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Question: How is Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory applicable to Alicia’s case on the following case study? Alicia is a 6-year-old girl in Grade 1 in a public Primary School near Pinetown. Her parents are originally from Mozambique, her mother fled from Mozambique due to the physical abuse from Alicia’s father and came to South Africa last year in search of a better life for her children. Alicia lives in an informal settlement with her mother and 2 younger brothers. Her mother hand weaves mats and sells them by the roadside, Alicia helps her after school and during weekends. She has not found work yet and use the little money she gets from selling mats to support her children. Alicia speaks Swahili and Portuguese at home and does not understand any of the South African languages. The school that Alicia attends uses IsiZulu as a language of instruction and she does not understand the teacher due to the language barrier. Alicia’s birth card indicate that she was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) a condition that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. Her teacher tries her best to accommodate her by relying on demonstrations when instructing her to do tasks, it is however, still difficult for Alicia to comprehend and her teacher suspects that Alicia’s academic challenges are not only a result of the language barrier. She seems to lack concentration in class and appears to be in a world of her own. She also struggles to interact and engage with other learners in her class. Her teacher has noted that she is usually tired in the mornings and lacks energy, her energy levels seem to improve after break when she has eaten a meal provided by the school. Her teacher called her mother for a meeting to address Alicia’s academic challenges, her mother came to school intoxicated and communication between her and Alicia’s teacher was difficult. She did demonstrate that the teacher must hit Alicia if she gives her any trouble. Despite Alicia’s academic challenges her teacher has noted that she is very artistic and enjoys drawing, singing, and dancing.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory suggests that a child's development is affected by systems that interact with each other in complex ways. These systems include the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Here's how they apply to Alicia’s case. Microsystem: This is the closest environment that a child interacts with. In Alicia's case, her microsystem includes her family, school, and neighborhood. Challenges in her microsystem include her mother's alcohol problem, living conditions in an informal settlement, and the language barrier at school. Mesosystem: This refers to the interaction of different elements within the microsystem, like the relationship between a child's family and school. Alicia's mother’s inability to communicate with teachers due to her intoxication makes it challenging for the school to address Alicia’s academic needs. Exosystem: This is the setting that doesn't involve the child directly but affects the child indirectly. In Alicia's case, the exosystem includes her mother's job instability and the fact that Alicia’s mother is living away from her abusive husband. Macrosystem: This refers to the broader cultural context. Alicia and her family are immigrants from Mozambique and her school uses IsiZulu as a language of instruction, which Alicia doesn't understand. This creates a cultural and language barrier that affects her learning. Chronosystem: This represents time related changes and transitions in life. Alicia’s transition to the South African context, her mother’s escape from abuse, and her living in informal settlement highlight the impact of chronosystem. Based on these, interventions could include social services helping the family with housing and job support, counseling for her mother's alcohol problem, special-education services for Alicia due to her FAS, and additional language lessons to help Alicia overcome the language barrier. Moreover, Alicia’s artistic abilities must be nurtured to improve her self-esteem and encourage her to interact with her peers. In summary, Alicia's case needs a multi-disciplinary intervention that would address these various systems to ensure her holistic development and well-being.
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