Why schools are rethinking “struggling” (and why that’s good news)
Across North America, schools continue to face a familiar challenge: some students are not meeting expected literacy and numeracy standards—even with dedicated teachers and strong intentions. The key shift is how we interpret that gap. Instead of assuming the problem “lives in the student,” many education systems have moved toward a more effective and more humane approach: examine instruction first, strengthen classroom practices, and then add targeted interventions when needed.
This mindset is strongly reflected in the New Brunswick Department of Education’s Resource for Assisting Struggling Learners (Student Services, September 2000). Even though it was published years ago, the core message remains current: the most reliable way to improve outcomes is to combine strong classroom instruction with ongoing assessment and collaborative problem-solving—supported by well-defined roles across the school system.
At TinyEYE, we work with schools delivering online therapy services (including speech-language pathology and occupational therapy supports) that fit into this exact kind of team-based approach. This blog breaks down the most practical takeaways from the resource and shows how schools can translate them into everyday action.
The rationale: focus on outcomes, but start with instruction
The resource was created in response to assessment results showing that many students were not achieving at acceptable levels. The goal is straightforward: increase the number of students performing at or above standard—without excluding students with different learning profiles, backgrounds, or circumstances.
The document emphasizes two ideas that matter for every school improvement plan:
- Teachers need a toolkit of effective instructional strategies so they can respond to diverse needs without defaulting to separate programs for every learner.
- “Intervention” is a better frame than “remediation” because it avoids deficit thinking and keeps responsibility where it belongs: on the system’s ability to adapt instruction and supports.
Guiding principles that keep support student-centered (and realistic)
The beliefs and guiding principles section reads like a checklist for healthy school culture. A few stand out as especially actionable:
- Good classroom instruction is paramount. Before adding layers of support, ensure the core teaching is strong, consistent, and evidence-informed.
- Stay current on effective practice. The resource explicitly calls out multi-level instruction, differentiated instruction, learning styles theory/practice, and multiple intelligences theory/practice.
- Check the environment and delivery first. Educators are encouraged to evaluate curriculum and instructional methods as possible causes of poor performance before concluding a student has a deficit.
- Concrete, visual, and hands-on learning matters. Many students learn significant concepts best through concrete materials, first-hand data, and visual representations—not abstract symbol manipulation alone.
- Collaboration beats isolation. Collaborative consultation and problem-solving are presented as the most effective processes for resolving learning difficulties.
These principles align closely with inclusive education: the classroom remains the primary learning environment, and supports are designed to help students succeed there whenever possible.
Assessment: an ongoing process, not a one-time event
One of the strongest messages in the resource is that assessment should be continuous and varied. The goal isn’t simply to label a student; it’s to collect enough information to make better instructional decisions.
The document highlights multiple valid sources of assessment data, including:
- teacher observation
- work samples
- student portfolios
- journals
- standardized tests (group or individual)
Importantly, classroom teachers are positioned as central to assessment because they see student performance in real time and in real contexts.
A practical referral pathway schools can actually follow
When a student continues to struggle despite classroom-based strategies, the resource outlines a referral process that keeps the school-based team accountable for next steps:
- Bring the student to the school-based student services team for discussion when significant difficulty is recognized.
- Identify strengths and needs and decide on a course of action.
- Use a structured problem-solving process (the resource mentions a “30-minute problem-solving technique”) to select and prioritize strategies.
- Consider further informal and/or formal assessment if difficulties persist; consult district personnel as needed.
- Review and adjust strategies continuously.
This is a key point: the process is iterative. Schools aren’t expected to “get it perfect” the first time—they’re expected to monitor and adapt.
Roles and responsibilities: support works best when it’s clearly owned
Struggling learners do best in systems where responsibilities are explicit. The resource lays out expectations across the district and school.
District administrators
- provide guidance, support, and funding for appropriate programs/services
- support identification of students requiring intervention
- collaborate with school administrators to ensure interventions exist and are monitored
- support staff in-service and professional learning
School administrators
- plan, provide, and monitor interventions and services
- schedule time for staff collaboration with district personnel and parents
- ensure students requiring intervention actually receive it
Classroom teachers (primary responsibility)
- deliver effective instruction, organization, and classroom management
- monitor student learning profiles and the effectiveness of instruction
- adjust methods to meet individual learning needs
- engage in professional development (especially literacy and math)
Resource teachers
- support assessment and program development in classroom settings
- share effective methods and resources with staff
- collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents on planning and monitoring
Parents, volunteers, peer tutors
- support practice at home, communicate regularly, and follow program procedures
- maintain confidentiality and work under teacher supervision when supporting learning
Where TinyEYE can fit: online therapy providers can be included as part of the “other professionals (when required)” supporting the school-based team. When therapy goals are connected to classroom expectations (for example, language skills that impact reading comprehension or written expression), interventions become more coherent and easier to sustain.
