Everyone needs help and your support can go a long way towards helping students learn better and improving overall societal well-being. No matter how little, your contribution to education is essential.
However, you can never have all the practical tools you need to support all students and help them learn better.
This article gives you an overview of tips for teachers and parents to help meet the needs of learners in school and at home. These tips are recommended and approved by teachers and experts to strengthen inclusive activities and offer the best support for learners.
Here are instructional strategies teachers can use to support students in classrooms:
Enhance Active Learning
Getting students engaged is one of the best ways to promote learning. Teachers are advised to assign students small group-based assignments that enhance active learning. Getting students to work in groups helps them learn from each other and develop excellent teamwork skills.
Give Your Students Freedom
Every student has a different approach to solving a problem. For instance, some will prefer tackling the most challenging tasks first, while others prefer starting with simple tasks. Allowing students to choose their preferred methods as long they fall within the required standards. Allow students some control over their schedules. Such freedom will help students understand that you respect their individuality.
Offer Models
Showing students new skills through modeling can help them learn faster, more accurately, and faster. Weave modeling in classroom lessons. You can choose to model skills by yourself or use peer modeling. Encourage students with disabilities to work with their peers as they model social skills.
Be an Effective Coach
Whom did you consider as your role model growing up? Go back into your school days and remember a teacher you admired and imitated. Create memories with your students in the same way. Celebrate every student and use gentle ways to correct them when they are wrong. Learn to recognize and reward success and coach your students to be happy and healthy individuals.
Students should also have plenty of opportunities to continue learning outside the classroom. Parents and other adults can promote learning in the following ways:
Organize a Fund Raiser For Needy Learners
Do you always have a neighborhood BBQ once in a while? Instead of the typical cooking showdown with friends and family, why not make it a fundraiser to support needy learners in the community. You do not have to sacrifice the fun; you can make it a neighborhood fun day. Organize games, prepare food and drinks, and enjoy supporting and uplifting each other. You should consider getting everything ready for the day in advance to ensure it is a success. You can search for pieces of equipment that are perfect to use outdoor during the summer and create a community event with a purpose.
Create Practice Time
Allowing kids to practice new skills frequently and in different settings promotes their learning capacity. Accordingly, such opportunities help children learn skills faster.
Include Activities
Increasing involvement in activities that promote the community’s wellbeing is a growth and learning opportunity for children. Enhancing community participation like day camps, dance lessons, and clubs is essential.
Support a Child’s Interest
Focus on a child’s fascination. Weave their preferences and interests into instructions that enhance engagement and learning for better development.
Modify Your Techniques
Learning should not be a complex process. Learn to teach new skills through modified steps that help the child learn better. For instance, you can show a kid how to cook a meal when teaching how to cook. You can also code every step and use appropriate language that kids understand better. If you are dealing with teenagers, consider using games to supplement learning. Such techniques help children retain what they learn.
Reinforce New Skills
For learners to retain a skill learned, you have to reinforce them positively. Motivation can a long way in helping learners retained all skills taught. The best way to reinforce a skill is to let the child do what you want to teach and then follow up as you correct their mistakes.
Teach Skills Applicable in School and At Home
Children need skills they can apply in real life. In most cases, some schools tend to lean towards academic matters so much and forget life skills. Make sure you help children learn functional and practical skills. This will help them solve real-life problems and live happily.
The Bottom Line
As a teacher or a parent, you have a role to play in ensuring students learn better. These strategies may not be applicable to all age groups, but they are effective in ensuring a conducive learning environment both at home and in school.