Rafeek Challenge 1
“Rafeek” is an Arabic student who knows English and is beginning to learn French. One of his challenges is learning the language, he speaks Arabic and used English when he doesn’t understand. He is motivated to learn but is finding it hard to stay motivated. A second part of the challenge for Rafeek is his cultural background. As a student from the middle east, he has been faced with racial slurs and he has been excluded from events and activities.
Steve Challenge 2
As a transgender man in the process of transforming “Steve” has many unique challenges related to his sexuality. As in the case study, he faces feelings of abandonment that can lead to emotional struggles as well as the hormonal stress he physically faces will contribute to his perception of himself.
Daisy Challenge 3
‘Daisy’ struggles to manage her school life with the obligations in her family and work lives. It is to be noted that this is neither a cultural, racial, physical or mental barrier to learning but rather a situational barrier. Situational barriers are often incredibly difficult to deal with, as it requires a delicate balance of numerous adult responsibilities against the demands of obtaining a college education. These responsibilities represent important needs that preoccupy the mind, preventing learners from focusing solely on their learning. In essence, these preoccupations take a higher priority over education and accomplishment (https://educationlibrary.org/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-in-education/). The subject in this scenario also suffers from sleep deprivation, which is one of the basic physiological needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Sleep is critical to basic human survival, and so this need must be met first for the subject to then focus on anything else.
Hillary Challenge 4
“Hillary” suffers from a seizure disorder; a hearing deficit and she requires glasses for vision correction. The hearing deficit and the vision correction are challenges many students face and classes can be adjusted to assist the student in learning. The seizure disorder is a rarer challenge for schools and teachers. Students who suffer from a seizure disorder can have their learning affected by factors that include “the side effects of medication…student anxiety…absenteeism due to medical appointments…the underlying cause of the epilepsy…the seizures themselves…the teacher’s attitude” (1pg 11). There is no easy solution to this student’s situation but the learner and the teacher working together can help her meet the challenges of her disability and meet the requirements of the class and her ultimate success.