perceptions of zimbabwean teachers towards the usefulness of the grade 4 remedial teaching programme

March 2015 Vol - 3 Issue- 3

CONTENTS

Chief EditorDr. A. Singaraj, M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.

Editor Mrs.M.Josephin Immaculate Ruba

Editorial Advisors1) Dr.Rajah Rasiah, Ph.D ( Cambridge)

University of Malaya, Malaysia.2)Dr.Deepak Basu, M.A., Ph.D

Nagasaki University, Japan.3) Dr. Hisham Handal Abdelbaki, M.Sc, Ph.D.,(U.K)

University of Bahrain, Bahrain. 4) Dr. Nawab Ali Khan,M.Com,M.Phil,. Ph.D., Salman Bin Abdulaziz University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 5) Dr. Mussie T. Tessema, Winona State University, MN, United States of America.. 6) Dr. Mengsteab Tesfayohannes, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove,PENN, United States of America. 7) Dr.G. Badri Narayanan, PhD, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. 8) Dr. S. Srinivasan, M.A.,M.Phill., Ph.D. Madawalabu University, Ethiopia. 9) Dr.Yi-Lin Yu, Ph. D

Associate Professor, Department of Advertising & Public Relations, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei,Taiwan.

10) Dr. Narayan Sethi, M.A., M.Phil,Ph.D., National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, Odisha.11) Justine George, St. Paul’s College,Kalamassery,Kerala.12) Dr.K. Buvaneswari, Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College, Kilakarai,Ramanathapuram Dist,Tamil Nadu.

Editorial .............31 . Institutional Investor’s Activism and

Corporate Government Development inPakistan

Muhammad Atif Imran khan korai &Muhammad Akhtar Mehtab

2 . Environmental Protection and WTO:Issues and ImplicationsEr. Vikram Sandhu & Dr. A.S. Sidhu

3 . Problems and Prospects ofEntrepreneurship Development (ASurvey on Select Small Scale EnterprisesIn Visakhapatnam)Prof. N. Kishore Babu, Vinay Chaitanya Ganta& Dr. Naresh Sidagam

4 . A Study of Historical Background ofIndian Commodity Market

Dr. Shree Bhagwat, Angad Singh Maravi,Ritesh Omre & Deepak Chand

5 . A Study on the Role of Teachers on theUses of Educational Technology inSchools of TripuraMahua Choudhury

6 . Internet and Information Technology-Transition towards InfoTech Society ofCommerce and Business Mallikarjun Chanmal & Uma.T.G

7. Role of Micro Finance in FinancialInclusion P Syamala Devi

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EDITORIAL OFFICEEPRA Trust, Post Box No:1986, Tiruchirapalli-620009,

Tamilnadu, India, Phone:0431- 2403037, Fax: 0431- 2403013,E-Mail: [email protected], http://www.epratrust.com

8. Capital Structure of Life InsuranceCompanies in India-An AnalyticalStudyMihir Ranjan Bardhan, Prof. NikhilBhusan Dey & Dr. Kingshuk Adhikari

9 . Impact of Andhra PragathiGrameena Bank (APGB) on WeakerSection Farmers in Kudeir Mandalof Ananthapuramu District,Andhra PradeshDr. B. Venkatappa

10 . Education and Perception of RuralPopulation of Assam TowardsFamily SizeChampak Kumar Das & Dr. Polee Saikia

11 . Where is Gandhism? Prof. (Mrs.) Meenakshi Duggal

12 . A Study on the Factors Influencingand Affecting Satisfaction of theRail Commuters at Tiruchirappalli

Junction Railway Station, Tiruchirappalli

Sowmya13 . Secondary School Headmaster’s

Leadership Behavior and their JobSatisfactionDr. Mohankumar & Mr. Nandisha B V

14 . The Impact of Socio-Cognitive FactorsToward E-Transformation in theBanking Industry of Sri LankaMs. Poongothai Selvarajan

15 . Perceptions of Zimbabwean Teacherstowards the usefulness of the Grade 4Remedial Teaching ProgrammePhillipa Mutswanga & Leonard Mpezeni

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16. Challenges and Psycho-Social Needsof Parents of Children withDisabilities at Tose Respite CareHome in Zimbabwe

Leonard Mpezeni & Phillipa Mutswanga .............112

Printed by Joy Printers, Trichy Published by EPRA Trust, Trichy

18 . District-Wise Production of Fresh andDry Fruits in Jammu and KashmirChinky Sangral

19 . Regional Variation of Food-GrainProductivity in Rajasthan

Dr. Arun Kumar Raghuvanshi & Smita Gupta

20 . Psychological Effects of Stress onCollege Students S.Sharmila

21 . Gender Disparity in Education: AStudy of Poonch District in J&K

Dr. Sameena & Jameel Ahmed

22 . CRM Practices in Retail Trade inPuducherry – A Customers PerspectiveS. Jayakumar & Dr. S.Pandurangan

23 . Factors Behind Rural to UrbanMigration: A Study of Rural to UrbanMigration in AssamUjjal Protim Dutta & Kongkona Sarmah

24 . Status of Implementation of the RTEAct 2009 and Challenges in theSchools of Rajasthan

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi & Natasha Kuldeep

25 . Need of Environmental Education inTeacher-Training Programme

Mr. Debabrata Bhattacharjee

26 . Sustainable Development &Environment in India

Prof. Manoj Lashkari & Dr. Dhirendra Kerwal

27 . Word of Mouth: A PowerfulPromotional Tool Anushree Poddar

28 . A Study on Financial Performance inAPSRTC Dr.D.Prabhakar

29 . The Influence of Backward ClassMovement on Indian NationalMovement in the Princely State ofMysore Prof. Nirmal Raj

30 . The Distribution of Social Justice byRajarshi Krishnaraj Wodeyar IV

Prof. Nirmal Raj

31 . Determinants Influencing Work LifeConflict among Secondary SchoolWomen Teachers in ThiruvallurDistrict, Tamilnadu S.Saranya

17 . Urbanization and EconomicDevelopment - An ExploratoryStudy Dr. Noor Afza ...........120

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PERCEPTIONS OF ZIMBABWEAN TEACHERSTOWARDS THE USEFULNESS OF THE GRADE

4 REMEDIAL TEACHING PROGRAMME

Phillipa Mutswanga1 & Leonard Mpezeni2

1Department of Disability Studies and Special Needs Education, Zimbabwe Open UniversityHarare. Zimbabwe,

2Department of Psychology, Zimbabwe Open University Harare, Zimbabwe.

