Remedial teachers, the heroes of success

In the world of education, we count two types of success: academic success and educational success. The first type, academic success, is well known. In fact, it is a matter of meeting the requirements of the Education Program by obtaining good academic results, earning a diploma, acquiring skills and developing skills. (Lapostolle, 2006) For its part, educational success, just as essential to ensure a complete education for the student, is not estimated quantitatively, but rather qualitatively. It includes the personal and professional accomplishments of the learner. (Lapostolle, 2006) It goes without saying that the various people who intervene with students have a role to play in obtaining academic and educational success. This is indeed the case for remedial teachers.

Who are resource teachers?

Remedial teachers are specialists in the assessment of academic difficulties and interventions with students with or without learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysorthography and dyscalculia. (LADOQ, 2021) Remedial teachers work with learners' teachers and parents to identify observed difficulties and thus offer effective strategies to remedy them during interventions. (LADOQ, 2021) These are intended to be preventive, to avoid possible school delays in the future, or rehabilitative. These interventions aim to help students review their strategies in reading, writing and/or mathematics or serve as compensatory tools for young people with learning disabilities. (LADOQ, 2021) In all cases, these professionals are committed to the academic and educational success of students from primary to secondary school. In short, remedial teachers play a decisive role for young people with learning difficulties, so their contribution remains necessary for many. 

The contributions of remedial teachers

The remedial teacher focuses his work with the students on difficulties related to French (reading and writing) and mathematics. However, it is wrong to believe that these professionals have no impact on student performance in other subjects and that their support is only beneficial to obtaining academic success. In fact, since reading-writing and math skills are the basis of all teaching, remedial interventions also make it possible to offer useful and effective strategies for other school subjects. For example , knowing how to master reading strategies promotes better understanding both when reading texts and during exams and assessments, all subjects combined. For its part, interventions in mathematics can help students develop their scientific reasoning. In addition, a learner in difficulty who receives the services necessary for his academic needs will, de facto, be able to flourish more easily at school and gain confidence in himself and his skills. (Anstiss, 2017) The remedial teacher transmits essential means and techniques to the child which will allow him to experience academic success and, inevitably, educational success. We can therefore conclude that remedial education contributes to positively influencing the learning of other subjects and that it can be beneficial for the self-esteem of the student by making him experience academic and educational success.

The solution to the failure rate? 

With a reported high school failure rate of nearly 15% in 2021 (Carpentier, 2021), the legacy of the pandemic, measures and solutions are required to counter this progression. Knowing that remedial teachers have the power to help and supervise the most vulnerable and at-risk young people, it is obvious that their expertise must be put in the foreground. They can, in fact, offer more than essential support both to teachers who are out of breath and to students demotivated by their failures. Unfortunately, the reality is not that simple, as shortages of teaching staff and support professionals are hitting Quebec schools hard. Remedial teachers are forced to take charge of classes, remedial services are thus greatly reduced. (Elkouri, 2021) 

Remedial teachers will therefore not, on their own, have a significant impact on the failure rate in climbing in Quebec, especially not immediately. They are still present and willing to work, advise, support and bring success to students in need. Their work appears essential and can make the biggest difference for some, it is a profession that deserves to be celebrated at its true value.

Bibliography

Anstiss, Jennifer. 2017. “Self-Esteem and Learning Difficulties.” Retrieved from: https://www.cst.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Parentwise-Blogger-Jennifer-A-Self-Esteem-FR-April-2017.pdf [accessed November 10, 2021]

Carpentier, Camille. 2021. “Failure Rates Soar Among High School Students.” In Here Radio-Canada, Here Quebec. Retrieved from: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1769416/reussite-echec-scolaire-primaire-secondary-bulletin [accessed November 10, 2021]

“Definition of remedial education”. 2021. In The Association of Orthopedagogues of Quebec. Retrieved from: https://www.ladoq.ca/orthopedagogue [accessed November 10, 2021]

Elkouri, Rima. 2021. “Love, Teach, Shed”. In The Press . Retrieved from: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2021-02-19/aimer-enseignement-delester.php [accessed November 10, 2021]

Lapostelle, Lynn. 2006. “Academic success and educational success: some benchmarks”. In Pedagogie collégiale Vol. 9 N. 4: pages 5 to 7. Retrieved from:https://eduq.info/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11515/21589/Lapostolle_19_4.pdf?sequence=1 [Accessed November 10, 2021]