APPENDIX 1-COMPLETED ASSIGNMET (COVER PAGE, TABLE OF CONTENT)

ESSAY BODY, REFERENCE LIST AND HONOUR PLEDGE)

ASSESSMENT 1

DEMONSTRATE AND ILLUSTRATE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE INTERMEDIATE PHASE

Discussion Forum

In partial fulfilment

of the requirements in Research and Study Skills

at

Cornerstone Institute

IP Life Skills Didactics

by

LARRY INGLIS

24 August 2023
INGLIS. L 64067

Assignment 1: Understanding the content of the three study areas: Personal and Social well-
being, Physical Education and Creative Arts; OF Life Skills for the Intermediate Phase.

What is Life Skills?

In today’s rapidly changing world, it is becoming increasingly important for students to develop
a range of Life skills that will equip them with the necessary tools to succeed in their personal
and professional lives. The South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)
recognize the importance of Life skills education and include it as a critical component of the
curriculum across all phases of schooling. The new curriculum (DBE, 2012) describes Life skills
as a subject that is pivotal to the holistic development of learners. According to the CAPS
document (2012), the aim of Life skills is to prepare learners for all the challenges they will be
facing in life, and to equip them to live meaningfully and successfully in a “…rapidly changing
and transforming society” (DBE, 2012, p. 9). The subject exposes learners to a range of
knowledge, skills and values that will strengthen their holistic (physical, social, personal,
emotional and cognitive) development, creative and aesthetic knowledge and skills,
knowledge of personal health and safety, understanding of the relationship between people
and the environment and learners’ awareness of social relationships, technological processes
and elementary science.

The Mental Health Promotion and Policy (MHP) team in World Health Organisation’s (WHO)
Department of Mental Health has produced this definition of Life skills: “Life skills education is
designed to facilitate the practice and reinforcement of psychosocial skills in a culturally and
developmentally appropriate way; it contributes to the promotion of personal and social
development, the prevention of health and social problems, and the protection of human
rights” (WHO 1999). It is evident that in addition to practical and vocational skills, other types
of skills such as social, individual and reflective skills are also needed. Life skills programmes
emphasise abilities that help to facilitate communication, negotiation, to think critically and
solve problems and make independent decisions. Life skills defined in a general way mean a
mix of knowledge, behaviour, attitudes and values and designate the possession of some skill
and know-how to do something, or reach an aim.

How are they comprised?

The subject is concerned with the social, personal, intellectual, emotional and physical growth
of learners and it comprises the following study areas: Personal and Social wellbeing, physical
education and creative arts. The latter have been organised as study areas to ensure that the
foundational skills, values and concepts of early childhood development and the subjects
offered in Grades 4-12 are taught and developed in Grades R-3 (DBE, 2012, p. 8).
Life skills comprise particular attitudes, knowledge and skills (Nelson-Jones, 1991) which
enable the individual to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life
(Division of Mental Health WHO, 1993). Nelson-Jones (1992:232) recommends that specific life
skills should be regarded as comprising three dimensions: attitude, knowledge and skill.

An appropriate attitude to any skill is that one should assume personal responsibility for
acquiring, maintaining, using and developing it. One may lose some or all of a life skill if one
fails to work at using and developing it. A personally responsible attitude is the motivational or
wanting to do it dimension of a life skill. Knowledge: Any Life skill involves knowing how to
make the right choices. People who have been exposed to good models may have this kind of
knowledge, albeit implicitly rather than explicitly. Though they may not be able to say why,
they know which choices are correct, for example for being a good speaker (Queen of CAPS,
2021).

People with shortcomings in certain areas of skills may require the relevant knowledge to be
clearly articulated or spelled out”, so that this can guide their actions. This is the “knowing how
to do it” dimension of a life skill. Skill: The skill dimension entails putting attitude and
knowledge into practice. In appropriate circumstances, one translates one’s “wanting to do it”
and “knowing how to do it” into “actually doing it” (Nelson-Jones, 1992:232). The participants
regard relationship skills (respect, living with the people around you, being a good citizen) and
responsible decision making as the most important aspects of life skills. Together with this, it
was important to them that children should have knowledge of the dangers of society to
enable them to learn the skills necessary for their own safety, which is a reflection of the
unsafe communities in which some of these children have to grow up (Christina Johanna
Spamer, 2017).

What are the specific aims?

