, INC3701 ASSIGNMENT 04
DUE DATE: JULY 2026
QUESTION 1: Themba Lethu Primary School
1.1 Four key barriers to learning and participation (4)
Several interconnected barriers to learning are evident in the case study, reflecting both
socio-economic and institutional challenges.
Firstly, poverty and food insecurity significantly affect learner concentration and cognitive
functioning. Many learners arrive at school hungry, which reduces attention span, memory
retention, and classroom participation.
Secondly, large class sizes combined with limited resources create an environment where
individual learner needs cannot be adequately addressed. This reduces differentiated
instruction and weakens teacher responsiveness to diverse learning needs.
Thirdly, bullying and unsafe school climate contribute to emotional distress and reduce
learners’ sense of belonging. A hostile peer environment often leads to absenteeism,
anxiety, and disengagement from learning.
Fourthly, negative teacher attitudes towards inclusion, particularly the belief that struggling
learners should be separated, reinforce exclusionary practices that limit access to equitable
learning opportunities (Ainscow, Booth & Dyson, 2006).
1.2 Attitudes and practices: supportive and hindering examples (4)
The school demonstrates both enabling and limiting approaches to inclusion.
DUE DATE: JULY 2026
QUESTION 1: Themba Lethu Primary School
1.1 Four key barriers to learning and participation (4)
Several interconnected barriers to learning are evident in the case study, reflecting both
socio-economic and institutional challenges.
Firstly, poverty and food insecurity significantly affect learner concentration and cognitive
functioning. Many learners arrive at school hungry, which reduces attention span, memory
retention, and classroom participation.
Secondly, large class sizes combined with limited resources create an environment where
individual learner needs cannot be adequately addressed. This reduces differentiated
instruction and weakens teacher responsiveness to diverse learning needs.
Thirdly, bullying and unsafe school climate contribute to emotional distress and reduce
learners’ sense of belonging. A hostile peer environment often leads to absenteeism,
anxiety, and disengagement from learning.
Fourthly, negative teacher attitudes towards inclusion, particularly the belief that struggling
learners should be separated, reinforce exclusionary practices that limit access to equitable
learning opportunities (Ainscow, Booth & Dyson, 2006).
1.2 Attitudes and practices: supportive and hindering examples (4)
The school demonstrates both enabling and limiting approaches to inclusion.
