2020-2021 Full Notes S4

GENERAL STUDIES AND COMMUNICATION NOTES SENIOR 4
LYCEE DE KIGALI
NYARUGENGE DISTRICT
GENERAL STUDIES AND COMMUNICATION SKILLLS NOTES S 4
MPC, BCG, MPG1 & 2
A/Y 2021-2022
TEACHER BIZUMUREMYI Steven
PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 1

COURSE CONTENT
Introduction (Meaning of the key terms, objectives and reasons of studying GS&CS)
Unit One: Social Cohesion
Unit two: Individual and Society
Unit three: Sport and Leisure
Unit four: Effective Communication
Unit five: Personal Finance
Unit Six: Education and Welfare Systems
Unit seven: Career Planning
Unit eight: Fair Operating Practices
Unit nine: Environmental Management and Population Dynamics
Unit ten: Scientific Research, Health and Wellbeing
Unit eleven: Heritage and Culture
Unit twelve: Gender and Society
Unit thirteen: The Arts and Society

UNIT 0: INTRODUCTION
0.1 Definition of key terms
A. General Studies and Communication Skills
General Studies and Communication Skills is a subject concerned with equipping the students with
knowledge, skills, values and attitudes for successful interaction with others and the environment in and out of
school. It borrows content from many other subjects and consolidates it in a way that promotes and support
Rwanda National Policies and offers Peace and Value Education.
It equips students with deep understanding of culture, science and society. This will enable them to make a
meaningful and innovative contribution to the nation in a way that conserves and replenishes the natural
environment, recognizes and respects the cultural dynamics and upholds the values of that shaped their
society overtime.
It covers life in the society focusing on peace and conflicts issues. It particularly explains the concept of social
cohesion as a promoter of peace and discusses the factors that promote it. It also identifies the possible
challenges to social cohesion and end by suggesting possible ways addressing these challenges.
B. Communication
The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. Eg:
Television is an effective means of communication. In general communication is defined as a means of
connecting people or places. In business it is a key function of management, it means that an organization
cannot function effectively without communication.
C. Skills
Skills is the ability to do something well, especially because of training, practices, etc
Eg: It takes great skill to make such beautiful jewellery.
0.2 General objectives of studying the General Studies and Communication Skills
- Show evidence of maturity in analyzing behaviour related issues as well as critical thinking for decision
making and personal responsibility.
- Appreciate the power of communication with special emphasis on speech and its impact on international
relations and cooperation.
-Make responsible decisions about economic activities that do not impact negatively on sustainable
development while respecting financial ethics.
-Apply and create multiple thinking strategies to examine and address real world issues.
-Participate in activities which help maintain and develop society; economically, politically,
environmentally, and culturally.
0.3 Reasons why we study the General Studies and Communication Skills
Without a doubt, employers are looking to add professionals that possess not only the career-focused
knowledge, but also the intangible skills necessary to do the job well.
Significant Skills Everyone Should Have
Throughout your completion of the general education requirements you will develop soft skills that can help
you stand out in the crowd of job seekers. By understanding the value in completing these courses you will
build up your skills in several key areas that employers look for, including:
 Critical Thinking Skills – The ability to evaluate a problem with the information given and determine
an appropriate course of action.
 Written and Oral Communication Skills – The ability to convey information effectively to others.
 Problem Solving Skills – Being able to identify problems and determine appropriate solutions.
 Global Awareness – A proper amount of knowledge of global issues, cultures and perspectives.
It may be hard to immediately recognize it, but the sooner you realize the need to further develop these skills,
the better off you will be. Expanding your depth of knowledge through required general education courses
will prepare you to successfully transition into a new career field.

Skills that General Education Classes Develop
The following will help you understand exactly how these general education courses help you develop your
skills.
 English
Courses in this area of study teach you the essential communications skills for organizing and communicating
information in the proper forms of written communication.
 Communications
In these courses you learn about the processes and strategies within communications to further develop your
written and oral communications skills in order to use language effectively.
 Social Science
In this area of course work you’ll typically learn the disciplines within society and human behaviors while
developing your problem solving skills, in addition to becoming more globally aware of how the population
as a whole may be impacted.
 Maths
These courses help you develop a necessary comprehension level of arithmetic, while also expanding of your
key critical thinking and problem solving skills.
 Humanities
Courses in this area of study will expand your understanding of the creative side of humanity in order to build
up your critical thinking and global awareness skills.

UNIT ONE: SOCIAL COHESION

The competence of the unit: To be able to make decisions that promotes social cohesion in practical
situations.
I.1 Objectives of General Studies and Communication Skills
I, a student, and at the end of this course, shall be able to:
 Acquire values and attitudes that will help me to promote justice, peace and stability in the society for
sustainable development of the country.
 Acquire skills and competences that they can apply in addressing the social – economic, financial,
environmental, and gender issues affecting me and my society.
 Develop communication skills that will help me to express ideas and opinions in a reflective and
academic manner.
 Acquire knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that will prepare me for higher education, work and
life in a competitive society.
 Get a deep understanding of global issues and challenges and therefore appreciate the need for
national, regional, and international cooperation in solving these challenges for the good of human
race.
 Increase the appreciation of my culture and that of others, the environment, the society as well as its
values and norms.
I.2 Meaning of social cohesion
Social Cohesion refers to the good relationship that makes people to work together in a group or society and
relate well with one another to promote peace, unity and results in both individual and national development.
As it is said in definition working together promotes cooperation which leads to social cohesion through
activities such as small micro – finance groups, prayer groups, team activities like playing football, etc.

