Assignment 3 2025
Unique #
Due Date: 11 September 2025
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
+27 81 278 3372
, QUESTION 1: SCENARIO-BASED ANALYSIS OF LEARNER CHALLENGES
Introduction
A Grade 8 learner in a South African public school faces several academic and
personal challenges that affect learning. The learner speaks isiZulu at home, while
English is the main language of teaching at school. This language gap, combined
with low participation, difficulties in mathematics and science, overcrowded
classrooms, and limited access to resources, creates barriers to progress. The
analysis below explores these challenges through psychological and contextual
frameworks, focusing on cognitive and emotional factors, social and environmental
influences, and historical and cultural dimensions.
1. Cognitive and Emotional Factors
Cognitive development strongly influences how learners understand and retain new
concepts. According to Piaget’s theory, Grade 8 learners are usually in the formal
operational stage, where abstract reasoning begins to develop (Santrock, 2019).
However, the learner’s struggles in mathematics and science may indicate difficulties
in moving from concrete to abstract reasoning, especially when instruction occurs in
a second language. Cognitive load theory also suggests that learning in a non-native
language increases working memory demands, leaving fewer mental resources for
understanding subject content (Sweller et al., 2019).
Emotionally, low participation in class can reflect reduced self-esteem and self-
efficacy. Bandura’s social cognitive theory highlights that learners who doubt their
abilities avoid challenges, which can lead to a cycle of underachievement (Bandura,
1997). The learner may feel anxious or frustrated when asked to participate, fearing
mistakes in English. This emotional barrier can lower motivation and limit
engagement with difficult subjects. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs also applies here: if
a learner’s need for belonging and confidence is not met, self-actualisation through
learning becomes difficult (Maslow, 1943/1987).
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372