them
time to think, practice and to give them time for your guidance for the
things they find difficult.
(e) Composing should be an integral part of the program. Among
the five macroskills, writing is the last line of display of the skills. Every
activity should have a writing task before moving on to the next level.
The macroskills are integral: before writing, all skills should have been
utilized.
(f) Students should be given opportunities to become
independent and to self-monitor their progress. Learning
procedure should allow students to have guided and independent
practice for formative and summative assessment. Teach them of
metacognitive skills to assess and monitor themselves. Self-motivation
and self-assessment is essential to be developed.
(g) The climate in a school must be conducive to the development
of students. The school must be helpful for students. It must be warm
and accommodating. The environment should also act as a scaffold.
Comfort and security must be felt. Motivating and peaceful
environment is helpful for the students.
(h) The school must develop an organizational structure that
meets individual needs of students. There should be assigned
personnel that will help the students when they are in need or
confused. The teacher and all the stakeholders in the program should
be accommodating and warm when addressing the students’ need.
(i) The program must provide for coordination among all language
programs offered in the school. Maximize the use of school
organizations that will make the program rich with connections so that
students will not feel isolated. Establish the sense of positive
remediation by making them feel belongingness in the school.

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 4

Providing avenues for learning outside the classroom is more authentic.

Authentic learning is a good remedial approach.
3. Assessment. Assessment is “how we and the students know what students
have learned”. In education, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of
methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document
the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational
needs of students.
(1) Use assessment (formative and summative assessments) to
guide instruction.
▪ Formative assessment is generally carried out throughout a
course or project. Formative assessment, also referred to as
“educative assessment,” is used to aid learning. In an
educational setting, formative assessment might be a teacher
(or peer) or the learner, providing feedback on a student’s work,
and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes.
▪ Summative assessment is generally carried out at the end of
a course or project. In an educational setting, summative
assessments are typically used to assign students a course
grade.
▪ Educational researcher Robert Stake explains the difference
between formative and summative assessment with the
following analogy: When the cook tastes the soup, that’s
formative. When the guests taste the soup, that’s summative.
(2) Develop scoring guides and rubrics.
• Assess holistically (if you’re after the overall impact of the
output) or analytically (if you want to focus on a certain criteria)
• Validity and fairness of assessment.

(3) Seek alignment among various layers of assessment.

• Assessment for learning (diagnostic)
• Assessment as learning (formative)
• Assessment of learning (summative)

MANAGING A REMEDIAL PROGRAM

School-based remedial sessions tend to involve 3 to 10 learners, and typically last
between 30 to 50 minutes, depending on whether they are in the elementary or
secondary level. A plan to maximize the utilization of that time should be a high
priority. To ensure that the program is effective, one must consider the six components
of an ideal remedial program (Manzo & Manzo, 1993). These principles may also be
applicable in remediation for other skills aside from reading.
1. The orientation component. These
are preparatory activities,
preparation for a job or an activity. The
orientation component provides
continuity and focus to the remedial
session. It may be an engaging

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question or statement related to local

or national news, or even school life. It
must focus on structured routines,
materials, equipment, venue, people
involved, and the objective of the
program.

2. Direct Instruction Component.

Direct instruction refers to teacher-
directed teaching method. The
teachers give explicit, guided
instructions to the students: (1)
instructional approaches that are
structured, sequenced, and led by
teachers, and/or (2) the present

ation of academic content to students by teachers, such as in a lecture or

demonstration. In other words, teachers are “directing” the instructional
process or instruction is being “directed” at students. This is the instructional
heart of the remedial session. It should never be traded away, even for one
period, without some compelling reason.

3. Reinforcement and Extension Component. Reinforcement is used to increase

appropriate behaviors. It is the process of encouraging or establishing a belief
or pattern of behavior, especially by encouragement or reward. This period of
time ideally should build on the direct instructional period and be spent in
empowered reading, writing, and discussion of what was read. Writing activities
may vary from simply listing key words to summarizing and reacting.

4. Schema-Enhancement Component. Schema is the basic building block of

intelligent behavior, a way of organizing knowledge. We want the children’s
schemata to be enchanced through remedial instruction. This unit of time should
be spent in building a knowledge-based for further reading and independent
thinking. It is an ideal time to teach study skills such as outlining, note taking, and
memory training. Ideally, it should flow or precede Component 3.

5. Personal-Emotional Growth Development. There is little learning or

consequence that can occur without the learner involvement and anticipation of
personal progress.

6. Cognitive Development Component. This component should contain an

attempt to enhance basic thinking operation such as: inference, abstract verbal
reasoning, analogical reasoning, constructive-critical/ creative reading, convergent
and divergent analysis, problem-solving, and metacognition.

Task 1. Comprehension Check

Directions: Answer the questions below. Reflect and think thoroughly before
answering. Self- assessing and monitoring is encouraged. Use and underline the words
in the parentheses for each item when you state your answer.

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 6

1. How does a remedial program address a language deficit? (macroskills,

remediation, improve, mastery, weakness, self-confidence, self-help strategies,
assessment and monitoring)
2. What are the general guidelines in preparing a Remedial Program? (instruction,
intensive, order of the skills, needs analysis and learning objectives)
3. What are the factors to consider in the curriculum of a Remedial Program?
(language learning, theory, research, practice, teaching strategies, beliefs of
the teacher, syllabus, materials and activities)
4. What are the factors to consider in the instruction of a Remedial Program?
(Instructional strategies and activities, Teaching Learning Process in Language,
Variables of Successful Learning, Time, Composing, Independent learning and
self-monitoring, School climate, Organizational structure of the school or the
program and Coordination among all language programs)
5. How does assessment happen in a remedial program? (guide instruction,
formative, summative, holistically, analytically, validity and fairness,
diagnostic, as learning, of learning and for learning)

Task 2. Drawing Implications and Planning Remediation

A. Drawing Implication
Directions: Complete the task below. The task is called “Drawing Implications and
Planning Remediation”. Draw implications from the components of remediation
that were discussed.

Remediation Components Implications to Implications to

Curriculum & Instruction Assessment
1. General Guidelines
2. Organization
a. Curriculum
b. Instruction
c.Assessment
3. Management
B. Conceptualized Plan
In one paragraph, explain the remedial program you are planning to implement.
Discuss the steps and the guidelines that you will follow. Support your plan with
the concepts that we have discussed.

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________

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LESSON
2
PRINCIPLES OF HELPING STUDENTS WITH LEARNING
DIFFICULTIES

REMEDIATION IN THE CLASSROOM

Remedial education (also known as
developmental education, basic skills
education, compensatory education,
preparatory education, and academic
upgrading) is assigned to assist students in
order to achieve expected competencies in
core academic skills such as literacy and
numeracy.

Two Types of Remediation

A. Short-term remediation is designed to get students ready for the summative
assessment.
B. On-going remediation focuses on long-termed skill development to address
large gaps in background knowledge or basic skills. All remediation usually
occurs outside the classroom.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING AMONG PUPILS WITH LEARNING

DIFFICULTIES
Pupils under Intensive Remedial Teaching Program (IRTP) usually have one or more
than one of the following learning difficulties:
▪ poor memory
▪ short attention span and are easily distracted by other things
▪ relatively poor comprehensive power
▪ lack of learning motivation
▪ lack of self-confidence and relatively low self-expectation
▪ weak in problem-solving power
▪ fail to grasp information effectively and mix things up easily
▪ have difficulty in understanding new/abstract concepts
▪ fail to transfer knowledge to the related learning areas appropriately
▪ need more time to complete assignments or tasks

Apart from various learning difficulties, pupils may have different abilities and styles of
learning. Some are better in visual learning while others are more competent in audio
learning. Certain pupils have to learn through sense of touch or practical experiences.
Remedial teachers, therefore, should design diversified teaching activities and adopt
various teaching methods to help students develop their potential and remove the
obstacles in learning.

REMEDIAL TEACHING
Remedial teaching is intended for students who, for one reason or another, have fallen
behind the rest of the class. At the beginning of a remedial course, the teacher has to
assess with care the strengths and weaknesses of her students. The remedial class
teacher is expected to pay greater attention to individual weaknesses and needs. The
ultimate aim is to help such students learn to the best of their ability and to bring them
back into the mainstream classes as far as possible (Handbook on Remedial Teaching
in Secondary Schools, 1997).

Remedial teaching should be started immediately when the difficulties in learning or

school attendance have been noticed, so that the students would not stay behind
permanently in their studies. Remedial teaching can counteract difficulties
beforehand. Remedial teaching should be organized according to a plan and as often
as is necessary.
1. Characteristic to remedial teaching are individually planned tasks,
time management and guidance. Diverse methods and materials are used
in remedial teaching, with which new ways can be found to approach the
subject that is to be learned. In proactive remedial teaching the new things
that are to be learned are introduced beforehand. Remedial teaching can also
answer the need for support that arises from absences.
Schoolwork is planned in such a way that every student has a possibility to
participate in remedial teaching if need be. Remedial teaching is given either
during the lessons to which the need for support is connected, or outside
lessons.
2. Various flexible groups are used in remedial teaching. The initiative
about giving remedial teaching is primarily done by the teacher. It can also be
done by the student or guardian. The task of each teacher is to monitor the
learning and growth of the student and the possible needs for support that may

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arise. Remedial teaching is organized in mutual understanding with the student

and the guardian. They will be given information about the forms of remedial
support and its importance to learning and school attendance. Students are
obligated to participate in the remedial teaching that has been organized for
them.
3. Remedial teaching is given at all levels of support.

