Students who display issues with their self-concept may under-perform in a number of areas. They may need support with social skills and relationships and may be deemed academic under-achievers. A lack of confidence may impinge on their willingness to take risks with their learning.
Match work to cognitive demand to reduce frustration.
Design group tasks in which a student’s contribution is critical and valued.
Incorporate a question area to encourage and validate student inquiry.
Create self-marking questions so that students can experience success and re-do questions privately.
Structure for success.
Train student for self-monitoring, reinforce improvements, teach self-questioning strategies (What am I doing? How is that going to affect others?).
Allow opportunities for the student to show strengths.
Give positive recognition.
Avoid competitive tasks – rely more on chance.
Allow students to work individually or in groups as desired.
Offer student materials in advance which can be pre-taught to improve confidence.
Offer positive feedback privately.
Allow self-monitoring checklists to increase sense of accomplishment.
Supply positive written feedback rather than numerical.
Allow student to complete tests with small-group or separate supervision if needed.
Seat student near teacher to increase engagement and access to support.
Establish rules of positive interaction- denounce ridicule and teasing in your classroom.
Give the student responsibilities in the classroom to increase sense of recognition.
Negotiate non-verbal signals to cue the need for assistance.
Pair students with more confident peers.
Direct peer assistance where appropriate.
Allocate peer groups in collaborative tasks so that student is not left out.
Matched cognitive demands to ability?
Established a peer mentoring program or provided SLSO assistance?
Discussed successful strategies with the Learning Support Team?
Arranged for choice in assessment and presentation of information?
Considered preferential seating near teacher or peer role models?