ABSTRACT

The remedial teaching programme in Zimbabwe has been in existence since the dawnof independence in 1980. The programme falls within mandate of the Ministry of

Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture through the Schools Psychological Services and Special Needs(SPS&SNE) Department. The programme is meant to assist students through the identification ofstudents who require remedial teaching through the use of psychometric tests. This study, whichwas developed from one of the authors’ Masters research project, investigated the perceptionsthat specialist and non-specialist teachers have towards the Grade 4 remedial programme inZimbabwe. Structured interview guides were administered to remedial and non remedial teachers’in Zimbabwe’s Midlands Province. The study revealed that there were no notable differencesbetween remedial and non remedial teachers’ regarding the existence of the remedial teachingprogramme. Results indicate that the remedial programme was important in improving theeducational performance of students. It was however noted that its full implementation is beinghampered by the inadequacy of specialist human and material resources. Recommendationsmade from the study include the effective monitoring of the whole programme by the officerswithin the Schools Psychological Services and Special Needs (SPS&SNE) Department and theprovision of adequate resources to effectively implement the programme. There is also the needof reducing class sizes so that effective learning can occur with class sizes that teachers caneffectively manage.KEYWORDS: Remedial and non-remedial teachers, Grade 4 remedial programmes,Zimbabwean teachers, perceptions

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1.0 BACKGROUNDIn Zimbabwe, before independence in 1980,

remedial programmes served white Group A schoolsonly. In 1982 the Ministry of Education extended theremedial programme in mathematics and languagereading to all schools (CEO Circular No. 12, 1987).The Circular also outlines how the programme issupposed to be run at school level. For example, theSchool Head is supposed to nominate a teacher inMathematics and two others for language readingremediation for every 500 pupils in a school. TheZimbabwean remedial system addresses children’slearning problems in mathematics and languagereading only at Grade 4 level. However, the Head’sHandbook (1990) recommends that, beside theremedial teaching understudy, all teachers shouldcarry out some form of remedial teaching across theGrades to assist all under-performers in their classes.Kaputa (2012) asserts that when solving any problem,especially problems related to the learning ofchildren, proper identification of those in need shouldbe made. This is in line with the NziramasangaCommission of inquiry into Education and Training(1999) which places identification of disabilities asthe basis for intervention. Such programmes as theearly childhood development and the remedialprogramme in Zimbabwe thus, must be premised onthe adequate utilisation of resources as well as theproper identification of recipients.

The CEO Circular No. 12 (1987) stresses thatselected remedial teachers should be exempted fromtaking any other co-curricular activities, if thecircumstances warrant it. Average learners, like otherpupils require enough time to learn thus readinessto learn major subjects like Mathematics and Languagereading must be taken into consideration (Wilsonand Cleland, 1985). Some pupils under-perform inparticular subjects because they are not ready for theparticular subject or Grade level (Gagne, 1967). TheGrade 4 School based remedial teaching programmeselects pupils who averagely under-perform in eitherMathematics or Language reading (Ministry ofEducation, Sport and Culture, Pamphlet, 1996). Studieson remedial teaching reveal that teachers note thatthe teaching of remedial classes by class teachers istoo heavy a load and that there must be exemptionof remedial teachers from sporting and afternoonactivities in order to prepare for the remedial classes;this however does not lessen the heavy load causedby remedial teaching (Wilson and Cleland, 1985). Onthe other hand non-remedial teachers view the

exemption from sports as unwarranted. Remedialteachers are viewed as educationists who spent timeas they please. Non-remedial teachers therefore takeremedial teaching as a very light job. Anotherconflicting view is that, parents do not readily agreeto have their children join remedial classes. It hasbeen noticed that some schools take remedialteaching seriously because most school headsmonitor it equally like any other subject. In Zimbabwe,Heads of Schools are supposed to monitor theprogramme on behalf of SPS and SNE (Ministry ofEducation, Sport and Culture Pamphlet, 1996).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMTo what extent is Grade 4 Remedial teaching

a useful activity in Zimbabwean Primary Schools?

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS1) Are Grade 4 remedial teachers skilled to deal

with Mathematics and Language readingremedial classes?

2) How are the remedial pupils screened forthe programme?

3) What are the pitfalls of the programme?4) How can the programme be improved to

make it more user-friendly?

2.0 RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW2.1 Defining Remedial Teaching:-

The Ministry of Education, Sport and CulturePamphlet (1996:4) refers to remedial pupils as pupilswith specific learning difficulties in a particular areabut are otherwise as bright as other average or aboveaverage pupils in their class level. These difficultiesaccording to Waldron (1992) may manifestthemselves in imperfect ability to listen, speak, readand write, spell or do some Mathematicalcalculations. Lahey and Ciminero (1980:437) arguesthat children with learning difficulties have normalintelligence (IQ scores above the cut off point forpupils with Mental Retardation but their academicachievement is significantly below the expected levelon the basis of their intelligence. Meijer,Pijl andHegarty (1995) propose that the pupils under concernoften exhibit deficit in perception, conceptualisation,memory, attention, and language and impulsecontrol.

The Ministry of Education, Sport and CulturePamphlet (1996) described remedial teaching as beingresponsible for addressing specific problems ofindividual learners. The Pamphlet

describe remedial problems as ranging fromreading problems, failure to recognise words tocomprehension and writing difficulties/problems,

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such as, omissions, substitutions and hesitations.Other problems include spelling difficulties andmathematics difficulties which may appear at anystage of mathematics learning from pre-number tohigher computations. The Zimbabwe EducationSystem and the remedial teaching programmetherefore address specific learning difficulties ofindividual learners in either language reading orMathematics (SE Minute Circular P. 36, 1990) as earlieron stated. The same Circular explains that childrenwith less severe specific learning disabilities in allother Grades are catered for within each school’sregular Remedial Education Programme. In relationto these assertions, Gagne (1967) as cited by Carranza(2001) takes remedial teaching as a supplementaryinstruction or compensatory education which isprovided to repair the gaps identified in the pupils’learning. In addition to this, Pumpfrey and Reasons(1992) found remedial teaching matchinginstructional methods to the individual pupil’sdifficulties.