OBJECTIVES OF REMEDIAL TEACHING (EDUCATION BUREAU IN HONGKONG,

2007)
1. To provide learning support to pupils who lag far behind their counterparts in
school performance. By adapting school curricula and teaching strategies,
teachers can:
2. Provide learning activities and practical experiences to students according to
their abilities and needs.
3. Design individualized educational programmes with intensive remedial support
to help pupils consolidate their basic knowledge in different subjects, master
the learning methods, strengthen their confidence and enhance the
effectiveness of learning.
4. Provide systematic training to develop pupils' generic skills: interpersonal
relationship, communication, problem-solving, self-management, self-learning,
independent thinking, creativity and the use of information technology

Throughout the teaching process, teachers should provide systematic training to

develop pupils’ generic skills, including interpersonal relationship, communication,
problem-solving, self-management, self-learning, independent thinking, creativity and
the use of information technology. Such training can lay the foundation for pupils' life-
long learning, help them develop positive attitudes and values, as well as prepare
them for future studies and career.

TEACHING PREPARATION
Before preparing for a lesson, a remedial teacher should identify pupils’ diverse
learning needs as soon as possible so that they may design appropriate teaching
plans to facilitate pupils’ effective learning.
Devise various learning activities. Since pupils have different characteristics in
learning, teachers must devise different learning activities with the same teaching
objective to develop pupils' varied abilities and skills in problem solving. It is more
effective for teachers to adopt a series of relevant and simple teaching activities than
assigning one long teaching activity since pupils may acquire the required knowledge
and skills through diversified activities.
Design meaningful learning situations. Remedial teachers should specifically
design meaningful learning situations, language environments (especially for English
subject), games or activities so as to provide personal learning experiences for pupils
and stimulate their interest and initiative in learning.
Teaching approaches. Teachers should give concrete examples before proceeding to
abstract concepts by way of simple and easy steps at a pace in line with the learning
abilities of students. Teachers may teach new concepts from different perspectives by
various approaches so that pupils can grasp the ideas through meaningful and
repeated illustrations. Teachers should encourage pupils' active participation by more

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frequent use of teaching aids, games and activities. They can also make use of
information technology and all the teaching resources available to help pupils
understand the main points.
Provide clear instructions. Pupils with learning difficulties are less competent in
understanding written language. Therefore, remedial teachers should give pupils short
and clear instructions to avoid confusion. They must explain clearly the arrangement
of each learning activity. If necessary, they may ask pupils to repeat the steps of
activities so that every pupil may understand the instructions.
Summarize the main points. At the course of teaching, teachers should always sum
up the main points in teaching and write the key phrases on the board to enhance
pupils' audio and visual memories. Teachers can guide their pupils to link up the
knowledge they learn from class with their life experiences so as to enhance the
effectiveness of learning. Besides, guiding pupils to repeat the main points in verbal or
written form is also an effective way of learning.
Enhance learning interest and motivation. Suffering from frequent frustrations in
their work, pupils with learning difficulties may gradually lose their interest in learning.
Therefore, teachers should adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils. With
lesser pupils in the IRTP, teachers can design interesting activities coupled with reward
scheme to stimulate pupils' interest. It is most important to help pupils overcome their
learning difficulties so that they may gain a sense of achievement and recover their
confidence and interest in learning.
Encourage pupils’ active participation in class activities. Pupils with learning
difficulties usually lack self-confidence and are more passive in class. They seldom ask
questions or express their views. Remedial teachers should patiently encourage active
participation in class. Pleasurable learning experiences may help enhance pupils'
interest in learning.
Focus on the learning process. Teaching should not only focus on the transmission
of knowledge. It is also important to see that pupils are benefited from the entire
learning process. Teachers should provide ample opportunities in class for pupils to
practice and think what they have learnt, and allow them to solve problems by
different means. Teachers should also carefully observe the performances of pupils
and give them appropriate assistance, feedback and encouragement so as to help
them acquire the learning skills, solve their problems and understand their own
capability, thus enhancing self-confidence and improving their learning skills.
Show concern for the performances of individual pupils. Pupils may encounter
different problems in their studies, therefore, teachers should carefully observe the
learning process of individual pupils in class. Whenever necessary, they should
provide individualized remedial teaching before and after class, during recess or
lunchtime, so that they can remove their learning obstacles as soon as possible. When
marking assignments, teachers should take note of the common errors of pupils and
deliver the correct concepts and knowledge to them promptly.

THE PROCESS OF REMEDIAL TEACHING

The flowchart below may serve as a reference for teachers in the delivery of
collaborative teaching or individual teaching:

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Curriculum Adaptation. Remedial teachers should adapt the curriculum to

accommodate the learning characteristics and abilities of pupils. They should set
some teaching objectives which are easy to achieve to ensure that pupils may acquire
the knowledge as desired after the completion of each module.
Teaching should not be directed by textbooks which should not be taken as the school
curriculum. There is no need to cover all the contents in the textbooks as well. Schools
can classify the teaching content into core and non-core learning aspects according to
the teaching objectives and pupils abilities. Core learning aspects require in-depth
studies and application whereas materials in the non-core or advanced learning
aspects may be streamlined or appropriately selected for teaching.

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Teachers are encouraged to adopt recommendations on cross-curricular teaching by

linking up related teaching areas flexibly so that more time can be spared for effective
activities and learning.
Teachers should make good use of all teaching materials. For example, they may
select and use the materials in textbooks to meet the teaching objectives, or compile
their own supplementary teaching materials. They may also design materials of
different standards. Materials from the internet, newspapers, magazines and
references provided by the Education Department may help teachers design
interesting and enjoyable activities to enhance pupils’effectiveness of learning.

Homework Policies. Schools should formulate clear policies on homework which

should be reviewed regularly. The assignments should be targeted at the teaching
objectives and serve the purposes of learning. Exercise books available in the market
should only serve as a reference. Schools should choose these exercise books carefully
and make appropriate adjustments to the category, quantity and quality of homework.
Teachers should take note of the following points when designing homework for pupils:
(a) the homework should have clear objectives and can accommodate the
level and needs of pupils;
(b) the form and contents of homework should be of a great variety so as to
develop pupils’ creativity, self-learning and collaborative skills;
(c) the homework should match the content taught in class;
(d) teachers should give simple and clear instruction;
(e) assign appropriate amount of homework each day;
(f) ineffective and mechanical drills should be avoided; and
(g) teachers should make good use of the homework as a tool for evaluation
and feedback to enhance the motivation and effectiveness of learning.

Formulation of Teaching Plans. When formulating teaching plans, teachers are

advised to take the following two aspects into consideration: On the one hand,
teachers should formulate practical teaching objectives that meet the learning
characteristics and weaknesses of pupils so as to foster a sense of achievement. On
the other hand, teachers should decide whether the learning items should be taught in
details or in brief. Moreover, the items should be classified into different levels and
taught through small and simplified steps to facilitate comprehension as well as to
strengthen pupils’ confidence in learning.
With reference to the common difficulties encountered by pupils, teachers should set
down the main points for remedial teaching and make adjustments promptly
according to the performance of students.
Teachers should make a brief record of the learning aspects, teaching objectives/aims,
key learning points, activities, use of teaching aids and evaluations for future
reference.
Teachers may deliver the teaching content by means of modules, themes, learning
aspects or teaching items and work out the teaching plans accordingly.
Post-lesson reviews should focus on the teaching process and pupils’ performance,
with specific and critical evaluations made. Examples of main points for review are as
follows:
(a) the common difficulties of pupils;

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(b) the effectiveness of teaching strategies and class activities to help pupils
understand the teaching contents, grasp the main points and apply what they
have learned; and
(c) issues of concern (e.g. basic knowledge that requires enrichment, the need to
break down or re-arrange teaching steps, etc.)

Teaching Activities, Aids and Supporting Materials. Teachers should design

appropriate learning activities in line with the focus of teaching. On the basis of low
starting point, small steps, diversified activities and instant feedback, teachers should
encourage pupils to participate actively during the learning process to help master the
skills and methods of collaborative learning. Diversified teaching activities such as
situational teaching, competitions, collation of information, discussion, oral reporting,
games, topical research, production of graphs/figures/models, role play, recording,
visit and experiments may help pupils enhance their interest in learning, stimulate
their thinking and reinforce the effectiveness of teaching.

