slow student

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slow student" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a student who takes longer to grasp concepts or complete assignments compared to their peers. Example: "Despite being a slow student, she showed great determination and eventually excelled in her studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

DENISE GRADY Iran Is a Slow Student It's hard to find much good news about the Iranian nuclear program -- until you recall the predictions of a few years ago.

The New York Times

Then, he looked at me the way a teacher might regard a slow student and asked, "What is it about your butter?" As a monthly New York-Paris commuter, I already had an inkling.

The New York Times - Food

But alas, when Mr. Nolte's voice begins in "Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film," which has its premiere tonight on Starz, he sounds less like an outlaw than a slightly slow student who doesn't understand the words he is reading.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

And although some of the president's supporters have been found to have had links with the paramilitaries, there is no evidence that Mr Uribe himself knew of them.José Obdulio Gaviria, an adviser to Mr Uribe, says Colombia's government will have to keep repeating its message over and over until it gets through, just as if it were dealing with "slow students".

The Economist

And even if Colombia's message does at last get through to Washington's "slow students", the trade agreement may still fall victim to the Democrats' general lack of enthusiasm for free trade.Mr Uribe says he cannot allow Colombia to be treated as a "servant" of the United States.

The Economist

Consider the following situation: Few people will dispute the idea that top and clever students tend to get better scores than average students than slow students in many school subjects.

Language Testing in Asia

It doesn't matter whether I have a classroom full of bright students or slow students, rich students or poor students, ambitious students or lazy students -- I will still show up and do my job the best I know how.

Huffington Post

Our findings mirror recent reports that disagreements between doctoral student-mentor pairs slow students' progress and increase attrition rates among doctoral students [ 12].

BMC Medical Education

The high attrition rate of students from the biology major has been attributed in large part to students' failure to connect intellectually with the subject, and the traditional mode of teaching introductory courses itself can slow students' development of higher-order thinking skills (e.g., analysis, synthesis, evaluation; Bloom et al., 1956).

CBE Life Sciences Education

Piggy-backing on the recent launch (and massive funding) of SoFi, a new startup is launching today that wants to breathe some fresh air into the broken, complex and molasses-slow student loan system.

TechCrunch

The departure came after Apollo had to revise earnings projections downward in recent months, amid slowing student enrollment.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the term "slow student", consider the context and whether a more specific and sensitive term like "student with learning differences" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Don't assume that a "slow student" is simply less intelligent. Learning difficulties can stem from various factors, including learning disabilities, lack of resources, or different learning styles.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slow student" functions as a noun phrase, where "slow" modifies the noun "student". It's used to describe a student who learns or progresses at a pace slower than average. Ludwig AI confirms its usage in different contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "slow student" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a student who learns at a slower pace. While it appears across various contexts, including News & Media and Science, it's important to be mindful of its potential negative implications. Ludwig AI's analysis suggests opting for more specific and sensitive alternatives like "struggling learner" or "student with learning difficulties" in professional or educational settings. Remember that learning speed doesn't define a student's overall potential, and various factors can influence their academic progress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

struggling learner

Focuses on the difficulty the student is experiencing.

less advanced student

Emphasizes the student's current level relative to others.

student with learning difficulties

Highlights the presence of specific learning challenges.

student who learns at a slower pace

Explicitly states the difference in learning speed.

developmentally delayed student

Indicates a broader delay in developmental milestones.

academically challenged student

Focuses on academic difficulties.

student needing extra support

Highlights the need for additional assistance.

remedial student

Suggests the need for specific corrective measures.

student with special needs

Implies the presence of specific educational requirements.

less quick learner

Emphasizes the student's speed in learning new concepts.

FAQs

What does it mean to describe someone as a "slow student"?

Describing someone as a "slow student" means they generally take more time to understand concepts or complete assignments compared to their peers. This doesn't necessarily reflect their overall intelligence, but rather their learning pace.

Are there more sensitive terms than "slow student"?

Yes, depending on the context, consider using terms like "struggling learner", "student with learning difficulties", or "student who learns at a slower pace" for greater sensitivity.

What factors might contribute to a student being labeled a "slow student"?

Various factors can contribute, including undiagnosed learning disabilities, different learning styles, lack of adequate support, or external factors affecting concentration and focus.

Is it appropriate to use the term "slow student" in formal educational settings?

While the term is understood, it may be perceived as negative. It's often more professional and constructive to use specific descriptions of the student's needs or challenges, such as "student needing extra support" or to refer to specific learning differences.