FET PHASE

ASSIGNMENT 2 Unique number: 683975

ETH306W

Question 1

1.1

 Systematically move away from using segregation according to categories

of disabilities as an organising principle for institutions.
 Base the provision of education for learners with disabilities on the intensity
of support needed to overcome the debilitating impact of those disabilities.
 Place an emphasis on supporting learners through full-service schools that
will have a bias towards particular disabilities depending on need and
support.
 Promote equal opportunities, equal access to education, equal rights; non-
discrimination, accommodation of needs of diverse learners.
 Indicate how learners with disability will be identified, assessed and
incorporated into special, full-service and ordinary schools in an incremental
manner.
 Introduce strategies and interventions that will assist educators to cope with
a diversity of learning and teaching needs to ensure that transitory learning
difficulties are ameliorated.
 Give direction for the Education Support System needed.
 Provide clear signals about how current special schools will serve identified
disabled learners on site and also serve as a resource to educators and
schools in the area.
 Educational needs for the system to change; needs and priorities that need
to be addressed so that the system can react effectively to diversity in
learner population
 Curriculum to be flexible, accessible and inclusive
Question 1.2

INTRINSIC BARRIERS EXTRINSIC BARRIERS

Birth defects Socio-economic barriers
Intellectual impairments Inflexible curriculum
Physical impairments Lack of parental recognition and
involvement
Sensory Impairments Inaccessible and Unsafe environment
Behavioural problems Disability

1.3

1.3.1 Discriminating attitudes – if learners label each other it brings a negative

effect on the self-image of learners. Labelling occurs when learners are placed in
special schools or when excluded from mainstream education that is when
learners are categorized. Learners are thus denied education based on negative
assumptions.

1.3.2 Inflexible curriculum – it is a designed curriculum that does not take

cognizance of diverse learners causing learning to fail. If teachers are
inadequately trained they may use teaching styles that handicap the initiative and
involvement of learners and what is taught by the curriculum may not be
applicable to the situation in which learners find themselves in.

1.3.4 Inapplicable and inadequate provision of support services – the labelling

and categorization of learners have caused educational services to be focused on
the incompetence’s of learners when assessed rather than on the barriers in the
system, such as poor and stereotyped teaching methods. Eventually learners are
placed in special schools rather than to confront the problems of that specific
learning environment. In some areas like rural areas there is no provision of
support services.

1.4
 Disability
Is the social restrictions and
constraints imposed on persons with
impairments in their pursuit of full and
equal participation
e.g. blindness
Impairment
Refers to the persons specific deficit, a
permanent physical or mental deficit
that the person concerned has to
accept
e.g. wheelchair bound persons

1.5.1 If the Family has a higher Socio-economic status according to [CITATION

Tur86 \p 33-38 \l 1033 ] they tend to struggle to cope as they are result orientated and
see the child as a disappointment, but those in the lower socio-economic status
groups tend to cope and esteem achievement less than other values such as
family closeness or happiness.

1.5.2 A passive, obedient learner with downs syndrome may cause less stress
compared to a frustrated deaf learner who fail to be understood or an emotionally
disturbed child who continually disrupts home routine and causes problems in the
community. While the degree of impairment is an important factor, it is difficult to
predict whether parents will be able to adjust more adequately to mild or severe
problems [CITATION Riz79 \p 401 \l 1033 ]

1.5.3 Parents who themselves do not feel well or have some ailment may find it
difficult to cope with a learner with physical or physiological impairment. Learners
who experience barriers to learning may produce stress that triggers
psychological responses in the parents that may make them ill. Whether the
physical problem is caused by worry about the learners’ exceptionality or whether
it has another source, the result will always be the same that is reduced ability to
cope.
1.6.1 Parents often deny that there is a physical or psychological impairment.
These type of parents do nothing about the impairment and hope everything will
come right eventually. Denial can be productive in nature as some parents have
refused advice from professionals and gone do it their own way with much
acclaimed success.

1.6.2 Parents sometimes give their children more protection than the reality of the
situation demands. Excessive protection, more so by the mother is normally based
on distortion of the real needs of the learner. Such type of learners do not become
independent of others and will always be dependent on other people to organize
their lives.

16.3 Sometimes parents reacts angrily to the learner’s physical impairment, even
towards those willing to give them positive advice. Anger is hurtful and does not
improve the matter. So parents must learn to control their anger as this will relieve
tension and focus on the activities that benefit the learner

1.6.4 Many a parents feel guilty and try to blame themselves for the learner’s
physical or physiological impairment. Some even look for causes in their
ancestors and blame each other. Parents need to understand that nobody should
be blamed for the impairment

QUESTION 2

2.1.1 It is sometimes possible to deduce from a person’s voice the type of hearing
loss from which they suffer. A person suffering from conductive hearing loss hears
badly through air conduction and relatively better through bone conduction. Often
such individuals think that they are speaking loudly and disturbing others, hence
the tendency to lower the voice and speak softly. Those who suffer from
conductive hearing have no difficulty in following speech provided that it is loud
enough. Their loss of hearing is approximately the same for all frequencies.
Sufferers from conductive hearing loss often suffer complain of continued buzzing
sounds in the head and ear (tinnitus). These conditions are caused by a
continuous irritation of the Corti organ. In very noisy surroundings person suffering
from conductive hearing loss characteristically hear even better than normal
people.

