Teaching economics to weak students. Any ideas?

Dionysus

Would anybody have any ideas for improving economics teaching? It's a 5th year class and it's very weak. The vast majority of them are in it because the alternative is physics. I gave a test a week or so ago, and five of them got below 28%. Only three got above 55%. I notice the really weak ones perform much better when answering in class than they did in the exam.

At present, I'm emphasising how they can do well by memorising definitions and learning things such as the functions of the Central Bank, and so forth. I tried elasticity of supply but it seemed to alienate the weaker students from the entire subject so I'm trying to minimising the maths element at the moment until I have built up their confidence. I'm always, of course, trying to bring it back to current things like the property crash to show the subject's relevancy/importance.

As I'm the sole teacher of economics in the school, I don't have the usual feedback from other teachers that I have with my other subjects. All suggestions would be welcome. Thanks.

Chilli Con Kearney

Hi Dionysus

Do u think that they will end up doing ordinary level?
If this is the case, then maybe you might focus on the 'name' of 'name and explain'. For example, if you were covering factors that affect the level of D for good, then you might ask them what 'things' make them buy more/less of a good. Then just focus on listing these and rewording to the correct terminology. Realistically, they will not need to explain with much detail for OL.

Personally, I have found that using regular, basic language with weak students works - they find terminology very difficult. I found it useful for them to work in their own language and then move to terminology through progression and repetition.

I took the approach of working through each topic, mindful of the exam question structure, as these students need the most attention and work in being able to use their limited ability and get through. Hope this makes sense.....

Dionysus

Thanks, Chilli. I'd say, at most, three will do Higher Level - although at the moment I'm encouraging about ten of them to aim for Higher Level based on the idea that they'll achieve more by aiming higher, while being able to drop down nearer the exam.

I'm now teaching the same class Economics - except they are in 6th year. Doherty's Understanding Economics, and particularly the cd which came with it, is very helpful summarising fairly complex things for them. Folens Rapid Revision Economics: Higher and Ordinary Levels by Michael Ruane is also very helpful. I'm basically trying to keep everything as simple as possible and keep them away from as many graphs as possible (they seem to switch off entirely when they see a graph) in order to build up their confidence.

If anybody has any additional ideas for a LC Economics class, that would be appreciated.

mick kk

pm sent