The CAPS Curriculum for Life Skills aims at developing life skills that will assist the learner to
become independent and play an active and responsible role in society. “Learners are
equipped with the skills that will assist them to deal with challenging situations positively. ...
They learn values such as respect for the rights of others and tolerance for cultural and
religious diversity in order to build a democratic society” (DoBE, 2012:10). The promoted life
skills (problem solving, group work, collection and organizing of data, responsibility towards
the environment and responsibility towards each other.

According to CAPS the Life Skills subject aims to guide and prepare learners for life and its
possibilities, including equipping learners for meaningful and successful living in a rapidly
changing and transforming society. Through Life Skills, learners are exposed to a range of
knowledge, skills and values that strengthen their physical, social, personal, emotional and
cognitive development; creative and aesthetic skills and knowledge through engaging in dance,
music, drama and visual art activities; knowledge of personal health and safety; understanding
of the relationship between people and the environment; awareness of social relationships,
technological processes and elementary science.

Personal and Social Well-being is the study of the self in relation to the environment and
society. The study area provides opportunities for learners to practise life skills required to
make informed choices regarding personal lifestyle, health and social well-being. It provides
learners with skills to relate positively with and contribute to family, community and society.
Learners are equipped with skills that will assist them to deal with challenging situations
positively and recognise, develop and communicate their abilities, interests and skills with
confidence. They learn values such as respect for the rights of others and tolerance for cultural
and religious diversity in order to build a democratic society. In the Life Skills curriculum for
Grades 4 to 6, Personal and Social Well-being is expressed as a study area containing three
topics. The three topics are: Development of the self, Health and environmental responsibility
and Social responsibility” (DoBE, 2012:10).

Physical Education (PE) aims to develop learners’ physical well-being and knowledge of
movement and safety. During engagement in this study area, learners will develop motor skills
and participate in a variety of physical activities. Participation in PE will nurture positive
attitudes and values that will assist learners to be physically fit, mentally alert, emotionally
balanced and socially well adjusted. Learners will directly experience the benefits of such
participation and be better able to understand the importance of a physically active lifestyle.
During movement activities teachers will also address the development of other skills such as
relationship skills, problem solving skills and the enhancement of self-esteem (DoBE, 2012:10).

Creative Arts provides exposure to and study of a range of art forms including dance, drama,
music, and visual arts. The purpose of Creative Arts is to develop learners as creative,
imaginative individuals, with an appreciation of the arts. It also provides basic knowledge and
skills to be able to participate in creative activities. A safe and supportive environment is
created for learners to explore experience and express thoughts, ideas and concepts within an
atmosphere of openness and acceptance. Creative Arts provides opportunities for learners to
give expression to their feelings and understandings, individually and in collaboration with
others. It creates a foundation for balanced creative, cognitive, emotional and social
development. Creative Arts education, when successfully applied, has been proven to improve
literacy and to reduce education dropout levels. By the end of the Intermediate Phase Creative
Arts, learners should have a basic knowledge and appreciation of all four art forms, and should
be able to make an informed choice about the two art forms they would like to focus on during
the Senior Phase (DoBE, 2012:10).

Building emotional literacy and providing children with daily opportunities to develop their
skills in this area will also simultaneously help to promote good mental health and nurture
children’s ability to be resilient and to cope with the challenges that life may bring them.
Coping with such challenges and pressures is, of course, a reality of everyday life for children
and students.
It is therefore essential that they develop the emotional resilience and ability to engage the
brain and feelings to inform behaviours and make choices that will ensure positive outcomes
(Rae, 2006).

Are the specific aims realistic?

The specific aims of life skills are realist, in preparing today’s learners to become productive
citizens of the future our educational system is required to promote life-long learners who are
able to work together to solve realistic problems and develop a basic understanding of the
natural and humanly modified world around them (Rooth, 1997). Life skills cannot be taught
only through theoretical discussions in classroom but students need to be exposed to lived
experiences and active learning opportunities, in order to discuss, debate, challenge and then
acquire these experiences through the supportive learning environment.

A welcoming and caring classroom atmosphere creates a safe space in which learners are
allowed to share ideas, express their opinions, discuss controversial topics and even
respectfully disagree with their peers and teacher. This suggests that the Life skills teacher
should create a classroom atmosphere in which the learner can apply their conscious mind to
the lesson at hand (C Jordaan and Naudé, 2018). The knowledge, skills and attitudes which
students thus, acquire facilitates their life skills and serves as the foundation of their success in
personal, academic, professional and community life. Therefore, the scope of life skill
education programme is very wide and extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom or the
school. It cuts across the narrow subject boundaries and should be integrated in all the subject
areas of school curriculum, co-curricular activities and the entire ecosystem of the school as a
whole.