2.1.2 Learners will show the following behavioural patterns:

Rubs eyes excessively

Shuts or covers one eye; tilts head or thrusts it forward

Has difficulty reading or doing other work requiring close use of the eyes

Confuses letters of similar shapes such as B, D or R, P

Has poor spacing when writing

2.2

Look out for warning signs and take learner to an isolated, safe place, where
learner can lie down and be safe

Prevent the child from falling if possible

Must not prevent movements of the body

Turn learner on one side so that excessive saliva, foaming at the mouth, may run
out freely and not clog air passage, which may lead to choking.

Learner’s clothes must be loose around the neck and waist

Guard against panic and alarm

Seek medical assistance where necessary

Inform the parents of the affected child as soon as any seizure

2.3

Reading periods and reading instruction should always take place in a relaxed
atmosphere

Reading passages should be short, but increased gradually as learners reading

ability increases

Do not let learners fall behind the rest of the class in the prescribed reading book

Schools should make provision for reading periods where learners can practice in
a controlled manner

Reading together aloud to learners can be done as a change.

Question 4

4.1 The need for love and affection

The child wish that the parents liked him/her as they did when younger

The child will frequently express the need to sit next to his teacher or
physically close to the parent

The learner will demand demonstrations of love and affection, frequently

wanting to hold his teachers/parents hand.

Learners may show an unusual display of affection towards animals, dolls

or toys

Rewards for efforts, to stimulate milestones must be done

4.2 The need for security

Consistent discipline, whether it tends to be strict or lenient will have an impact on

learners feelings of insecurity

Human relationships enable the child to develop a personal identity and

consequently fosters a sense of security. The need for safety can be met by a
measured freedom instead of an unbounded freedom.

People feelings of self-worth can be stimulated by allowing them to express

themselves, to enjoy their individuality and acknowledge their knowledge of self
determination

The teacher must act in loco parentis during the many hours the child is at school
and not at home and the teacher must meet the role of providing learner with
needs of love and security.

Learners will care for others if they see their role models ‘parents and teachers’
exhibiting the same qualities

4.3 The need for positive self-concept and an understanding of the lifeworld

Most learner’s negative thoughts and feelings about themselves are built from
adults evaluations and once formed it is difficult to reverse

Lack of knowledge reduces a child’s faith in themselves and knowing things gives
them self-confidence. Sometimes they do not know what to ask, if they ask they
don’t get the answers. The questions that teachers and parents shy away from are
those that relate to sex, race relations, politics, and religion. Learners may feel
insecure and rejected if information is kept from them, they become discouraged
and confused.

They experience confusion in regards to personal beliefs and values, a confusion

aggravated by the diverse perceptions that others hold and are conveyed to them
by others. An insecure child will accept the opinions of others and influenced by
peer pressure groups.
Teachers and parents must play a meaningful role in in shaping the learner’s
understanding.

4.4 The need for self-actualisation.

Parents and teachers must assist learners in developing their potential abilities.

Self-actualisation is the process of becoming all one is capable of being, making

full use of one’s abilities, talents and potential

If not attained learners will misbehave:

Attention getting behavior – disruptive in class or rely on others instead of

being independent

Power struggle – takes place between a learner and parent or teacher. If

limits and decisions are not made, teachers find themselves in a power
struggle with learners.

Revenge-seeking – behavior that occurs when one is hurt and wants to get
back at someone

Display inadequacy – behaviour that takes place when a learner wants to

avoid something, while the underlying message is in fact a cry for help.[5]

4.5 The need for responsibility

Parents, society and school must provide a platform and sufficient training
and guidance on how to act responsibly and independently.

If learners are not given opportunities to take responsibility for their own
actions, they will not realise that choices they make have consequences

Teachers and parents must keep in mind that it is necessary to distinguish

between disapproving of the child’s behaviour and disapproving of the child
completely. Adults have a responsibility to share their experiences, values,
 concerns and ambitions in a constructive manner, as learners model their
behaviour on their role models. Learners must be given responsibility, under
adult guidance, so they learn to act responsibly

Learner-centred teaching style provides learners with opportunities for

involvement and cooperation, so they can plan their activities in accordance
with their interests and levels of ability.

The curriculum must relate to real life situations, in order to prepare learners
to interact more effectively

Bibliography

Weeks, D. F. (2006). Special Educational Needs. Pretoria: University of South Africa.