SPEECH

TITLE:

POOR

ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE

IN SCHOOL.
Honourable Parents and Teachers,
As we all know that the problem we had to face, which need an immediate attention and best
cooperation among us and the Students is concerning the poor performance among them in
sciences, math and English. I am very concerned to discuss what really the causes that is
contributed to the event and what are the possible measures to overcome the problem and the
actions that can be taken on the part of our teachers and parents.
Ladies and Gentlements,
The initial steps in intervention for Students not doing well in our school is to determine the
causes that contributed to these problems.
As we all are informed in the past meeting, the school administration which are the best
source of information, and the either the school or the parents can take part in and provide
some solutions which regard to our students and school problem and specifically based on the
evaluation of students learning progress problems.
The general causes and suggested interventions are based on the gross distinctions that i
could suggest to the floor of Parents and Teachers Association, that is : 1. Deficits in specific
capabilities, 2. Lack of developmental readiness, 3. Lack of emotional freedom to learn,
and 4. Lack of motivation.
1. Deficits in specific capabilities. Students who have specific learning disabilities,
attention deficits or cognitive deficits often present a confusing mixture of abilities
and disabilities. Frequently, these Students are found to have the most severely
deviant childhood behavioral adjustments of all diagnostic groups. Hewett, et al. In
dealing with such difficult Students, present a program based on the following general
principals:
a. Present the student with small increments of learning that gradually increase in
difficulty based on principles of programmed instruction.

b. Immediately reward each correct response the student makes; use social praise
and extrinsic motivators (money, candy, etc.); and withhold the reward for
incorrect responses.
c. Use systematic word review, discrimination exercises, and comprehension
questions to consolidate learning.
d. Provide the student with an actual reading (learning) experience in a real book
in addition to programmed learning of words on a teaching machine.
e. Freely adapt the steps, structure, and type of reward used in the program to
ensure continued success.
f. Maintain detailed records of each of the child's responses to follow his or her
progress, determine his or her need for program modification, and provide
teacher feedback.
For the student twith specific cerebral impairments, it must be realized (1) no single or rigid
approach can be expected to produce a universal treatment;(2) the family must be an integral
part of any treatment program (3) each student must be evaluated and taught in terms of his
or her unique needs; (4) the student may need help from many sources over a long period of
time.
2. Lack of developmental readiness. Many young Students starting school are not
ready for formal instruction in basic school subjects. Studies have indicated that end
of-the year kindergarten Students who were judged not ready to go on t o first grade
show

the

following

a. Poor concentration
b. Poor memory
c. Poor ability to follow through on projects
d. Poor coordination

characteristics:

Students with these characteristics should be retained in our separate program for one more
year. They are not ready for a formal academic program.

3. Lack of emotional freedom to learn. It is hypothesized that Students whose anxiety

level is too high are unable to attend to the learning process. A number of case studies
where emotional attitudes blocked the entire learning process. Three attitudes found
common among poor achievers were:
a. That other individuals have more innate ability to learn.
b. That they should not be required to struggle for knowledge and that they are
not responsible for the inability to learn.
c. That it is belittling for them to demonstrate ignorance. When an otherwise able
student shows poor achievement patterns, the teacher may well be advised to
see if the student holds one or more of these attitudes. Countermeasures
include:
1. Showing the student (by means of test results, if necessary) that he or
she is intelligent.
2. Demonstrating to the pupil that increased knowledge does have its
rewards.
3. Telling the student that everyone has weakness, as well as strengths,
and that it is not degrading to admit ignorance about any subject.

4. Lack of Motivation. Research has indicated the validity of the following principles:
a. A combination of verbal rewards and punishments is more effective for
reinforcement of learning.

b. among Students, pushing them to participate in learning (especially among

highly independent Students).
c. Silence, on the part of the teacher, takes on approval when paired with verbal
criticism.
d. Silence, on the part of the teacher, takes on disapproval when paired with
praise.
e. For young Students, extrinsic, concrete rewards (gold stars, candy, etc.) are
most effective. For older Students social rewards are more attractive.
f. Students identify with and emulate figures in their environment who have the
power to reward. Warm and rewarding models are imitated more. Research
with young Students revealed Students receiving high reading readiness scores
had more verbal and affectionately demonstrative maternal models that
Students showing low reading readiness scores.
g. For girls, achievement in school is strongly related to need for love and
affection. For boys, it is not.
h. Parents who set high standards for their Students (within reason) tend to
motivate their Students to do well in school.
i. For white, middle class Students, a good self-concept is most highly correlated
with achievement. For minority group Students, adequate control over their
failures or successes is most highly correlated with accomplishment.
j. For learning to take place, Students must internalize a wish to accomplish.
Ladies and Gentlements,
I conclude my speech with a call for that let us put these afore mentioned solution into reality
for the betterment of our children and brighten our future. As all the cause of the problems
had been analysed and determined, I am hoping that each and every support and Full
cooperation among us will be needed from time to time until the end of this year to combat
the problem from retaking part in our children learning environment and process and thus we

will harvest the best result in their education and bright future in the next level. Thank you for
your attention.