Every child can succeed in the right environment

Large classes at mainstream schools can't provide enough assistance for children who may need more one on one attention.

"Some children need assistance to perform which they are not receiving in mainstream schools," says Delayne Large, a registered counselor and independent psychometrist.

Delayne, who runs Alberton Remedial Therapy Centre adds that she became increasingly frustrated as she could only provide assistance one hour a week when the children were brought for remedial therapy after school. "Children need to receive this assistance throughout the day. Furthermore, children who struggle within a mainstream environment have very little time left to just be children. They have a full school day, extra mural activities, homework and then still need to go for remedial therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, whatever the case may be. These expectations are hardly realistic.

"Many people have a misconception about remedial education, falsely believing that its merely lowering the standards and giving children less work. Remedial education, on the contrary, is aimed at equipping the children with the skills that are preventing them from performing within a mainstream environment," Delayne said.

"While most teachers make a gallant effort at doing just this, the task is near impossible as a result of the large numbers and copious amounts of paperwork and procedures teachers are required to follow.
"By drastically reducing the number of children in a class children are able to receive the individual attention they deserve."

Extract from Southern courier, 15 February 2011