I.3 The factors of social cohesion
The following are some of the factors that that promote social cohesion.
a) Society norms: In every social group there are norms defining the appropriate behaviors such as how
students behave in a class in family and in public, how to live with neighbors, etc. Failure to these
norms may lead to a consequence such as being rejected in community.
b) Positive values: The positive values are normally demonstrated in different ways for example by
solving problems that affect others, helping those in need, having a sense of responsibility in what we
do, being honest and caring to others. Eg: Suppose you are travelling home from school. On the way,
an old woman gets into the bus and finds all seats occupied, you are the only young person in the bus,
and how would you react as a solver of the problem having the society norms? Here your conscience
push to stand up for the old woman to sit down because you may feel obliged to show a respect for
the elderly as a positive value.
c) Human rights: H.R points to us how to relate with others. When a person’s human rights are
respected, that person is likely to live in peace with others. Upholding human rights also helps us to
respect and appreciate others and it creates an enabling atmosphere for personal as well as national
development.
d) Religious values: Even though each religion has its own religious teachings and practices, such as
different codes, worship of different supreme beings, etc, the values promoted by different religious
are mostly the same. For example, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity all encourage the
religious values of love for fellow human beings, honesty in dealing with others, showing care and
concern for the needy and living a righteous life.
e) National and humanistic values: These are the values which are promoted by the government and
are expected from all of us as human beings: They include
f) Resilience: This is the ability of a person or society to recover quickly from difficult situations. A
good example here is the story of Rwanda. Though faced with the unfortunate happening of the
genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 where many Tutsi people were murdered, the country has sprung
back to the path of national development, economic growth and national healing and reconciliation.
As a result, the people of Rwanda now live in peace. Indeed, Rwanda is today known to be one of the
most peaceful countries in the world .This happened due the strong spirit of resilience among the
Rwanda people and leadership. Resilience is thus an important national value in Rwanda which
promotes social cohesion.

g) Benevolence: Benevolence is the act of being kind to others. A benevolent person is kind helpful to
others. He/She strives to meet the needs of others without expecting anything in return.
Benevolence helps people in the society to become brotherly and to live in harmony and
promote social cohesion. Eg: of good Samaritan in the Bible.
h) Repentance: Repentance is the act of expressing sincere regret about one’s wrongdoing or sin. It is
mostly done when asking for forgiveness. It can be done in church, to a friend or to anyone
whom you have wronged. Repentance set you free and restores your human dignity. It takes
away feelings of bitterness between or among people in the society. This restores a good
relations thus promoting social cohesion.
i) Forgiveness: Forgiveness is the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven. When you are
forgiven, you feel free to relate with the person who forgave you. When you forgive, you
release yourself from bitterness and therefore you can embrace those who had wronged you.
This foster good relationship among members of the society thereby fostering social cohesion.
It is good to note that we forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because we
deserve peace.
j) Reconciliation: Reconciliation is the act or process of restoring friendly relations between two or
more people or groups of people. This means that the people enmity between them or a feeling
of bitterness towards each other. Reconciliation helps to drive away the feelings of hatred and
bitterness and replaces them with love and friendliness.
k) Consensus building: It is the process of coming up with a conclusion agreeable to all sides after many
opinions have been given through communication, negotiation with others and cooperation in making
decision. Here, the consensus building considers the input of every member of the group and collectively
crafting an outcome that best meets the needs of the group with the least opposition from a majority of
the members.
During consensus building, people must work together. This promotes cooperation among the
members of the group. This cooperation cultivates a good working relationship which promotes
peace and unity in the group.
l) Active listening: Active listening is the ability to listen attentively and not just hearing. It is very
important to practice active listening because it assists in identifying a problem, the cause and solution to
it. It also allows others to express their opinion freely. In active listening, one must show interest in the
subject matter, try to understand the speaker and respond only when necessary without interrupting the
speaker. The result of active listening is social cohesion.

m) Empathy: It refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of the others. This is especially
when the people empathizing with are going through difficult times. This makes the person feels valued
and cared for even when little help has been given to them. As a result, they get close to those showing
empathy; create friendly relations and therefore social cohesion.
n) Active bystandership: Bystandership refers to the act of watching without extending any help as a
victim goes through a bad situation. In active bystandership, the person witnessing what is happening
intervenes in a way to solve the problem of the victim.
m) Inclusiveness: It is the act of involving all interested parties in a matter and listening to the views of
each one of them. It is important to involve all members of the society, regardless of their social status,
in making decision on issues that affect them. It makes all persons feel appreciated. They also feel that
their opinion matter and that they are important members in the group. Inclusiveness should be embraced
in education, at the work place, and in the activities that a society engages in. As a result there are good
relations and thus a social cohesion.
The steps to active bystandership.
i. Notice what is happening around you
ii. Interpret whether it is an emergency that needs intervention or help
iii. Imagine yourself in the situation of the person in need of help (empathise)
iv. Intervene in the situation. This can be done by:
 Interrupting the harmful yourself
 Interrupting and disrupting the people involved
 Involving others around you
 Calling the police or the administration
When intervening, remember to:
 Approach everyone as a friend;
 Avoid being controversial or antagonistic;
 Avoid using violence;
 Be as honest and direct as possible;