Are the specific aims attainable given the time allocations in a week?

Teachers should understand and always keep in mind the rationale for teaching life skills in the
Intermediate phase. Caps stipulate four hours per week is allocated to Life Skills in the NCS,
and is paced across the 40 weeks (160 hours) of the school year to ensure coverage of the Life
Skills curriculum. Yes I feel that the specific aims are attainable given the time allocations in a
week. It is evident that child stimulation and development at this early stage of life are
indispensable for good health, growth, success in education and in life. The goals the teachers
should have for their learners when teaching Life skills to unpack the specific aims are both a
short and long term. It is worthwhile for teachers to remember that the aim (long term goals)
of a subject offers the extensive reason or general teaching goal of the subject whilst the
objective (short term goals) offers more precise information about what the teaching of the
subject hopes to attain (Kennedy, 2006).

The only way that teachers are able to comprehend the significance of life skills in young
learners is to study more on the research conducted on the subject. Teachers need to
familiarise themselves with Blooms taxonomy in order for them to be able to construct the
learning outcomes for the learners.
The specific skills in the policy document (CAPS) are the outcomes that the teachers should
ensure their learners achieve at the end of the learning programme. Nonetheless,
(CAPS )stipulates that “through life skills learners are exposed to a range of knowledge, skills
and values that strengthen their physical, social, personal, emotional and cognitive
development (Hebron, 2015). If teachers understand the content it may ensure that they do
not struggle when constructing the measurable or observable outcomes for life skills.

One can argue that, it is not that teachers do not like certain elements of teaching life skills; for
example physical education. For the simple reason teachers do not have the expertise for
teaching physical education thus; they lose the interest on physical education. It can also be
argued that should the teachers be equipped with the information they need to effectively
teach physical education, they could enjoy the experience and the time allocated for the
subject may be enough. Other factors within the social context of the school environment
influencing curriculum implementation concerning time while teaching life skills, according to
Prinsloo ( 2007) in South Africa on challenges facing the implementation of Life skills program
indicated that many teachers were not able to handle issues of HIV/AIDS and they avoided
engaging pupils on the subject. Teachers failed to engage the learners on HIV/AIDS content in
the curriculum because they feel that it is sensitive to teach that which affect their learners. If
teachers can deal with issues relating to the lack of expertise in order to successfully teach,
then the time for teaching life skills stipulated by CAPS would be achievable.

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Referencing List

Prinsloo, D.J. (2007). Implementation of Life Orientation programs in the new curriculum in
South African schools: perceptions of principals and Life orientation teachers. South African
Journal of Education Vol 27(1), 155-170

Hebron, N. (2015). Exploring Teachers’ Experiences of Teaching CAPS Life Skills (Physical
Education) in the Foundation Phase. [online] Available at:
https://ukzn-dspace.ukzn.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10413/13875/Nhlongo_Andrew_Hebron_20
15.pdf?

Kennedy, D. (2006). Writing and using Learning Outcomes: A practical guide. Cork: University
College Cork.

Department of Basic Education. (2012b). National protocol for assessment grades R – 12.
Pretoria: Government Printing Works.

Department of Basic Education. (2011). Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
Pretoria: Department of Basic Education

WHO, (1999) Partners in Life Skills Education. Conclusions from a United Nations Inter-agency
Meeting. Geneva, WHO, 1999 ( WHO/MNH/MHP/99.2).

C Jordaan and NaudéM. (2018). Teaching life skills in the intermediate phase. Pretoria: Van
Schaik Publishers.

Rooth, E. (1997). Introduction to Life Skills: Hands-on Approaches to Life Skills Education. Cape
Town: Via Africa

South African College Junior School. (2013). Personal and Social Well-being - South African
College Junior School. [online] Available at: https://sacsjunior.org.za/personal-and-social-well-
being/ [Accessed 27 Oct. 2021].

Rae, T. (2006). Good Choices. SAGE.

Queen of CAPS (2021). Intermediate Phase Life Skills - CAPS 123. [online] CAPS 123. Available
at: https://caps123.co.za/intermediate-phase-life-skills/.

Christina Johanna Spamer (2017). Family Involvement in Life Skills Development of Learners in
a Primary School.

WHO, (1999) Partners in Life Skills Education. Conclusions from a United Nations Inter-agency
Meeting. Geneva, WHO, 1999 ( WHO/MNH/MHP/99.2).
Singh, M. (2012). UNESCO GUIDELINES for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of the
Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning. PLA Inside Out: An International Journal on
Theory, Research and Practice in Prior Learning Assessment, 1(2).