Teachers should exercise their discretion in the appropriate use of teaching aids.
Appropriate teaching aids not only help to enhance pupils’ interest in learning, but will
also consolidate the knowledge they learned, thus achieving the objective of teaching.
Common teaching aids are concrete objects, figures, models, word cards, number
cards and audio-visual equipments such as tape recorder, headset, wire free induction
loop system and multimedia teaching aids, etc. When designing and using teaching
aids, teachers should first consider their practical use and assess whether the aim of
remedial teaching can be attained.
The design and organization of teaching materials should be pupil-oriented. They
should be selected and collated systematically to serve the purpose. Teaching
materials provided by the Education Department or other academic institutions may
also serve as a reference for teachers

The Setting of Learning Environment. Well-designed learning environment helps

to maintain pupils’ attention and interest in learning and facilitates the achievement of
teaching aims. In this way, it is more easy to achieve the aim of teaching. The
teaching environment should be designed to support remedial teaching and group
activities. Seat arrangements of pupils should be flexible to meet the specific teaching
purposes of each learning activity. For example, teachers and pupils may form of circle
when holding discussions; and the two pupils or group members involved may sit
together during peer group or small group learning.
Teachers should prepare a rich, pleasant and comfortable learning environment for
pupils. For example, they may set up a self-learning corner, book corner, toy corner,
science corner, prize corner or stationery/learning resources corner, etc. to enkindle
pupils’ interest in learning. Teachers may display the teaching materials of the week or
the learning outcomes or products of pupils at prominent places to stimulate their
motivation in learning.

REMEDIAL TEACHING STRATEGIES

Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Geared to the learning needs of

individual pupils, the Individualized Educational Program me aims to reinforce the

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foundation of learning, help pupils overcome their learning difficulties and develop
their potentials. Individualized Educational Programme should include short-term and
long-term teaching objectives, learning steps, activities and reviews to ensure that the
programme is implemented effectively. Teaching can be done in small groups or for
individual. If necessary, remedial teachers, other teachers, student guidance
officers/teachers, parents and pupils alike are to participate in designing the program
me. Remedial teachers hold meetings regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of work
and gather opinions for refinement.
Peer Support Program. Remedial teachers may train up pupils who perform better
in a certain subject to become ‘little teachers’ and who will be responsible for helping
schoolmates with learning difficulties in group teaching and self-study sessions as well
as outside class. Peer support program me helps pupils reinforce their knowledge, and
develop their communication and cooperation skills as well as good interpersonal
relationship. To enhance the effectiveness of the program me, remedial teachers must
provide training to the pupils concerned beforehand and make regular reviews on its
effectiveness. Generally speaking, this program me is more suitable for pupils of
higher grades.
Reward Scheme. The reward scheme has positive effect in enhancing pupils’
motivation. It aims at guiding pupils to set their own objectives and plans, and
positively reinforcing their good performance. No matter what reward is provided, the
most important thing is to help pupils cultivate an interest in learning and gain a
sense of satisfaction and achievement during the learning process . When designing
the rewards offered, remedial teachers should take note of the following:
(a) set clear and specific targets (for example: requirement on the score of
dictation and number of assignments submitted);
(b) set achievable objectives;
(c) give diversified rewards (including verbal commendation) or prizes to
accommodate pupils’ interest; give rewards instantly;
(d) review and revise the reward scheme regularly; and
(e) invite parents to help children improve their work.

Handling pupils’ behaviour problems. Remedial teachers should observe the

following when dealing with the behaviour problems of pupils:
(a) always observe the performance of pupils in class and
their behaviour in groups;
(b) establish close relationship with pupils, develop mutual trust and listen
carefully to what they say;
(c) help pupils understand the effect of their behavior on the other as well as
their own selves;
(d) keep in close contact with parents to find out the cause of pupils’
behavior problems;
(e) help pupils build up self-confidence and a healthy self-image;
(f) give positive reinforcement to pupils’ good behavior, and do not pay
undue attention to their misbehavior;
(g) do not try to change all the deviant behavior of pupils at once. Teachers
should list out the problems and set the priorities with an aim to improve
one or two of them at a time;

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 15

(h) refer the cases to Student Guidance Officers/Teachers for follow-up action
if the behavior problems of pupils continue or become serious. If
necessary, student guidance officers/teachers may refer the case to the
Psychological Services Section of the Education Department for individual
assessment and remedial services.
Development of Generic Skills. Remedial teachers should help pupils develop good
learning habits and attitudes, such as complete the assignments tidily, keep their
promise and be responsible and disciplined. A constructive attitude is the foundation
for life-long self-learning and it helps enhance pupils’ learning effectiveness.
Pupils should be helped to master basic self-learning skills and abilities. For example,
teachers may teach them how to set appropriate learning objectives and priorities,
time management, note-taking, reading skills and examination taking skills, etc.
Remedial teachers can also make use of information technology to motivate and teach
pupils to learn according to their own pace, help them cultivate the habit of self-
learning, so that they will benefit from such training for their whole life.
Pupils can be taught to solve problems by different methods, tools or by drawing
insight from their past experiences. For example, teachers can teach them the use of
dictionaries, as well as the skills of seeking and handling information obtained from
the school and public libraries. These are ways to develop students’ flexibility,
creativity and independent thinking.
Teachers should train pupils to establish good interpersonal relationship so as to
facilitate effective communication and collaboration as well as to enhance the team
spirit of students.

Assessment and Record on Learning. Assessment plays a very important role in

teaching and learning. By means of assessment, remedial teachers can know the
learning progress as well as strengths and weaknesses of pupils; hence, they may
design different teaching activities accordingly to help pupils learn in an effective
manner. Besides, it is also a means to measure the discrepancy between IRTP pupils
and ordinary pupils so that teachers may decide whether it is desirable for the pupil(s)
concerned to withdraw from IRTP.
The two most common assessment methods are listed as follows for teachers’
reference:
1. Formative Assessment. Teachers can understand and assess the learning
abilities of pupils from their daily classwork and homework as well as individual
or group projects, such as model making, drawing, information collection,
measuring activities and the way they relate daily events to the topics they
learnt in class, so that they can revise the teaching content accordingly.
2. Summative Assessment. With reference to the progress of teaching,
teachers may assess the performance of students by means of
examinations/tests. The examination/test papers must cover all the main
points in teaching where the levels of difficulty meet the pupils’ abilities. The
weighting of questions and marks should be balanced. Different types of
questions should be included.

Schools may have different forms and weightings of assessment.

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 16

Remedial teachers should keep a detailed personal record for each pupil under IRTP.
They should assess the progress of pupils regularly and systemically. A comprehensive
record provides information on the learning progress of pupils and serve as a
reference.
Teachers should pay attention to the response of pupils during classroom learning and
make a record in the “Evaluation” column of the teaching plan (Appendix 7) to
facilitate follow-up actions or changes in teaching strategies. In addition, teachers
should make reference to the teaching objectives in evaluating the effectiveness of
teaching, and revise their teaching plans according to the learning needs.

Liaison with Parents. In order to help pupils with learning difficulties, schools must
liaise closely with parents. Apart from providing guidance on homework to their
children, parents also handle pupils’ problems either by the same way or similar ways
in line with the requirements of the school and their schoolwork.
Some parents may have unrealistic expectation of their children’s performance. In
such cases, remedial teachers have to explain to the parents about the characteristics
and abilities of pupils so that they may help their children to learn in a pleasurable
manner. On the contrary, some parents’ expectation may be too low. Teachers must
then keep in contact with parents to help them understand their children and to
provide appropriate guidance to develop the pupils’ potentials.

Co-ordination with Other Teachers and Professionals. Remedial teachers must

keep in close contact with other teachers. They are encouraged to discuss or share
their experiences with others to find out ways to improve pupils’ learning and
behaviour. For example, they may discuss on the teaching plans, learning progress of
pupils, test and examination questions, pupils’ problem behaviour and partial or total
withdrawal of pupils .
Remedial teachers should also liaise with other related professionals to seek for
professional support with a view to helping pupils solve their problems.

WHAT IS A REMEDIAL CLASS?

Remedial classes are classes that some students must take in order to build up
math, reading, or English skills BEFORE they are allowed to take regular college
courses. Why You Don't Want to take Remedial Classes: You can't take regular college
courses until you complete the remedial classes.
Remedial education, also known as basic skills development, is instruction provided to
students who need more support in core areas such as reading and math. These
students qualify for remediation because of their poor performance in those areas.
This instruction can be provided in different ways.

Pull Out or Push In?

Remedial education can be provided in a few different ways:
1. Pull out remediation is given by pulling the student out of the classroom and
providing instruction in a small group in a different environment. This type of
instruction can be beneficial to students who get distracted by other students
or frustrated when there is a lot going on in the classroom. However, it can also
make students feel isolated and separated from the rest of their class. Some

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 17

students can feel like they are being left out when they are pulled from
classroom instruction.
2. Push in remediation is provided by the remedial teacher coming into the
classroom to provide support to the students who need it during a lesson. This
type of instruction is helpful when the student only needs minimal support and
can also focus well in a whole group setting. However, this type of remediation
can be difficult for students who have more critical needs and are easily
distracted by others. For example, Joey does better when his remediation
teacher comes into his classroom during lessons. He can ask questions in a
small group while remaining in the classroom with his peers and teacher.

