HED4814
ASSIGNMENT 3
ANSWERS 2025
HED4814 ASSIGNMENT 3 ANSWERS
2025
,HED4814 ASSIGNMENT 3
QUESTION 1
1) Cognitive and emotional factors
- Language and cognitive load
- The learner’s home language is isiZulu, while mathematics and science are taught
in English. This creates a substantial language demand in subjects that rely heavily
on precise technical vocabulary and concepts.
- Reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps in English place extra load on
working memory during problem solving. The learner must decode English text,
extract relevant information, translate terms, and simultaneously reason through
mathematics/science tasks.
- Increased cognitive load can hinder concept formation in math and science,
leading to slower progress and contributing to disengagement.
- Conceptual understanding and scaffolding
- Grade 8 involves more abstract reasoning (e.g., algebraic thinking, scientific
explanations). If instruction is not linguistically accessible, the learner may struggle to
construct and connect new concepts to prior knowledge.
- Limited access to varied learning materials reduces multiple representations
(visuals, concrete examples, bilingual glossaries). This restricts opportunities for
conceptual scaffolding and gradual release in the learner’s zone of proximal
development (ZPD).
, - Emotional and motivational factors
- Language barriers coupled with poor classroom participation can foster a sense of
isolation and reduced belongingness in class.
- Anxiety related to speaking up in English, fear of making mistakes, and perceived
inability to keep up can create an affective filter that further impedes language and
content acquisition.
- Lower self-efficacy in Maths/Science under an English-medium LOLT can lead to
avoidance strategies and reduced effort, perpetuating underachievement.
2) Social and environmental influences
- Classroom environment and resources
- Overcrowding means less individualized attention, fewer opportunities for
formative feedback, and increased classroom management challenges. This limits
the teacher’s ability to differentiate instruction or provide timely linguistic/scaffolding
support.
- Limited access to learning materials (textbooks, worksheets, manipulatives, and
digital resources) restricts exposure to language and concepts in multiple modalities,
which would aid comprehension and retention.
- Language ecology and instructional practices
- The mismatch between home language (isiZulu) and school language (English)
creates a sociolinguistic barrier. If the classroom relies heavily on English without
sufficient translanguaging strategies, the learner may feel linguistically alienated.
- Teacher language proficiency and pedagogical approaches influence how well
content is made accessible. Without explicit bilingual supports or culturally
responsive teaching, the learner may struggle to connect new content to prior
knowledge.
ASSIGNMENT 3
ANSWERS 2025
HED4814 ASSIGNMENT 3 ANSWERS
2025
,HED4814 ASSIGNMENT 3
QUESTION 1
1) Cognitive and emotional factors
- Language and cognitive load
- The learner’s home language is isiZulu, while mathematics and science are taught
in English. This creates a substantial language demand in subjects that rely heavily
on precise technical vocabulary and concepts.
- Reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps in English place extra load on
working memory during problem solving. The learner must decode English text,
extract relevant information, translate terms, and simultaneously reason through
mathematics/science tasks.
- Increased cognitive load can hinder concept formation in math and science,
leading to slower progress and contributing to disengagement.
- Conceptual understanding and scaffolding
- Grade 8 involves more abstract reasoning (e.g., algebraic thinking, scientific
explanations). If instruction is not linguistically accessible, the learner may struggle to
construct and connect new concepts to prior knowledge.
- Limited access to varied learning materials reduces multiple representations
(visuals, concrete examples, bilingual glossaries). This restricts opportunities for
conceptual scaffolding and gradual release in the learner’s zone of proximal
development (ZPD).
, - Emotional and motivational factors
- Language barriers coupled with poor classroom participation can foster a sense of
isolation and reduced belongingness in class.
- Anxiety related to speaking up in English, fear of making mistakes, and perceived
inability to keep up can create an affective filter that further impedes language and
content acquisition.
- Lower self-efficacy in Maths/Science under an English-medium LOLT can lead to
avoidance strategies and reduced effort, perpetuating underachievement.
2) Social and environmental influences
- Classroom environment and resources
- Overcrowding means less individualized attention, fewer opportunities for
formative feedback, and increased classroom management challenges. This limits
the teacher’s ability to differentiate instruction or provide timely linguistic/scaffolding
support.
- Limited access to learning materials (textbooks, worksheets, manipulatives, and
digital resources) restricts exposure to language and concepts in multiple modalities,
which would aid comprehension and retention.
- Language ecology and instructional practices
- The mismatch between home language (isiZulu) and school language (English)
creates a sociolinguistic barrier. If the classroom relies heavily on English without
sufficient translanguaging strategies, the learner may feel linguistically alienated.
- Teacher language proficiency and pedagogical approaches influence how well
content is made accessible. Without explicit bilingual supports or culturally
responsive teaching, the learner may struggle to connect new content to prior
knowledge.