 Keep yourself safe.
I.4 Challenges to social cohesion
They include individualism, discrimination, social injustice, etc.
Individualism
Individualism is all about taking care of yourself; it is the belief and practice that every person is unique and
self-reliant. A belief in individualism also implies that you believe that the government should bud out of your
individual affairs.
Discrimination
Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the
group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit:
Social Injustice Definition
Social injustice definition says that it is a situation when some unfair practices are being carried in the society.
Whatever unjust is happening is usually against the law and it might not be something that is considered a
moral practice. Basically, social injustice occurs when the equals are treated in an unequal way and the
unequal are treated in an equal way.

UNITY TWO: INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY
Competence: I shall be able to analyze the role of the individual in society including family,
marriage, local, national and global community.
II.0 Introduction
Living in society involves being part and parcel of the society in all aspects. This involves having a sense of
belonging, which at national level, can be referred to a citizenship. It is this that defines how an individual
relates with the society.
II.1 Individual identity and multiple identities
2.1.1 Belonging of the individual to various social entities
It is said that birds of same feather flock together. This means that there will be a reason why you identify
with every particular social group that you belong to. There are shared characteristics, shared interests, or
shared vision. For example, you may be a member of a certain religious group because you share the same
faith. Similarly, you may also belong to another group because you share similar ambitions with you.
In spite of belonging to all groups, you maintain your individual qualities, interests, and aspirations as a
person. These make up your individual identity. The different groups you belong to portray your social
identity whereas the way you do things and your beliefs make up your cultural identity. As such though a
person may have his /her own individual identity, he/she may also have other multiple identities.
An individual who is socialized to more than one set-up of cultural values and various social groups will
acquire multiple identities. Therefore, an individual is likely to identify himself/herself in different ways. Eg:
a) Individual identity – a teacher, a man, a woman, etc.
b) Cultural identity – Christian, Muslims etc.
c) National identity – Rwandan, Ugandan, Kenyan etc.
Multiple identities are the various cultural backgrounds that one has been socialized to. These
influence a person’s decision making in life. For example, if an individual is religious, they have a part
of the religion entity in their personality among other aspects of social life that they are part of.
Therefore, this aspect of religion is going to determine how such an individual makes decisions. A
person’s identities can also be stated using the person’s race, class, gender, and sexuality.

II.1.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE LEVELS OF

family, community, nation and the world.
As a child in your family, a member of your community and a citizen of your country, you have roles and
responsibilities at all the above levels. To discharge each of these roles and responsibilities, there is need for
decision making-making.
In the family set up, you have duties and responsibilities that you are expected to carry out. For example,
helping in house hold chores and running errands for the older members of the family. In school,
participating in extra curricula activities could be a responsibility.
An individual’s duties to the community include: Cooperation, respect, and participation, in community
activities such as umuganda. As a citizen, an individual has the responsibility of participating in national
activities such as voting in elections.
Adopting habits that help conserve the environment and promote peaceful coexistence among members of the
society is part of our individual responsibilities at all levels. By performing our duties, we are living according
to the expectations of our societies and this is important because it strengthens our solidarity, unity, and
patriotism. When an individual plays his / her roles at the national level, he/she contributes to the
improvement of human life hence makes the world better. It is also important to note that full human potential
cannot be reached if individuality is suppressed by society. Therefore, the society gives us a sense of
belonging by providing opportunities to share individual traits especially during communal activities.
II.2 MAKING CHOICES
We are always faced with opportunities to make choice. We are called upon to choose the subjects to pursue
in school, the career path we need to take, the friends we make, and many other such decisions. Making
choice has many aspects to it.
II.2.1 Consequences of choices
A choice made without first thinking deeply about the consequences that will follow can be termed as an
impulsive decision the one that likely to lead to negative consequences such as:
 Yielding to peer pressure
 Taking drugs leading to drug addiction
 Making wrong career choices

 Immorality
 Contracting HIV and AIDS
 Unwanted pregnancy
 Failure in exams
 Environmental degradation
 Shame and embarrassment to oneself and family
 Poverty
On the other hand, choices that are made after considering all options and thinking deeply about their
consequences are termed as well thought – out or rational decisions which are likely to lead to positive
consequences such as:
 Being principle and avoiding peer pressure
 Making the right career choices
 Living a fulfilled life both at work and at the family level
 Prosperity in career, business and other aspects of life
 Environmental conservation
 Fame and recognition in society
 Success in exams
II.2.2 Influences to the individual
There are several factors that influence decision – making. These include: past experience, age, peer pressure,
levels of commitment to a certain matter, financial demands and implications, the living and one’s religious
convictions. In some cases the financial constraints, fear of being laughed at by peers as well as the fear of
being reprimanded by religious leaders may make victim decide not to go to the hospital where his /her
condition is likely to be made public. On the other hand, the fear of being discovered by peers, high level of
education and of self – esteem can motivate the victim to seek medical attention.
It is important to understand the factors that influence choices because then we can understand why decisions
are made. Good choices help an individual to improve a situation while bad choices make situation worse. It

