This slide show addressing bullying in a South African context.

1. MOFPN3B: Individual assignment: Due date: 20 August 2021
Module: METH &PRAC: ADDRS NEURODEVELOPMENTAL LEARNING Module code: MOFPNB3
STUDENT NAME Michael-Owen Sons_ Student Number: 219020576_ Number:061 789 5674
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Student’s Signature: M.O.S.
DATE:20 August 2021__
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2. How to address bullying in your classroom, school or community
ADDRESSINGBULLYINGIN
SCHOOLS
MICHAEL-OWEN SONS - 219020576
2

3. This presentation consists
of the following contents:
1. Defining bullying
2. What does this mean
for us educators?
3. How to identify
learners who are
bullied
4. Symptoms of bullying
5. Strategies in
addressing bullying as
a barrier to learning
6. Stakeholders involved
in supporting bullied
learners and their roles
7. Activities and support
strategies
8. Reflection
9. Conclusion
10.Reference list
ADDRESSINGBULLYING 3

4. - Bullying is a repeated o
ff
ensive interaction in which one (or several) learners try to assert their
dominance/power over seemingly weaker learners who are unable to defend themselves.
- The US Department of Health and Human services(2020) posit that Bullies use various forms
of power to assert their dominance such as:
1. “physical strength”
2. "access to embarrassing information”
3. “popularity”
- Children who become bullies often have been abused themselves by someone more powerful
than them, such as a parents, guardian, teacher, older sibling or anyone who has asserted
power over them in an o
ff
ensive and/or aggressive way.
- Thus, bullies often seek to reclaim the power that they have been stripped of by repeated the
same actions on learners who are more vulnerable than they are.
- Bullying may be a cry for help or an act of unfair vengeance!
DEFININGBULLYING
4

5. WHATDOESTHISMEANFORUSEDUCATORS?
5
The Department of Education warns that “bullying occurs in all areas. It can
occur in nearly any part in or around the school building, though it more often
occurs during school breaks, in hallways, bathrooms, on school buses and
waiting for buses, classes that require group work and/or after school
activities.”(Department of Basic Education, 2019)
This means Educators have the responsibility to protect their learners from
potential bullies and to create a safe classroom and school environment that
responds to learner’s rights “to be protected from maltreatment, neglect,
abuse or degradation”(Constitutional Court of South Africa, 2017), and their
responsibilities to respect each other.
This can only be done by educating ourselves so that we are able to identify
the symptoms of learners being bullied and/or abused at home and
adequately respond to them.

6. IDENTIFYINGLEARNERSEXPERIENCINGBULLYING
ASABARRIERTOLEARNING

7. - Bullying often a
ff
ects learners in every sphere of their lives as “Kids who are bullied can
experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues”(U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services , 2020)
- Education is inextricably to learners ‘physical, social, emotional, academic and mental’
well-being. Thus, learner’s who are bullied might not be able to complete the educational
tasks they are assigned by their education.
- Because of the devastating e
ff
ects bullying tends to have on its victim’s self-esteem and
overall well-being, bullied learners often tend to:
HOWTOIDENTIFYLEARNERSWHOAREBULLIED
1. Withdraw from Physical activities (Learner may constantly refuse to change into their Physical Training/Education clothes or
they may also hesitantly participate in Physical activities.)
2. Have little to know friends (Sit alone during break time, do group activities alone or with minimal participation, appear shy or
hesitant to interact with educators)
3. Lose control of their emotions (Has emotional outbreaks in class such as throwing tantrums, reacting over emotional to being
disciplined by educators, learner might even seem emotionless or distant)
4. Lose focus/ interest in their school work (Learners marks might signi
fi
cantly drop, assignments might be handed in late if not at
all, learners work ethics and standards might vary, learner’s might not answer in class as much as they used to)
5. Display depressed and anxious attitudes (Where learners were one bright and interesting in their school work and life in
general, they might now express negative sentiments towards their school work and/or seem constantly worried about other
pressing matters.
7

8. - The image to the left captures
the South African Department
of Educations list of warning
signs educators should at all
times be aware of.
- These symptoms are for all
stakeholders involved in the
learner’s life such as peers,
parents, community member
etc.
SYMPTOMSOFBEING
BULLIED
8