TEACHING AND IMPROVING SLOW LEARNERS

Who is a slow learner? In the present system of education, students are identified as
slow learners purely on the basis of their poor performance in the examination, which,
in most cases deviates from what is taught. Consequently even talented students are
sometimes misconstrued as dullards. So, a slow learner is one whose performance is
very dismal in the examination. He is neither mentally retarded nor is on the lower
rungs of intelligence scale.
The reasons for some students learning slowly are innumerable. One of the main
reasons is the `no detention system' at the primary and upper primary level. Students
are promoted to higher classes on the basis of attendance, even if they score low
marks. The heterogeneous composition (mental age & physical age) of over crowded
classes in all government run schools and private schools also produces slow learners.
So the incapacity of the teacher to pay individual attention to a student over a long
period makes a student a slow learner. A slow learner is thus a product of negligence
of school at different stages of learning, inspiteof his innate capacity to learn.
There are some problems very specific to the individual. Health, lack of concentration,
less exposure to the subject taught and parental background are some causative
factors for slow learning. Talents differ. A childscapacity to learn different subjects
varies from student to student. For instance, learning mathematics is a knack. All
students do not do well in mathematics just as they do in other subjects. While other
subjects can be learnt at any stage, it is very difficult for students to learn
mathematics without the basics. Students show interest in the subjects they like and
neglect other subjects if not taken care of. An urban child learns languages like English
well while a rural child cannot, however well the teacher tries to explain
Teachers and parents play pivotal roles in a slow learner’s life. Their support and
motivation go a long way to help such children overcome their hurdles. This duly
signifies that teachers and parents have added responsibility from schools and society
toward them.
Creating a healthy and conducive environment for a slow learner is of utmost
importance to improve their pace. Often teachers who have a slow learner in their
class face grave problems: keeping up with the term syllabus, fear of losing empathy
toward such students, and many others. We have put up a few motivation tips for
teachers alike to help them cope with at least the basic issues.
1. Be patient with slow learners. The foremost aspect of teaching a slow
learner is that the educator should be patient and consistent throughout the
entire process. The core problem of slow learners’ education is their weak
cognitive skills coupled with the slow speed learning. A teacher has to be

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 18

understanding and patient toward their ability to get distracted easily and
having a low attention span. Moreover, teachers must find creative ways to
cope with this situation so that the entire class is not affected. One of them is
patient repetition. Try repeating every basic instruction, keyword and concept
time and again without being boring. Do not over speak, but over teach.
2. Seek school management’s help. Request the school to arrange special
classes for slow learners after/before school. Also, check whether you can get a
co-teacher or an assistant teacher for your class. This will help you concentrate
better on them.
3. Engage fellow classmates in your efforts. Teach the other students to
empathize with the special students. Specially ask them not to bully or tease
slow learners. Inform them about their condition and how they could make a
difference. Ensure you have these timely sessions in the slow learner’s
absence.
4. Provide minimum homework. We all agree that homework although with its
benefits is more of a burden for a child and her parent. Slow learners, in
particular, find it difficult to be attentive throughout the school day, let alone
coming home and completing homework assignments. For such children,
quality matters over quantity. Having minimum homework would help them
understand learning and reduce their anxiety. This, in turn, would maintain
their enthusiasm toward school. An educator can assign and alter homework
personally and leave out small details that may be of little importance. For
example, a homework of writing an essay on an English chapter could be
modified to reading the chapter twice, and telling the summary to the teacher
would be a better idea.
5. Let a buddy teach. Peer tutoring works better for slow learners. When their
teachers are of the same age, they get encouraged. Let them select 1 or 2 of
his friends to form a study group. Assign the study group the task of reiterating
the new teachings of the day and assisting with homework.
6. Encourage and Teach the right things. Invite them to come forward during
art classes, school activities, or volunteering. Recognize and reward their
participation. This would do wonders to their self-confidence. Teach special
skills rather than unnecessary skills. This may include following the correct
instruction words (count, color, circle, etc.) or listening and focusing on
keywords. Remember the main goal is to make them self-sufficient.
7. Give them special takeaways. Hand out special cheat sheets, mini
dictionaries, or visually graphic information sheets. One good idea is to give
lesson pamphlets for pinning them to their soft boards so that they are
surrounded by constant reminders of lessons and activities. Do check out our
stash of Math tips and tricks to help motivate them.
8. Praise and raise them. Always praise every tiny effort of a slow learner in
front of the class or in public. This would raise their self-esteem and
confidence.
9. Encourage constant Parent–Teacher Association. Work very closely with
their parents. Ensure the homework and tasks assigned are successfully
completed on a daily basis. Be accessible and open to communication. Make
sure to listen out to parents’ problems and help to solve them. Conduct special
meetings for their parents of apart from the general PTA meets.

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 19

10. A few don’ts: Do not reprimand in front of the class. You may do that in
private. Do not emphasize on writing, concentrate on reading. Oral education is
more beneficial for them. Do not let them quit trying. Encourage them to
continue their hard work to complete their tasks even if it means postponing it.
Do not be overprotective. Let their slow learning not become their introduction.

REMEDIAL MEASURES
Learning takes place from simple to complex. If for some reason the student has not
learnt the basics, it is futile to teach him the advanced topics. Remedial teaching is
not revising the topics taught repeatedly. Careful analysis of the students'
performance in the examination and diagnosing the areas of difficulty are key aspects
in remedial teaching. Once the difficult areas are identified, the next task is to plan the
learning experiences to teach the basics to understand the given topic.
Teachers often feel that what has not been learnt at the primary level, cannot be
taught simultaneously with the prescribed topics at the secondary level as they are
busy completing the syllabus. Experience shows that once the basics are taught, the
learning process is accelerated and the slow learners comprehend and grasp the given
topics of the class, since they have already attained the mental age.
In government run residential schools in Andhra Pradesh and Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas nation wide, the students are admitted in class VI based on a selection test
consisting of a variety of questions to test intelligence and aptitude of the students.
It has been observed that many students thus selected do not possess the basics
which they are supposed to learn at the primary level. But these schools have
produced excellent results over the years by introducing bridge courses in their
academic planning.
Subjects like physics pose difficulty for students when compared to biology. In
biological sciences, students can see and find meaning in what they study. Whereas
physics is somewhat intricate and difficult for students without good knowledge of
mathematics. Poor performance in physics can be remedied by first teaching the
required basic mathematical operations. Sometimes language becomes a barrier for
students to understand the vast areas in subjects like geography. The innumerable
new words used to describe various phenomena baffle the students. Students do not
find these words in English language textbooks although they learn English language
to pursue others subjects in an inter-disciplinary approach. The teacher has to explain
all the words and their usage related to his subject before he teaches the concept.
The new words used in questions could confuse students and elicit wrong answers
from them. Students should be exposed to a variety of questions with antonyms and
synonyms -all the words used to frame a question to test the topic taught. Merely
tagging the slow learners with bright students or segregating them into separate
sections will not help the slow learners. Slow learners harbourthemselves
unobtrusively in the group of bright students.
Students learn a lot from the peer group. Unconscious learning does not take place if
students are segregated. Keeping the slow learners in the peer group of bright
students and paying individual attention to them by the teacher will enable them to
overocmetheir difficulties
Student is central in the learning process. The learning experiences should be activity-
oriented and the teaching should motivate and create interest in the student to learn

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 20

on his own. When group discussions are held in the classroom, the slow learners are
benefited much.
Suitably tailored lesson plan by the teacher and careful monitoring by the school
administration will help slow learners have a better grasp of all lessons in schools.

LESSON
REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN3
READING

REMEDIAL READING
Remedial reading refers to correcting or
improving deficient skills in specific
subject. Thus, remedial reading is a change
in instruction that helps remedy a
weakness in the area of reading.
Reading remedial programs should be
researched-based and implemented with
fidelity by teachers who have received
sufficient training. The instruction should
be and should move sequentially from the
simplest concepts the more complex.
Instruction should be consistent and
intensive with teacher modeling, guided,
practice, and independent practice.
The term remedial refers to correcting or improving deficient skills in a specific
subject. Thus, remedial reading is a change in instruction that helps remedy a
weakness in the area of reading.

HOW SHOULD REMEDIAL READING BE TAUGHT?

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 21

Here you can find information on the research, implementation strategies, teacher
training, and the suggested instructional framework for the Reading Horizons remedial
reading program:

Strategies for Teaching Remedial Reading

Suggested Instructional Framework. Once you are empowered with effective
strategies for teaching remedial reading, here is Reading Horizons suggested
instructional framework for introducing each strategy to your students:
1. Review (2-4 min.). Give a quick review of the skills taught the day before,
and connect it to the new information.
2. Teacher Modeling (5-10 min.). Model the new concept with explicit, visual
instruction. Think out loud.
3. Guided Practice (10-15 min.). Guide students through concrete, hands-on
practice that reinforces the new concept. This can be accomplished through
dictation, the use of RLCs, and other group activities.
4. Summarize and Reflect (2-4 min.). What have we learned? How can we use
this?
5. Independent Practice (5-10 min.). Students practice the skills learned,
independent of teacher or peer guidance. This can be accomplished through
RLCs, Student Workbook pages, and/or software lessons.
6. Application. Remind students to pay attention to words that follow the skill(s)
taught as they read.