is important to note that you can choose your actions, but not the consequences. Therefore, to avoid the
consequences that can follow you actions, avoid these in your decision making.
II.2.3 Manipulations
It happens when sometimes we are influenced by manipulations of other people to make certain choices.
Manipulations involves controlling or influencing the behaviour or the response of a person on a certain
matter using clever, unfair or un scrupulous tactics. We get deceived into doing something that we don’t fully
believe in but which favours or pleases the other person. For example, teenagers may engage in irresponsible
sexual behaviour or go to night parties out of the manipulations of their peers. These manipulations can come
in different types. The following are examples of types of manipulations.
1. Using sympathy and guilt: This is where an individual, appeals to the emotions of others by
seeking pity and creating guilt if targeted person fails to show mercy by doing what was asked
of him / her.
2. Indifference: This is where a person pretends not to care about situation intending to draw the
attention of others to himself/ herself.
3. Criticism to gain control: This is belittling other people in a way that makes them feel
incompetent and unworthy. This way, the critic makes the other people perceive him / her as
being more powerful.
We should be bold enough to stand against any of these types of manipulation when making decisions. When
we bow to manipulation, we benefit the other person. We gain nothing and sometimes we lose out of
manipulation. for example, teenagers should learn to say “No” to peer pressure that coerce them into engaging
in irresponsible sexual and reproductive behaviour and other socially unacceptable behaviours.
II.2.4 The process of decision making
Decision making is a process that takes time and different steps. It is not an event that happens on the spot.
While spontaneous decisions are sometimes necessary, such as during an emergency, decisions made after
consultations and considerations are more informed hence more reliable.
Below are some important steps one should take in order to make a wise and informed decision:
1) Identify the problem or opportunity: If one has to make an appropriate choice, he /she must fully
understand the problem. This will help in determining the most appropriate decision by considering all
available options.

2) Research: Get much information to help you get a deeper understanding of the problem.
3) Analyze information: Study the information gathered and opinions given and establish any
connections and discrepancies. See how others have solved a similar problem or utilized similar
opportunity and the consequences that followed. Establish whether the same can happen in your case.
4) Develop options: Come up with the solutions to the problem or approaches to utilizing the
opportunity. Consider other alternatives and the consequences of each possible solution approach.
5) Decide: Choose the most appropriate option after you have considered all the available options and
their consequences.
6) Implement: Actualize the decision that you made.
7) Evaluate: Establish how effective decision you have made is. So that in case the decision is not
effective, the second-best option can be tried and a new research is carried out.
NB: Some decisions have huge financial implications. Therefore, it is necessary to do thorough research
before making decision. Consulting knowledgeable and experienced people is also necessary to avoid
incurring financial losses.
II.3 PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Personal responsibility refers to a duty to take action and be ready to bear the resultant consequences if
something goes wrong. Although those are simple chores they have to be done. For example, imagine what
can happen whenever you fail to wash your clothes and brush your teeth as your responsibility. It can lead to
certain health consequences, bad breath and tooth decay, social problems such as being rejected from the
group. With these simplest experiences, we can see that personal responsibilities cannot be avoided and that
there will be consequences to our choices. Some of the possible consequences include physical injury, shame,
guilt, revenge, or even hatred.
UNIT III.SPORTS AND LEASURE
Key unit competence
By the end of this unit I will be able to:
 Appreciate how sport, leisure, and competition, contribute to personal, collective, identity shared
with others and social development.
 Differentiate leisure from sport.

 Appreciate the importance of sport and leisure time in people’s lives.
 Promote sport and leisure by participating in some activities
 Show fairness and honesty in sport.
3.0 Introduction
What is sport what is leisure?
Sport refers to all forms of competitive physical activities which, through casual or organized participation,
aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to participants. In
sport there are indoor activities such as gymnastics, dance sports, cricket and outdoor activities such as
swimming, football, basketball, hockey, golf, ...
While leisure refers free time spent away from business, work, domestic chores and education. It excludes
time spent on necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. That means to be free from compulsory work
and engage in leisure activities such as entertaining friends, going on vacation, doing hobbies such as reading,
watching a television, listening or dancing to music, among others.
3.1 Contribution of sport, leisure and competition, to personal and collective identity
Personal identity refers to one’s personal qualities, skills, and abilities. Everybody has a sense of self personal
identity. Most people have a number of important ways of thinking about themselves. Our sense of self
includes the roles, characteristics, behaviours and associations that we consider most important about
ourselves.
On the other hand, collective identity refers to all the roles, qualities, and characteristics we think we have as a
result of a group. It is a sense of belonging to and being identified with a particular group, society, community
or a country. So through sport, leisure, and competition people can recognize their personal and collective
identity.
3.2 Contribution of sport, leisure and competition to personal and social development
Personal development is the conscious process of personal growth through increasing self – awareness and
knowledge as a way of developing one’s personal skills. It involves the growth and improvement of all
aspects of the person and the feelings the person has about him/herself. It includes the development of
positive life skills and the development of realistic acceptable self – esteem and self – fulfillment. Personal
development involves mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual growth that allows a person to live a
productive and satisfying life within the expectations of that person’s society. This is achieved through the
development of life skills.