9. STRATEGIESINADDRESSINGBULLYINGASABARRIERTOLEARNING
Although bullying may have devastating e
ff
ects on a learners well-being such as the case of the the
grade 10 learner in Limpopo who “allegedly committed suicide after a video of her being bullied by
fellow pupils went viral”(Sonjica, 2021), there are measures we can set into place to prevent and
help learner’s who are su
ff
ering from bullying.
This tragic situation shows us that there are some instances of bullying that go unidenti
fi
ed and
unaddressed (due to educator’s overwhelming workloads and overpopulated classrooms), which
may have life threatening consequences for learners.
Thus, addressing and supporting learners who are bullied and experience bullying as a barrier to
learning not only helps learners overcome factors impeding their education, but could further more
save their lives.
It is thus pivotal that School Based Support Teams are aware of the multitudinous strategies that can
be implemented to intervene and and prevent bullying from having drastic impacts in our schools.
9

10. STRATEGIESINADDRESSINGBULLYINGASABARRIERTOLEARNING
Addressing and eradicating bullying begins by creating and fostering a school culture that
prohibits bullying and is a safe space for learners to be themselves.
According to Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co (2021), this can be done by:
1. “Setting the tone” - Establishing a clear code of conduct that is against bullying and
that explicitly highlights the disciplinary procedures for transgressing it, is how the
school can make a stand against bullying and let learners know what the repercussions
of bullying another learner is.
2. “Make reporting feel safe” - Eradicating bullying from the classroom is dependant on
learners reporting bullies, which can only be done if the classroom feels safe for them
to do so. Thus, educators have to ensure that learners feel safe in reporting instances
of bullying to them.
10

11. STRATEGIESINADDRESSINGBULLYINGASABARRIERTOLEARNING
3. “Don’t let the small stu
ff
slide” - Although it might be tempting to disregard seemingly
insigni
fi
cant incidents in the classroom such as “name-calling and mockery” or even
physical acts , these should not be brushed aside. The extent of damage these incidences
cause within learner should always be consider and the educator must investigate
whether they are a part of a larger bullying problem.
4. “Communicate appropriate consequences” - This is a part of establishing a
fi
rm code of
conduct and disciplinary structure that overtly alerts learners of the repercussions of
bullying. Therefore making learners aware of what may happen to them and the victims of
bullying might prevent them from bullying and furthermore encourage the bullied to speak
up.
5. Involve the relevant stakeholders - Getting everyone directly linked to the bullied
learner involved in addressing bullying builds a strong solidarity against bullying, and lets
the learner know that they have got a support structure behind them.
11

12. STAKEHOLDERSINVOLVEDINSUPPORTINGBULLIED
LEARNERSANDTHEIRROLES
12

13. - The School Based Support Team (SBST) is the unit that is responsible for the
functioning and e
ffi
ciency of the school. As the SBST is responsible for “identifying ‘at
risk’ learners and addressing barriers to learning”(Department of Basic Education,
2014) they are thus inextricably linked to battling issues such as bullying that not only
hamper learner’s education but threaten their well-being.
- According to the SIAS document (2014), The SBST is comprised of :
STAKEHOLDERSANDTHEIRROLES
1. The Principal
2. The learner(s) subject teachers
3. “Teachers with specialised skills and knowledge in areas such as learning support, life skills/
guidance, or counselling”
4. The school’s teachers (those who are not directly involved with the learner)
5. Non-educator sta
ff
6. “Learner representatives at senior” (prefects and/or community counsellors in primary) - for
peer support
7. Parents/Guardians, certain members of the District Based Support Teams, local community
members, teachers from other schools
13

14. - The principal - has the responsibility of establishing and sustaining a school environment that does not
tolerate bullying ; the principle must also erect and reinforce structures dedicated at identifying and preventing
bullying such as the Code of Conduct, School Management Team (SMT) and Representative Counsel of
Learner (RCL). The principal must "Enforce anti bully laws as part of the Code of Conduct for learners”
(Department of Basic Education, 2019) and thus protect vulnerable and bullied learners by “[Making] it clear
that bullying is never acceptable” through exemplary and stringent disciplinary measures (Department of Basic
Education, 2019)
- The learner’s educator - has the responsibility of “[assuming] the role of a case manager who will drive the
support process”(Department of Basic Education, 2014). This means that the educator must constantly be
vigilant and screen the classroom observing for symptoms of bullying and abuse. Following the Screening,
Identi
fi
cation, Assessment and Support policy, the educator must then investigate the learner’s case by
carefully and gently questioning the learner(s) involved as bullying is a sensitive matter whereby more damage
could be done if an educator does not responsibly investigate. Investigation can further be done by carefully
observing students during playground duty and by speaking to the learners other teachers about his/her
behaviour. Once the educator has gathered su
ffi
cient proof, the disciplinary measures concordant with the
schools code of conduct must be set into motion and the educator must “Make sure an adult knows what is
happening to their children”(Department of Basic Education, 2019). The results of the disciplinary hearing
determines what will happen to the bully. Further assessment of the extent of the bullied learner’s damage
(ascertained by seeing a counsellor/psychologist) will then inform the educator what accommodations must be
made in the classroom in order to support the learner and help him/her overcome their barriers.
STAKEHOLDERSANDTHEIRROLES
14