CORRECTING PERCEPTUAL AND DECODING DEFICITS IN WORD RECOGNITION

We can identify the student who has insufficient competence in the visual analysis of
words in two ways: (1) First, the student, when pronouncing words verbally, selects
inappropriate elements to sound out and often he/she tries again and again to use the
same analysis even when it does not work. The (2) second way can be done when the
teacher shows him/her the word covering up parts of it, if the student is able to
recognize it, then at least one of his/her problems in word recognition is faulty visual
analysis (Ekwall & Shanker, 1988).

Definition of Terms
1. Alphabetic Knowledge. Understanding that letters represent sound so that
words may be read by saying the sounds represented by the letters, and words
may be spelled by writing the letters that represent the sounds in a word.
2. Sight-Word Knowledge. All words any one reader can recognize instantly
(with automaticity) not necessarily with meaning.
3. Basic Sight Words. A designated list of words, usually of high -utility.
4. Knowledge on Sound-Symbol Correspondence. Also known as
“graphophonic knowledge” is the readers’ ability to use phonics, phonemic,
and structural analysis knowledge.

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 22

Correcting Sight-Word Knowledge Deficit

1. Write a sentence on the chalkboard with the new word used in context.
Underline the word.
2. Let students read the sentence and attempt to say the new word using context
clues along with other word-attack skills. If you are introducing a new story, it
is especially important that you do not tell them each new word in advance, as
this deprives them of the opportunity to apply word-attack skills themselves.
3. Discuss the meaning of the word or how it is used in talking and writing. Try to
tie to something in their experience. If possible, illustrate the word with a
picture or a concrete object.
4. Write the word as students watch. Ask them to look for certain configuration
clues such as double letters, extenders, and descenders. Also ask them to look
for any well-known phonograms or word families, e.g. ill, ant, ake, but do not
call attention to little words in longer words.
5. Ask students to write the word themselves and to be sure have them say the
word while they write it.
6. Have students make up and write sentences in which the word is used in
context. Have them read these sentences to each other and discuss them.

Correcting Basic Sight Vocabulary Deficit

1. Have the students trace the word; write it on paper, or use chalk or magic
slates.
2. Have the students repeat the word each time it is written.
3. Have the students write the word without looking at the flash card; then
compare the two.
4. Create “study buddies.” Match learners in the classroom with fellow students
who have mastered the words. Take time to teach the “tutors” how to reinforce
new words. Provide a big reward to both tutor and learner once the learner has
attained the goal.
5. Provide reinforcement games for students to use on their own or with their
study buddies. Games may be open- ended game boards or developed by
levels according to the sublists.
6. Provide charts, graphs, and other devices for students to display their progress.
These serve as excellent motivators, especially since students are competing
with themselves rather than each other.
7. Use your imagination. Have students dramatize phrases, build a sight-word
“cave,” practice words while lining up, read sight-word “plays,” etc.

Correcting Knowledge on Sound-Symbol Correspondence

Vowel Rules or Principles and Accent Generalizations

1. In words containing a single vowel letter at the end of the word, the vowel
letter usually has the long vowel sound. (Note that this rule refers to words and

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 23

not just syllables.) There is a similar rule for single word letters at the end of
syllables
2. In syllables containing a single vowel letter at the end of the syllable, the vowel
letter may have either the long or short vowel sound. Try the long sound first.
(Note that this has the same effect as rule 1.)
3. A single vowel in a syllable usually has the short vowel sound if it is not the last
letter or is not followed by r, w, or
4. l. When explaining this to students it is often helpful to indicate that a single
vowel in a closed syllable is usually short. Students should be taught that a
closed syllable is one in which there is a consonant on the right-hand side.
They will also need to know, as indicated above, the r, w, and l control rules.
5. Vowels followed by r usually have a sound that is neither long nor short
6. A y at the beginning of a word has the “y” consonant sound; y at the end of a
single-syllable word, when preceded by a consonant, usually has the long I
sound; and y at the end of a multisyllable word, when preceded by a
consonant, usually has the long e sound. (Some people hear it as short i.)
7. In words ending with vowel-consonant-silent e the e is silent and the first vowel
may be either long or short. Try the long sound first. In teaching this rule,
stress that the student should be flexible; i.e. try the short vowel sound if the
long one does not form a word in his or her speaking-listening vocabulary. It
has been demonstrated that students who are taught to be flexible in attacking
words when applying rules such as this become more adept at using word-
attack skills than those who are not taught this flexibility.
8. When aj, ay, ea, ee, and oa are found together, the first vowel is usually long
and the second is usually silent.
9. The vowel pair ow may have either the sound heard in cow or the sound heard
in crow.
10. When au, aw, ou, oi, and oy are found together, they usually blend to form a
diphthong.
11. The oo sound is either long as in moon or short as in book.
12. If a is the only vowel in a syllable and is followed by l or w, then the a is usually
neither long nor short.
NOTE: Accent has less importance for a corrective reader than the vowel rules. This is
true partially because a student who properly attacks a new word in his or her
speaking-listening vocabulary but not sight vocabulary is likely to get the right accent
without any knowledge of accent generalizations. Also, teach students the use of
affixes so they will have better understanding of contractions, inflectional and
derivational endings for change tense, number form and function. These will lead to
students’ sufficient use of structural analysis strategy.

Syllabication Principles
1. When two consonants stand between two vowels, the word is usually divided
between the consonants, e.g., dag-ger and cir-cus. In some of the newer
materials, materials are divided after the double consonant, e.g., dagg-er. It
should be remembered that in reading we are usually teaching syllabication as

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 24

a means of word attack. Therefore, we should also accept a division after

double consonants as correct even though the dictionary would not show it
that way.
2. When one consonant stands between two vowels, try dividing first so that the
consonant goes with the second vowels, e,g., pa-per and motor, Students
should be taught that flexibility is required in using this rule; if this does not
give a word in the student’s speaking-listening vocabulary, then the student
should divide it so that the consonant goes with the first vowel, as in riv-er and
lev-er.
3. When a word ends in a consonant and le, the consonant usually begins the last
syllable, e.g., ta-ble and hum-ble.
4. Compound words are usually divided between word parts and between
syllables in this parts, e.g., hen-house and po-lice-man.
5. Prefixes and suffixes usually form separate syllables.

REMEDIATION THROUGH PHONEMIC AWARENESS

The following are Critical Phonemic Awareness skills students should learn:
1. Sound Isolation. Example: The first sound in sun is /ssss/. Example
Instruction: In sound isolation use conspicuous strategies. In sound isolation
use conspicuous strategies:
a. Show students how to do all the steps in the task before asking
children to do the task.

Put down 2 pictures that begin with different sounds and say the
names of the pictures.
Example : “My turn to say the first sound in man, /mmm/.
Mmman begins
with /mmm/. Everyone, say the first sound in
man, /mmm/.”

b. Use consistent and brief wording.

Example : “The first sound in Mmman is /mmm/. Everyone say the

first
sound in man, /mmm/.”

Non-example : “Man starts with the same sound as the first sounds in
mountain, mop, and Miranda. Does anyone know other
words

c. Correct errors by telling the answer and asking students to

repeat the correct answer.

Example : “The first sound in Man is /mmm/. Say the first sound
in
mmman with me, /mmm/. /Mmmm/.”

Non-example BACHELOR
: (Asking theOF SECONDARY
question again orEDUCATION
asking more MAJOR IN ENGLISH
questions). “Look
College of
at the picture again. What is the first sound?”Teacher Education
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2. Blending. In blending instruction, use scaffold task difficulty. (Example: /sss/-/

uuu/-/nnn/ is sun).
a. When students are first learning to blend, use examples with
continuous sounds, because the sounds can be stretched and
held.

Example : “Listen, my lion puppet likes to talk in a broken way.

When he
says /mmm/ - /ooo/ - /mmm/ he means mom.”

Non-example : “Listen, my lion puppet likes to talk in a broken way. When he

says /b/ - /e/ - /d/ he means bed.”

b. When students are first learning the task, use short words in
teaching and practice examples. Use pictures when possible.

Example : (Put down 3 pictures of CVC words and say) “My lion
puppet
wants one of these pictures. Listen to hear which picture he
wants, /sss/-/uuu/-/nnn/. Which picture?”

Non-example : “.../p/-/e/-/n/-/c/-/i/-/l/. Which picture?” (This is a more

advanced model that should be used later.)

c. When students are first learning the task, use materials that
reduce memory load and to represent sounds.

Example : Use pictures to help them remember the words and to focus
their attention. Use a 3-square strip or blocks to represent
sounds in a word.

