Remedial teaching is a way of teaching that adapts to how your child learns instead of forcing them to keep up with a pace that does not work. It targets specific learning gaps like reading problems, writing struggles, and conditions like dyslexia. A remedial teacher works one on one with your child, figures out exactly where the breakdowns are, and fills them using methods that match how their brain actually processes information. It is not special education. It is not extra lessons. It is targeted support for learners of average or above average intelligence who are underperforming because the standard teaching method does not reach them.
| What Remedial Teaching Is | What It Is Not |
|---|---|
| Individualised teaching adapted to your child’s specific learning gaps | A sign that your child is “stupid” or broken |
| Focused on the root cause of underperformance | A replacement for mainstream school |
| Uses different methods like multi-sensory learning and audio notes | More homework or repeating what the teacher already did |
| Available from Grade R to Grade 12 | Only for younger children in foundation phase |
| Can happen at home, at a centre, or online | Only available at expensive remedial schools |
| For learners with average or above average intelligence | The same thing as special education (LSEN) |
If you are reading this, chances are your child is struggling at school and you are not sure what to do next. Maybe the teacher keeps saying they need “extra help” but nobody explains what that actually means. Maybe your child hates reading. Maybe homework takes three hours every night and ends in tears.
You are not alone. And remedial teaching might be exactly what your family needs right now.
How Does Remedial Teaching Actually Work?
Mainstream school is built for the middle. Teachers have 30 to 40 learners in a class and they teach the CAPS curriculum at a set pace. They move on whether everyone gets it or not. That works fine for most kids. But if your child processes information differently or missed something in their foundation, they fall further behind every single day. The gap compounds.
Remedial teaching flips that. Instead of your child adapting to the system, the teaching adapts to your child.
A remedial teacher starts by figuring out where the breakdowns are happening. Is your child struggling to decode words when they read? Is it a comprehension issue where they can read the words but do not understand them? Are they battling with writing because they cannot organise their thoughts on paper?
Once the root problem is identified, the teacher builds sessions around fixing that specific thing using methods the classroom cannot provide. This might mean multi-sensory learning where your child hears information and reads it at the same time. It might mean breaking tasks into smaller steps with structured support. It might mean using visual aids, audio recordings, or hands on activities.
The point is that remedial teaching does not repeat what already failed. It changes the method entirely.
Remedial Teaching vs Special Education in South Africa
This is the most common confusion parents have and it is important to get it right because the two serve very different learners. Many parents hear “remedial” and immediately think their child is being labelled as having a disability. That is not what remedial teaching means.
| Feature | Remedial Teaching | Special Education (LSEN) |
|---|---|---|
| Target learner | Average or above average intelligence but underperforming | Learners with intellectual, physical, or developmental disabilities |
| Why they struggle | Specific learning gaps, missed foundations, dyslexia, anxiety, teaching method mismatch | Cognitive, sensory, physical, or neurological conditions requiring specialised support |
| Goal | Close the gap so the learner can succeed in mainstream school | Adapt the curriculum to match the learner’s abilities and needs |
| Curriculum | Standard CAPS curriculum taught differently | Modified or differentiated CAPS (DCAPS) curriculum |
| Class size | One on one or very small groups | Small classes (typically 8 to 13 per teacher) with on site therapists |
| Delivery | Private tutor, learning centre, or at home | Registered LSEN school with occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological support |
| LSEN status required? | No | Yes |
The key difference: Remedial teaching is for children who CAN do the work but need a different method to get there. Special education is for children who need a modified curriculum because of a diagnosed condition that affects their cognitive or physical ability to learn in a standard environment.
Remedial Teaching vs Extra Lessons
Most parents assume remedial teaching is just extra lessons with a fancier name. It is not. The difference is fundamental and understanding it can save you months of wasted time and money.
Extra lessons repeat what the teacher already covered in class. Your child sits down with a tutor, goes through the same textbook, and tries again. If the original method did not work, doing it again is not going to change anything.
