This was a joint task where as members of a group put down ideas together supported by relevant sources. It is about poverty as a learning barrier.

1. POVERTY AS A
LEARNING BARRIER
GROUP 1 PRESENTATION
19 AUGUST 2021

2. POVERTY AS A LEARNING BARRIER
Poverty refers to a state or condition of lacking enough resources to provide the necessities of life, food, clean water, shelter and clothing.
It is also regarded as a situation in which one's income from employment is insufficient to meet fundamental human needs.
In today's world, it extends to access to health care, education and even transportation (Sime, 2008).
Unfortunately, in South Africa, poverty affects millions of households (Admin, 2020).

3. EFFECTS
THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY ON LEARNING

4. THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY ON LEARNING
The effects of poverty upon education are significant. Children from poorer backgrounds face many obstacles to accessing an education:
Learners living in poverty suffer adversely in their physical, emotional, psychological, and educational health as poverty results in stressors such as socio-
economic strain, family conflict, exposure to discrimination, and other traumatic events that can have a detrimental effect on students’ ability to learn (Greever,
2014).
Lack of transportation: Learners who live in homes that are far from school struggle to get to school. Their academic performance may be affected by weather
Their academic performance may be affected by weather conditions, late coming and absenteeism.

5. THE EFFECTS OF POVERTY ON LEARNING
Lack of security: Learners who stay in unsafe areas are exposed to traumatic and dangerous activities
that occur on a daily. When they do not feel safe and secure, they end up dropping out of school.
This can also be caused by abuse, both at home and school. Learners may not want to go to school
run away from home when they are exposed to abuse and domestic violence.
Responsibilities: Learners are faced with taking care their siblings and/or grandparents, while their
parents work. In other cases, parents may have died from malnutrition, diseases, etc. Sometimes,
expected to be parents to their siblings.

6. EFFECTS OF POVERTY ON LEARNING
Language barrier: English as a medium of instruction places these learners at a more disadvantaged end
as they are not exposed to sufficient learning resources. Instead, they are only exposed to their home
at school (Greever 2014). This impacts their performance.
Stress: Due to the difficulties learners are facing, they are also affected at school. These can be trauma
from physical, emotional and sexual abuse, domestic violence, abandonment and religious discrimination
This pressure can lead to stress, depression and anxiety, even suicide.

7. POVERTY AND
UNEMPLOYMENT
HOW POVERTY AFFECTS UNEMPLOYMENT

8. POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT
There is a direct and positive relationship between unemployment and poverty: It runs both ways where poverty can reinforce joblessness just like joblessness
can increase poverty.
Loss of income: When a person is jobless, he/she cannot earn better income, and due to the lack of income their families cannot meet living expenses (Taylor,
income their families cannot meet living expenses (Taylor, 2002).
They are therefore unable to afford high quality education and necessary material for their children's education and this leads to children getting low standard
education.
In worst cases, children may be forced to drop out of school, as they do not have basic necessities to function at school. They also are unable to gain access
in higher institutions of learning.

9. POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT
Thus, children become under qualified for better paying jobs. The circle keeps repeating generation after generation.
Quality life: When living in impoverished areas, individuals experience low-quality housing, underfunded schools and restricted access to public transportation
schools and restricted access to public transportation and other services.
Crime: Research suggests that two-fifths of those who engage in criminal behaviour say unemployment is the main reason for their illegal involvement
is the main reason for their illegal involvement (Kingdom, 2008).
When unemployment rises, crime rate grows too.

10. POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT
Long-term unemployment: The longer one is unemployed, the harder it is to find work.. Long-term
unemployed workers are much more likely to be poor, as it shifts to longer-term unemployment.
Poverty makes it more difficult to travel to interviews, pay for child care, or care for one’s health, making
Mental health problems, family stress, anxiety, lack of health insurance, and reduced income all

11. POVERTY AND LEARNING
HOW POVERTY IMPACTS LEARNERS

12. HOW POVERTY IMPACTS LEARNERS
Parents' unreliability, frequent childcare changes, a lack of adult supervision, and a lack of role models are common problems for children from
low-income homes (Black and Nachmias, 1998)
Children feel alienated from society and suffer insecurities because of their socio-economic status (Child-Fund, 2013).
Children from low-income homes perform much worse on evaluations of vocabulary and communication skills, as well as their understanding of
numbers and ability to concentrate.