Non-example : Provide only verbal activities.

d. As students become successful during initial learning, remove

scaffolds by using progressively more difficult examples. As
students become successful with more difficult examples, use
fewer scaffolds, such as pictures.

Example : Move from syllable or onset-rime blending to blending

with all
sounds in a word (phoneme blending). Remove scaffolds, such
as pictures. “Listen, /s/-/t/-/o/-/p/. Which picture?” “Listen, /s/-
/t/-/o/-/p/. What word?”

Non-example : Provide instruction and practice at only the easiest levels with
all the scaffolds.

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3. Segmenting. In phoneme segmentation instruction, strategically integrate

familiar and new information. (Example: The sounds in sun are
/sss/-/uuu/-/nnn/)
a. Recycle instructional and practice examples used for blending.
Blending and segmenting are sides of the same coin. The only
difference is whether students hear or produce a segmented
word. Note: A segmenting response is more difficult for children to
reproduce than a blending response.

Example: Listen, my lion puppet likes to say the sounds in words. The sounds in
mom are /mmm/-/ooo/-/mmm/. Say the sounds in mom with us.”

b. Concurrently teach letter-sound correspondences for the sounds

students will be segmenting in words.

Example : Letter sound /s/ and words sun and sit. Put down letter cards
for familiar letter-sounds. Then, have them place pictures by
the letter that begins with the same sound as the picture.

Non-example : Use letter-sounds that have not been taught when teaching
first
sound in pictures for phoneme isolation activities.
c. Make the connections between sounds in words and sounds of
letters.

Example : After students can segment the first sound, have them use
letter tiles to represent the sounds.

Non-example : Letters in mastered phonologic activities are not used. Explicit

connections between alphabetic and phonologic activities are
not made.

d. Use phonologic skills to teach more advanced reading skills, such

as blending letter-sounds to read words.
Example: (Give children a 3-square strip and the letter tiles for s, u, n). Have
them do familiar tasks and blending to teach stretched blending with letters.

REMEDIAL VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

Vocabulary is initially acquired in four
ways: (1) Incidentally, through reading
and conversation; (2) Through direct
instruction, as when a teacher or auto-
instructional program is used
intentionally build vocabulary power;
(3) Through self-instruction, as when
words are looked up in a dictionary or
their meaning are sought from others in

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a conscious manner; and (4) Through

mental manipulation while thinking,
speaking, and writing.

Considerations in Remedial Vocabulary Instruction

Connect vocabulary instruction to the natural processes of word learning. The
literature on vocabulary acquisition tends to divide the teaching of vocabulary into
five phases.These are:
(h) Disposition. This is opening the student’s mind and will to engage new
words.
(i) Integration. Establishing ties between the meaning of a new word and
the student’s existing knowledge.
(j) Repetition. Provisions for practice distributed over time, as well as
opportunities for frequent encounters with the word in similar and differing
contexts.
(k) Interaction and meaningful use. Social situations conducive to using
new words in interactions with others and, thus, mentally referencing new
words in listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
(l) Self-instruction. This is maintaining an awareness of new words outside
the classroom.

Concept-Based Approach to Vocabulary Building

(a) Identify the relevant and irrelevant features of the concept in question.
(b) Provide examples of the concept.
(c) Provide examples of irrelevant but loosely related concepts with which it might
be compared.
(d) Relate the concept by some possible smaller or subordinating concepts.
(e) Relate or categorize the concept by some possible larger or superordinating
concepts.
(f) Relate or categorize the concept alongside equal or coordinating terms.

Subjective Approach to Vocabulary (SAV)

(a) Identify two to four words to be taught or pre-taught if SAV is used as a pre-
reading activity. If a word list is used, be sure to include as many words as
possible that impart concepts and feelings that you would wish students to
learn.
(b) The teacher tells the student the full meaning of a word, much as it might be
found in a dictionary. It is recorded in a Word Study Journal as the “objective” or
dictionary meaning.
(c) The teacher asks the student, “What does this word remind you of?” or “What
do you picture or think of when you hear this word?” Explain that discussion of
a personal association with a word can be very helpful in remembering and
clarifying its meaning.
(d) The teacher talks to the student through this personal search for meaning by
asking further clarifying questions, and in group situations by pointing out

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those images suggested that seem most vivid. The teacher may add his or her
own images. Students are then directed to write some “subjective” or personal
associations for the new word under the previously written dictionary definition
in their journals. Drawings can be added.
(e) Silent reading follows next when SAV is used as pre-reading vocabulary
development. When it is being used for general vocabulary development,
students are given 5 to 10 minutes to study and rehearse the new and
previously recorded words.
(f) The teacher let the student close the Word Study Journal and asks him/her the
meanings of the words studied that day and a few others from previous days.
This step can be tied to seat exercises in conventional workbooks such as
crossword puzzles, category games, etc. This manipulation and reinforcement
step can be made easier by selecting the words to be taught from the exercise
material.

Motor Imaging
It appears that even the highest forms of vocabulary and concept learning have
psychomotor foundations, or equivalents. Hence, motor movements associated with
certain stimuli can become interiorized as a “symbolic meaning” (Piaget, 1963 in
Manzo and Manzo1993). There are three considerable advantages to knowing this
where remediation is concerned:

(a) First, since physical-sensory or proprioceptive learning can be interiorized, they

also can be self-stimulating, and as such, they are easier to rehearse and recall
with the slightest mental reminder, as well as from external stimulation.
(b) Second, proprioceptive learning is so basic to human learning that it is common
to all learners, fast and slow, and hence, ideal for heterogeneously grouped
classes.
(c) Third, the act of identifying and acting out a word becomes a life experience in
itself with the word – a value that Frederick Duffellmeyer (1980) in Manzo and
Manzo (1993) demonstrated when he successfully taught youngsters words via
the “experiential” approach.

Procedure:
1. Take a difficult word from the text, write it on the chalkboard, pronounce it, and
tell what it means.
2. Ask students to imagine a simple pantomime for the word meaning (“How
could you show someone what this word means with just your hands or a
gesture?”)
3. Tell students that when you give a signal, they will do their gesture
pantomimes simultaneously.
4. Select the most common pantomime observed. Demonstrate it all to the
students, saying the word while doing the pantomime.
5. Repeat each new word, this time directing the class to do the pantomime while
saying a brief meaning or simple synonym.
6. Let the students encounter the word in the assigned reading material.

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7. Try to use the pantomime casually whenever the word is used for a short time
thereafter.

4
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LESSON
REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN
LISTENING

Listening is a significant language skill to

develop in second language learning.
Despite its importance, language learners
consider listening as the most difficult
language skill to learn. Since the role of
listening comprehension in language
teaching has been repeatedly emphasized,
many teachers do not pay enough
attention to its importance in their classes.
Teaching the skill of listening cannot be
emphasized enough in a communicative
classroom. For second language learners,
developing the skill of listening
comprehension is extremely important.
Students with good listening comprehension
skills are better able to participate
effectively in class.

FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Internal factors. These refer to the learner characteristics, language proficiency,
memory, age, gender, background knowledge as well as aptitude, motivation, and
psychological and physiological factors.
 Problems in language proficiency (cover problems on phonetics and phonology
like phonetic discrimination, and phonetic varieties; problems in grammar; and
lexicological problems)
 Poor background knowledge
 Lack of motivation to listen
 Psychological factors
 Other internal factors (age, attention span, memory span, reaction and
sensitivity)

External factors. These are mainly related to the type of language input and tasks
and the context in which listening occurs
 Speed of delivery and different accents of the speakers
 The content and task of listening materials
 Context. This refers to the spatial-temporal location of the utterance, i.e. on the
particular time and particular place at which the speaker makes an utterance
and the particular time and place at which the listener hears or reads the
utterance.
 Co-text. This is another major factor influencing the interpretation of meaning.
It refers to the linguistic context or the textual environment provided by the
discourse or text in which a particular utterance occurs. Co-text constrains the
way in which we interpret the response. Here we can infer that the person is
not going to a picnic by judging from the co-text.
A: Are you coming going to Baguio with us?

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B: I have a paper to finish by Monday.

HOW TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION

1. Teach pronunciation, stress, and intonation of the critical sounds of English
2. Practice sound discrimination, liasions, and incomplete plosives
3. Recognize stressed and unstressed words
4. Enrich vocabulary
5. Teach grammar
6. Practice inferring information not directly stated
7. Improve skills in predicting
8. Teach note-taking skills

SYNTHESIS
Listening comprehension it is a child’s ability to understand the meaning of the
words he hears and to relate to them in some way. There are internal and external
factors that hinder student’s listening comprehension. Teaching the skill of listening
cannot be emphasized enough in a communicative classroom. For second language
learners, developing the skill of listening comprehension is extremely important.
Students with good listening comprehension skills are better able to participate
effectively in class

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LESSON
5
REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN
SPEAKING

Many students equate being able to speak a

language as knowing the language and
therefore view learning the language as
learning how to speak the language, or as
Nunan (1991) wrote, “success is measured in
terms of the ability to carry out a
conversation in the (target) language.”
Therefore, if students do not learn how to
speak or do not get any opportunity to speak
in the language classroom they may soon get
de-motivated and lose interest in learning. On
the other hand, if the right activities are
taught in the right way, speaking in class can
be a lot of fun, raising general learner
motivation and making the English language
classroom a fun and dynamic place to be.

