Inclusive Education and Barriers to Learning

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I will shed light on the concept of Inclusive Education and delve into the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers that impede learning and development. Education in post-apartheid South Africa faces challenges in realizing constitutional values such as equality, freedom from discrimination, and the right to a basic education for all learners, especially those encountering barriers to learning.

To address these challenges and align with the global trend of inclusivity, South Africa has implemented legislation and policies establishing an inclusive education system.

Inclusion involves integrating learners who faced segregation due to barriers to learning into regular schools. These schools undergo transformations to provide the necessary support, fostering access and participation.

Understanding Inclusive Education

Inclusive education, as defined by Inclusion BC, entails students attending and being welcomed by neighborhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes. It emphasizes creating an environment where all students learn, contribute, and participate in various school activities. The Department of Basic Education in South Africa is committed to building an inclusive education system, as outlined in Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education System, 2001.

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This inclusive system aims to facilitate the inclusion of vulnerable learners and reduce barriers to learning through targeted support structures, enhancing the retention of learners in the education system.

The Benefits of Inclusive Education

All children, regardless of their background or abilities, stand to benefit from inclusive education. This approach allows for the development of individual strengths and gifts, with high expectations for each child. It fosters a culture of respect and belonging, providing opportunities to learn about and accept individual differences, thus diminishing the impact of harassment and bullying.

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Moreover, inclusive education encourages the involvement of parents in their children's education and in the activities of local schools. It creates an environment where students develop friendships with a diverse range of peers, positively impacting both the school and the community by promoting diversity and inclusion on a broader scale.

The Importance of Inclusive Education

Inclusive education is crucial because it aligns with the values of diverse South African communities. Schools serve as the starting point for fostering an understanding of living alongside peers, learning together, playing together, and growing together. While there may be exceptions where some students need specific support outside regular classes, inclusive education aims to address individual needs through personalized plans within the community school.

Expectations include schools providing plans to support teachers and students through inclusive practices such as collaboration, teamwork, innovative instructional methods, and peer strategies.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Barriers to Learning

Intrinsic Barriers

Intrinsic barriers encompass physical, sensory, neurological, and developmental impairments, chronic illness, psychosocial disturbances, and varying intellectual abilities. These factors pose challenges to learners' engagement and progress within the education system.

Physical and physiological impairments, such as congenital disabilities or acquired conditions, may become disabilities if society and the education system do not make provisions for these learners. Additionally, genetic factors and brain damage can contribute to intrinsic barriers, affecting a student's ability to learn and participate effectively in a traditional classroom setting.

Personality factors, particularly temperament and unsatisfied emotional needs, can also present intrinsic barriers. Students with specific personality traits may find it challenging to adapt to conventional teaching methods, necessitating tailored approaches to cater to their unique emotional and learning requirements.

Extrinsic Barriers

Extrinsic barriers arise outside the learner but significantly impact their learning. Factors such as family dynamics, cultural, social, and economic contexts can contribute to these barriers. Family-related issues like lack of parental involvement, divorce, death, and violence can hinder a student's educational journey. Additionally, schools themselves may become barriers if they fail to use the learners' mother tongue for teaching or create unsafe environments.

Learners experience these barriers differently based on their family, school facilitation of access and participation, and the resources available in their communities and societies.

Factors contributing to Intrinsic Barriers

  • Physical/physiological impairments (impairments, genetic factors, brain damage)
  • Personality factors, including temperament and unsatisfied emotional needs

Factors contributing to Extrinsic Barriers

  • Unfavorable socioeconomic circumstances
  • Urban areas (apartments, little supervision)
  • Rural environments (poor school attendance)
  • Prosperous areas (boredom, drugs, pressure)
  • Poor teaching (lack of qualifications, unmotivated or lazy)
  • Incomplete participation on the part of learners
  • Inappropriate study material
  • Inefficient school organization
  • Crowded classrooms
  • Language barriers (teaching in non-home language)
  • Cultural differences that need accommodation
  • Limited job prospects leading to discouragement and underachievement

Addressing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Barriers

Support for learners facing intrinsic and extrinsic barriers involves a comprehensive approach. Inclusive practice plays a pivotal role in dismantling these barriers and fostering an environment where every student can thrive. Inclusive practice encompasses strategies, technical support, structures, and procedures applied to include learners facing barriers to learning.

Moreover, schools must encourage a variety of classroom practices that acknowledge the diversity among learners and differentiate according to individual learning needs. By sharing successful strategies, schools can learn from one another, creating a rich repertoire of approaches to address barriers to learning and provide quality education for all learners.

Conclusion

In conclusion, schools need to adopt diverse classroom practices that recognize the diversity among learners and differentiate according to individual learning needs. Encouraging inclusive practices, such as collaboration and innovative instructional methods, can help address barriers to learning and provide quality education for all students. By fostering an inclusive culture, South African schools can create an environment where every student can thrive. Thank you.

Updated: Dec 15, 2023
Cite this page

Inclusive Education and Barriers to Learning. (2016, May 01). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/intrinsic-and-extrinsic-barriers-in-education-essay

Inclusive Education and Barriers to Learning essay
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