Dealing With Pupil's Difficulties at School- Colegio Luso Internacional do Porto - A Study by Artur Victoria

s may also be laboring under difficulties -intellectualqualify for funds via the auxiliary resource to finance
and physical handicaps, emotional and socialboth teacher inputs and other personnel inputs. Quite
disturbances -which are so great that they have toconsiderable inputs of these kinds may be needed in
attend a special teaching group for all lessons. Inmany cases. In order to achieve a reasonable balance
certain cases, however, they can also attend leisurebetween measures of different kinds, inputs in
activities and school lunches together with the mainconnection with adjusted courses of studies should
group. Special day schools or, in isolated cases, schoolbe arranged with the assistance of the auxiliary
boarding homes can be organized on these lines atresource of the local school.
the instance of the local educational authorities.Decisions concerning adjusted courses of studies are
Special teaching is arranged in hospitals, orphanages,made by the LEA after consulting the pupil welfare
the homes of individual pupils or other suitable placesconference. It is essential; however, to avoid
for pupils who suffer from prolonged illness or whodramatizing these decisions, especially where they
are unable to participate in ordinary school workinvolve no more than adjustments within the time
owing to a disability or illness which entails repeatedschedule, e.g. increased training in skills for an individual
short-term absence.pupils This expedient must not be made to look like
Schools are unlikely to succeed entirely in organizing athe last link in a long chain, as can happen if handling is
form of schooling which will provide the best possibleexcessively formalized and protracted. If this happens
development opportunities for all children. For thisthe decision in favor of an adjusted course of studies
reason, instruction can be remedial methods andmay very well come to be seen in a negative light,
co-operation further adapted to the needs of certainwhereas the aim should be for the pupil to
pupils by departing from the time schedule. In isolatedexperience it as support from the school. The LEA is
cases involving senior level pupils, the question maytherefore empowered to delegate decision-making
arise of a certain proportion of their education beingpowers to a headmaster.
completed in working life. Before a school departsIn order for the measures taken by a school on
from the time schedule by arranging an adjustedbehalf of pupils in difficulty to be effective, the
course of studies, consideration should always beschool must make the greatest possible use of
given to the possibility of providing the pupil withremedial teaching methods. The work done by
meaningful study assignments by means of extendedqualified remedial teachers, therefore, must not be
projects studies.confined to a special type of organization, e.g. a
A pupil taking an adjusted course of studies mustspecial teaching group and remedial teaching. Qualified
always be given instruction in certain basic skills. Thisremedial teachers should also participate in the
instruction can well be increased in relation to theplanning by work units of assistance to pupils with
time schedule. The term 'adjusted course of studies'difficulties of various kinds, in the compilation of
indicates that the pupil concerned must follow apractical programs, in contacts with parents and in
course of studies and not merely be referred to athe teaching activities of the work team.
workplace. An adjusted course of studies thereforeSuccess will also hinge on close contacts with
needs to be properly planned. The pupil must receiveparents, with persons dealing with social problems and
extensive assistance from supervisors and teachers.leisure questions in this field, with the police and,
Instruction at senior level is partly provided at anneedless to say, with alI staff categories at the
external workplace and must receive support fromschool concerned. It is the duty of the school
the school staff. Like other measures on behalf ofmanagement and the form master to ensure that
pupils with difficulties, adjusted courses of studiesconsultations take place.