What makes a successful student? free writing sample (2023)

As used in the research question, barriers to learning is a term used to describe why students fail to learn compared to others. H. Howell (2007) suggests that learning barriers is a term used to indicate special attention that symbolizes a medical or deficient approach to pedagogical complications and the search for difficulties in a student. Howell goes on to argue that learning complications can arise from many factors, namely intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to learning

Sensory, physical and neurological deficiencies, psychosocial disorders and different intellectual abilities are some factors that fall under intrinsic barriers.

Factors that arise outside of the student are called extrinsic barriers, however these factors affect the learning of the students in question. Extrinsic barriers are, in most cases, influenced by social, economic and cultural factors. If the student's mother tongue is not used in the school they attend due to barriers, this can also affect the student and therefore fall into external barriers. The most common factor is social problems, such as impoverishment and insufficient community security, which prevent students from enjoying their learning experience.

These barriers to learning are understood to be the result of students' confusing interaction with their particular situation or environment and, in most cases, involve the realities of disability, social financial constraints, and broader societal issues, including values. D. Feldman, P. Gordon, and H. Snyman (2001) suggest that learning barriers faced by students vary by family and therefore need to be addressed differently.

According to MF Giangreco (1997), CR Morgan and MA Demchak (1998), students who experience learning barriers should be placed in neighboring 'special school' schools and taught alongside other students who have similar problems as their own. These regular inclusive classrooms represent diverse learning needs and appropriate support for all students. M. Rouse and L. Florian (1996) suggest that educators should avoid capturing knowledge and understanding of the barriers students face, but should instead practice student inclusion, for example, when a student is visually impaired. , the teacher should try harder or try to put the student in the front row of the classroom, the school should also accommodate people with physical disabilities, for example B. Create ramps to help them get from one place to another.

Examples of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to learning

neurological conditions

There are many disabilities that affect students, some may only last for a limited period of time, while others may last a lifetime. Deficiencies inevitably affect a specific part of the body, and in some cases the entire body. According to T. Alexander (2004), perceptual difficulties are one of the many symptoms of a student with physical difficulties or neurological diseases. Alexander further argues that many students have difficulty absorbing information through sight and hearing, while others can see or hear but may have trouble processing incoming information. Reading and writing is one of the many difficulties caused by neurological diseases.

Language and communication difficulties are also one of the many difficulties experienced by students with neurological disorders. Students who cannot communicate effectively through speech, who stutter, or who have other speech and language problems are among those who are deaf or need hearing aids.

sensory deficits

Sensory impairment occurs when the person no longer perceives the normal senses, such as sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, and spatial perception. For example, people who wear glasses to read or see have vision problems, and people who use hearing aids or have hearing problems are considered hard of hearing. A common difficulty faced by students is conductive hearing loss, when sound is not efficiently directed through the outer or middle ear. In most cases, however, this can be corrected with medication or surgery. Conductive hearing loss can be caused by earwax, fluid in the middle ear, or an ear infection.

Poverty

When a person has no income or does not have enough material assets to meet their needs, this is known as poverty. Political or economic and social elements are factors associated with poverty. Simply put, poverty is when people are unable to achieve a minimum level or standard of living compared to others. T. Pogge (2005) argues that despite a high and rising global average income, many people will still experience long periods of severe poverty, leading to complications such as social exclusion, illiteracy, poor health, addiction and slavery. effective. JB Gunn and GJ Duncan (1997) suggest that although many studies have described the relationship between family and poverty and student well-being, performance and behaviour, few measure the impact of the depth and duration of poverty on children and many neglect to adapt. for other family characteristics such as education, female head of household, and maternal age, which may explain much of the correlation between poverty and child outcomes.

inflexible curriculum

To know what a rigid resume is, you need to know what a flexible resume or resume is. The content and lessons taught in a school or in a specific course or program are called the curriculum. This term also refers to the knowledge and skills that students are expected to learn, which may include learning standards or learning objectives that students are expected to meet. Many studies show that an inflexible curriculum is one that cannot be changed to meet the needs of teachers or students. Additionally, an inflexible curriculum does not allow students to find their own strengths and interests or change starting points as needed or necessary; moreover, an inflexible curriculum cannot be distorted in such a way as to allow students to expand some type of disciplinary perspective necessary to address the key issues that address contemporary problems of society in the 21st century. E.J Jelsing and N. Lachman (2007) conducted research on curriculum flexibility and the results were surprising. Lachman and Jelsing suggest that although many components of a flexible curriculum do not appear to affect perceived learning and satisfaction, it actually promotes patient-centered, creative thinkers and compassionate leaders.

How previous intrinsic and extrinsic barriers affect learning

Students with neurological disorders are more likely to get sick more frequently, causing them to stay home and miss class. The illness can be triggered by the daily stress of the student and in most cases caused by the flickering or flickering of lights, such as on computer screens or presentations. This can lead to epilepsy, which can damage the student for life. Studies show that neurological disorders can trigger bullying, as students with neurological disorders are sometimes labeled "abnormal" and when bullying continues, the affected student is more likely to withdraw from daily activities and display patterns of bullying. behavior that also interfere with learning.
W. Dunn (1997) points out that a student with sensory impairments may not be able to learn about their environment or surroundings and in most cases the affected student appears indifferent or clumsy. Dunn goes on to argue that because humans are self-interested creatures and have behavior patterns to support their achievement needs, sensory impairments affect learner behavior patterns and response to daily activities. The senses are considered an essential factor that creates the motivation to act. Studies also show which areas of development may be affected by vision loss. Sensory impairments affect the social lifestyle of students, as affected children are unable to pick up on non-verbal cues and, in most cases, are unable to make eye contact and may appear uninterested.

E. Jenson (2013) argues that poverty plays an important role in student progress, Jenson also reviews several studies that suggest that a person's intelligence is related to their health, because if a student is poor, they will not . they have money to buy their medicines, which will lead to the growth of diseases like ear infections and hearing loss. Jenson also argues that diet also plays a role, as students who grow up in poor families are more likely to be exposed to foods with lower nutritional value. If the student eats a nutrient-poor breakfast, it will affect their gray matter in the student's brain. Walker, D, Greenwood, C, Hart, B, and Carta, J (1994) argue that students growing up in low socioeconomic backgrounds generally have lower vocabulary than average class students, increasing their risk of academic failure.

Implications of this for education in the South African context

Because South Africa is such a diverse nation with students with special needs, a new constitution has been drafted that emphasizes respect for the rights of all. This implies an inclusive approach to education, which indirectly means that students have the right to an adequate education, previously in southern Africa there was not one system that suited all students. Many classrooms had students with a wide range of special educational needs. The difference, however, is that today's students have the right to access a curriculum that meets their learning needs. The nature of the curriculum and the role of teachers, parents and communities in the education of all students is one of the few implications in the South African context.

In summary, it can be said that the barriers do not reside only in the student, but also concern factors such as socio-ecological aspects. The above essay establishes the two barriers, intrinsic and extrinsic, that create difficulties for students in school; however, implications have been introduced in the South African context to help these students in need.