In agreement Pumpfrey and Reason (1992)stress that many well designed programmes areinfective due to the teachers’ compulsion to teachboth. On the other hand, Wilson and Cleland (1985)observed that both clinical and classroom diagnosismay be plagued by certain pitfalls like the tendency

2.2 Usefulness of RemedialProgrammes:-

Algozzine and Stoller (1981) stress that it isunfair to let a low achieving student learn in the‘ordinary’ class without any special help. The sameauthors further note that, the experience of continuedfailure may set up unfavourable attitudes, createemotional difficulties and intensify the learningproblem to a point at which it may be difficult totreat. In agreement Strang (1967) and Cleland (1985)point out that low achievers are falling through cracksof the system, hence if intensive work were providedearly such students might never experience academicdifficulties or need additional support in future.Algozzine and Stoller’s (1981) survey on effects oflabels and competence of teachers found that,teachers feel they lack time to help their regularstudents when they must individualise programmesfor slow achievers who have been placed in theirclasses for portions of the day. Wilson and Cleland(1985) also suggests that attention should be givento class size because if not done, classroom teacherswill likely come to resent the additional responsibilityplaced on them and do it for the sake of it.

to use total test scores without examination of thepattern of test scores and the tendency to drawconclusions before all facts are in. Such plansaccording to Cantone (2001) may prescribe methodsnot matched to the child’s actual needs. It has alsobeen noted that the threat of ridicule or failure candiscourage some students from even attempting tocommunicate or put more effort in learning (Gallowayand Goodwin, 1988). Further explanations are givenby McGinni’s and Smith (1982) who pointed out thatsome remedial treatment are developed by breakingthe subject matter into component processesclassifying the pupils’ errors and providing specialexplanations. As discovered by Meijer et al. (1995), itis therefore clear that individual Educational Plans(IEPs) are needed to solve individual students’ needs/problems. However, ministry of Education, Sport andCulture Pamphlet (1996) noted that group teachingmay be done where learning difficulties and pace oflearners are matched; however individual teachingis highly recommended as it helps in improvingpupils’ grades.

2.3 The Schools Psychological Servicesand Special Needs EducationDepartment, its Functions and role:-

The Schools Psychological Services andSpecial Needs Education (SPS & SNE) Department ofthe Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture inZimbabwe is responsible for the remedial programmeand support national development throughfacilitating the realisation of each individual’s fullpotential (Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture,1990). The Ministry of Education, Sport and CulturePamphlet (1996) stresses that SPS & SNE Departmentplay a central role in the establishment of specialsupport facilities for learners who need moreattention and assistance than is offered in theordinary classroom. It further explains that theservices may be referred to as resource units, specialclasses and learners Support Services (LSS). The CEOCircular Minute No. 12 (1987) states that in 1982 SPS& SNE Department extended the remedial Programmein Mathematics and Language reading to all schools.The Ministry of Education, Sports and CulturePamphlet (1984:2) suggests four main functions ofSPS & SNE Department:

a) To advise on and support the implementationof policies towards the enhancement of thePsychological well -being of learning at alllevels of the educational system


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b) To promote school based programmes (likeGrade 4 remedial teaching) for the benefit ofall learners including those with specialneeds

c) To conduct relevant research anddisseminate findings for the benefit of theeducation sector and the general public

d) To collaborate with all the other sections ofthe Ministry and other governmental/non-governmental and community organisations/agencies toward the provision andenhancement of education for all.

The Ministry of Education, Sport and CulturePamphlet (1996: 20) states that Remedial Tutors areplaced at each district and Regional offices and theirroles were summarised as follows: Supervising remedial teachers

Disseminating information to Remedial

Teachers and Administrators through

Training and Contact teaching in Learning

Centres (LCs)

Maintaining remedial records in their

respective circuits

Making consultancy visits to schools and

carrying out outreach programmes

Compiling statistics that reveal the

successes and failures of the programme in-

services schools.

Wilson and Cleland (1985) carried out a studyon remedial reading where other roles of the remedialtutors included supplying screening and diagnostictests, interpretation of test results and placement ofscreened out pupils. Gagne (1967) found that thequestion of how pupils differ in the rate, extent styleand quality of their learning is one which hasconcerned psychologists for many years. Incongruency, the Ministry of Education, Sport andCulture Handbook (1993) stresses that the SPS &SNEDepartment is responsible for the assessment andplacement of remedial pupils in ZimbabweanSchools. Gagne (1967) proposed that SPS & SNEDepartment emphasise an adaptation of educationto the individual learner. Zvobgo (1997) carried out asurvey on Zimbabwean Special Education andconfirmed that SPS and SNE provided specialisedservices which are an important part of the Ministryof Education, Sport and Culture system.

propose that definite tests can be used to screenout pupils with learning difficulties and also diagnosethe problems. To add to this, Wilson and Cleland(1985) also observed that educators can identifychildren with special learning difficulties throughinformal methods like child observation and formalmethods like standardised selection tests. Some ofthe mentioned tests include, Mills learning Methodtests, Achievement tests, Illinois tests ofPsycholinguistics Abilities (ITPA), the Menro-Sherman Group Diagnostic Associative learning tests.

Research has not yet assed the effectivenessof the above mentioned tests on the Zimbabweanchild. However, the Ministry of Education, Sport andCulture Pamphlet (1996:4) explains that the selectionof remedial candidate should be done afteradministration of formal attainment tests. Wilsonand Cleland (1985) encouraged the selection ofremedial pupils by specialists. On the other hand,the Zimbabwean system as described in the Ministryof Education, Sport and Culture Pamphlet (1996) statedthat:

The same author lists selection tests asfollows:a) English: Reading 4 and 5.b) Mathematics: Attainment 4.c) Shona: Attainment Test.

The SPS &SNE Department (1984) in theteachers Magazine mentioned that most Zimbabweantests are adopted tests. Mpofu and Nyanungo (1998)found that imported tests are often culturally biasedthus may not be as valid and reliable as they aresupposed to be.

The Ministry of Education Handbook (1993)emphasizes that Heads of schools should time tableRemedial Teaching Programmes (RTP) and shouldassign teachers to run the programme. In line withthe above, the Secretary’s 1987 Circular recommendsthat two remedial teachers should be selected forMathematics and Language reading for every 500pupils.

A study by Wilson and Cleland (1985) onReading and Mathematics remedial teaching revealedthat, remedial teachers should not have other tasksbut they operate as peripatetic teachers unlike theabove described Zimbabwean system whichemphasize?? in blue print the teaching of Grade 4remedial classes by classed teachers (Ministry ofEducation, Sport and Culture Pamphlet, 1996). Theformal selection of Shona Remedial pupils inZimbabwe, which includes the following main steps:

2.4 Identification and Screening ofRemedial Pupils in Zimbabwe:-

Meijer et al. (1995) and Carson et al. (1988)




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1. Record the raw scores for Shona (on aseparate sheet of paper) and convert thescores to percentage. The possible total scorefor Shona/Ndebele is 40 (100%).