Remedial teaching changes the method. It looks at WHY your child did not understand the work, identifies the underlying difficulty, and teaches the same concept in a completely different way.
| Extra Lessons | Remedial Teaching |
|---|---|
| Repeats school content at a slower pace | Identifies the root cause and changes the approach |
| Same teaching method, smaller group | Different teaching methods like multi-sensory learning and audio notes |
| Covers what was done in class this week | Fills gaps from months or even years ago |
| Good for learners who missed a class or need revision | Good for learners with persistent learning difficulties |
| Any tutor can provide this | Requires someone trained in remedial education |
| Focuses on the subject content | Focuses on how the learner’s brain processes information |
The test: If your child has been getting extra lessons for months and nothing has changed, that is a strong sign they need remedial support instead. Extra lessons fix a content gap. Remedial teaching fixes a learning gap.
Who Benefits From Remedial Teaching?
Remedial education is not just for one type of learner. The defining trait is not a specific diagnosis. It is simply that the learner has reached a point where they are not keeping up, regardless of why.
| Learner Profile | What They Struggle With | How Remedial Teaching Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Children with dyslexia | Reading fluency, decoding words, spelling | Multi-sensory methods like listening and reading together, summarised audio notes |
| Learners with writing difficulties | Organising thoughts on paper, handwriting, sentence construction | Step by step writing frameworks, verbal rehearsal before writing |
| Foundation phase learners falling behind | Basic literacy and numeracy that should have been mastered in Grade 1 to 3 | Early intervention to fill foundational gaps before they snowball |
| High school learners struggling with set works | Cannot keep up with literature analysis in English or Afrikaans | Summarised notes, guided reading, focused exam prep on prescribed texts |
| Learners labelled “lazy” | Actually have an undiagnosed learning difficulty | Proper identification of the real problem and targeted support |
| Children dealing with emotional stress | Cannot concentrate, shut down during tests, avoid school work | Safe one on one environment that removes pressure and rebuilds confidence |
| Learners whose education was disrupted | Missed critical content due to illness or moving schools | Fills in the specific gaps caused by the disruption |
Needing remedial teaching does not mean your child is less intelligent. Many of the brightest children struggle the most in traditional school environments because their brains are wired to process information differently. Remedial teaching works with that wiring instead of against it.
What Are the Most Effective Remedial Teaching Strategies?
Not all remedial teaching is created equal. The strategies that consistently produce results are the ones that change how the content is delivered, not just how slowly it is delivered.
Multi-Sensory Learning
This means engaging more than one sense at the same time. Instead of just reading words on a page, the learner hears the words read aloud while following along visually. Some approaches add a physical element like tracing letters while saying the sounds. Research from the National Center for Learning Disabilities confirms that multi-sensory instruction significantly boosts retention and understanding, especially in reading.
At Eden Academy Tutoring, Jacolene uses a specific version of this. She summarises the study material, records herself reading the summary, and the learner listens on their phone while reading along at the same time. Hearing it and seeing it together creates stronger connections between sounds and written words.
Diagnostic Assessment First
Good remedial teaching always starts with figuring out WHERE the problem is. Not all struggling learners have the same gaps. A diagnostic approach identifies whether the issue is decoding, comprehension, fluency, working memory, or something else entirely. Without this step, you are guessing.
Structured Scaffolding
Breaking complex tasks into small manageable steps. Supporting the learner through each step. Then gradually removing the support as they build independence. For a child who freezes when they see a blank page, breaking “write a paragraph” into five tiny steps changes everything.
Teaching in the Home Language
If your child’s home language is Afrikaans but their school teaches in English, they are fighting two battles. Effective remedial support delivers explanations in the language the learner thinks in. This is especially important in the Western Cape where many families are bilingual.
Signs Your Child Might Need Remedial Teaching
Parents often say they “always knew something was off” but did not know what to look for. Here are the warning signs that suggest your child needs remedial support rather than just extra lessons.
Your child avoids reading at all costs. They would rather do anything else than sit down with a book or a worksheet.
Homework takes significantly longer than it should. A 20 minute task turns into an hour long battle every night.
They can tell you the answer out loud but cannot write it down. There is a disconnect between what they know and what they can get onto paper.
Their marks do not match their effort. They study hard but the results never reflect the work they put in.
They are falling behind classmates even though they attend school every day.
Teachers keep saying “they need to try harder” or “pay attention” but the real problem is not effort or focus.
Reading out loud is painful. They skip words, guess words, or read so slowly they lose the meaning.
They confuse similar looking letters like b and d or p and q, especially past Grade 2.
They have been getting extra lessons for months and nothing has improved.