15. - Teachers with specialised skills and knowledge - are in charge of assessing the extent of the damage
done to the learner through counselling sessions in a con
fi
dential, safe and comfortable space. The specialist
educator must then use their
fi
ndings and apply their skills in assisting the SBST in developing a support plan
as well as ways that teachers can accommodate the learner in their various classes.
- The school’s educators and non-educational sta
ff
indirectly involved with the learner - have to promote
the school’s anti-bullying ethos by being on the lookout for bullying and reporting these instances. They have to
uphold the school’s code of conduct and therefore constitutional values such as “caring, respect and safety” of
other(Department of Basic Education, 2019)
- Learner representatives - act as a form of peer support. They are responsible for identifying and reporting
bullying on a vertical level, which means they have to look out for bullying amongst their peers and friends
when educators are not present. The RCL must also vocalise the harmful consequences of bullying and stand
up for vulnerable learners in an assertive yet responsible way.
- Parents/caregivers - must ensure that the learner feels safe once the incident has been reported and that
they are given the necessary help required to deal with and overcome being bullied. Parents must ensure
learners safety by assuring them that they will “immediately investigate and report the situation with the school
principal or senior teacher”(Department of Basic Education, 2019), which should alert the school of the matter,
prompting the schools disciplinary procedure. Parents should furthermore deal with the matter calmly and
rationally as the “child may feel embarrassed and ashamed” or the bully may even be abused at home as well -
thus making impulsive and violent reactions problematic and dangerous (Department of Basic Education, 2019)
STAKEHOLDERSANDTHEIRROLES
15

16. ACTIVITIESAND
SUPPORTSTRATEGIES
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17. CLASSROOMACTIVITIESSUPPORTINGBULLIEDLEARNERS
There are several activities that educators can do in the classroom to address bullying and
support learners that have been bullied such as:
1. Establishing a safe classroom - Bullying commonly occurs in environments without adult
supervision or explicit rules prohibiting it. Thus the educators has the responsibility of
establishing a safe classroom environment in which the bullied learner can
fi
nd refuge.
This can be done by spending several periods a term reviewing the class rules and the
disciplinary consequences of bullying emphasised in the code of conduct.
2. Studying case studies - Analysing various case studies that show the harmful and life
threatening consequences of bullying is a good way of making bullies aware of the potential
results of their actions. Furthermore, case studies that show learners who spoke up against
their bullies and got help is e
ff
ective in encouraging bullied learners to speak up against their
bullies and thus get the relevant support.
3. Get learners to learn about each other - When learners get to know about each others they
form relationships which results in them respecting and protecting each other from other
bullies outside of the classroom. This is done by encouraging respectful discussions where
learners are free to speak about their experiences and by having several group activities that
require input from every learner in the group. This structures the classroom as an environment
where the bullied learner feels support by his/her classmates.
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18. CLASSROOMACTIVITIESSUPPORTINGBULLIEDLEARNERS
4. “Teach students regularly”(Smith, 2018) - Having lessons about bullying and ways to deal
with it is an important support structure that gives learners information on how to overcome
bullying in a way that does not break the code of conduct. Giving learners handouts that explain
the symptoms, causes, ways to get help and dangers of bullying is how educators can support
vulnerable learners in recognising when they are getting bullied and getting help in a respectful
way.
5. Creating and consulting a “problem box where learners can report problems, concerns
and o
ff
er suggestions”(Department of Basic Education, 2019) - Some learners might feel
vulnerable/shy reporting instances of bullying, so creating a ‘problem box’ where they can make
anonymous tipo
ff
s is an accommodating bullied learners and dealing with the matter in a gentle
way.
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19. SCHOOLSTRATEGIESSUPPORTINGBULLIEDLEARNERS
The school is the centrally responsible for forming a unitary front against bullying by
developing a sound Code of Conduct that aligns with the Bill of Rights and is upheld by as
e
ff
ective disciplinary structure. Here are some strategies that the school can apply to
support bullied learners:
1. “Enforce anti bully laws as part of the Code of Conduct”(Department of Basic
Education, 2019) - The most important support strategy schools can implement to support
bullied learners is establishing and reenforcing a Code of Conduct that clearly communicates
the school’s anti-bullying stance and thereby states the disciplinary consequences of bullying.
This supports learners by legislatively protecting them and thus creating a school environment
that does not tolerate bully.
2. “Train faculty and sta
ff
extensively”(Smith, 2018) - The school sta
ff
has to be trained on
how to identify acts of bullying and how to responsibly address them. Therefore the SBST must
organise workshops that train educators on how to identify symptoms of bullying and what
procedures to follow when learners have been identi
fi
ed as at risk.
3. “Improve communication among school administrators, teachers, parents and learners”
(Department of Basic Education, 2019) - The school needs to work as a unit in combating
bullying, acting collectively in passing on information about a bullied learner’s case. This is so
that every sta
ff
member can watch out for bullying and furthermore know how to support and
accommodate a learner who has been bullied.
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20. SCHOOLSTRATEGIESSUPPORTINGBULLIEDLEARNERS
4. “Gain the support of the parents and the community”(Smith, 2018) - Addressing bullying
is a communal process that requires every member of the SBST to actively play a role, Parents and
Community members form a part of this community. They have the role of supporting bullied
learners by being the schools eyes and ears out of school, looking out for symptoms and signs of
bullying. Furthermore, Parents and Community members must reenforce anti-bully attitude by
teaching learners about how to identify bullying, report it, about its consequences, dangers and
how to remove it from our societies completely.
5. Hold a school conference day or forum devoted to bullying/victim problems - Bully
constantly changes forms and di
ff
ers from context to context and thus from generation to
generation. The global shift from in contact classes to an online environment seen a rise in cyber
bullying which is a digital form of learning that did not even exist a few years ago. Thus, schools
need to constantly discuss bullying and its evolution, new approaches in addressing it, global
approaches to bullying and new information regarding the matter.
20