2. Eliminate all children below 10% and thoseabove 90%.

Table 2:1: Showing Summaries of the Selection ProceduresPercentage (%) Plans of Action0-10% These children lack basic skills. They need personalassistance and belong to the teachers’ special group.11%-40% Grey area. The children need careful observation. Somechildren might end up in Group A or C.41%-90% These are the remedial candidates. Note their specificstrengths and weaknesses. Make Individual EducationPlans (I.E.P). Implement Diagnostic Testing andTeaching.91-100% These are high fliers. They need enrichment only.

However, besides formal selection proceduresother informal selection methods to be employed assupported by the Ministry of Education Pamphlet(1996) included watching children at tasks,interviewing or talking to the child, evaluatingprevious record books, looking through previousrecord books like registers, progress and socialregisters and looking for communication deficiencies.Research studies by Wilson and Cleland (1985)support the idea of consulting previous teachers orrecords but stress that, one should be alert to thepossibility of interference of data that are tainted bybias.

The Ministry of Education, Spot and CulturePamphlet (1996) stresses that the selection oridentification of remedial pupils should be followedby plans of action. Wilson and Cleland (1985) arguethat these plans of action should include detaileddata collection of concerned individuals,instructional plans, formulation from the strengthsand weaknesses discovered specific objectives foreach action, solving one problem at a time and givingdiagnosis tests and then do diagnostic teaching. Bushand Waugh (1976) state that the diagnostician has aresponsibility beyond just making a global diagnosisof the learning problem but should lead to remedialprocedures. Furthermore it is argued suggest that, ifproper remediation is to be prescribed, it is importantto know all the steps required in the learning of taskand to pinpoint where in the process a breakdownoccurred (Galloway and Goodwin, 1988; Waldron,1992). Waldron (1992) notes that, once teachers knowwhere students’ strengths and weaknesses lie teachingbecomes less threatening and a sense of directionis developed by the learner.

2.5 Influence of the ResourceAllocation to the RemedialProgramme:-

Algozzine and Stoller (1981) states thatremediation calls for skilful teaching, thus anyonewho works in a remedial programme should be skilledteacher. A study on reading of English students byWilson and Cleland (1985) relate that, specialistsshould take up remedial programmes because theyare trained to administer screening and diagnostictests and usually make correct interpretations of theresults. Zvobgo’s (1997) studies discovered that somecolleges in Zimbabwe but not all are incorporatingan element of special Education teaching in theircourse programmes. The importance of the issue isfurther stressed by the Ministry of Education, Sportand Culture

Waldron (1992) suggests that teachers shouldask for in-service programmes and resourceassistants. Morse and Wingo (1967) propose thatteachers should use materials that highly suit andinterest students such as newspapers, automagazines, modal construction, cook books andextra. Supportively, Galloway and Goodwin (1988)reported that a study in 5th Grade student showed thathe could not read above the 3rd Grade level but couldread football articles in the Washington Post with ahigh comprehensive level. Emphasis is therefore puton availability of varied relevant and challenginglearning/teaching material which caters for student’sindividual specific learning problems. Waldron (1992)also note that students learn better if, interested inwhat they are doing or learning.


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2.6 Views towards the RemedialProgramme:-

Long ago parents were denied specificinformation concerning diagnostic and screeningtest results of their children, but today parents havebecome aware of the need for such information(Gulliford, 1990; Farrant, 1990). Parents have a rightto information on their child (Pumpfrey and Reason,1992). Wilson and Cleland (1985) propose that at timesparents are ashamed of their children’s behaviour orperformance in a subject(s) and often look forsomeone to blame when their children underachieveat school.

However, most students reveal that mostparents query placement of their children into specialclasses and remedial groups as found out by Kapps(1991) and Farrant (1990). Wilson and Cleland (1985)carried out a study on Parental views on remedialprogrammes. The study revealed that three quarters(3/4) of the parents though special classes andremedial groups were for mad pupils while one quarter(1/4) of the parents found the exercise or programmevery helpful. Thus, Zvobgo (1997) expressed thatparents need to be fully involved in their children’seducation so as to be aware of their weaknesses andseek appropriate ways of helping them. Kapps (1991)and Wilson and Cleland (1985) investigate therelationship between slow learners and their peersand found that although peers often treat them kindly,it is not uncommon for low achievers to be teasedand taunted. The studies further express thatclassmates may not seek ideas for committee workfrom pupils involved in remedial activities becauseof their limited contributions. It was also noted byWaldron (1992) that it is this rejection that usuallyencourages remedial pupils to seek companionshipin the out group.

Wilson and Cleland’s (1985) studiesdiscovered that, when students underachieve generallyteachers sense a failure on their part as instructors,thus may react by giving up or feeling that suchstudents are indifferent, lazy or troublesome. Inagreement Gearheart et al. (1988) suggest that suchreactions may be followed by punishments thatusually foster a hostile between the teacher and thestudents. According to Gulliford (1990) and Meijer etal. (1995), the students are usually ill-equipped toaccept this hostility.

Pumpfrey and Reason (1992) propose that asmore and more frustrating materials are headed onlow achievers, the more likely they are too busy with

non-educational activities and thus finally decide thatlearning is not worth the effort. Strang (1967) alsofound out that excessive absenteeism and completerejection of the school programme may be investableand may lead to failure. Galloway and Goodwin (1988)suggest that strained school/pupil relationships raisedropout probabilities which eventually contribute tolow performance among students.

2.7 What could be done to make theRemedial Programme a success?

McGinnis and Smith (1982) suggest that whena teacher notices that some students are experiencingdifficulty an immediate instructional adjustmentshould be made in order to facilitate learning.Algozzine and Stoller (1981) stress that what studentsknow is very important because what they do notknow can be measured from what they do know. Thesame further suggest that this could be taken as theinitial stage when planning the remedial programme.