Social development refers to the way we form positive relationships with family, friends, community and
other people in our lives. It helps us to learn how to correctly and reasonably manage our own feelings and
needs when responding to the feelings and needs of others. Social development promotes inclusion, cohesion,
trust and peaceful in a given society. Through sport, leisure, and competition many people manage to achieve
personal and social development goals.
GLOSSARY
Athlete: A person with the ability to participate in physical exercises especially competitive games and races.
Bike: Bicycle
Drama: A written work that tells a story through action and speech and is usually acted
Paralympics: International competitions of athletes with disabilities
Race: A competition between runners, bicycles, vehicles, boats, horses.
Self – esteem: Confidence in one’s own worth or abilities’ self – respect
Self – fulfillment: The achievement or realization of one’s hopes,desires and ambitions through one’s efforts.
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY
1. Do you think a person can earn a living from sport? Explain your answer with relevant examples.
2. Think of leisure or sport activity that people in your community enjoy watching. Describe it and explain
why it is popular
3. Describe how leisure activities contribute to an individual’s physical social and emotional development
4. With examples, explain the benefits Rwanda gains by Rwandan personalities and teams participating in
international sports competitions.

5. Suppose that you are the Minister of sport and culture in Rwanda, outline the ways in which you would
promote leisure and sport activities in Rwanda.
UNIT FOUR: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Key unit competences
 Use various sources of information to construct and disseminate knowledge.
 Explain the concept of communication
 Distinguish forms and ways of communication
 Describe effective communication
 Identify the element of communication
 Identify challenges to effective communication
4.0 INTRODUCTION
Definition of communication
Communication is the process of transmitting or passing on or sending facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings or
information. This involves a two - way process of passing on messages or information from one person to
another. This means that communication to be complete there should be response or feedback from the
person who receives the message. This happens when the receiver acts or reacts to the message. The feedback
that that goes back to the sender is a sign that the receiver has accepted or rejected the information contained
in the message. The type of response or lack f it is therefore a sign of proof that communication has taken
place or not.
4.1 Forms & ways of communication
The forms of communication refer to the types or categories in which communication is classified. There are
verbal and non - verbal forms of communication.
Verbal communication involves sharing information using speech, words or sound. Non – verbal
communication on the other hand does not involve any words. It is the process of sending and receiving
messages without using words, either spoken or written.

It is expressed through mannerism, gestures, or even habits. Some of this includes ways of dressing, facial
expressions (expressions made on the face especially using eyes), body positions or movements and many
others. These communicate meaning without using speech or words.
Ways of communication refer to the different means through which we communicate. It is a system of how
to send and receive messages. The commonest ways of communication comprise oral, written, recorded,
offline, online ways of communication. Oral communication involves direct face to face talking between two
people or groups and this could be in form of casual conversation, an interview or negotiation
Written communication involves any type of message that is sent by use of the written word such as letters,
reports, proposals,.,
Recorded communication refers to information or a message that is not communicated or listened to live. The
information is copied or recorded on a tape or CD and is then received or listened to later.
Offline communication is when someone is using a computer but cannot use internet because that computer is
not connected to internet now. It is possible to communicate but not at that moment because of not being
connected to a network of computers or internet.
Activities
1) Explain how the way of dressing can be used as a form of communication.
2) Give one example of facial expression and explain how it can be used to communicate one’s feelings.
3) Which would you, the oral or written way of communication? Give reasons for your choice
4) Outline and discuss the disadvantages of verbal communication.
Outline and explain the advantages non – verbal communication.
4.2 Effective communication
Communication is a human experience which takes place everywhere and every time. Whether it is verbal or
non – verbal, it is very important in our lives. Effective communication helps us understand and manage our
personal, social, political, and economic situations. Lack of effective communication many times lead to
social problems such as family misunderstandings, conflicts between individuals and communities, crimes
such as murder and even wars between countries. The major skills commonly used in effective
communication are speaking, listening, writing, reading and feedback.
4.3 Speaking and listening

Speaking can be defined as communicating thoughts, opinions, or feelings by words of mouth. It is intended
to put across a message to the listeners and at the same time bring about the desired response or feedback
from the listeners.
Speaking is very important to effective communication to take place. Successful speaking includes fluency of
speech, the follow of the words in the message, plus the style or the manner the speech is made. Fluency
means the ability by someone to express himself or herself clearly. Confidently and meaningfully. The
speaker is required to use correct language structures, clear pronunciation and a clear voice.
Effective speaking also goes hand in hand with body language. Body language reinforces or emphasises what
is said in words. For example, people may nod their heads energetically when meaning “yes” to emphasise
that they agree with the other person. Body language includes one’s body position and movement, facial
expressions and gestures one uses. Body language is a non – verbal communication from which expresses an
individual’s emotions and feelings when one is speaking. At times, it is possible that body language on its
own can put across more information than spoken words.
Listening is a process of receiving and interpreting the spoken words. Listening is a process. It begins with
hearing and then taking note of message. Listening involves using the mind seriously because it is an active,
voluntary and conscious process; while hearing an involuntary act (it takes place without a person’s will
control or intention).For example, when you are in a place full of noisy people, you don’t listen to their noise.
But if one of those people touches on your shoulder and talks to you, you start listening to that person.
Effective listening involves sharing common understanding between the listener and speaker. If there is no
understanding between the two, the communication fails. It is important that the listener develops interest in
the speaker in order to listen effectively.
Proper listening may become difficult due to the failure to understand the language of the speaker or if the
topic is difficult. This may also be true if there is fear, bias, hatred or disagreement towards the speaker.
ACTIVITY
Read carefully the poem, memorise and recite it to your classmate, then answer the questions that follow.
A boy went to school
He tried his best
And wrote his national examinations
At last he was free from school routine
Then came the results
He could not to school
He knew how he had performed
It would neither please him or his parents
At last he went
He saw his name
He could not believe it
“I passed” he yelled “I passed”
He hurried home
Heavy with pleasure
The pride of his family
He had won the prize and the sky was the limit
(Dan B.)
Questions
1) Which exam did the boy write?