Speaking is fundamental to human communication. Just think of all the different

conversations you have in one day and compare that with how much written
communication you do in one day. Which do you do more of? In our daily lives most of
us speak more than we write, yet many English teachers still spend the majority of
class time on reading and writing practice almost ignoring speaking and listening
skills. Do you think this is a good balance? If the goal of your language course is truly
to enable your students to communicate in English, then speaking skills should be
taught and practised in the language classroom.

WHAT MAKES SPEAKING DIFFICULT (BROWN, 2001)

1. Clustering. Fluent speech is phrasal, not word by word. Learner can organize
their output cognitively & physically through such clustering.
2. Redundancy. The speaker has an opportunity to make meaning clearer
through theredundancy of language. Learners can capitalize on this feature of
spokenlanguage
3. Reduced forms. Contractions, elisions, reduced vowels, etc., all form special
problems inteaching spoken English. Students who don’t learn colloquial
contractions cansometimes develop a stilted, bookish quality of speaking that
in turnstigmatizes them
4. Performance variables. One of the advantages of spoken language is that
the process of thinking asyou speak allows you to manifest a certain number of
performancehesitations, pauses, backtracking, and corrections. Learners can
actually betaught how to pause and hesitate. For example, in English our
“thinking time”is not silent; we insert certain “fillers” such asuh, um, well, you
know, I mean, like, etc. One of the most salient differences between native and
nonnativespeakers of a language is in their hesitation phenomena

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5. Colloquial language. Make sure your students are reasonably well

acquainted with the words, idioms, and phrases of colloquial language and
those they get practice inproducing these forms.
6. Rate of delivery. Another salient characteristic of fluency is rate of delivery.
One of thelanguage teacher’s tasks in teaching spoken English is to help
learnersachieve an acceptable speed along with other attributes of fluency
7. Stress, rhythm, and intonation. This is the most important characteristic of
English pronunciation. The stress-timed rhythm of spoken English and its
intonation patterns convey importantmessages
8. Interaction. Learning to produce waves of language in a vacuum—without
interlocutors—would rob speaking skill of its richest component: the creativity
ofconversational negotiation.

TEACHING PRONUNCIATION
1. Listen and imitate. Learners listen to a model provided by the teacher and
then repeat or imitate it.
2. Phonetic training. Articulatory descriptions, articulatory diagrams, and a
phonetic alphabet are used.
3. Minimal Pair drills. These provide practice on problematic sounds in the
target language through listening discrimination and spoken practice. Drills
begin with word-level then move to sentence-level.
4. Contextualized minimal pairs. The teacher established the setting or
context then key vocabulary is presented. Students provide meaningful
response to sentence stem.
5. Visual aids. These materials are used to cue production of focus sounds.
6. Tongue twisters. Tongue twisters are a great way to practice and improve
pronunciation and fluency. They can also help to improve accents by using
alliteration, which is the repetition of one sound. They’re not just for kids, but
are also used by actors, politicians, and public speakers who want to sound
clear when speaking.
7. Developmental approximation drills. Second language speakers take after
the steps that English-speaking children follow in acquiring certain sounds.
8. Practice of vowel shifts and stress shifts related by affixation.
Vowel shift : mime (long i) mimic (short i)
Sentence context : street mimes often mimic the gestures of
passersby.
Stress shift : PHOtograph/phoTOGraphy
Sentence context : I can tell from these photographs that you are
very
good at photography.
9. Reading aloud/recitation. Passages and scripts are used for students to
practice and then read aloud focusing on stress, timing, and intonation.
10. Recording of learners’ production. Playback allows for giving of feedback
and self-evaluation.

THE USE OF ACCURACY-BASED ACTIVITIES

Accuracy precedes fluency. Form-focused activities prepare students for
communicative tasks. These activities have a high degree of control and focuses on
specific language components. To strike a balance, Hedge (2000) describes how to
make accuracy-based activities meaningful.

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1. Contextualized practice. This aims to establish the link between form and
function. The activity should highlight the situation where the form is
commonly used.
2. Personalizing language. Personalized practice encourages learners to
express their ideas, feelings, and opinions. These activities help learners to use
language in interpersonal interactions. A variety of gambits or useful
expressions should be provided.
3. Building awareness of the social use of language. This involves
understanding social conventions in interaction. Communication strategies are
directly taught and practiced through contextualized activities.
4. Building confidence. The key is to create a positive climate in classroom
where learners are encouraged to take risks and engage in activities.
An accuracy-oriented activity such as pattern drills is usually used in the teaching of a
new target item; A fluency-oriented activity such as extensive reading and information
gap aims to develop the students' spontaneous communications skills in using what
they have already learned.

TALKING TO SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN THE BEGINNING LEVEL

Cary (1997) suggests that teachers need to make speech modifications as a form of
instructional support when teaching with second language learners.
1. Speak at standard speed. This means providing more and slightly longer
pauses to give students more time to make sense of the utterances.
2. Use more gestures, movement, and facial expressions. These provide
emphasis on words and give learners extra clues as they search for meaning.
3. Be careful with fused forms. Language compressions or reduces forms can
be difficult for learners. Use these forms without overusing or eliminating them
altogether.
4. Use shorter, simpler, sentences. Express only one idea in each sentence.
Long, complicated sentences often mean that you aren’t sure about what you
want to say. Keep your sentences short (15–20 words) by removing
unnecessary words. Shorter sentences tend to have more impact.
5. Use specific names instead of pronouns. Because names and pronouns are
the two ways people call and refer to others, they are personal and important.
They are also key facets of our identity. Therefore, calling someone by the
wrong name or “misgendering” them by using incorrect pronouns can feel
disrespectful, harmful and potentially unsafe.

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LESSON
6
REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN
WRITING

Writing is an important foundation skill for

success in school. It is a complex form of
communication involving a process that
covers organization and structuring of
sentences, use of correct grammar,
punctuations and spelling. As a skill to be
mastered by every student, it involves
handwriting or keyboarding when digital
personal devices are used. Unfortunately,
many students show difficulties in written
language production. They may lack
knowledge of the writing processes, employ
deficient strategies for organization,
planning, goal implementation and self-
regulation (Grigorenko, Mambrino & Preiss,
2012).
Writing, as a means of communication, should be appropriately use as it is used to
bridge communicating ideas. Teachers, in different fields, have found students who
exhibit severe writing difficulties, thus the remedial instruction in writing is being held
accountable. (Kaminsky, 1981).

REMEDIAL WRITING
Remedial writing instruction is part of a larger basic skills academic re-education
program focused on students who did not benefit from conventional strategies or
procedures. Remedial writing is intended to improve a person’s ability to write
especially when they see things that are difficult. Remedial instruction in writing
encourages the study of the disability known as dysgraphia. Dysgraphia is a learning
disability that affects writing, which requires a complex set of motor and information
processing skills. People with dysgraphia might have trouble organizing letters,
numbers, and words on a line or page.

AREAS OF DIFFICULTY FOR STUDENTS WITH WRITING PROBLEMS

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(TROIA, 2002; TROIA & GRAHAM, 2003)

Knowledge Difficulties. Students with writing problems show:
 less awareness of what constitutes good writing and how to produce it;
 restricted knowledge about genre-specific text structures (e.g., setting or plot
elements in a narrative);
 poor declarative, procedural, and conditional strategy knowledge (e.g.,
knowing that one should set goals for writing, how to set specific goals, and
when it is most beneficial to alter those goals);
 limited vocabulary;
 underdeveloped knowledge of word and sentence structure (i.e., phonology,
morphology, and syntax);
 impoverished, fragmented, and poorly organized topic knowledge;
 difficulty accessing existing topic knowledge; and
 insensitivity to audience needs and perspectives, and to the functions their
writing is intended to serve.

Skill Difficulties. Students with writing problems:

 often do not plan before or during writing;
 exhibit poor text transcription (e.g., spelling, handwriting, and punctuation);
 focus revision efforts (if they revise at all) on superficial aspects of writing (e.g.,
handwriting, spelling, and grammar);
 do not analyze or reflect on writing;have limited ability to self regulate
thoughts, feelings, and actions throughout the writing process;
 show poor attention and concentration; and
 have visual motor integration weaknesses and fine motor difficulties.

Motivation Difficulties. Students with writing problems:

 often do not develop writing goals and subgoals or flexibly alter them to meet
audience, task, and personal demands;
 fail to balance performance goals, which relate to documenting performance
and achieving success, and mastery goals, which relate to acquiring
competence;
 exhibit maladaptive attributions by attributing academic success to external
and uncontrollable factors such as task ease or teacher assistance, but
academic failure to internal yet uncontrollable factors such as limited aptitude;
 have negative self efficacy (competency) beliefs;
 lack persistence; and
 feel helpless and poorly motivated due to repeated failure.

