Empowering Struggling Students: A Practical Guide for Teachers

Some learners find it hard to learn, remember, and apply new lessons. They need extra support and attention from their teachers to do well in school, both academically and socially. This guide explains who struggling students are and gives teachers practical strategies in four areas: academic support, emotional support, a positive learning environment, and self-efficacy (a learner’s belief that they can succeed).

On this page 8 sections

Understanding struggling students

Before choosing a strategy, it helps to understand what a learner is going through. Struggling students often show one or more of these signs:

• Low academic performance
• Lack of motivation
• Poor self-esteem
• Behavioral issues
• Difficulty with specific subjects or concepts
• Trouble with organization and time management
• Personal or family issues that affect their learning

Struggling students are more likely to drop out of school, suffer from depression, and become socially isolated. This is why it matters that teachers notice these learners early and give them the right support.

Strategies at a glance

Area	What it means	Methods
Academic support	Extra instruction, practice, and feedback	Differentiated instruction, peer tutoring, small-group instruction
Emotional support	A safe, supportive place to learn	Positive feedback, praise, encouragement
Positive learning environment	A classroom culture of learning, respect, and collaboration	Clear expectations, routines, student engagement
Self-efficacy	Confidence in one’s ability to learn	Achievable goals, chances to succeed, growth mindset

Academic support

Differentiated instruction

Tailor your teaching to each learner’s needs by varying your methods, materials, and assessments. For example, you can:

• Give struggling students additional practice worksheets
• Simplify the language in instructions
• Use graphic organizers to help them organize their ideas

Peer tutoring

Pair a struggling student with a higher-performing classmate. The peer tutor can help with homework, practice problems, and review sessions.

Small-group instruction

Group learners who have similar needs and give them targeted lessons on specific skills, such as reading comprehension, math fluency, or writing.

Emotional support

• Positive feedback: Recognize a learner’s effort and progress. This builds self-esteem and a growth mindset.
• Praise: Acknowledge achievements and successes to motivate learners and reinforce good behavior.
• Encouragement: Give learners chances to succeed, set achievable goals with them, and celebrate their progress.

A positive learning environment

• Set clear expectations. Establish rules and procedures that promote learning and respect, so the classroom feels safe and orderly.
• Establish routines. Consistent, predictable procedures help learners become independent and responsible, and they reduce distractions.
• Promote student engagement. Let learners take part in activities, work with classmates, and make some decisions about their learning. This builds motivation, interest, and ownership.

Building self-efficacy

• Set achievable goals. Help learners set goals that are specific, measurable, and attainable, so they have a sense of purpose and direction.
• Create opportunities for success. Give small, achievable tasks that build on each learner’s strengths, so they experience success and gain confidence.
• Promote a growth mindset. Teach learners to see challenges as chances to grow. Emphasize effort and persistence, and use the power of “yet”: “I don’t understand this yet.”

Putting it together

Helping struggling students works best when you combine all four areas. Academic support gives them the skills they are missing. Emotional support helps them feel safe and motivated. A positive classroom gives them a sense of belonging and purpose. Building self-efficacy gives them the confidence and resilience to keep going, in school and beyond.

Frequently asked questions