2) What made him he was free?
3) Ex plain why the boy couldn’t hurry to school?
4) Why do you think he did yell?
5) What could you do if you were this boy?
4.4 WRITING AND READING
Writing is a communication skill involving putting words on paper in the process of expressing sentences,
messages, speeches, letters, essays, proposals, reports and many others. The intention is to communicate
information or a message through writing after which the message or information is received through reading.
Reading is a process of receiving and interpreting the written information or a message. The receiving of the
information is done visually (using the sense of sight).
Interpreting refers to converting the received message information. This involves understanding the written
language, recognizing definitions of the words and the way in which the words are used in varying contexts.
(Different situations) This is followed by identifying the main theme (subject matter) of the information or
message and the supporting ideas.
Reading is a very important source of information about education, employment, our environment,
development, our environment, politics, and current affairs got through reading information from books,
magazines, journals and internet.

ACTIVITY
Read the following letter which Ntaganda wrote to Umuhoza.
P.O BOX 247,
Kigali – Rwanda
Friday 19th February, 2016.
Dear Umuhoza,
I hope you are enjoying the holiday. Ever since we were last together, I have been missing you. But guess
what! Saturday 29th April will give us a big opportunity to meet again. It is the day my sister will graduate
from the National University of Rwanda.
Please make sure you attend. Try to be here two days before so that we may spend enough time together. My
parents say it will be alright for you to come. I will be waiting for you at the bus station.
Till then,
Ntaganda
Question.
Assume that you are Umuhoza, write a reply letter to Ntaganda accepting the invitation.
4.5 Feedback
Feedback is important of communication, feedback refers to the response we give or action we take after
receiving information whether through listening or reading. In other words, the receiver’s response or reaction
communicated back to the sender is called feedback. The feedback process completes the communication
process. The diagram below illustrates how feedback takes place. S stands for sender, R stands for receiver.

Message
S R
Feedback (The feedback process)
In other words, feedback is the reaction by the receiver, to the sender’s message. Without feedback from the
receiver, the communication becomes incomplete or ineffective. This feedback may be written, verbal or non
– verbal depending on the situation. The feedback enables the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of his or her
message, in which he /she will improve on the message, accordingly or communicate effectively.
5.THE ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The communication process consists of some inter-related steps or parts through which messages are sent
from the sender to the receiver. The process of communication begins when the sender wants to transmit a
fact, idea, opinion, feeling, or other information to the receiver and ends with receiver’s feedback to the
sender.
The main components of communication process are sender, message, channel, receiver and feedback.
Below is the diagram showing the elements of the communication process.
Developing - Encoding - Message - Selecting - Transforming - Receiving - Decoding

idea by the Medium a message message
sender by the
receiver
SENDER RECEIVER
FEEDBACK
Therefore the communication process involves a set of steps that follow each other logically in transferring
the message as well as the feedback. The process requires a sender who transmits a message through a
channel to the receiver. Then the receiver interprets the message and sends back a feedback, response or
reaction.
5.1 STEPS OR ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The elements of communication process are the series of actions or stages that are followed in order to
complete the communication process. The communication process refers to the steps through which
communication takes place between the sender and the receiver. Below are the steps of communication
process.
1. Developing an idea by the sender: The communication process starts with the person
(communicator) who intends to convey or send a message for the purpose of sharing with or passing
on to others information. He/she develops an idea or a message to be sent. It is also known as the
planning stage since at this level the communicator thinks about what type of idea to be sent.
2. Encoding: Encoding: Encoding is the process of converting the idea or message (information, ideas
or thoughts ) into symbols such as words, actions, or picture etc. that are easily understood by the
receiver. Communication is only achieved when the sender and the receiver understand the same
information. People who are great communicators are good encoders; as they know how present their
message in a way that the receivers can easily understand.
3. Developing the message: The message is simply the information one wants to communicate. This
may be an opinion, thoughts, feelings, views, orders, or suggestions. So after encoding, the sender gets
a message that can be transmitted to the receiver. The message can be oral, written, verbal or non –
verbal; For example, when people talk, speech is the message; when people write a letter the words
and sentences are the message; when people cry, the crying is the message.
4. Selecting the medium: The person who is interested in communicating has to choose the means
through which to the required information or ideas. A good communicator sender is one who
understands which means to use under different circumstances. The medium is the channel or means
of transmitting the message to the receiver. Once the sender has encoded his ideas into the message,
the next step is to select a suitable medium for transmitting it to the receiver. The medium of
communication can be speaking, writing, signaling, gesturing, etc
5. Transmission of message: In this step, the sender actually transmits the message through a chosen
medium. In the communication cycle, the tasks of the sender end with the transmission of the message.
6. Receiving the message by receiver: When a message is transmitted, it is intended for someone to
receive it. The receiver is the person who receives the message or for whom the message is meant for.
He is the one who tries to understand the message in the best way possible in order achieve the desired
purpose. This stage simply involves the reception of sender’s message by the receiver. The message
can be received through hearing, seeing, reading, and feeling and so on.
7. Decoding: It is the receiver’s interpretation of the sender’s message. Here the receiver converts the
message into thoughts and tries to analyse and understand it. Effective communication can occur only
when both the sender and the receiver get the same or similar meanings to message. This is when
listening, reading, and watching carefully are very important. So just as the sender encodes the
message, the receiver has to decode it.
8. Feedback: It is the final step of communication process. It is the process of ensuring that the receiver
has received the message and understood it in the same sense as the sender meant it. This is proved
through the receiver’s response to sender’s message. Feedback increases the effectiveness of
communication. It ensures that the receiver has correctly understood the message. The feedback is the
most important element of two way- way communication which helps the sender to judge the
effectiveness of his/her communication.
ACTIVITY
a) “Communication without feedback is not communication at all” Do you agree or not? Give reasons for
your views.
b) Compare and contrast “encoding” and “decoding”
c) What do you understand by “two – way communication?”
d) Explain why it is important to use a suitable medium of transmitting a message.
e) Describe the ways in which kids express their feelings to parents or adults

