The Remedial Classroom: Organization In organizing a remedial program, one must

and Management consider the following factors:

What is a Remedial Program?
A remedial program primarily helps students
address language skills deficits by helping
them acquire self-confidence to face their
own weakness and overcome these through
the acquisition of self-help strategies.
A thorough assessment must be conducted
before organizing a remedial program, while CURRICULUM
consistent monitoring is imperative in – Base goals and standards for language
managing the program. learning on theory and research.
Below are general instructional – Relate teacher beliefs and knowledge about
guidelines that should be considered instruction to research.
(Strickland, 1998 cited in Gunning,
2003 and in Vacca, Vacca, and Gove, – Organize the curriculum framework so that
1991): it is usable.

▪ Instruction is systematic when it is planned, – Select materials that facilitate

deliberate in application, and proceeds in an accomplishment of school goals.
orderly manner. This does not mean a rigid
INSTRUCTION
progression of one-size-fits-all teaching.
– The program must identify instructional
▪ Intensive instruction on any particular skill
strategies and activities for learners.
or strategy should be based on need. Thus,
intensity will vary both with individuals and – Instruction must be based upon what we
groups. know about the effective teaching of
language skills.
▪ There is no substitute for ongoing
documentation and monitoring of learning to – Those involved in designing or selecting
determine the order in which skills should be instructional activities need to consider the
addressed and the level of intensity required variables that contribute to success in
to help a child or group of children succeed language learning, given its interactive and
in a particular area. constructive nature.
▪ To track specific goals and objectives within – Time must be provided in the classroom for
an integrated language-arts framework, practice.
teachers must know the instructional
objectives their curriculum requires at the – Composing should be an integral part of
grade or year level they teach. the program.

Organization – Students should be given opportunities to

become independent and to self-monitor
their progress.
– The climate in a school must be conducive
to the development of students.
– The school must develop an organizational
structure that meets individual needs of
students.
– The program must provide for coordination ▪ The orientation component.
among all language programs offered in the
The orientation component provides
school.
continuity and focus to the remedial session.
ASSESSMENT It may be an engaging question or statement
related to local or national news, or even
–Use assessment to guide instruction.
school life. It must focus on structured
–Develop scoring guides and rubrics. routines, materials, equipment, venue,
people involved, and the objective of the
–Seek alignment among various layers of program.
assessment.
▪ Direct Instruction Component.
MANAGEMENT
This is the instructional heart of the remedial
▪ School-based remedial sessions tend to session. It should never be traded away,
involve 3 to 10 learners, and typically last even for one period, without some
between compelling reason.
30 to 50
minutes, ▪ Reinforcement and Extension
Component.
This period of time ideally should build on
the direct instructional period and be spent
in empowered reading, writing, and
discussion of what was read. Writing
activities may vary from simply listing key
words to summarizing and reacting.
▪ Schema-Enhancement Component.
This unit of time should be spent in building
depending on whether they are in the a knowledge base for further reading and
elementary or secondary level. A plan to independent thinking. It is an ideal time to
maximize the utilization of that time should teach study skills such as outlining, note
be a high priority. To ensure that the program taking, and memory training. Ideally, it
is effective, one must consider the six should flow or precede
components of an ideal remedial program
(Manzo & Manzo, 1993). These principles ▪ Personal-Emotional Growth
may also be applicable in remediation for Development. There is little learning or
other skills aside from reading. consequence that can occur without the
learner involvement and anticipation of
personal progress.
▪ Cognitive Development Component.
This component should contain an attempt to
enhance basic thinking operation such as:
inference, abstract verbal reasoning,
analogical reasoning, constructive-critical/
creative reading, convergent and divergent
analysis, problem-solving, and
metacognition.

SIX COMPONENTS OF AN IDEAL REMEDIAL

PROGRAM