There are generally one or two gifted students in classes, and they are often stymied by the slow pace of learning. While there are now programs to get them out of the normal learning situation and into one where they can excel, the students left behind may still have issues. Some of them will learn at the normally expected pace, but others will struggle with even the simplest concepts being taught. Helping students learn is a part of the educational system, and schools today have begun to recognize some students will not be able to keep up with the majority of their peers.
Not all students with slower learning capacity are singled out as less intelligent, and many of them may excel in subjects not taught in the normal curriculum. Their focus on learning is outside the classroom, but they must pass their grade expectations to get further in school. Graduation may seem to them like a far away dream that will never occur, and it can be a depressing way to go through life as a youngster. Helping them absorb knowledge at their own pace is one way to alleviate the learning burden.
There seem to be subjects where the majority of students have difficulty, but some students find those classes easier. They may find a class where others seem to inhale the subject matter to be difficult, and it can create learning and social issues for them. Not being part of the group in a class has always been a path to being an outsider, and modern educators have recognized it.
Helping students learn can take many different avenues, and some students are given supplemental teaching to get them past their stumbling blocks. Other students have been taken out of regular classes so they can get concentrated lessons from professionals able to help them compensate for their learning difficulties.