Educator as a Mediator of Learning Study Notes
3. Overcoming Barriers to Learning through Mediaton
*inclusive classroom: learners with diferent needs and abilites grouped together
New Policies
South African White Paper No 6 (2001) Special Needs Educaton: Building an Inclusive Educaton and
Training System
= learners with learning impairments and special needs should not be separate from other learners
but supported in main stream schools
Mainstreaming Inclusion
Get all learnings to ft into existng system Recognising and respectng diferences and
building on similarites
Giving some learners support to ft into Learners, educators and system supported to
“normal” class routne (specialists prescribe meet all learning needs (focus on teaching
interventons) and learning strategies that beneft all)
Focus on changing learners to ft in Focus on overcoming barriers in the system
and adaptng to support
= moving away from individual defcit approach and medical model
Barriers to Learning
Aim is not “integraton” but restructuring schools to respond to needs of all children
All learners can achieve success provided the right support
1. Pedagogical
a. Inappropriate/unfair assessment procedures
b. Inflexible curriculum
c. Learning styles
d. LOTL
e. Management and organisaton of classroom
2. Medical
a. Cognitve disabilites and intellectual disabilites
b. Hearing/visual loss
c. Chronic illnesses
d. Learning disabilites, atenton and memory problems
e. Physical disabilites, HIV, Cancer
3. Societal
a. Poverty, gangs, violence at home and in neighbourhoods
b. HL difers from LOTL
c. Abuse, crime, teenage pregnancy
d. Natural disasters and epidemics
e. Gender issues (cultural and societal)
, 4. Systematc
a. Lack of basic and appropriate learning and teaching support materials
b. Lack of assistve devices
c. Inadequate facilites in schools
d. Overcrowded classrooms
e. Lack of mother tongue educators
Socio-Economic Factors
Hungry, frightened abused learners unlikely to learn or be able to do homework
Where possible, social welfare should be approached for help
Wealth communites may also have problems of too much sugar or money = ill health and
access to drugs
Poor communites = lack of resources (libraries), cognitve stmulaton and safety
Some learners work to support family or help at home
To Support:
Important to mediate feelings of competence and focus on goal-seeking, setng and
achieving behaviour
Support by
Improving reading skills
Teach study techniques
Keep learner’s experience, background, needs and expectatons in mind
Medical Factors
Visual Impairment
o Speak in normal voice (note tone, clarity and respect)
o Speak to learner and parent about needs (e.g.: enlarged nets, tape recorders, extra
tme for reading etc.)
o Mediate by:
Describe all actvites
Allowing extra tme
o Support by:
Ensuring teaching mostly verbal
Make use of audio tapes
Enlarge reading material
Use special books and equipment
Supply background informaton
Ensure learner’s physical safety
Acknowledge achievement
Ask for help
o Assessing
More tme to complete
Verbal questons (can be pre-recorded)
Enlarge questons
3. Overcoming Barriers to Learning through Mediaton
*inclusive classroom: learners with diferent needs and abilites grouped together
New Policies
South African White Paper No 6 (2001) Special Needs Educaton: Building an Inclusive Educaton and
Training System
= learners with learning impairments and special needs should not be separate from other learners
but supported in main stream schools
Mainstreaming Inclusion
Get all learnings to ft into existng system Recognising and respectng diferences and
building on similarites
Giving some learners support to ft into Learners, educators and system supported to
“normal” class routne (specialists prescribe meet all learning needs (focus on teaching
interventons) and learning strategies that beneft all)
Focus on changing learners to ft in Focus on overcoming barriers in the system
and adaptng to support
= moving away from individual defcit approach and medical model
Barriers to Learning
Aim is not “integraton” but restructuring schools to respond to needs of all children
All learners can achieve success provided the right support
1. Pedagogical
a. Inappropriate/unfair assessment procedures
b. Inflexible curriculum
c. Learning styles
d. LOTL
e. Management and organisaton of classroom
2. Medical
a. Cognitve disabilites and intellectual disabilites
b. Hearing/visual loss
c. Chronic illnesses
d. Learning disabilites, atenton and memory problems
e. Physical disabilites, HIV, Cancer
3. Societal
a. Poverty, gangs, violence at home and in neighbourhoods
b. HL difers from LOTL
c. Abuse, crime, teenage pregnancy
d. Natural disasters and epidemics
e. Gender issues (cultural and societal)
, 4. Systematc
a. Lack of basic and appropriate learning and teaching support materials
b. Lack of assistve devices
c. Inadequate facilites in schools
d. Overcrowded classrooms
e. Lack of mother tongue educators
Socio-Economic Factors
Hungry, frightened abused learners unlikely to learn or be able to do homework
Where possible, social welfare should be approached for help
Wealth communites may also have problems of too much sugar or money = ill health and
access to drugs
Poor communites = lack of resources (libraries), cognitve stmulaton and safety
Some learners work to support family or help at home
To Support:
Important to mediate feelings of competence and focus on goal-seeking, setng and
achieving behaviour
Support by
Improving reading skills
Teach study techniques
Keep learner’s experience, background, needs and expectatons in mind
Medical Factors
Visual Impairment
o Speak in normal voice (note tone, clarity and respect)
o Speak to learner and parent about needs (e.g.: enlarged nets, tape recorders, extra
tme for reading etc.)
o Mediate by:
Describe all actvites
Allowing extra tme
o Support by:
Ensuring teaching mostly verbal
Make use of audio tapes
Enlarge reading material
Use special books and equipment
Supply background informaton
Ensure learner’s physical safety
Acknowledge achievement
Ask for help
o Assessing
More tme to complete
Verbal questons (can be pre-recorded)
Enlarge questons
