Children with Learning Difficulties Emotional Problem

Question: Discuss about theChildren with Learning Difficultiesfor Emotional Problem. Answer: Introduction Learning difficulties refer to a situation where a person has a challenge in understanding or an emotional problem which affects an individuals ability to learn and ability to get along well with others. Characteristics of a child with learning difficulties are getting easily bored, inability to concentrate for long hours, forgetting what a child has just learnt and being extraordinarily talented. These learning difficulties are affected by social barriers which originate from the external environment. Various theories can be applied to help children with learning difficulties. Children with learning difficulties in preschool are greatly influenced by social barriers. The social barriers discussed below are stigma, culture at home and at school and time constraint of family members. Stigma refers to a situation where somebody is set apart by another group of people especially if they are different from the members of the group. As a result, these people discriminated upon because of prejudice. Children in preschool face this challenge of stigmatization especially if they are known to have learning difficulties. These children begin to face shame and distress. Children with learning disabilities are normally very sensitive and at the slightest instance can feel neglected by their parents, siblings, classmates at school or even their teachers (Finlay Lyons, 2000). Culture refers to customs and ideas shared by a group of people. A childs culture should be assessed properly when dealing with a child with learning difficulties. Some cultures expect a child to be exceptional in their studies especially children at preschool level. This gives children a lot of pressure when dealing with their learning difficulties. If the child happens to fail in an exam or an assessment because of his/her learning difficulty, it is possible to feel ashamed and disappointed in themselves (Goodley, 2001). Some families also require a child to be extremely exceptional and this affects their learning in preschool. Children with learning difficulties require a lot of attention and support from their family members. They expect their parents and siblings to guide and motivate them in whatever thing they do. However, with todays economic world, parents who have children with learning difficulties tend to be so busy. They go to work early in the morning and return late in the night, hence spending minimal time with their children. They therefore leave their children in the hands of their caretakers who are less concerned about the welfare of these children (Riddell, Brown Duffield, 2014). The children therefore continue deteriorating with regard to their learning difficulties. Apart from school, children also learn at home. There are theories that analyze human development. These theories can be used to explain how a child learns best at home and at school. These theories include Bronfenbrunners ecological theory, Vygotskys sociocultural theory and Banduras social learning theory. They are discussed as follows: Bronfenbrenners ecological theory argues that the development of a person is affected by their surrounding environment. He divides this environment into five namely; microsystem which is the system one is closest to such as home and school, mesosystem which is the interaction between a persons microsystem, exosystem which is the setting that does not involve a person actively, macro system which is the cultural environment of a person, and chronosystem which refers to the pattern in which environmental events take place (Bronfenbrenner, 1992). The theory is relevant for childrens learning at home because it enables parents understand that the situation presented to a child greatly affects his/her development. The parents are therefore compelled to present less distraction to their children. If the environment is favorable to the children, they will learn faster. The theory is also relevant for childrens learning in school because it enables teachers to know that a childs environment affects how he/she studies. The teachers will therefore be able to reduce pressure on the child with learning difficulties with regard to obtaining results. If the environment at school is not favorable, the children will learn at a slower pace. Vygotskys sociocultural theory argues that parents, peers, the culture and caregivers are responsible for the development of high order functions. Interacting with other people facilitates learning. According to him, children are innately born with learning difficulties already in their minds. He also talks of a zone of proximal development which argues that a person cannot understand some things on their own but can learn with a lot of guidance (Kozulin, 2013). Children are allowed to expand their skills and knowledge by observing a more advanced person do a particular task. This theory is relevant for childrens learning at school. With regard to the zone of proximal development, teachers in preschool need to understand that children cannot understand some things on their own. However, they can learn a lot through guidance by their teachers. Children can expand their skills by observing a more advanced person. At school, the more advanced person is the teacher who is greatly knowled geable. Children in preschool should therefore be exposed to learning through observation. The theory is equally relevant to childrens learning at home. The children need to observe what their parents are doing in order to increase their knowledge. The parents are the more advanced people at home and should therefore allow their children to learn more by simply observing their actions (John-Steiner Mahn, 2015). Banduras social learning theory argues that the process of learning is cognitive in nature and it takes place in a social context. He further adds that learning takes place through direct instruction or observation, and not necessarily through direct reinforcement. Learning also takes place through observing rewards and punishments (Bandura, 1986). This theory is relevant to childrens learning at home. In order for a child to learn at home, his/her parents, elder siblings and caregivers should ensure that the children are given more direct instructions to a particular task. They can also allow the children to engage in observation. The parents, elder siblings and caregivers should also use rewards and punishments to ensure that a child masters a particular task. This theory is also relevant to childrens learning at school. Teachers at school should also give direct instruction to the children and allow them to observe how a particular task is carried out. The teachers should also mak e use of rewards and punishments depending on how the learner masters the task. If he/she does the task well, the teacher should reward the child (Bandura, 2012). However, if the child does the task wrongly, the teacher should mete out punishment to the child. In conclusion, children with learning difficulties are considered as children with special needs. Parents and teachers, who interact more with these children have a task to help children with learning difficulties. It can be challenging helping these children but it is important. The teachers and parents can do the following; writing key points on a white board, highlighting important information and planning daily routines of these children. References Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall, Inc. Bandura, A. (2012). Social learning through imitation. Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Finlay, W. Lyons, E. (2000). Social categorizations, social comparisons and stigma: Presentations of self in people with learning difficulties. British Journal of Social Psychology. Goodley, D. (2001). Learning difficulties, the social model of disability and impairment: challenging epistemologies. Disability and society. John-Stein, V., Mahn, H. (2015). Sociocultural approaches to learning and development: A Vygotskian framework. Educational Psychologist. Kozulin, A. (2013). Vygotskys educational theory in cultural context. Cambridge University Press. Riddell, S., Brown, S., Duffield, J. (2014). Parental power and special educational needs: the case of specific learning difficulties. British Educational Research Journal.