5.2 Sources of information
There are many types of information sources that may be useful when you want to make research on any
topic. It is important to understand the difference between these and how they can best be used and accessed.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses in each of these can help you make informed decision n your
selection. Sources of information consist of primary, secondary and tertiary sources.
Primary sources are first – hand original materials on which other research is based. They present original
thinking or report a discovery. They are typically produced at the time of the event by a person who
experienced or witnessed it. Primary sources form the basic and original material for providing the
researcher’s raw content of information. Anything that contains original information on a topic is considered a
primary source. Example of these include audio recordings such as radio programs, interviews, letters,
newspaper, articles written at the time, photographs, speeches, etc.
In contrast, secondary source of information is one that was created later by someone who did not
experience first – hand or participate in formulating the original materials. A secondary source is a result
of the interpretation and analysis of the primary source of information. A secondary source is a report of the
findings of primary source. Examples of these include magazines and newspaper articles, dictionaries,
encyclopedias, textbooks, websites, etc.
Tertiary sources of information consist of information which is a combination of primary and secondary
sources. Tertiary sources generally provide an overview or summary of a topic and may contain both
primary and secondary sources. The information is displayed as entirely factual, and does not include any
analysis or assessment. Examples of these include bibliographies; biographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias,
textbooks, etc.
Note: Depending on the topic of research, it is possible to use a bibliography, dictionary, or encyclopedia as
either a secondary or a tertiary source. Therefore, some of the examples of information uses are found under
both sources. This is also true with websites which can be used both as primary and secondary sources of
information.
The chart below provides you with more specific information about the variety of sources you will come
across when you want to carry out research. This will help you both determine the most reliable source and
the most appropriate for your research. Information can come from anywhere - media, personal experiences,
books, journal and magazine articles, expert opinions, encyclopedias and web pages, and the type of
information you need will change depending on the topic you want to research on.
Table showing sources of information
Sources of Description Uses

information
Books Books cover virtually any topic, Books give board information about topics;
fact or fiction. For research background and historical information when
purposes, you should look for looking for a lot of information on a topic.
books that produce all the
information on one topic to They put topics in context with other
support a particular argument on important issues.
research. Books are usually reliable sources of
information, providing in - depth coverage of
a subject. They usually contain illustration
and a bibliography which can be used to
identify other useful references.
Magazines A magazine is a collection of They are used to find up – to –date

articles and images about information or opinions about current events.
different topics of popular interest
and current events. Usually these
articles are written by journalists
or scholars. Magazines are
published regularly. They contain
articles about current topics,
written by journalists for the
general public. They might be
useful for discussion of current
trends and issues.
Newspaper A newspaper is a collection of Newspapers are used to find current

articles about current events information about international, national and
usually published daily. local issues and events.
Newspapers are intended for the They are used to find out people’s viewpoints,
general audience. commentaries, expert or popular opinions.
They are published regularly and They provide information daily on local,
contain articles on international, national and international information and
national and local news events. events.
They also contain viewpoints and

opinions. They are useful for

information about current events
and development.
Encyclopedia They are collections of short, It is used when looking for background
factual information often written information on a topic.
by different contributors who are
knowledgeable about the topics. It is also used when trying to find key ideas,
important dates or concepts.
There are two types of
encyclopedias: General and
subject.
General encyclopedias provide

brief overviews on a wide variety
of topics.
Subject encyclopedias give deep

information focusing on a specific
field of study or subject.
Websites A website is a location for They are used to find current information on a
information on a particular number of things ranging from academic work
subject connected to the internet. to business, travel, government etc.
It allows you to access most types
of information on the internet. It is used to find both expert and popular
One of the main features of the opinions on various fields.
web contains information beyond
plain text, including sounds,
images, and videos.
The important thing to do when