21. REFLECTION
Planning this support session was accompanied by an overload of relevant information that
every educator can apply in their schools, classroom and communities. In searching for relevant
literature, I found that there are multitudinous online resources that one can consult to
fi
nd
advice on addressing bullying, legislation against it, its various forms and symptoms, its e
ff
ects
on learns and how to support them, as well as several activities that can be done in the
classroom to support and prevent bullying. I have come to realise that the school, especially the
learner’s educators must do research and apply the
fi
ndings to support the learner and prevent
bullying. Specialist educators also have the responsibility of training their colleagues so that
they too are able to address bullying in their classroom.
Furthermore, I have come to the realisation that schools need to be sensitive towards the bully
as well a because bullies might go through a great deal abuse that has cause them to
aggressively engage with other learners. Both the bully and the bullied learner need to be
counselled as they both have most likely been hurt by other people with more power than
them.
The greatest realisation I came across in preparing this support session is that any issue can be
overcome when we come together and tackle it as a unit- thus bullying can be prevented and
intervened in schools if we collectively address and stand
fi
rm in solidarity against it.
21

22. CONCLUSION
This presentation has de
fi
ned bullying as well as how educators and the SBST can
address bullying in a legal and respectable way. It has discussed how bullying can be
identi
fi
ed by mentioning some of its symptoms and devastating side e
ff
ects.
We have also discussed classroom strategies that can be implemented to prevent and
intervene bullying as well as what the school can do to support learners who are bullied.
Furthermore, we have mentioned activities that both the educator and the school can do
to support bullied learners.
Bullying can be overcome if we come together and use all our resources, intellect, skills,
personnel in combating it - Will you address bullying in your schools?

23. 23

24. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . (2020, July 21). What Is Bullying . Retrieved from Stopbullying.gov: https://
www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/what-is-bullying
Department of Basic Education. (2019). Bullying in schools. Retrieved from National Department of Basic Education: https://
www.education.gov.za/Informationfor/Learners/Bullyinginschools.aspx
Constitutional Court of South Africa. (2017). Children's Rights . Retrieved from Constituitional Court of South Africa : https://
www.concourt.org.za/index.php/children-s-rights
Sonjica, N. (2021, April 13). Limpopo pupil allegedly commits suicide after being bullied at school. Retrieved from TimesLive:
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-04-13-limpopo-pupil-allegedly-commits-suicide-after-being-bullied-at-school/
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. (2021). How to Help When Students Are Bullied. Retrieved from Brookes Blog: https://
blog.brookespublishing.com/how-to-help-when-students-are-bullied/
Department of Basic Education. (2014). SIAS - South African Government . Retrieved from Gov: https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjMz7Hoz7ryAhUMecAKHbpcD0QQFnoECAIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fw
ww.gov.za%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2F
fi
les%2Fgcis_document%2F201409%2Fsias-revised-
fi
nal-
comment.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1KElUfcFJWggZCc5N3mQI
Smith, A. M. (2018, July 25). Addressing Bullying In School. Retrieved from Slideshare: https://www.slideshare.net/
AdamM_Smith/addressing-bullying-in-school?b=&from_search=1&qid=5ece965f-4809-4ed0-a92c-2db64b63c27a&v=
REFERENCELIST
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