10 Tips for Reaching Your Struggling Learner | Alphapals

Parents want the best for their children, so it may be surprising if their child doesn't follow typical learning patterns. When this happens, it is essential to acknowledge their struggle and learn more about how students learn so they can apply valuable teaching methods. 

Alphapals makes a range of teaching products that are colorful, textured, and exciting. Because of their unique qualities, they promote reading readiness through differentiation techniques that are interactive, fun, and that foster the learning process. 

By exploring how students learn, parents and educators can develop enriching learning experiences for them, supporting effective teaching methods. Here are ten tips for reaching the struggling learner. 

10 Practical Tips for Supporting Struggling Students: 

1. Identify the Cause of the Struggle 

Before you can help struggling students, you must find out how they learn. To do this, ask why they are floundering. Establish whether their struggles originate from their learning styles, misunderstanding the material, or if they are unmotivated. Educators should also determine the student's strengths and weaknesses. Once they know more about these elements, they can help plan the best ways for their students to learn. 

2. Set Realistic Goals 

Next, establish realistic goals to support success in how students learn best. These goals must be specific and achievable. Educators should also customize the plans to align with the struggling student's abilities and needs to motivate sustainable success. 

3. Break Tasks Down into Manageable Pieces 

If students feel they are not coping, they can become despondent and demotivated. Educators can reduce the possibility of overwhelming students by dividing tasks into smaller, more manageable bite-size pieces. As students achieve these smaller goals, they build confidence, creating the desire to learn more. 

4. Encourage Positive Self-Talk 

Educators can encourage students to engage in positive self-talk to overcome possible negative self-images. By pointing out their strengths and teaching them to focus on these positive aspects, educators can motivate and develop self-confidence in their students' abilities to learn and grow. 

5. Use Different Learning Strategies 

Educators can use differentiation techniques to help struggling students improve through various learning strategies. Alphapals uses learning aids to bring out the best in visual learners. Auditory learners do well by listening to audio recordings, engaging in discussions, or listening to lectures. 

Parents can combine learning strategies using Alphapals stuffed letters to deliver a multimedia learning experience. Educators can also support their students by making them aware of the different learning techniques and how to discover what works best for them. 

6. Provide Support and Encouragement 

Parents or educators can offer support by providing more resources, such as those found on Alphapals, or through positive verbal reinforcement, books, or videos. When students receive acknowledgment of their efforts, they also understand that someone in their corner wants to see them succeed. 

7. Give the Student Time to Reflect 

In exploring how students learn best, educators should also give them time to reflect on their learning. This time is when educators can ask them questions about their understanding, challenges, and how to help them address hurdles. By asking relevant questions, educators help students develop insight into their learning experiences and where they need help to improve. 

8. Utilize Technology 

Struggling students can also access online technology, such as apps and other resources, to aid their learning. Educators should guide their students in finding extra support online to assist their learning journey. 

9. Make Learning Fun 

If students struggle to learn, one way to enhance their education is by making it enjoyable. Bringing fun into the classroom stimulates a positive atmosphere and drives motivation. Educators can use Alphapals products to introduce fun or include interactive puzzles, games, and other activities in student lessons. 

10. Stay Patient and Flexible 

Teachers can use differentiation techniques to help engage struggling learners through phases when frustration threatens to overwhelm them. Most important is to exercise flexibility and patience to support struggling students. If you feel you've tried everything and still nothing seems to work, remember to ask for help. 

How Alphapals Products Can Support Struggling Learners 

Alphapals make a diverse product range, including alphabet letters from gorgeous soft fabrics in multiple forms and colors. Children adore these letters' many textures, colors, and shapes, adding to the differentiation techniques. Children interacting with these products creates a fun learning environment that stimulates the imagination. Students develop their letter and color recognition in the process, creating memorable associations that facilitate their learning curves. Parents and educators can improve the fulfilling experience of helping struggling students reach their reading readiness goals. One way to achieve this goal is to understand how students learn best. Other tips include those highlighted above to enhance their success. To recap, educators can use these tips to improve their student's learning journey: 

1. Identify the cause of the struggle. 

2. Set realistic goals. 

3. Break tasks down into manageable pieces 

4. Encourage positive self-talk. 

5. Use different learning strategies. 

6. Provide support and encouragement. 

7. Give the student time to reflect. 

8. Utilize technology. 

9. Make learning fun. 

10. Stay patient and flexible. 

Educators can access any or all of Alphapals products to include differentiation techniques in struggling student learning processes. The benefits include interactive education, stimulating the imagination, loads of fun, patience, and kindness in the communication journey. 

Learn more about Alphapals and how we can improve the learning experience of your struggling students now. Contact us with your questions or go through our FAQs section below! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

1. What are the main learning styles that students have, and how do they affect the learning process? 

• Visual - seeing 

• Auditory - hearing 

• Reading/Writing – physical/practical application 

• Kinesthetic – touching 

Adjusting to these learning styles focuses on struggling students' strengths, improving their learning experience, and enhancing their progress. 

2. How can teachers adapt teaching methods to cater to different learning styles and help students learn more effectively? 

Educators and parents can determine their students' learning styles and use differentiation techniques to match these so their students learn more effectively. 

3. What role does memory retention play in the learning process, and how can students improve their memory to aid their studying? 

Short- and long-term memory retention are necessary building blocks to add to knowledge and learning. Teachers can improve student memory retention by understanding how students learn, using repetition and various differentiation techniques to cater to student strengths. 

4. How can technology and multimedia be incorporated into the classroom to enhance student learning? 

Educators and parents can use the following methods to include multimedia and technology in classroom learning: 

• Alphapals products 

• Videos 

• PowerPoints 

• Homework assignments on the internet 

• Games 

• Classroom tablets 

• Group play 

• Various differentiation techniques that cater to different learning styles 

5. What are the benefits of collaborative learning, and how can group work be utilized in the classroom to facilitate learning? 

Collaborative learning benefits include: 

• Developing higher-level thinking 

• Leadership skills 

• Verbal communication 

• Self-management 

• Encourages teacher-student interaction. 

• Improves student retention. 

• Enhances student self-esteem. 

• Promotes responsibility. 

• Exposes students to different viewpoints and enhances their understanding of these perspectives. 

• Prepares students for the real world by developing their social and other skills. 

Group work facilitates learning by encouraging diverse people to work together, learn cooperation, engage in critical thinking to process information, and evaluate and solve problems. Group work also helps students develop self-regulation skills, assess their roles within groups, and develop decision-making skills as individuals or for the group.