13. HOW POVERTY IMPACTS LEARNERS
Sometimes, children who feel unsafe may not want to go to school or be around other people.
Poor nutrition and being malnourished can affect a child’s cognitive abilities as well as their level of concentration (Chase & Walker, 2013).
In many high-poverty school districts, resources are sorely lacking in schools. Learners in these poverty-stricken environments also have fewer resources at
home to complete homework, study, or engage in activities that help equip them for academic success

14. HOW POVERTY IMPACTS LEARNERS
Lack of moral support: Parents of these families often work longer hours or multiple jobs, meaning they
may not be available to assist their children with their schoolwork, or offer moral support.
This brings them to a high risk of dropping out of school. For those who fortunately finish high school,
due to lack of funds.
Without basic education, South African children struggle to become members of the workforce, and as a

15. IDENTIFICATION
IDENTIFYING A LEARNER FROM A POVERTY-STRICKEN ENVIRONMENT

16. HOW TO IDENTIFY A LEARNER FROM A POVERTY-
STRICKEN ENVIRONMENT
In most cases, it is not easy to identify learners from poverty-stricken environments as they hardly complain or make demands. Thus, teachers need to be extra
observant.
Background check: Teachers need to have constant interactions with all learners and be fully aware of learners’ basic information including background and
learners’ basic information including background and family information.
Academic observations: Analysing attendance record and linking it to learner performance. For example, the learner may be absent or late on several
the learner may be absent or late on several occasions and may not even provide the reasons for the absenteeism (Skinner, 2004).

17. HOW TO IDENTIFY A LEARNER FROM A POVERTY-
STRICKEN ENVIRONMENT
Learner performance: Deterioration of grades, lack of focus, trouble remembering or making decisions,
loss of interest and withdrawal from classroom activities.
Social Relationships: Difficulty forming and maintaining relationships with friends, isolation.
Classroom behaviour: Anxiety, moodiness, sensitivity and aggression, attention seeking. May also resort
to substance abuse.
Some teenage learners use rebellion, bullying and/or substance abuse or even stealing as a coping

18. HOW TO IDENTIFY A LEARNER FROM A POVERTY-
STRICKEN ENVIRONMENT
Physical appearance and personal hygiene: Lack proper school uniforms – Clothes may be dirty and torn,
or they may wear non-uniform clothing. Books may be untidy.
Lack of parental involvement: Parents may be reluctant to attend school meetings or be actively involved
in their child’s schooling (Audu, 2016).
Sometimes it may be because parents work multiple jobs and do not have time to check on their child’s

19. SUPPORT STRATEGIES
HOW THE SCHOOL CAN SUPPORT A LEARNER FROM A POVERTY-
STRICKEN BACKGROUND

20. SUPPORT STRATEGIES
Socioeconomic support – Involvements of NGOs that value the health and safety of children. These
organizations empower people to address child poverty (e.g. CHOSA)
Viva Foundation of South Africa: Meets needs of people in poverty such as food insecurity and
employment, business, and recreation to help improve the state of unemployment (Heinrich ,2001).
Creating fundraising campaigns such as non-uniform casual days to give back to families suffering
Recommend financial assistance (social grants)

21. SUPPORT STRATEGIES
Emotional support – Arrangement and provision of child counselling (Social workers, School counsellors
or Psychologists - as necessary).
Creating awareness campaigns to educate community about poverty
 Creating a positive classroom culture: Anti-bullying, anti-discrimination, positive classroom behaviour.
Helping learners build strong positive relationships (outdoor activities, group activities)
Physical support: Provision of donations to suffering families (food parcels, feeding scheme, school
uniforms)

22. SUPPORT STRATEGIES
Academic Support: Accessible school library with enough study resources.
Provision of tutoring and extra classes where necessary, and keeping the school open after hours to
Provision of effective classroom strategies for coping.
It is important to understand that implementing these strategies, learners should not be made to feel
sensitive about their situations. Therefore, these strategies need to be administered with care, compassion