The exosystem and the child with barriers to learning

As mentioned in section 2.2.3, the exosystem refers to various factors that impact on the child’s microsystem. This study elaborates on the ripple effects that these factors have on the development of the child with barriers to learning. Although the exosystem does not have a direct influence on the child, circumstances in the lives of people closest to the child can cause an impact on the development of the child. The child may not even know anything about these influences and their effects on him/her. As an example, a parent’s stressful situation at work could have a negative impact on the relationship between the parent and the child. The child in turn, could present with problems at school.

The researcher agrees that the development of effective school-community relations is an important aspect of building an inclusive school. Growing evidence exists to support this view (Swart & Phasha 2005:213; Engelbrecht et al. 2004:4). Community involvement should include all the human resources such as educators, parents, school counselors, educational psychologists, the school nurse, therapists, community organizations, school governing bodies, social workers, service providers (prospective employers) and other members of the community.

2.3.4 The macrosystem and the child with barriers to learning

As mentioned above in section 2.2.4, the macrosystem refers to the child’s socio-economic context and the larger socio-cultural context in which the child lives. This includes cultural ideologies, values, customs and beliefs. These values differ from culture to culture (and across subcultures and social classes) and can greatly influence the child’s personality development and self-concept. It is therefore imperative for school managers to acknowledge the challenges of providing education to learners with barriers to learning with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Barrera (in Lerner et al. 2003:13) states that linguistic and cultural diversity relates to children and families who have a home language excluding English and “children and families who have values, beliefs, understandings and practices that differ from those in the general population”. In other words, “families from diverse cultures differ in childrearing practices, parent-child interactions, values, perceptions of a family unit, perceptions of problems, acceptable solutions to problems and attitudes towards seeking help”.

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Van Heerden (2002:11) defines the researcher’s view that the cultural background of a family has an influence on how families view their children with barriers to learning. Similarly, Schwartz 1994 (in Bauer & Shea 2003:27) supports the statement that there seems to be a cultural perception that Asian parents view educators as the sole authority over their child’s schooling and therefore parents are not to interfere. Further, Asian families view learning disabilities as an indication of an organic disorder which is shameful to the family.

As mentioned previously (see section 2.2.4), the macrosystem includes a country’s prevalent economic status. This could have an influence on finances in a child’s microsystem. A child requiring specialized education due to a physical or physiological impairment places additional financial strains on the family. For example, parents may not be able to afford to send their child to a school for children with special needs, owing to transport cost and school fees. These tensions resulting from financial problems may adversely affect the education of a child with barriers to learning.

Poverty is a factor that is associated with inadequate, overcrowded housing, poor water supply, poor sanitation and poor hygiene facilities. Donald et al. (2006:169) illustrates the vicious circle of poverty. Poverty makes people more susceptible to disability and disability increases poverty. Poor educational conditions (overcrowded, under-resourced classrooms) further reinforces this negative cycle as learners with barriers to learning cannot have their individual learning needs met adequately. This leads to the frustration, demoralization and de-motivation of educators causing a negative impact on teaching and learning. (Donald et al. 2006:169).

In terms of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory which views the child as developing within interlinking systems that exert reciprocal influences on one another, poverty can be seen as being closely related to school dropout, substance abuse and family violence (Donald et al. 2006:185).

The macrosystem further constitutes a country’s political and legal system. Whilst documents have advocated parental involvement (see section 2.3.2), state education authorities in the previous political regime of South Africa, limited the involvement of parents in the disadvantaged populace. The message of the state education authorities to parents was to “give us your child to educate, let us do it as we see fit and don’t interfere” (Engelbrecht,

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Green, Naicker & Engelbrecht 2004:173). This could influence the lack of parental involvement in the education of the child with special education needs. This limited involvement of parents have led educators to complain of the difficulty they experience trying to initiate parental involvement in their child’s formal education either at home or at school.

2.4 THE IMPLICATION OF BRONFENBRENNER’S THEORY TO

EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL MANAGERS

The researcher supports Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as it has grave implications for school managers. It helps school managers understand learners with barriers to learning from an ecosystemic perspective. This allows for a more effective management of both inclusive education and vocational training. This coincides with the view that learning difficulties originate from within a learner as well as from within a system (Engelbrecht et al. 2004:47). Thus, the focal point has been transferred from the learner to the education system. This directs that the education system must provide for all learners with diverse needs. This includes addressing the inflexibility in the curriculum, adaptations to the schooling environment, provision of adequate support to schools and acknowledging the vital role of parents (Donald et al. 2006:22). Viewing the obstacles that have prevented the adequate vocational preparation of learners with special education needs in terms of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, helps all managers and researchers who have an interest in overcoming the obstacles that hinder optimum vocational preparation of learners with special education needs, to obtain a holistic understanding of the problem and become part of the solution.