The manifestations of learning support in the lives of high school learners

Abstract

The study is a qualitative explanation of the manifestations of learning support in the lives of high school learners experiencing barriers to learning. The primary research question that guided this study was: How does learning support manifest itself in the lives of high school learners? Nine learners repeating grade nine were sampled to participate in the study. Co-participating were nine family members, seven educators and the principal. Interviews and observations were conducted to determine the nature of barriers to learning experienced by high school learners, and the ways in which learning support manifests in their lives. Theme analysis was then used to analyze the data collected. This process yielded two main themes, e.g. barriers to learning and manifestations of learning support . The two main themes were then further divided into eight sub-themes and fourteen categories. The findings of the study are articulated in terms of the ecosystemic perspective, which then indicated that barriers to learning issued from factors related to learners, educators, families, the education system and society. The sub-themes and categories that emerged on barriers to learning are discussed in detail in the thesis. The study further revealed that learning support manifests in diverse ways for the participants in this study, i) in terms of knowledge about and the availability of learning support, ii) in terms of guidance, advice, motivation, encouragement and one-on-one support, iii) in terms of extra classes, extra work and assistance with schoolwork and finally, iv) in terms of the mobilization of available resources. In conclusion, the study illustrates that there is low consistency in the ways in which learning support manifests in the lives of the learners in the study. It also shows a lack of formal avenues that can be accessed for learning support by the learners experiencing barriers to learning.