How to Teach Older Students Who Have
Not Yet Become Proficient
We define an “older student” as
one who is 10 years of age or older. It is
not our doing that our older children have not become
proficient in all language arts content and
skills. it is not a student problem either.
It is a teacher training and publisher
problem. Because most teacher training
programs and language arts curricula are so poorly
designed (they do not guide the teacher to use our
forefather’s “Recite As You Write,” full-spectrum,
neurological response method of instruction, and they do
not contain complete, connected content), all students
taught by them remain “phonetically asea,” therefore
acutely handicapped for spelling, writing and reading
proficiency.
The pressure is on us. We only
have a few more years to teach our older children.
How do we implement a program in so little time? The
older student is discouraged, thinking, “I am starting
over.” The teacher is discouraged, thinking, “How
can I at this point help my child lay his missing but
necessary language arts proficiency foundation?
How can I teach myself what I need to know to
teach my student?”
Let us share our experiences.
First, our program is packaged in four Parts.
Without exception, older students’ “language
arts content and skill deficiencies” are
remediated by studying Parts One and
Two and the beginning lessons in Part
Three. Teaching this portion of the
curriculum to an older student takes on average 3½
years. If it takes four years, you most likely
still have time.
Secondly, older students’
“neurological deficiencies” also are remediated
by studying the same portion of the
curriculum. Neurological deficiencies are
identified as cognitively learned skills like attention,
memory, organization, analytical thinking, association,
and comprehension. “Neurological deficiencies”
and “language arts deficiencies” are inseparably
connected: the advance of one facilitates
the advance of the other.
Thirdly, as soon as you begin teaching
older students, their hugest “neurological deficiency”
becomes apparent: they have never performed in
a “recite as you write” way (they have never
exercised all four language-learning neurologies in
tandem). They often will be intimidated and
embarrassed by speaking, also by hearing the sound of
their own voices. And exercising kinesthetic
neurological responses—writing, pointing, showing— in
tandem with speaking…well, it’s brand new
territory. They have never experienced
“full-spectrum neurological gymnastics,” and, at first,
it seems and feels strange. It’s not that they
can’t do it. It’s that learning to exercise their
NEUROLOGICAL TEAM in this way is unfamiliar.
In order to help the older student make
sense of new information and this new way of acquiring
it, you, the teacher, have to understand and be
committed to four things:
1)
You must be persuaded of the
justness of full-spectrum neurological instruction
(it is the only way of learning that guarantees
the student will learn optimally) and of your
responsibility to teach this way.
2)
You must be convinced that
knowledge of English phonograms is
irreplaceable (without it your student will
remain significantly illiterate, and he will not be
equipped to teach his future children, a goal as
important as the personal possession of language arts
proficiency).
3)
You must be willing to enter into
this knowledge and way of obtaining it (it is
not defensible that the teacher expects greater
proficiency from her student than from
herself).
4)
You must be willing to help
your older student deal with his objections, beliefs,
and attitude about himself, his previous learning, and
this new way of learning.
In ranking order, the most common
objections older students voice are
these:
1.
“I’m starting over.”
2.
“I already know this.”
3.
“Learning penmanship and how to hold my
pencil is babyish.”
4.
“I’m dumb.”
5.
“I can get by without knowing
this.”
That’s it. These are “loaded
statements.” Usually, beneath the surface are
other things the older student wants to say.
Sometimes he yells. And sometimes he just
cries.
How would you respond? We
respond this way:
● Together, revamp
your thinking: “We’re not starting over.
We’ve never been here before.
We’re thankful for the opportunity to be here!”
● Together,
DISCUSS and CONCEDE the critical differences between
showing how
and telling
how; doing
and knowing;
getting by personally
and being able to teach
another. This discussion focuses on how we
are born with an “untaught talent” and how it does not
serve us in a knowledge-based way if we do not gain
knowledge to sustain it.
“I’ve been able to write
alphabet letter a for a long
time. Now, I know its phonogram name
and how to describe and draw its shape.
Before, I could have ‘showed’ someone how, but I could
not have ‘taught’ him how. Now, I
understand and can teach another; I can
tell him how, not just show him
how. I can help him know, not just help
him do.”
“I could write the word,
‘signal’, but I did not know its
syllable boundaries or how to discern and
say each sound in each syllable and at the same time
write each sound’s symbolic representation.
Now, I understand this word and I can teach another why
signal is the correct written
representation for the spoken word,
‘signal’.”
“Before, I just tried to remember what
words looked like or tried to sound them out while I
read. Now, I’m learning how to spell by
saying sounds and writing matching
symbols. This also makes me able
to read.”
“Now, when I do something, I
know what I’m doing!” “Now when I don’t
know, I can use my tools to figure it
out!”
● Don’t argue,
EVER.
● In a gentle voice,
keep repeating the curriculum’s scripted instruction
until the student performs it in the way it directs him.
This shows both you and him he can do
it! This is all the curriculum requires of
him: his performance on that task shows his
proficiency with that task!
● Trust the
script and by mutual consent adapt it
(without leaving behind its substance, without lowering
expectations, and without forsaking the “recite as you
write” teaching/learning method). It will take you
where you need to go, guaranteed! “This
way of learning has served lots of students, many who
were older, some much older than I. It will serve
me, too!”
● Answer reasonable
and honest questions; ignore “carping”
questions.
● Have tunnel
vision: the curriculum will guide both of you
to the goal. Focus and talk about the goal you
plan to reach! “I am filling in
all my gaps. If I want to, I’ll be
able to write stories like C.S. Lewis! Or I can
open my own garage. Maybe I’ll set up an adoption
agency. I’d sure like to become a veterinarian,
too.”
● Praise
often: “You did this!” “You know
this.” “You are learning faster than I am!
Good job!”
● Talk about
history: “We are doing what many Mom’s and
children did, many years ago. It worked for them;
it’ll work for us!” “Many early patriots began
their education later in life, after they carved out a
home and living for their families. They didn’t
think penmanship was babyish.”
● Talk about long-term
goals. “When I learn this, I’ll be
able to teach my children. They won’t be taught
incorrectly like I was.” “When I’m done, I’ll be
literate.” “I will understand God’s love better
because I’ll be able to read His Divine
Revelation.” “When I get this learned, I
can become a firefighter (pastor, teacher, herbalist,
policeman-paramedic, home decorator, graphics artist,
harpist, alternative health practitioner, …).”
“I’ll be able to educate others because I’ll be able to
speak, think, write, and read!”
● Admit personal
deficiencies. “I wasn’t taught this way
either. I’m a beginning student, just like
you!” “I taught for 22 years before I knew how to
do it right! My students loved me, but I wasn’t
much help to them because I couldn’t teach them language
arts skills. I confess: ‘A person can be a likable
person without being a good teacher’. Thankfully,
now I can be both.”
Many teachers have used our curriculum
with older students. They will be glad to talk
with you. Call us and we’ll put you in touch with
them.
800-640-3607.