using information on the internet
is to know how to evaluate it.
Websites are useful source of
information, particularly for
example, those associated with
current information, and well –
known people, places and events.
Journals A journal is a collection of They are useful when doing scholarly

articles usually written by research. They help to find out what has been
scholars in an academic or studied on a certain topic.
professional field. Articles in
journals cover very recent Journals carefully analyse the effect of an
information or for information on event on a society. They are intended for other
a very specific and specialized scholars, researchers, and professionals
topic. involved in research.
Database A database contains references of They are useful when looking for articles on
articles in magazines, journals certain topics in magazines, journals and
and newspapers. They may also newspapers.
contain references for websites,
videos and other academic and
media information. Some
databases contain abstracts or
brief summaries of the articles,
while other databases contain
complete, full – text articles.
ACTIVITY
Study the above table carefully. Which of the sources of information would you prefer you use when you are
carrying out research? Give reasons for your answer.
Project writing
Writing a project involves the skills of information gathering, organization and writing. These skills help
learners to be better equipped to handle many types of school assignments and job challenges later in the life
of work after school.
THE STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN WRITING A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT
a) Identify the topic or the subject: You must think very carefully about the importance and relevance of the
topic you intend to choose. The topic you choose should be interesting to you. It should not be wide or broad.
b) Look for sources of information: It is important to select a topic which has research materials. These
materials can be got from the library, internet, encyclopedia, articles, and people.
c) Make notes: Having got the sources of information, read through them in order to make notes of the points
you are going to include in the project. The notes should include important facts and figures where possible.
d) Make a plan or sketch: Having made the notes, for the purpose of being systematic, these should be
presented in a form of plan or sketch.
e) Write the first draft: When all the information has been put together, review and reorganize the notes, then
write the first draft of the project. Read the first draft of the project in order to edit it. (Is the information
arranged in a proper way? Are the logical links between the parts of the project?) . Correct the language
mistakes (if any); make sure that you used capital letters where necessary. Divide the project into paragraphs,
correct the punctuation, check the word order, and the use of tenses and spelling.
f) Write the final draft: After thorough editing of the first draft, make sure that the project is well organized
and properly presented. When this has been done, it is time to write the final draft which is actually the
project.
g) Presentation of the project: Think of an interesting form in which you would like to present your project. It
could be in form of a file or any other form you find convenient to you.
ACTIVITY
Write a project based on one of the following topics
a) Contribution of genocide studies to peace building in Rwanda
b) Importance of protecting the environment in Rwanda.
c) The role of comprehensive sexuality education in Rwanda schools
Assessment exercise
1) Why is effective communication important in our lives?
2) “Actions sound louder than words” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
3) Outline and explain some of the problems that make communication difficult.


2020-2021 Full Notes S4

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2020-2021 Full Notes S4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GENERAL STUDIES AND COMMUNICATION NOTES SENIOR 4

GENERAL STUDIES AND COMMUNICATION SKILLLS NOTES S 4

MPC, BCG, MPG1 & 2

TEACHER BIZUMUREMYI Steven

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 1

Unit One: Social Cohesion

Unit two: Individual and Society

Unit three: Sport and Leisure

Unit four: Effective Communication

Unit five: Personal Finance

Unit Six: Education and Welfare Systems

Unit seven: Career Planning

Unit eight: Fair Operating Practices

Unit nine: Environmental Management and Population Dynamics

Unit ten: Scientific Research, Health and Wellbeing

Unit eleven: Heritage and Culture

Unit twelve: Gender and Society

Unit thirteen: The Arts and Society

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 2

0.1 Definition of key terms

A. General Studies and Communication Skills

Eg: It takes great skill to make such beautiful jewellery.

Significant Skills Everyone Should Have

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 4

Skills that General Education Classes Develop

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 5

UNIT ONE: SOCIAL COHESION

I.1 Objectives of General Studies and Communication Skills

I, a student, and at the end of this course, shall be able to:

I.2 Meaning of social cohesion

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 6

I.3 The factors of social cohesion

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 7

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 8

The steps to active bystandership.

i. Notice what is happening around you

ii. Interpret whether it is an emergency that needs intervention or help

iv. Intervene in the situation. This can be done by:

 Interrupting the harmful yourself

 Interrupting and disrupting the people involved

 Involving others around you

 Calling the police or the administration

When intervening, remember to:

 Approach everyone as a friend;

 Avoid being controversial or antagonistic;

 Avoid using violence;

 Be as honest and direct as possible;

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 9

 Keep yourself safe.

I.4 Challenges to social cohesion

They include individualism, discrimination, social injustice, etc.

Social Injustice Definition

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 10

UNITY TWO: INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY

II.1 Individual identity and multiple identities

2.1.1 Belonging of the individual to various social entities

a) Individual identity – a teacher, a man, a woman, etc.

b) Cultural identity – Christian, Muslims etc.

c) National identity – Rwandan, Ugandan, Kenyan etc.

PREPARED BY TEACHER STEVEN BIZUMUREMYI Page 11

II.1.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE LEVELS OF

II.2 MAKING CHOICES