In line with the above, Morse and Wingo(1967) propose that teachers must determine at whichlevel each student can respond most effectively toinstruction. In addition to this, Wilson and Cleland(1985) emphasize that at the initial stage parentsshould be made aware of their child’s learningproblems. Educators according to Lipsky (2000) mustdevelop early in their pupils a sense of self-worth –the “I can’t-do-it” attitude quickly turned to “I can doit”. Meijer et al. (1995), Gearheart et al. (1981) andLinda et al. (1981) propose that when more than oneeducator is working with a student a successfulremedial programme should establish an efficientand effective communication system with otherconcerned officers. The same author further stressesthat without communication on what the othereducator (Multidisciplinary Approach) is doing mayexpose students to conflicting strategies that serveto confuse rather than help. According to (Source)the success of any academic programme at schooldepends on the level of support that the programmeis likely to get from various stakeholders that includeparents as well as the relevant school authorities likethe School Board or other regulatory authorities. Inaddition to this, Bush and Waugh (1976) found thatunderachievers should not be penalised for inaccurateresponses but should be encouraged to respond toeasy but challenging questions. The PamphletMinistry of Education, Sport and Culture (1996) stressthe importance of in-serving remedial teachers quiteregularly. In support Morse and Wingo (1967) suggestthat the teacher should also be up-to-date with




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information and should be alert too, to changes andchildren’s needs.

This study was guided by the followingresearch questions: (a) What are the remedial andnon remedial teachers’ perceptions regarding theremedial reaching programme? (b) What are theperceptions of remedial and non remedial teachersregarding the implementation of the remedialprogramme? (c) What are the lecturers’ challengesthat teachers face in implementing the remedialprogramme? and (d) how can the remedial programmebe improved in order to make it effective and efficient?3.0 METHODOLOGY3.1 Design:-

This study used qualitative research methodsto find the views of remedial teachers who teach grade4 classes. In selecting the methodology for this study,the researchers aimed to capture Individualexperiences of these teachers in order to findsolutions and strategies that could facilitate effectiveteaching in the future. In addition, the study intendedto capture opportunities that were presented due tothe teaching of students selected for remedialteaching. To achieve this intricate balance, aqualitative research design was employed through theuse of questionnaires.3.2 Population:-

The population of this study was made upof Gokwe South – Central Circuit Grade 4 remedialteachers and non-remedial teachers in Zimbabwe’sMidlands Province.3.3 Sampling:-

The study centred on 15 primary schoolsout of 25 primary schools in the Gokwe South –Circuit. The fifteen primary schools were randomlyselected.

The number of lecturers interviewed isshown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Distribution of Respondents.Number of Remedial Teachers 32Number of Non-Remedial Teachers 32Number of School Heads involved 15Total 79Table 1 shows that a total of 94 participants took

part in the study (n=79).

3.4 Instrument:-This study used an interview guide to find

the perceptions of remedial teachers and non-remedial teachers that teach remedial classes. Theinterviews enabled the study to probe views of theseteachers. The interview guide used in this study wastested for content validity.

A pilot study was used to obtain criterionvalidity. The pilot study was done with replicarespondents from teachers of schools that were notselected for the study. This was done as a measureof avoiding the sharing of information among wouldbe respondents. The pilot study was a success as itallowed the researchers to amend any proceduraldifficulties regarding to the study.

3.5 Data collection: _Data from remedial teachers and non-

remedial teachers were collected using interviews.In this approach, a set of topics instead of structuredquestions were discussed in depth. The selectedtopics covered the following issues: (a) issues relatedto the management of the remedial programmes atthe schools; (b) The identification and selection ofstudents that participate in remedial programmes;(c) The various attitudes that teachers’ hold regardingthe remedial programme; (d) The challenges thatteachers face in implementing the remedialprogramme; and (e) The strategies and solutions ofovercoming these challenges.

3.6 Data analysis:-The data that resulted from the interview were

analysed manually. All the audio-taped interviewsessions were transcribed. Similar ideas wereidentified and grouped into thematic a category, thatis themes were put into categories based on themeaning they conveyed.

3.7 Ethical Considerations:-This study was guided by principles that

provide a generalized framework of how the researchshould be conducted. The study emphasised rulesthat are rational, objective, universal and impartial.The study addressed the following ethicalconsiderations: (a) Informed consent and voluntaryparticipation: Respondents who were remedialteachers and non-remedial teachers were given allrelevant information about the risks or harm thatcould arise if they participate in the research. Theythen chose to participate or not to participate inthestudy. They were also allowed to pull out of the studyat any point should they wish to without anypenalties. A consent statement was part and parcelof research instruments. (b) Protection from harm:The study thrived to ensure that respondents werenot exposed to any undue physical harm orpsychological harm. According to Happner et al.(1992), harm can be embarrassment, anger imitation,physical and emotional stress, low self esteem,exacerbation of stress, delay of treatment, sleep


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deprivation, loss of respect from others, negativelabelling, invasion of privacy, damage of personaldignity, loss of employment and civil or criminalliability. The researchers tried as much as possibleto be honest, respectful and sympathetic towards allparticipants. (c) Confidentiality and privacy :Respondents’ information and responses sharedduring the study was kept private and resultsanonymously presented in order to protect identitiesof participants. All research transcripts being audioor written were destroyed at the completion of thestudy.

4.0 RESULTSInterviews were held with the remedial and

non-remedial teachers and they presented thefollowing perspectives on the teaching of grade 4remedial classes. The findings are presentedfollowing four themes driven from respondents’responses and research questions.

In terms of the selection of the students thatparticipate in the remedial programme, data obtainedfrom investigations reveal that it is the prerogativeof the remedial teachers using screening tests whichare supplied by personnel from the SchoolsPsychological Services and Special Needs EducationServices Department (SPS &SNE). Most of the non-remedial teachers felt that they should also take partin the selection test and they questioned the validityand reliability of these tests as they often fail todiagnose students that they feel may benefit fromremedial classes. In most cases, average studentsare selected for remediation, whilst others are leftout from the whole exercise. According to obtaineddata the tests are administered to Grades 3s either atthe end of the year in October or during the firstthree weeks of first term in Grade 4, in order to fornew recruits as well. The majority of School Headssuggested that they lacked knowledge on selectionand diagnostic testing. It is however ironic that thesesame School Heads are expected to select, superviseand monitor the remedial teachers who participatein the remedial programmes. Almost half of theSchool Heads that participated in the study statedthat they had not received any training in remedialteaching supervision and monitoring. The studyfindings indicate that 87,5% of remedial teachers and93,7% of non-remedial teachers stressed that Headsdo not frequently monitor the programme, as alsonobody monitors the Heads on the programme. Bothgroups agreed that other teachers take it as the remedialteachers’ sole business for the programme, whichGalloway and Goodwin (1988) study has called, “theRemedial teachers’ nuisance”. That is, the programmeis taken as the remedial teacher’s baby.

