IFP3701
Assignment 6 PORTFOLIO 2026
Unique number:
Due date: 26 October 2026
QUESTION 1: MATHEMATICS BARRIERS AND INCLUSIVE SUPPORT
1.1 Media briefing for teachers
Every Learner Can Learn Mathematics: Understanding Barriers in the
Foundation Phase
A barrier to learning is anything that makes it difficult for a learner to access
teaching, participate in activities or show what has been learned. Such barriers can
arise from the learner’s development or from teaching methods, language, resources
and classroom conditions. The important question is what support will make learning
possible, rather than who should be blamed for poor marks (IFP3701 Study guide,
2020, p. 18).
, QUESTION 1: MATHEMATICS BARRIERS AND INCLUSIVE SUPPORT
1.1 Media briefing for teachers
Every Learner Can Learn Mathematics: Understanding Barriers in the
Foundation Phase
A barrier to learning is anything that makes it difficult for a learner to access
teaching, participate in activities or show what has been learned. Such barriers can
arise from the learner’s development or from teaching methods, language, resources
and classroom conditions. The important question is what support will make learning
possible, rather than who should be blamed for poor marks (IFP3701 Study guide,
2020, p. 18).
Three Mathematics barriers
Number concept and perceptual difficulties. Some learners have trouble matching
one object to one count, noticing number relationships or following the correct order
of numbers. They may repeatedly recount the same objects or find it hard to link a
group of counters to a written number symbol. These difficulties can affect addition,
subtraction and later problem-solving (IFP3701 Study guide, 2020, p. 41).
Language barriers. Learners may know how to count but still misunderstand
instructions containing words such as fewer, more than, equal or altogether. A child
learning through an additional language can therefore give an incorrect answer
because the question was not understood, rather than because the Mathematics is
too difficult (Nel et al., 2016).
Mathematics anxiety. A learner who is regularly embarrassed by wrong answers may
stop putting up a hand, avoid group tasks and rush through written work. Fear
reduces the opportunities that children have to explain their thinking, ask questions
and learn from mistakes (IFP3701 Study guide, 2020, p. 39).
Message to schools
A learner who is finding Mathematics difficult is not a learner who is unable to learn,
because the difficulty may change when teaching and support change. Schools
Assignment 6 PORTFOLIO 2026
Unique number:
Due date: 26 October 2026
QUESTION 1: MATHEMATICS BARRIERS AND INCLUSIVE SUPPORT
1.1 Media briefing for teachers
Every Learner Can Learn Mathematics: Understanding Barriers in the
Foundation Phase
A barrier to learning is anything that makes it difficult for a learner to access
teaching, participate in activities or show what has been learned. Such barriers can
arise from the learner’s development or from teaching methods, language, resources
and classroom conditions. The important question is what support will make learning
possible, rather than who should be blamed for poor marks (IFP3701 Study guide,
2020, p. 18).
, QUESTION 1: MATHEMATICS BARRIERS AND INCLUSIVE SUPPORT
1.1 Media briefing for teachers
Every Learner Can Learn Mathematics: Understanding Barriers in the
Foundation Phase
A barrier to learning is anything that makes it difficult for a learner to access
teaching, participate in activities or show what has been learned. Such barriers can
arise from the learner’s development or from teaching methods, language, resources
and classroom conditions. The important question is what support will make learning
possible, rather than who should be blamed for poor marks (IFP3701 Study guide,
2020, p. 18).
Three Mathematics barriers
Number concept and perceptual difficulties. Some learners have trouble matching
one object to one count, noticing number relationships or following the correct order
of numbers. They may repeatedly recount the same objects or find it hard to link a
group of counters to a written number symbol. These difficulties can affect addition,
subtraction and later problem-solving (IFP3701 Study guide, 2020, p. 41).
Language barriers. Learners may know how to count but still misunderstand
instructions containing words such as fewer, more than, equal or altogether. A child
learning through an additional language can therefore give an incorrect answer
because the question was not understood, rather than because the Mathematics is
too difficult (Nel et al., 2016).
Mathematics anxiety. A learner who is regularly embarrassed by wrong answers may
stop putting up a hand, avoid group tasks and rush through written work. Fear
reduces the opportunities that children have to explain their thinking, ask questions
and learn from mistakes (IFP3701 Study guide, 2020, p. 39).
Message to schools
A learner who is finding Mathematics difficult is not a learner who is unable to learn,
because the difficulty may change when teaching and support change. Schools
