ISC3701
ASSIGNMENT 5
DUE DATE: 22 SEPT 2025
,ISC3701 ASSIGNMENT 5 2025
PORTFOLIO SEMESTER 2 2025
DUE 22-30 SEPEMBER 2025
Task 1 (20)
Critically analyse the teacher's question in the image: "Are my learners struggling to
learn or am I struggling to teach?" In your response, discuss the potential factors
contributing to learners' struggles and how teachers' practices and attitudes might
influence the learning process. Provide examples to support your answer.
1. What the question exposes
The question is not either/or. Learners may indeed face barriers and at the same time, teachers
may be using plans or methods that are misaligned with learner needs. The implication is a
professional duty to diagnose and adapt to change goals, strategies, materials, interactions and
assessments until more learners succeed (Dick & Carey, 1996:5–7). The reflective tone of the
cartoon (colleagues in a staffroom) also signals that such diagnosis is a collaborative
responsibility, not a private fault-finding exercise.
2. Factors that commonly contribute to learners’ struggles
, 2.1 Contextual and socio-economic barriers
Poverty and the digital divide reduce time-on-task and access to resources e.g. no devices, data
or quiet study spaces . Teachers who set internet-dependent homework without providing
alternatives can inadvertently widen gaps.
Language of learning and teaching (LoLT): In multilingual classes, learners often learn through a
second or third language; comprehension and assessment performance suffer when instruction
does not scaffold language (DBE, 2011).
Large classes/limited resources: Overcrowding, few readers or manipulatives, and limited
teaching time hinder active engagement if the pedagogy remains lecture-heavy.
2.2 Cognitive, affective and diversity-related factors
Different profiles of ability and preference: Gardner’s theory reminds us that learners bring
varied strengths across verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-
kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic intelligences (Gardner,
2009:77; Gardner, 2006:23). When teaching taps only one or two channels, many learners are
left behind.
Learning modes: Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (concrete experience, reflective
observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation) shows that learners benefit
from a full cycle of experiences; skipping stages disadvantages those whose preferred entry
point is different (Kolb & Kolb, 2012:1699).
Psycho-social issues: Anxiety, trauma and low self-efficacy depress engagement and
persistence; punitive climates and public shaming intensify these effects.
2.3 Curriculum and policy history
ASSIGNMENT 5
DUE DATE: 22 SEPT 2025
,ISC3701 ASSIGNMENT 5 2025
PORTFOLIO SEMESTER 2 2025
DUE 22-30 SEPEMBER 2025
Task 1 (20)
Critically analyse the teacher's question in the image: "Are my learners struggling to
learn or am I struggling to teach?" In your response, discuss the potential factors
contributing to learners' struggles and how teachers' practices and attitudes might
influence the learning process. Provide examples to support your answer.
1. What the question exposes
The question is not either/or. Learners may indeed face barriers and at the same time, teachers
may be using plans or methods that are misaligned with learner needs. The implication is a
professional duty to diagnose and adapt to change goals, strategies, materials, interactions and
assessments until more learners succeed (Dick & Carey, 1996:5–7). The reflective tone of the
cartoon (colleagues in a staffroom) also signals that such diagnosis is a collaborative
responsibility, not a private fault-finding exercise.
2. Factors that commonly contribute to learners’ struggles
, 2.1 Contextual and socio-economic barriers
Poverty and the digital divide reduce time-on-task and access to resources e.g. no devices, data
or quiet study spaces . Teachers who set internet-dependent homework without providing
alternatives can inadvertently widen gaps.
Language of learning and teaching (LoLT): In multilingual classes, learners often learn through a
second or third language; comprehension and assessment performance suffer when instruction
does not scaffold language (DBE, 2011).
Large classes/limited resources: Overcrowding, few readers or manipulatives, and limited
teaching time hinder active engagement if the pedagogy remains lecture-heavy.
2.2 Cognitive, affective and diversity-related factors
Different profiles of ability and preference: Gardner’s theory reminds us that learners bring
varied strengths across verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, bodily-
kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic intelligences (Gardner,
2009:77; Gardner, 2006:23). When teaching taps only one or two channels, many learners are
left behind.
Learning modes: Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (concrete experience, reflective
observation, abstract conceptualization, active experimentation) shows that learners benefit
from a full cycle of experiences; skipping stages disadvantages those whose preferred entry
point is different (Kolb & Kolb, 2012:1699).
Psycho-social issues: Anxiety, trauma and low self-efficacy depress engagement and
persistence; punitive climates and public shaming intensify these effects.
2.3 Curriculum and policy history
