Page 28 - Education February 2022 final_Neat

HOW TO COMBAT

LEARNING LOSS?

The pandemic has led to a number of issues related to
learning and retention. How can these be dealt with?

he unprecedented effect of the pandemic is standards and courses students will need to take in •Intervene – After each assessment, plan intervention
leaving a huge gap in learning for many students. the next year will help decide exactly what to include. that is specific and pinpoints areas the child needs the
TChildren of all ages are struggling to maintain For example, multiplication skills are a prerequisite most help with.
some sort of normalcy while striving to get a quality for learning long division. The ability to write a draft,
education. No matter the student’s age or the type of do research, and understand basic punctuation are all 6. Promote project based learning
school setting they are learning in, there are several prerequisites for writing a quality essay.
strategies an educator can use to help mitigate PBL Works states that project based learning engages
learning loss. 3. Catch-up courses for specific material students in real-world problem solving by working
on projects that can last anywhere from a week to a
After deciding on prerequisite content, it’s necessary semester. The project should include problem solving,
to create lessons and courses that will enable students critical thinking, and a variety of collaboration and
to learn this content as quickly and thoroughly as communication techniques. Examples would include
possible. Creating mini-lessons is a great way to focus planning and starting a garden, creating a family tree,
on specific material in a short amount of time. For and designing an app or a website. Creating long-term
example, if a math class or a math block is an hour projects for students to work on can provide several
each day, devote the last 10 minutes several times each benefits when attempting to mitigate learning loss.
week to a mini-lesson that focuses on catch-up work.

4. Use customised planners
When students use materials that are developed
specifically for their needs they are more engaged
because the content is completely relevant to them.
To help students master core concepts they may be
struggling with, include subject specific resources that
are tailored specifically for their grade level. Students
who are overwhelmed or struggling need support to
manage their time and workload and a planner that
is designed around their specific curriculum can help
them stay on track.
3Incorporating several subjects at once – When
1. Spiraling methods working on projects, students are often learning several
Spiraling is a method of teaching that focuses on subjects and applying different learning standards at
the regular reviewing of certain topics throughout the same time.
a curriculum. Children will revisit the same material 3Bridging academics and real-life situations –
several times throughout the semester or year. This Connecting academics to real-life scenarios will provide
method is basically the opposite of “cramming” for motivation and an excitement for learning that rarely
a test. Teaching material intensely in a short amount comes from a textbook or a lecture.
of time may only remain in the student’s short-term 3Gives hands-on experience – Students almost always
memory. A month or so later, students may not learn and retain more knowledge by “doing” instead of
remember the material.
listening or even watching an activity.
Spiraling is a better way to get material into long-term
memory. When using the spiraling method, you can 3Improves student collaboration – Students not only
start with basic or superficial material and delve deeper learn from instructors, but from each other. Having
each time you teach the material. There is research students work with and learn from one another is a
to back up spiraling methods and different ways to 5. Focus on personalisation great way to help mitigate learning loss.
implement this technique into the learning process.
Using standardized lessons that focus on the entire
class is not always the best approach. This is especially
true when time management is critical. More than
ever, instructors need to adapt lessons and make
accommodations for each of their students. There are
several ways instructors can more easily personalize
lessons plans, teaching methods, and curriculum.
3Collaborate – Every educator who works with a
child should help in creating a profile that identifies
strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles of that
particular child.
3Customize – After collaborating and creating a
profile, you can then customize material. This may
seem overwhelming, but even customizing material 7. Involve families and communities
and teaching methods in a few areas may help mitigate As important as a quality educator is, successful
learning loss.
2. Emphasize content that is a learning is dependent on all the adults in a child’s life
prerequisite to future learning 3Assess – Start by conducting baseline assessments working together. A variety of learning partners is
invaluable to the educational process. The following
before personalized learning begins. Every few weeks
Many types of skills build on one another and are to once a month conduct short assessments to are a few ways families and communities can come
essential for future learning. Determining basic learning determine if your learning techniques are successful. together to help reduce learning loss.