Results indicated that in many of the schoolsthat took part in this study, many School Heads didnot even implement the remedial programme but giveit lip-service. Of the 16 Schools that took part in thestudy, the School Heads indicated that the remedialprogramme existed within their schools though therewere no record books, plan books, attendanceregisters, time tables as well as personal data forindividual students.

4.1 Theme 1: Remedial and non remedialteachers’ perceptions regarding theremedial reaching programme?Responses from participants:-

There were no notable differences betweenremedial and non remedial teachers’ regarding theexistence of the remedial reaching programme. Bothgroups found that the grade 4 school remedialteaching programme helps underachievers pace upwith class mates. However, however, the minority ofnon-remedial teachers opposed this because theyclaimed that the programme does not produceoutstanding positive results. This suggests that thisarea needs further analysis and study to determinewhat needs to be improved. The two groups alsocondemn the programme for neglecting the verybackward children.

The majority of respondents (60%) stated thatthe whole programmes was noble and was aimed atimproving the academic performance of students.There were differences in the way that the programmewas being implemented within the twenty schools.While all the schools were in the same district therewere notable differences in its implementation.Findings noted that although both remedial teachersand non-remedial teachers are said to be equippedwith skills to teach Grade 4 remedial classes, mixedfeelings were expressed regarding this notion.According to the key respondents in the study, theSchool Heads were the ones that selected the teachersthat participated in the teaching of remedial classes.On the other hand, non-remedial teachers

complained that the selection system was notsystematic, or based on any known criteria, thus theynoted that the best teachers are not usually selectedto participate in the programme. The same groupfurther noted that some teachers are selectedunwillingly for the programme and thus may putmuch effort to improve the situation.




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4.2 Theme 2: What are the perceptionsof remedial and non remedial teachersregarding the implementation of theremedial programme?Responses from participants:-

Most of the non-remedial teachers felt thatthere was corruption and nepotism with regard tothe selection of teachers who man the remedialclasses. It was their belief that incompetent, lazy andpolitically correct teachers are the ones that areselected to teach remedial classes. While most ofthe remedial teachers agreed that there were no setrules with regard to the selection of teachers whoteach remedial classes, they stated that onlyexperienced teachers should teach these classes asthey have the ability of assisting students unlikeinexperienced teachers who often do not have thewelfare of students at heart. The study also discoveredthat Heads lack the skills to monitor the remedialteaching programmes. The remedial teachers blamedthe programme for taking as permanent remedialteachers and thus accused the programme in lackingflexibility. Another noted shortcoming was that mostof the remedial work was left to the remedial teacheras his sole business.

All the teachers agreed that there was littleor no coordination among the teachers whoparticipate in the remedial programmes. Supervisionis usually not done by most of the school heads andthere is no evaluation of the programme to notewhether the students are benefiting from theseclasses. Most non-remedial teachers felt that the lackof supervision and training among remedial teacherssignifies that the programme is not meant to benefitstudents but the teachers who participate in it asthey are exempted from other extra curriculum schoolactivities like supervising students and participatingin various sporting activities within the schools.

Generally the study findings indicate that

the tests attempt to identify the weaknesses and

strengths of the pupils. However, it was further noted

that the screening tests identify both Grade 4 remedial

Groups and the very backward pupils who are ignored

by the programme and whose problems are left to

the class teacher. This was expressed as a major

shortcoming of the programme by both remedial

teachers and non remedial teachers who further

suggested that special classes be established at every

school in order to cater for the backward pupils

4.3 Theme 3: What are challenges thatteachers face in implementing theremedial programme?Responses from participants:-

The major challenge that the teachers facedin the implementation of the remedial programmeswas the lack of training in remedial teaching. Whileteachers’ training colleges claim to equip teacherswith skills to teach ordinary pupils and special needschildren, it appears that most felt that they lackedthe necessary skills to effectively teach students. Themajority of teachers (75%) stated that they had notreceived any training in remedial teaching. It isimportant to note that most of the non remedialteachers disagreed with this view and suggest thereis a need for a lot of in-service training in the teachingof remedial teaching so that teachers can effectivelyexecute their duties. The key informants in the study,the School Heads also expressed the same sentiments,citing that teachers are coming from teachers’ trainingcolleges are not fully equipped to teach remedialclasses hence they relied on more experiencedteachers to man these classes.

All the respondents in the study stated thatthe remedial programme stigmatised the children whoare selected for the programme. Students that takepart in the programme end up reluctant to put anyeffort in learning as they were labelled “dull” or “poorperformers”. Consistent with this view the remedialteachers stated that when students know they cannotcope with the tasks at hand they exhibit negativeattitudes and behaviours that are detrimental to thenormal functioning of the whole class and thelearning of others.

Another major challenge that the teachersfaced in the implementation of the remedialprogramme was the lack of support from parents andguardians. Both remedial and non-remedial teachersrevealed that parents generally view the Grade 4remedial programme as useless and to be for retardedpupils. Having a child in the remedial programme isoften seen by the parents as a sign that their child ismentally retarded or that they are not doing theirpart as parents with regard to the education of theirchild. It is interesting to note that all the respondentsstated that most parents do not readily accept theplacement of their children into the Grade 4 remedialclasses. This is so because many parents themselvesare highly literate (as observed by remedial teachers)and therefore they blame the school when their childfails to attain set goals or they may put the blame on


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the teacher. The teachers noted that this view byparents is often a result of lack of information andknowledge about the objectives and rational of theexistence of the remedial programme and its benefitsto students. However, the teachers noted that not allparents had negative views towards the remedialprogramme as some parents consult the teacherssoon after their children are placed in the remedialclasses, though most of these cooperative parentsstate that they must be noted as soon as theirchildren’s studies start to deteriorate. They argue thatif they are noted in time they might work inconjunction with the teachers to improve theperformance of their children and hence avoidplacement in the remedial classes.

The large number of students that are placedin the remedial classes present challenges to theteachers that are selected to man these classes. Themajority of remedial teachers viewed that taking upthe programme was a strenuous load to their workload of 40+ students. The majority of the teachersfelt that the Grade 4 remedial teacher is over taskedand overloaded with work. The large number ofstudents that are placed in the remedial classesensured that the teachers are not able to assiststudents on a one on one basis as the teachers willbe overwhelmed with work. This ensures that mostof the students do not benefit from the classes, whichmight have been different if the classes had fewstudents that afford the teacher the opportunity oflooking at the strengths and weaknesses of each andevery student.

