2. Wha t is Re m e d ia l Te a ching ?
Remedial Education is defined in the Ox fo rd Ad va nc e d
Le a rne rs ’ Dic tio na ry as ‘connected with school students who are
slower at learning than others’.
The remedial teaching can also be defined a s ‘ the nam e
im p lie s , is d e s ig ne d to c a te r to the ne e d s o f child re n una ble to
ke e p p a c e with the te a ching -le a rning p ro c e s s in a no rm a l
c la s s ro o m . ’ Remedial teaching will act as a safety valve for the
students who are behind the expected level of achievement.
• Re m e d ia l te a ching is no t re -te a ching .
4. TargeT group
• Help is offered to pupils who need (pedagogical/didactic)
assistance.
• These are often children who function at a lower than
average level because of a certain learning- or behavioural
problem/disorder
But it can also be offered to pupils who achieve at a
higher than average level, they need the extra attention and
care.
5. Key to Identification of Target group
•Class interaction: An pupil will give wrong answers frequently to
the questions asked. He will appear to be confused. He may
probably not respond to the questions asked in the class at all.
• Homework: An pupil will not do the homework. If pressurized to
complete the work, he may resort to copying, which may be
easily detected.
• Subject tests and term tests: He will show poor performance
consistently in tests. He will either not attempt the question(s) at
all or, will leave blanks and/or overwrite.
• Attitude towards academic activities: He will be disinterested
in such activities.
6. • Learning of concepts: His concepts related to a
particular topic or formula are not clear.
• Computational Skill: He may not be good at
computations and thereby may gives incorrect results
frequently while performing basic mathematical
operations and simplification.
• Procedure of solving problem: He is not clear about
the procedure of solving problems and so he/she often
gets wrong answers.
• Application of knowledge: He may not be able to apply
the learned knowledge in different situations. For
example, in word problems, he may fail to translate
sentences into sums or identify the variables.
7. The causes of weakness which may be:
• Lack of understanding/misconceptions.
• Faulty teaching method.
• Fear of the subject.
• Incorrect study habits.
• Physical and emotional factors like poor health,
some mental shock etc.
• Teacher’s attitude.
Once the cause(s) having been identified, suitable remedial
measures (depending upon the cause) should be suggested
which may be:
• Re-teaching of the subtopic.
• Computer Aided Teaching.
• Drilling of Problems.
• Other Measures --- Speech Therapist, Occupaitonal Therapist,
Audiologist etc.
8. Procedure to teaching
It involves working systematically: observing, diagnosing,
remediating, evaluating.
• An intake conversation, checks, tests and/or observations take
place.
• A picture is formed of the pupil by chatting to the teacher and
the parents in order to discover where the problem lies.
• Remedial teaching is usually given o nc e o r twic e a we e k.
• Diagnosis of the specific difficulty of the pupil by conducting a
suitable diagnostic test or a full assessment is required by a
clinical psychologist.
• These assessments provide suitable remedial measures and
in addition ways and means for preventing them from
reoccurring in future.
9.
10. Wha t sho uld be d o ne ?
A) Handling pupils’ behaviour problems
i. Always observe the performance of pupils in class and their behaviour in groups;
ii. Establish close relationship with pupils
iii. Keep in close contact with parents to find out the cause of pupils’ behaviour problems;
Iv. Help pupils build up self-confidence and a healthy self-image;
v. Give positive reinforcement to pupils’ good behaviour, and do not pay undue attention
to their misbehaviour;
vi. Do not try to change all the deviant behaviour 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;
vii. Refer the cases to Student Guidance Officers/Teachers for follow-up action if the
behaviour 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.
11. B. Liaison with Parents
In order to help pupils with learning difficulties, schools must liaise closely with
parents.
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.
C. 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
from IRTP.
Remedial teachers should also liaise with other related professionals
to seek for professional support with a view to helping pupils solve their
problems.
12. PROPOSAL: FORMAL EDUCATION AND
REMEDIAL SUPPORT (STD V-X)
West Bengal primary board
The Evaluation Process: On going System of Continuous & Comprehensive
evaluation at the Primary Education Level: Further Development With the
introduction of the renewed curriculum in 1981 the system of Continuous
and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) started being implemented at the
primary education level in West Bengal. The renewed curriculum and
syllabuses introduced from the academic session of 2004-05 also proposed
to strictly adhere to the system but with certaint. refi ments. The Education
Commission (Ashok Mitra Commission) appointed by the Government of
West Bengal in 1992 initially examined the status of implementation of the
system and identified the weaknesses and suggested certain remedial
measures. The West Bengal Board of Primary Education in its bid to make
the system more realistic and more effective has been advocating the
administration of the entire system in four distinct segments :
1. Instant tests / tests on sub-unit of a lesson
2. Unit Test
3. Periodic or Terminal Evaluation
4. Summative Evaluation
5. External Evaluation and Diagnostic Achievement Test as Integral Parts of
CCE:
13. The Grade System
The Yash Pal Committee appointed by the Govt. of India
discouraged unheathy competitions among individuals.
Obviously it referred to the system of awarding of marks to
determine the position of an individual. The grading system that
automatically follows from the CCE on the other hand was
decided to be upheld. The West Bengal Board of Primary
Education however, follows as shown in the renewed curriculum
a 5-point scale indicating indirect grading system for the
scholastice subjects. This is shown in the table below:
Marks
Obtaine Grade Significance
80-100 A Very Good
65-79 B Good
50-64 C Satisfactory
35-49 D Average
Below 35 E Not Satisfactory