QUALITIES OF STRONG WRITING INSTRUCTION

In order for teachers to support all students' writing ability development, certain
qualities of the writing classroom must be present. Four core components of effective
writing instruction constitute the foundation of any good writing program:
1. Students should have meaningful writing experiences and be assigned
authentic writing tasks that promote personal and collective expression,
reflection, inquiry, discovery, and social change.
2. Routines should permit students to become comfortable with the writing
process and move through the process over a sustained period of time at their
own rate.

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3. Lessons should be designed to help students master craft elements (e.g., text
structure, character development), writing skills (e.g., spelling, punctuation),
and process strategies (e.g., planning and revising tactics).
4. A common language for shared expectations and feedback regarding writing
quality might include the use of traits (e.g., organization, ideas, sentence
fluency, word choice, voice, and conventions).

ADAPTATIONS FOR STRUGGLING WRITERS

These strategies can be used for students who require additional assistance in
mastering skills.

Accommodations in the Learning Environment.

 Increase instructional time for writing.
 Provide quiet and comfortable spaces for students to work.
 Provide unimpeded access to writing tools.
 Let students identify and select meaningful reinforcements for achieving
writing goals (e.g., a reinforcement menu).
 Consult with an occupational therapist to identify specialized adaptations (e.g.,
chair and desk height).

Accommodations in Instructional Materials

 Simplify language of writing prompts.
 Highlight (e.g., color code) key words and phrases.
 Transition from simple to more elaborate graphic organizers and procedural
checklists.
 Post strategies, graphic organizers, and checklists in classroom and give
students personal copies.
 Develop individualized spelling lists.
 Have students keep a personal dictionary of “demon” words and frequently
used spelling vocabulary.
 Provide paper positioning marks on students’ desks.
 Provide pencil grips for students.
 Provide raised- or colored-lined paper.
 Provide students with personal copies of alphabet strips.

Accommodations in Teaching Strategies

 Devote more instructional time to writing mechanics.
 Provide physical assistance during handwriting practice.
 Re-teach writing skills and strategies.
 Expect and support mastery learning of skills and strategies (e.g.,
memorization of strategy steps).
 Use cross-age peer tutors to reinforce skills and strategies.
 Assign homework designed to reinforce writing instruction.
 Help students set specific and challenging yet attainable goals for the writing
process (e.g., completing a planning sheet before beginning to draft) and
written products (e.g., a quantity goal of including 10 descriptive words in a
story, which is perhaps linked to a quality goal of improving word choice by two
points on an analytic quality scale).
 Help students develop self-instructions (e.g., “I can handle this if I go slow.”)
and self-questions (e.g., “Am I following my plan?”) that focus on positive
attributions for success and task progress.

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 Teach students to evaluate and adjust their writing behaviors and writing
strategy use to improve their writing productivity and performance.
 Promote maintenance and generalization of writing strategies by doing the
following:
- modeling and discussing how strategies may be used in multiple
contexts;
- relating writing performance to strategy use;
- having students teach others how to use strategies;
- having students keep a strategy notebook which they can consult at
any time;
- ensuring all staff and caregivers are familiar with and prompt the use of
the strategies; and
- reviewing strategies often.

Modifications to Task Demands

 Increase amount of time allotted for completing written assignments.
 Decrease the length and/or complexity of written assignments.
 Have students complete text frames (i.e., partially finished texts).
 Reduce or eliminate copying demands (e.g., teach students abbreviations for
note taking, supply worksheets with math problems from textbook).
 Allow students to use temporary/invented spelling.
 Pre-teach spelling vocabulary for assignments.
 Evaluate spelling using correct letter sequences (e.g., hopping has 8 possible
correct letter sequences) rather than number of words spelled correctly to
measure and reward incremental progress attributable to partial correct
spelling.
 Permit students to dictate written work to a scribe.
 If students have adequately developed keyboarding skills, permit them to write
papers with a word processor.
 Permit students to use outlining and semantic mapping software to facilitate
planning.
 Permit students to use voice recognition technology to facilitate text
transcription.
 Permit students to use integrated spell checker and/or word prediction software
to facilitate correct spelling.
 Permit students to use speech synthesis technology to facilitate revising and
editing.
 Selectively weight grading for content, organization, style, and conventions.
 Grade assignments based on the amount of improvement rather than absolute
performance.
 Assign letter grades for body of work collected over time (i.e., portfolio
assessment) rather than for each paper.
 Provide feedback on content, organization, style, and conventions for some
rather than all assignments (which may reduce students’ anxiety about
writing).
 Provide feedback on targeted aspects of writing rather than all aspects to avoid
overwhelming students.

Modifications to Learning Tasks

 Permit students to dramatize or orally present a written assignment, either in
lieu of writing or in preparation for writing.

BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR IN ENGLISH

College of Teacher Education
Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 39

 Assign students suitable roles (e.g., brainstorm manager) for the creation of a
group-generated paper.

TEACHING HANDWRITING
The following are research-based suggestions for teaching handwriting.
Curriculum Considerations
 The initial use of one type of script (e.g., manuscript versus cursive or different
versions of manuscript) does not appear to affect handwriting performance.
 Special emphasis is placed on difficult-to-form letters and those that are
frequently reversed.
 Lowercase letters are introduced before upper-case letters, unless they are
formed using similar strokes (e.g., C, c).
 Letters that share common strokes are grouped together (e.g., o, c, d, a).
 The introduction of easily confused letters (e.g., b, d, p, q) is staggered.
 The formation of individual upper- and lowercase letters and, for cursive,
difficult letter transitions (e.g., roam) are modeled.
 Visual cues, such as numbered dots and arrows, and verbal descriptions are
used to guide letter formation.
 Activities to reinforce letter recognition and naming are combined with
handwriting practice.
 Students practice using a comfortable and efficient tripod pencil grasp.
 Students are shown and expected to use appropriate posture and paper
positioning for their handedness.
 Handwriting fluency is developed through frequent writing and speed trials,
with an emphasis on maintaining legibility.
 Opportunities are provided for distributed practice and judicious review of
individual letters and letter sequences.
 Students are permitted to develop their own handwriting style and to choose
which script (manuscript, cursive, or even a blend) they prefer to use after
mastering handwriting (manuscript tends to be more legible than cursive and
can be written just as quickly if given equal emphasis).
 Students are prompted to identify when a high degree of legibility is and is not
necessary.

Weekly Routines
 In the primary grades, 60–75 minutes per week is allocated for handwriting
instruction.
 Students are encouraged to compare letters to discover patterns and to
highlight their similarities and differences.
 Students are given opportunities to reinforce target letters by tracing them (a
dashed or faded model), copying them, and writing them from memory.
 Students’ handwriting is monitored and immediately reinforced for correct
letter formation, spacing, alignment, size, slant, and line quality.
 Students are asked to self-evaluate their handwriting and to set goals for
improving specific aspects of their handwriting each day.
 Students are encouraged to correct poorly formed letters and to rewrite
illegible work.

TEACHING SPELLING
Curriculum Considerations

BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR IN ENGLISH

College of Teacher Education
Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology

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ELEC 1 | REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION 40

 Spelling vocabulary includes words drawn from children’s reading materials,

children’s writing, self-selected words, high-frequency word lists 1,2, and
pattern words.
 Students are typically taught phonemic awareness and phoneme-grapheme
associations (reserving the least consistent mappings, such as consonants /k/
and /z/ and long vowels, for last) in kindergarten and first grade. Common
spelling patterns (e.g., phonograms or rime families 3,4,5) are taught in first
and second grades. Morphological structures (i.e., roots and affixes 3,4,5,6)
and helpful spelling rules (e.g., add es to make words ending in s, z, x, ch, or sh
plural) are taught in second grade and beyond.
 Students are taught systematic and effective strategies for studying new
spelling words (e.g., mnemonic spelling links, multi-sensory strategies).
 Previously taught spelling words are periodically reviewed to promote
retention.
 Correct use of spelling vocabulary in students’ written work is monitored and
reinforced.
 Students are taught and encouraged to use dictionaries, spell checkers, and
other resources to determine the spelling of unknown words
 Spelling “demons” and other difficult words are posted on wall charts.

Weekly Routines
 A minimum of 60–75 minutes per week is allocated for spelling instruction.
 Students take a Monday pretest to determine which words they need to study
during subsequent activities and to set spelling performance goals.
 After studying new spelling words, students take a Friday posttest to determine
which words were mastered.
 Immediately after taking a spelling test, students correct their misspellings.
 The teacher conducts word sorts and guided spelling activities to explicitly
teach spelling patterns and rules at the beginning of the week.
 Daily opportunities are provided for cumulative study and testing of new
spelling words (e.g., through computer-assisted instruction).
 Students work together each day to learn new spelling words.
 While studying, students monitor their on-task behavior or the number of times
they correctly spell a target word, to promote active learning.

BACHELOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION MAJOR IN ENGLISH

College of Teacher Education
Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology

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