Both the remedial and non-remedial teachersperceived that one of the challenges that they face inthe teaching of grade 4 remedial students is the lackof support from parents, the school authorities andthe SPS &SNE Department. The same sentiments wereexpressed by few School Heads who stated that mostof the remedial teachers are forced by the situationto be resourceful and to improvise. Most of theteachers expressed their frustrations on the teachingof grade 4 remedial students in that they are expectedto produce wonderful results without any notablesupport from other important stakeholders in theteaching of grade 4 remedial students. Also in linewith this challenge is the challenge that most of theteachers perceived that schools did not fully backthem up with the necessary resources that can assistthem in effectively executing their duties. The SchoolHeads who participated in this study stated that whileschools may be willing to assist remedial teachers

with the necessary resources, their budgets do notpermit them to do so as their budgets are thin andcannot support the remedial programmes.

Remedial and non remedial teachers alsostated that the remedial programmes are oftenallocated little time and this hinders the effectiveimplementation of the whole programme. Nonremedial teachers find this issue affecting children’sperformance and they further suggest that it shouldnot be taught during sports time and encourage theparticipation in sports of both remedial teachers andthe children in question. In support of this view,non remedial teachers proposed that it was alsoimportant not to feel that non-academic subjects areless important. For example, P.E. works off excessenergy and trains pupils to be co-operative. Art andMusic help pupils express their emotions creatively,thus may have been unable to do so in languagerelated activities.

Results also revealed that remedial teachersalso face the challenge of lack of assistance fromother teachers who are not directly involved in theteaching of remedial students. Remedial teachersclaim that, other staff members are generallyunwilling to offer them assistance when they ask forit. However, other respondents who are not involvedin the teaching of remedial students claimed thatremedial teachers never seek their assistance. Onfurther probing these teachers stated that the reasonsfor lack of consultation from remedial teachers maybe that remedial teachers believe that they knowremedial and educational matters better than the restof other teachers. In view of this, the non remedialteachers expressed that remedial teachers who usuallyhave strong backgrounds in Special Education tendto view other mainstream teachers asunknowledgeable, unskilled and often uncaring. Itis important to note that these negative perceptionsof the two groups of teachers often block any co-operative planning and assistance aimed atimproving the academic performance of students.The key respondents in the study, the School Headsalso echoed the same sentiments stating that therewere problems between the remedial teachers andnon-remedial teachers and that these conflicts oftenaffect the welfare of students though they denied thatthe problems were not manageable, stating that theseare normal and can be found within any setting.

Remedial teachers also stated that they oftenfound challenges dealing with the psychological teststhat are administered in the selection of studentsfor remediation. The teachers questioned the




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reliability and suitability of the tests to the Zimbabwechild. They cited that the tests that are in current usehave been in use for a long time and have become apermanent feature in the testing of students. Mostof the teachers cited the English test as beinginappropriate and not serving the needs of theeducation system. Other teachers cited that there wereteachers who were now in the habit of administeringthe tests to their students before the actualassessment sessions by personnel from the SPS&SNE Department. These teachers would have keptcopies of the tests so that their students pass andare not selected for remediation, if a teacher has halfof his/her students participating in the remedialprogramme this might reflect badly on his/her ownabilities and reputation as a good teacher. Theteachers also expressed that at times the studentsare not adequately prepared for the writing of thesetests and that the significance of these tests is notarticulated to the students. In many instances thetests are administered to students without anyknowledge why they are writing the tests.

The study advocates for revision of screeningand diagnostic tests that are in current use becausethey are imported, and are culturally biased, thusmay not be as valid and reliable for the purposesthat they are meant to serve. The teachers agreed that

the tests are affected by many errors of measurement,thus their reliability and validity is questionable.

The timing that is advocated for remedialteaching must also be revised as it is often conductedin the afternoon when most of the pupils are tiredand are not motivated to learn. The teachers noted

that remediation often clashes with other activitiesthat students love like football and netball, thus theydo not concentrate much while their peers and friendsare playing on the sports fields. There is therefore aneed of revising the time tables so that they canaccommodate all these issues, thus enhancing the

effectiveness and efficiency of remedial programmes.The teachers noted that there is a need for

co-operative efforts between the remedial teachersand non-remedial teachers so that work towards theimprovement of the academic performance ofstudents. The teachers must set aside their individual

differences so that they can all work towards theachievement of common goals. However, to addressthe above issue the majority of the Schools Headsproposed that, to have teachers work together theremust be a philosophy shift from isolation tointegration allowing staff members to share and treat

each other as equals. Thus through increased in-service, consultation in specialised teachingtechniques and efficient staff conferences may leadtowards solving these problems. Other issue that cancontribute to the successfulness of the Grade 4remedial reaching programme include the fostering

of collaborative relationships between specialteachers and regular teachers to assure reinforcementof skills and development across the curriculum.

4.4 Theme 4: How can the remedialprogramme improved in order to makeit effective and efficient? The Responses citedthe following as ways of improving the efficiency andeffectiveness of the remedial programme:

The teachers felt that there was a need of acomprehensive document that is addressed by theSecretary within the Ministry of Education thatshould spell out how the programme should beimplemented within the schools. There weredisagreements that there was no formal policy thatis specifically related to the existence of remedialclasses within schools. The majority of the teacherswere not aware of the existence of the SchoolsPsychological Services and Special Needs EducationDepartment and that it had the mandate of assistingschools with the implementation of the remedialprogramme within schools.

There is a great need of ensuring that parentsand guardians are informed about the merits andobjectives of the remedial programme. At times mostparents are not in support of the idea of their childrenparticipating in the programme. It is due to lack ofinformation that leads most parents to transfer theirchildren to other schools whenever they learn thattheir children are now in the remedial programme.The teachers cited that they are often selected for theremedial programme without any prior knowledge oftheir expectations and mandate, thus there is a need

of ensuring that they are trained and are assisted bythe school with adequate resources so that they caneffectively teach remedial students. The teachers alsonoted that it is important for the SPS &SNEDepartment to liaise with various Teachers ’ Collegeson remedial teaching programmes so as to fully equipteachers with remedial teaching skills before they startpracticing as teachers. Such initiatives would ensurethat every teacher would be fully knowledgeable onremedial teaching.