Effective instructional methods: what helps struggling learners helps everyone
The resource makes a powerful, research-aligned claim: the strategies that support struggling learners tend to improve outcomes for all students. Below are the instructional approaches highlighted, translated into practical classroom meaning.
Learning styles-informed classroom applications
Students process information differently (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic; analytic vs. global). The goal isn’t to “label” students permanently—it’s to vary instruction and reduce stress by offering multiple ways to access learning.
- Visual supports: diagrams, anchor charts, models, graphic organizers
- Auditory supports: discussion, read-alouds, verbal rehearsal
- Tactile/kinesthetic supports: manipulatives, movement, hands-on tasks
Multi-level instruction (one lesson, multiple entry points)
Multi-level instruction assumes one shared lesson goal, with flexible ways for students to engage and show understanding. It reduces the need for separate programs while still allowing individualized expectations.
- use questioning at different levels of thinking
- offer choices for demonstrating understanding (written, oral, visual, performance-based)
- evaluate based on individual differences while teaching shared concepts
Differentiated curriculum (modify content, process, product)
Differentiation means adjusting what students learn, how they learn it, and how they show it—based on strengths, needs, and interests. A critical step is identifying the underlying concepts that matter most, so differentiation doesn’t become “more work” but “smarter work.”
Co-operative/collaborative learning
Done well, co-operative learning builds academic and social success: students learn to value different strengths, practice communication, and share accountability. The resource emphasizes positive interdependence and individual accountability—both are required for it to work.
Multiple intelligences (more ways to be smart)
Gardner’s framework reminds educators that students may be strong in areas not always rewarded by traditional instruction (beyond verbal/linguistic and logical/mathematical). When concepts are taught through students’ strengths—visual/spatial, musical, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist, and more—engagement and comprehension often rise.
Brain-based instruction
The resource highlights four implications from neuroscience and cognitive research:
- the brain changes with experience (environment matters)
- intelligence is not fixed at birth
- there are sensitive periods (“windows of opportunity”) for some learning
- emotion strongly influences learning
For schools, this reinforces the importance of psychologically safe classrooms, predictable routines, and instruction that builds confidence rather than shame.
Active learning and accelerated learning techniques
Students remember more when learning is concrete, connected, and practiced in meaningful ways. Strategies such as chunking, rhyme/music for recall, simulations, role-play, and hands-on creation can improve encoding and retention—especially for students who struggle with purely abstract instruction.
Educational software and computer-assisted learning: tools, not replacements
The resource is clear: software can support instruction, practice, and assessment, but it cannot replace teachers. The best results come from close teacher-student interaction around the tool.
It also distinguishes between software types (tutorial, drill and practice, educational games, discovery, simulation, problem solving) and notes that computer-assisted learning programs often include management systems to track progress and fill skill gaps.
When classroom strategies aren’t enough: intervention models that scale
Intervention strategies and programs are intended for students with ongoing, moderate, or severe difficulty meeting standards. The resource stresses that intervention should be prompt, intensive as feasible, flexible in duration, and continuously monitored.
Four delivery models (from less to more intensive)
- Model 1: Double dose scheduling (extra instructional period/time in a subject)
- Model 2: Teacher-delivered intervention with supported practice (practice supervised by assistants, volunteers, peers, or parents)
- Model 3: Resource teacher delivers intervention in the regular class (team-teaching style)
- Model 4: Designated teacher delivers intensive intervention (including pullout “blocking” models or scheduled resource periods)
In modern school systems, online therapy services can complement these models by increasing access to specialized support—especially where staffing shortages make it difficult to deliver consistent services. For example, a student receiving speech-language support online can work on the language foundations that directly affect reading comprehension, narrative skills, and classroom participation, while the teacher continues differentiated instruction in class.
What this means for schools today
If you’re building (or rebuilding) your struggling learner supports, this resource points to a practical formula:
- Strengthen Tier 1 instruction with multi-level, differentiated, and active learning strategies.
- Assess continuously using multiple data sources, not just tests.
- Use a collaborative school-based team with clear roles and an iterative plan.
- Escalate support intentionally using defined intervention models and progress monitoring.
- Bring in specialized services when needed—and integrate them with classroom goals.
That last point is where TinyEYE can be especially helpful: online therapy is most powerful when it is not “separate from school,” but embedded into the school’s intervention plan, aligned with student needs identified through ongoing assessment, and coordinated through the school-based team.
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