Instructional strategies to accelerate science learning among slow learners

Abstract

A study on Instructional strategies to accelerate science learning among slow newlinelearners was carried out in Dharwad during 2004 05. The objectives of the study were to newlineknow the prevalence of low achievers in schools, to develop instructional strategies based on newlinethe prescribed syllabus to teach science subject, to know the influence of gender, ordinal newlineposition, type and size of the family, parent s education, occupation and per capita income of newlinethe family on the rate of learning science among slow learners, to study the impact of various newlineinstructional strategies developed in learning science among slow learners and to know the newlineteacher s opinion towards the different instructional strategies. The slow learners were newlineidentified from both Government and Private Kannada medium primary schools using four newlinescreening methods viz., academic achievement, teacher s assessment, intelligence test and newlineachievement test. The sample for the study comprised of 122 slow learners both from. newlineCorrelation coefficient, t- test and chi square tests were used to analyze the data. newlineThe results revealed that, the prevalence of low achievers was higher in Government newlineschool studying in third standard compared to Private and Aided schools. Gender, ordinal newlineposition, type and size of the family did not influence the rate of learning among slow learners. newlineWhereas, parent s education, occupation and per capita income of the family had positive and newlinesignificant influence on the rate of learning science among slow learners. Teaching using the newlinedifferent instructional strategies was found better than conventional method. Teaching newlinethrough model was found to be the most effective instructional strategy followed by charts, newlinepicture book, individual instruction and peer tutoring. However, statistically non-significant newlinedifference was found between the posttest and retention test mean scores of both newlineexperimental and control group students. Teacher s assessment revealed that all most all of newlinethem had very good opinion towards using the picture book in teaching fol