If three or more of these sound familiar, it is worth exploring remedial tutoring with someone who specialises in learning difficulties to find out what is going on beneath the surface.
Is Remedial Teaching Only for Young Children?
No. This is one of the biggest myths in South African education. Remedial support is valuable at every age.
High school learners often benefit the most because the academic pressure is higher and the consequences of falling behind are more immediate. A Grade 11 learner who cannot properly analyse a prescribed text like Onderwêreld or write a structured essay is going to struggle in matric. Remedial teaching at this stage is not about learning to read from scratch. It is about learning strategies that work for your brain so you can tackle complex material with confidence.
Eden Academy Tutoring works with learners from Grade R all the way through Grade 12. Whether your child is 6 or 18, the approach is the same. Find the gap. Understand why it exists. Fix it using a method that fits the learner.
What Does a Remedial Teaching Session Look Like?
Every session looks different because every child is different. But here is what a typical session involves at Eden Academy Tutoring.
It starts with a quick check in. How is the learner feeling? What happened at school this week? A child who is frustrated or anxious is not going to absorb anything until that is addressed first.
From there the focus moves to the targeted area. If a learner struggles with reading, Jacolene uses her summarised audio note method. She takes the study material, strips it down to what matters, records herself reading it, and the learner listens while following along with the text. They hear it and read it at the same time.
For writing difficulties, sessions break the task into small steps with verbal rehearsal before writing. For high school literature, the focus might be on working through the characters and themes of Onderwêreld or Mis using simplified study guides and discussion.
Sessions happen at your home anywhere in the Western Cape or online via WhatsApp and Google Meet.
How to Find a Remedial Teacher in the Western Cape
Finding a good remedial teacher is not as simple as searching for “tutor near me.” You need someone who understands learning difficulties, knows the CAPS curriculum, and has the patience to work at your child’s pace.
| What to Look For | Why It Matters | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| They can explain how remedial teaching differs from extra lessons | If they cannot answer this, they are a general tutor calling themselves remedial | “We just go through the work slower” |
| They offer one on one sessions | Group classes lose the entire point of individualised support | Classes with more than 3 to 4 learners |
| They start with an assessment of your child’s gaps | Without understanding the problem first, they are guessing | They jump straight into content on day one |
| They use different methods, not just the textbook | Multi-sensory, audio, and structured approaches are what make remedial work effective | They open the school textbook and start from page one |
| They are flexible with delivery | Removes the biggest barrier for most families | Fixed centre with rigid hours only |
| They teach in your child’s home language | Learning support works best in the language the learner thinks in | English only when your child thinks in Afrikaans |
A home tutor in the Western Cape who specialises in remedial support can be the difference between your child treading water and actually moving forward.
How Much Does Remedial Teaching Cost in South Africa?
| Type of Support | Approximate Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Private remedial tutor (in person) | R250 to R500 per hour | One on one sessions at your home with personalised methods |
| Private remedial tutor (online) | R200 to R400 per hour | One on one via WhatsApp or Google Meet |
| Remedial learning centre | R500 to R1,500 per month | Small group sessions, usually 2 to 3 times per week |
| Full time remedial school | R3,000 to R12,000+ per month | Smaller classes, on site therapy team, adapted curriculum |
| Educational psychologist assessment | R3,000 to R8,000 (once off) | Full diagnostic assessment to identify learning barriers |
The real question is not what remedial teaching costs. The question is what it costs to do nothing. A child who falls two years behind in reading by Grade 3 is statistically unlikely to catch up without intervention. That gap compounds every year.
The Department of Basic Education recognises learning barriers like dyslexia as areas requiring specialised support. Early intervention is always cheaper and more effective than trying to fix things in Grade 11.
What Makes Eden Academy Different?
There are many tutoring services in the Western Cape but very few that specialise in remedial education the way Eden Academy does.
Jacolene does not follow a script. She assesses each learner individually and builds every session around their specific needs. She uses summarised audio notes for learners with dyslexia and reading difficulties. She works in both English and Afrikaans. She covers literature set works including Onderwêreld and Mis for matric learners. She comes to your home or connects online so there is zero friction for your family.
Your child does not have to keep struggling
If extra lessons are not working and the gap keeps growing, take the first step toward remedial support that actually changes things.
WhatsApp Jacolene on +27 82 580 5051