How To Help A Failing Student Perform Better

No teacher or instructor will love to see his or her students fail in their departmental examination. It is always believed that students performance have a correlation with the quality of teacher or lecturer. But there are still some situation where the teacher will be good but the students will still failing due to lots of factors such as peer group influence, family background, socio economic status of parents, poor learning environments, inadequate teachers, poor teacher-pupil relationship etc.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

In educational institutions, academic performance is the outcome of educational goals that are achieved either by students or the teacher, i.e., how well a student meets standards set out by local authority or the institution itself.

Academic performance refers to how students deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers. It is the ability to study and remember facts and being able to communicate your knowledge verbally or down on paper. Thus, it implies a process where a student’s success in school is measured to determine how they stand up to others in the same areas.

THE ROLE OF PARENT

Home is referred to as the place from where the foundation of learning and education takes place. In order to produce good academic outcomes, it is vital for the parents, children and other family members to encourage a learning atmosphere within homes. For instance, when students experience problems in certain subjects, then parents are responsible for providing help. This help may be in the form of private tuitions or they themselves may teach their children. They make provision of technology and other learning materials at home to enhance the academic performance of their children. Parents play an important role in leading to operative growth and development of their children. In schools, whatever problems that children go through regarding academics and other areas, they normally communicate to their parents. Parents are sources of security, encouragement and help their children in providing solutions to their problems.

HOW TO HELP A FAILING STUDENTS PERFORM BETTER:

1.0 PROVIDE ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR HIM

Instructional materials are those materials or resources used in any teaching exercise to promote greater understanding of the learning experience. According to her, they are used to provide the richest possible learning environment which helps the teacher and learners to achieve specific objectives. They also assist the teachers to communicate more effectively and the learners learn more meaningfully and permanently. Sharing the above view, teaching aids could be defined as things which are intended to help the teacher to teach more effectively or better still which enables the pupils to learn more easily. In the opinion of most educators many educational technologist see instructional materials as devices and resources used in learning situation to supplement to written or spoken words in the transmission of knowledge, attitude, ideas or concept and values. Instructional materials have been defined as things or objects brought into play to emphasize, clarify, strengthen, vitalize the teachers instruction. Instructional materials can also been seen as teaching-learning materials that constitute an integral component of classroom instructional process which are utilized in delivering educational information to the learner. Sp providing adequate instructional materials to the students can help him or her cover more ground and have a better understanding of his course of study.

2.0 BECOME HIS/HER STUDY COACH

It is not wrong to become a study coach to a failing student; provided you are not giving him or her answers to the main examination or test exercise. As a study coach, you are not to write the examination for the student but you can help them solve problems from past questions. A study coach will pay more attention to you and make sure you get it right in all step of the way until you finish course module you are studying.

3.0 MAKE HIM/HER BELIEVE HE/SHE CAN DO IT

Another most important factor that can influence students’ performance is self belief. There is always a correlation between self belief and students’ performance. Numerous studies have reported significant influence of self belief on academic performance. A typical example of items that are used to assess self belief and academic performance include: “I am proud of myself,” “exams will not be challenging for me.” In general, this studies show that self belief influences students’ academic performance. One study observed the downward comparison (in which an individual look at those less fortunate or accomplished than him, this raise his self belief), and upward comparison (can lower it). Thus, how good a student is, studies suggest that, will be based on the social comparison you make. Similarly, self belief theory also holds that feeling positive about oneself has numerous social outcome including academic performance. Another study maintained that, an ideal-self person always admires the successes of others and aspires to attain similar height. Such heroes become standard for their admirers, who attempt to reach such standards. Such aspirations in learning can be very effective in enhancing academic performance. It is therefore not surprising that many researchers had conducted studies on self belief to establish its relationship with academic performance in general. A teacher can make the student develop sense of self belief by maybe telling them how they passed through the same situation as the student but with hard work and perseverance they manage to succeed.

4.0 IMPROVE HIS/HER STUDY TIME
Study Time means time allowed off from normal duties granted on full pay to staff members who are studying in approved part-time courses. Study Time means the time allowed off from normal duties on full pay to a staff member who is studying in a part time course which is of relevance to the department. When you improve your study time; chances are that you performance in your examination will increase. If a teacher is interested in helping a failing student, he or she will ask the student few questions concerning their study time; although some students hardly have time to study because of domestic chores. So when the student tells the teacher his or her best study time; the teacher will work towards improving it.

5.0 GIVE HIM/HER TEST OR ASSIGNMENTS
Like most people will say examination is not the true test of knowledge but the situation here is different. The teacher or instructor gives his or her student test and assignment to assess their level of understanding of the course module given to the student.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion improved study time, availability of learning materials, the influence of study coach, self belief and test assignment can improve students’ academic performance