Many primary school students cannot wait for high school. The idea of being a teenager is something they eagerly anticipate.
It is different for the struggling student, however. For these learners, High School often appears to be a place and experience where the worst fears will be realised: ongoing failure and struggle on an even larger scale.
In our experience, the struggles aren’t limited to challenges with academic study. What scholars often feel more acutely when entering high school is social anxiety and the struggle to fit in and relate to their peers.
The sad fact is that many students struggling at primary school will struggle at high school. It does not become easier or better. The issues need to be addressed in the more formative phases of schooling. We have seen, for example, how performance in primary school is an indicator for high school results. It is very difficult to catch up when a student falls behind.
All of this is compounded for the student with learning challenges. Even students without learning deficits will struggle. But it is even more of a challenge for the child who learns in ways that mainstream schooling does not address.
As bleak as this sounds… it is not the end of the story!
Parents can be assured that it is possible for children to catch up, and also to be prepared for healthy social interactions in high school. It may take work and determination, and possibly big adjustments to their current schooling plans, but it can be done. Parents need to be part of the work, too. The remedial learner will have to work even harder, but it can be done. And involvement from their parents is vital.
Having a supportive school is key in this process. But the remedial learner needs even more than supportive schooling. These students in need of remedial attention also need expert input. They need trained professionals to be teaching them in the way or ways that will be effective. This is necessary to ensure that they are learning.
Remedial learners need remedial help… And it’s not readily available after Grade 7…
A bona fide remedial school is the best option for a child with a learning deficit. For various reasons. It has been shown that this is the environment that will yield the best results for students with these challenges.
These students and their parents face another very real obstacle: in Johannesburg, there is a serious lack of remedial high schools. There simply are not enough facilities to cater for the need. The remedial high schools with the qualifications to offer this support have prohibitively long waiting lists and/or high school fees. The chances of getting into these schools are very slim.
What all this means for most remedial learners after Grade 7
Taking the above into account, remedial learners need to be equipped to learn in a mainstream environment. They need to learn the skills that will allow them to navigate learning in a more conventional high school. As we have seen, for most remedial learners, they simply will not be in an environment that can directly address their specific needs. For this reason, these special students need to have their strategies and approaches developed to thrive in more regular schooling conditions.
Japari can help ready your child for high school both socially and academically
Japari has been assisting children with learning deficits for decades now. Since 1966, primary school children who do not thrive in traditional schooling environments have benefitted from Japari’s effective teaching strategies. We have been connecting teachers who care with children who matter. Many children who face these types of challenges have the capacity to do well. They are able to grasp the content and ideas.
Their challenge is not their capacity. Their challenge is the way they learn. With professional attention, they can master the concepts and content of a schooling curriculum.
Japari has a solid track record of readying our learners for the challenge of high school. Almost all of the students that graduate from Japari are able to attend a mainstream high school. They enjoy success due to being equipped to learn with other students that do not share their challenges.
This is true success. We not only address and interact with the children in ways that are effective for remedial needs. We teach the children to learn, on their own terms, in any environment they will find themselves in.
This means they can look forward to high school with confidence. Our pupils rise to the very real challenges leading up to Grade 12. It also means they will be able to consider tertiary education, which does not cater for remedial learner needs at all.
Japari remembers the importance of equipping scholars to work well with their peers
Many children in this age group will have some degree of social awkwardness. It is to be expected and is natural. The move to high school will often aggravate these pressures.
For the student with learning challenges, social anxiety and awkwardness are often compounded. This is for a variety of reasons. They are often related to the way these special students relate to the world and people around them.
Japari’s holistic approach means that our learners also acquire the skills to interact with others with confidence. They learn to enjoy being themselves around other people.
Our multi-disciplinary team ensure your child’s success
Japari’s teaching and support staff are qualified professionals. They are teachers and educators with years of professional experience teaching children with a variety of specific learning needs. They know how to address the children’s needs in class. They also have the ability to prepare the kids to thrive in a mainstream high school.
We have specialist teachers for physical education, art, computers and music. This means a well-rounded educational experience for our students.
Our staff also has dedicated therapists working from the school. These include experts in learning support for the children. They can address the needs at the foundation, intermediate and senior phase of learning. We have an educational psychologist, speech therapist, physiotherapist and occupational therapist based at the school.
Whatever your child’s specific learning and social needs, they can be assessed and addressed at Japari.
Japari’s holistic approach addresses academic and social needs
Japari has a maximum of 15 learners per class. Individual learning plans are drawn up according to the child’s Educational Assessment report, ensuring their strengths are used to support their learning challenges. This is done in collaboration with the therapists.
We offer a robust sport and cultural programme at the school. This ranges from cricket and soccer to netball and swimming. We also offer chess and athletics.
Japari also has a unique reading plan geared to the foster a love for reading in our students. It is about so much more than covering a curriculum and passing tests. We want to see our kids becoming the well-rounded adults they were meant to be.
Cogmed is a working memory program used together with therapy for ADHD, dyslexia, working memory and processing difficulties. Cogmed is designed to build up the active memory muscle. Japari is implementing this program from Grade 2-7 and seeing the benefits it offers in our pupils.
We also offer aftercare for students who need that support, too. This includes lunch, a snack, supervised homework and play.
We can help your Grade 6 and 7 child ready themselves for what comes next
While it is ideal to start remedial input the sooner the better, it is never too late. We have the track record of success that means we can help your child. We can be there to see your grade 6 and/or 7 child prepared for high school.
Your child might face challenges related to how they learn. But they can rise to the challenge. They can overcome these obstacles. We are there to help see your child thrive. Not just at Japari, but beyond. This life is meant to be lived, and lived well. Your Grade 6 and 7 child has it within them to do just that.
We look forward to being part of the process of seeing them realise their potential.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
https://www.edweek.org/education/students-who-struggle-early-rarely-catch-up-study-says/2012/12
https://www.foothillsacademy.org/community/articles/making-sense
