School of Education Studies

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    Alkoholmisbruik van die ouer(s) as bydraende oorsaak van skolastiese geremdheid by graad 4- tot 6-leerders in die Luckhoff-distrik
    (University of the Free State, 2004) Joubert, Rene; Kotze, C. J.
    English: Article 1: Alcoholism seldom affects just one aspect of a person's life. It also becomes the educator's problem when its effects emerge in learners. Severe alcohol intake is associated with a variety of neurological and behaviour patterns. Alcoholism affects that part of the brain which deals with emotion, memory, co-ordination and learning motivation. The aim of this research is to investigate the symptoms of alcohol abuse through the use of selected information, as well as the effect it has on the child. The example set by the parents and domestic conditions have a significant influence on the child. The inadequacy of dependable learning structures may result in behaviour problems. The genetic composition of an individual may cause an imbalance of the brain which increases the susceptibility of alcohol dependency. The result of alcohol abuse on the child includes among others, physical defects in children. Foetal alcoholic syndrome (FAS) is the direct result of the mothers's alcohol intake during pregnancy. The defects caused by FAS in children is irreversible. These children show, even up to fourteen years later, clear signs of retarded growth and development. The brain of the FAS victim stops developing at the age of eight years. Mental incompetence, a low IQ, serious learning problems and weak academic performance are observed in these children. Psychologically there are very few areas that are not affected by alcohol abuse. Disturbance during the prenatal stage of the foetus may lead to specific personality traits which may be susceptible to alcohol abuse. The abuse of alcohol by the parent can affect the learner's academic performance negatively. These learners form a high risk group for developing learning problems. The emotional effect on children of alcoholics are severe. Such learners with feelings of grief, fear, rage and despair isolate themselves. They are exposed to intense emotional tension. In the Luckhoff district alcohol abuse has become a social phenomenon among the coloured community which should be urgently addressed. Article 2: The destructive phenomenon, alcohol abuse, poses a serious threat for the individual and the community. When a mother abuses alcohol while she is pregnant, the toxic matter reaches the foetus through the bloodstream of the mother. Thus the baby can get foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The influence of FAS can be divided into two categories, namely, alcohol related birth defects and alcohol related neurological defects. By means of an empirical investigation the correlation between the parental alcohol abuse in the Luckhoff district and the influence it has on the scholastic achievements of the children of such parents was investigated. The experimental group consisted of 30 learners from grade 4 to 6, between the ages 9 and 14. To estimate the standard of academic progress a selection of standardised tests were used on the learners. Over a period of a year auditory diagnostic tests were conducted. The South African Police Service has a record of all alcohol related crimes and cases. The local Health Clinic documents all the cases reported and treated where alcohol played a part over a period of a month. A self-structured questionnaire was completed by the learners, parents and educators of the learners concerned. The academic progress of the learners was closely monitored for a year. The findings and conclusions made from the data confirm that the parental abuse of alcohol seriously affects the learners academic progress. All the learners involved in the experiment showed serious deficiencies in respect of reading, spelling and mathematics. These learners also showed deficiencies regarding their receptive command of language and most of them were unable to read or understand questions of the ASAT IQ test. The academic performance of these learners is a cause for great concern. Educators indicated that the performance of these learners ranges form below average to weak. None of these learners performed above average. Most of the parents (living in the Luckhoff district and mainly Afrikaans-speaking) acknowledged that they abused alcohol regularly and that it was always available in their homes. Their domestic affairs are also influenced by alcohol. There are often fights and arguments caused by the misuse of alcohol. As many as 57, 1 % of the mothers used alcohol during pregnancy. This investigation indicates that alcohol abuse by die parenUs plays an important role in the academic performance of such learners. These learners are academically disadvantaged as a result of ther parents' alcohol abuse. Eventually they may become handicapped academically unless their needs are met with the necessary support and guidance. It is important that the parents are alerted to the fact that their alcholism causes problems for their c.hildren and that their academic progress will be weak as a result. Furthermore, it is important that steps should be taken to address this serious problem.