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5.0 DISCUSSIONThe purpose of the present study was to illicit

the views of remedial and non-remedial teachers onthe usefulness of Grade 4 remedial teachingprogramme in Zimbabwe. The findings of the studyindicated that both remedial teachers and non-remedial teachers illustrated the importance andusefulness of the grade 4 remedial programme withinZimbabwean schools. The importance of remedialteaching programmes is also noted in previousresearch studies on the subject and various studiesconfirm the importance of remedial teachingprogrammes in improving the performance ofstudents at various levels of their studies (Pumpfreyand Reason, 1992; Cantone, 2001; Garranza, 2001).

The present study also noted the importanceof well coordinated, effective leadership structureswithin schools to ensure the effective implementationof the remedial programmes.

The study also noted that the effectivenessof the grade 4 remedial classes is a measured by thenumber of children that are in each remedial class.The teachers noted that by having more children intheir classes, they end up not effectively deliveringremedial classes. This point is also shared by Wilsonand Cleland (1985) and Zvobgo (1997) who noted thatlarge numbers of students hinder the effectivedelivery of remedial education as large numbers ofstudents ensure that the teachers cannot effectivelyassist students individually. According to Lipsky(2000) if the teacher is overwhelmed by a large class,he/she cannot effectively assist these students as theireffectiveness is undermined, these large classesensure that they cannot determine the levels at whicheach child will be operating. These challenges ensurethat the teacher cannot assist the student effectivelyand that they cannot effectively respond toinstructions.

The use of relevant diagnostic tests was alsonoted to be an important component of the remedialteaching programme. The participants in the studynoted that some of the psychological tests that arecurrently in use in Zimbabwe are foreign and arenot particularly relevant to Zimbabwean students.The teachers questioned the reliability and validityof these tests in the selection of students forremediation. The same point is also shared by Mpofuand Nyanungo (1998), who noted that the tests thatare currently in use in Zimbabwe are not relevant tothe needs of Zimbabwean students.

The study also noted that most of theteachers cited that there were negative perceptionsregarding the grade 4 remedial teaching programmeamong the parents of children that are selected for

the programme. The participants noted that parental

involvement was an important factor that can ensure

the usefulness and effectiveness of the programme

in meeting its objectives. This sentiment is also

illustrated in classical literature on the subject

(Gulliford, 1990; Farrant, 1990). Other studies also

illustrate the importance of ensuring that parents

must be given all the relevant information

concerning any remediation that might take place

within the school environment (Pumpfrey and

Reason, 1992). The study also confirmed with previous

studies that noted that some parents are ashamed of

having their children in remedial classes due to

various reasons that include lack of information,

ignorance, mistrust of the school authorities and

other reasons (Wilson and Cleland, 1985).

The study illustrated the importance of

parental involvement in the study of their children

and how this is vital in the effective implementation

of remedial education within schools. The teachers

as well as the School Heads noted that parents and

guardians are important stakeholders in the

remediation process of their children. These

sentiments are also shared by Wilson and Cleland

(1985) who emphasized the need of parental

involvement in the initial stages of the identification

of their children’s learning challenges. If parents are

involved in the education of their children they are

more likely to assist the teachers and the school in

the implementation of the grade 4 remediation

programme. The findings of the present study confirm

to what is documented in research that teachers feel

that parental involvement is important and that it

can contribute to the effectiveness of the remedial

programme. Teachers noted that parental

involvement is beneficial to the students as it can

contribute towards the increase in student motivation

and that students are more likely to consistently do

their homework if their parents or guardians are

heavily involved in their work. This is illustrated in

various research studies on the subject (Becher, 1983;

Henderson and Berla, 1994; Peña, 2000; Shumow and

Miller, 2001).




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6.0 CONCLUSIONThe study findings reveal that, although

Heads and non-remedial teachers find the Grade 4School based remedial programme very useful,shortcomings seem to be outweighing the usefulness.For example, the School Heads lack the skills ofmonitoring remedial teachers and administeringscreening and diagnostic tests. According to thisstudy the tests do screen out remedial pupils but arefound unreliable and unsuitable for pupils withdifferent cultural backgrounds. Different stakeholdersexpressed different views on the programme. Parentscomplained for not being consulted on theirchildren’s placement and some of them took theprogramme for granted. One of the majorshortcomings considered in this study was lack ofresources. However, although non-remedial teachersagree that remedial programmes uplift the learningstandards of underperformers they expressreservations on the nature of these classes in termsof the large number of students and the lack ofsupport from parents of children placed in theseclasses. Classroom based remedial programmesshould also be emphasised as these are more effectivein dealing with immediate problems that studentsface as the teacher will be able to correct the student‘on the spot’ rather than wait. The various screeningand diagnostic tests that are currently being used inZimbabwe for remedial purposes were foundunfavourable and culturally unfair to pupils. It wasconcluded that there is a need of coming up withrelevant, culturally sensitive tests that are applicableto the Zimbabwean context.

7.0 RECOMMENDATIONSBased on the findings of this study, the

following recommendations are made. That there is also great need to reduce class

sizes to teachable numbers like (25-30) inorder to cater effectively for children in needof remediation.

The SPS & SNE Department within theMinistry of Education which is responsiblefor all the remediation programmes in thecountry should work with various teachers’colleges so that they incorporate SpecialNeeds Education and remediation relatedissues in their programmes. Such initiativeswould ensure that all trained teachers havesufficient training in conductingremediation before they embark on theircareers as teachers.

That Education Officers with SpecialEducation Qualifications be placed atDistrict Offices where they would work withthe Special Needs Tutors on the wayforwarded on the teaching/learning of Grade4 remedial pupils.

The Schools Psychological Services andSpecial Needs (SPS & SNE) Departmentshould periodically visit schools at leastonce per year and advice on theimplementation and teaching of Grade 4School based remedial teaching programmesand the plight of other Special Needschildren in the schools.

That remedial teaching is done in every classby teacher to minimise the rate of failureand abolish the Grade 4 remedial teachingprogramme in current use.

That Heads be in-serviced on how toadminister test and evaluate the test resultsand monitor the programme in the school.

Those parents are fully involved on thelearning problems and progress of theirchild.

Those educational campaigns are carried outin the teaching/learning of Grade 4 remedialpupils so as to suppress the negativeattitudes and misconceptions about thepurpose of the programme by parents.

That per capita grant is provided for theprogramme for the provision of enoughresources.

That screening and diagnostic test be revisedto suit the Zimbabwe child.

That at least one special class per school beestablished to cater for the very backwardpupils in the school.

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