Introduction:
About one out of every six American children is a slow learner. This type of child is difficult to recognize, identify and understand. So many children give the impression of being slow that teachers and parents are very confused as to what the cause of their slowness really is. Any number of causes -- whether physical or psychological or social in origin -- may effect such behavior. The slow learner is usually normal in appearance and is able to function satisfactorily in many situations. This is precisely why he/she is difficult to understand and identify. While the slow learner usually possesses common sense and adequate memory, is physically adept and has normal dexterity, this does not mean that he/she has normal ability for school work. It is not unusual to hear parents of a slow learner state that they are puzzled over their child's school difficulties since "he/she seems to understand so well at home".


I.Q:
The measured intelligence of a true slow learner is about 75% to 90% of the average child's. Their maximum mental age ranges from about 11 years to 13 1/2 years. They learn at a rate which is 4/5 to 9/10 of normal, and they learn to read approximately 1 year later than the majority of children. Most authorities agree that slow learners may be slow in Reading and Arithmetic, but not necessarily slow to the same extent in shop, mechanical, or social activities. They may also be adept in peer play activities, work or sports. Most elementary school classes in an average community can be expected to include three to five slow learners in the class. Slow learners, also known as children with borderline intelligence, low achievers, children with developmental delays, "gray area" children, "shadow" children and "kids in the cracks," are as much an artifact of educational policy as they are a true cohort. For this population, even minimal expectations of a regular classroom often exceed optimal levels of performance. The discontinuity between regular and special education is arguably no greater than in the case of slow learners. As a result, slow learners are rarely within the domain of special education and the curricular standards are such that success in the general education environment is also unlikely.

Characteristics:

1) Abstract or deep thinking is laborious: The child needs to think in relation to his/her experiences in concrete ways.


2) Child often has a short attention span: The child may find it difficult to concentrate as long as other children.


3) It is harder for the child to figure out things for themselves: The child may require more direction and supervision, but should not be overprotected.


4) The child reacts and learns more slowly than other youngsters: The child may not be as quick to grasp what the teacher and/or parent is saying. Things should be explained more simply, repeated in different ways, and reviewed from time to time.


5) The child's view of the world tends to be more narrow than that of their friends: The teacher can counteract this by tying in the child's daily life to what he/she is teaching.


6)Reading seems to be more difficult: Subject matter is often mastered more easily when extensive reading is not required.


Regardless of these limitations, the slow learner does learn. The child can make progress in the classroom if the teaching and the materials used are at his/her level of learning.


Provision:
Providing slow learners with an appropriate education is a difficult proposition. In contrast to special educators, regular education teachers typically do not receive specialized training in teaching children with learning challenges. Especially in light of growing attention to educational accountability and high stakes assessment practices, slow learners are mistakenly overlooked and viewed as a drain on increasingly limited educational resources. With significant changes in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), better known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLBA), and major proposed revisions to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), educational policies and priorities are changing. These policy revisions will lead to major changes in general education's response to slow learners, how group testing affects the education of slow learners, and how special education can be used with slow learners. Changing times and changing policies are likely to alter the very definition of what it means to be a slow learner.