Life skills-based education (LSBE) is a form of education that focuses on cultivating personal life skills such as self-reflection, critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal skills. In 1986, the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion recognized life skills in terms of making better health choices.
Life orientation is an excitingly diverse subject, incorporating many aspects of life. However, Life orientation (LO) has evolved into a holistic subject encompassing emotional, physical, spiritual and mental aspects of life.
In Grade 10, the Life orientation curriculum is divided into the following 6 Topics:
- Development of the self in society.
- Social and environmental responsibility.
- Democracy and Human Rights.
- Careers and career choices.
- Study Skills.
- Physical Education.
Our experience of role play in a classroom situation suggests that it is effective in providing information, modelling behaviour, developing learners' inter-personal skills, and increasing their self-efficacy.
Teaching so that learning can take place
- Teach and learn together with school children.
- Start with what the students already know.
- Let students see and then do.
- Let children help each other.
- Teach about teeth and gums together with other subjects.
- Be a good example.
- Make the community part of your classroom.
Introduced in the late 1990's in a democractic South Africa, Life Orientation (LO) is a subject that made up the Outcomes-Based Education approach that then Education Minister, Kader Asmal, implemented.
The knowledge students learn from mathematics, science, history and languages will amount to nothing if schools do not teach them moral values and respect for the rights of others as well. Moral values, or ethics and respect for others, should be a major subject from kindergarten up to the college level.
Subjects are the parts into which learning can be divided. At school, each lesson usually covers one subject only. Some of the most common subjects at school are English, history, mathematics, physical education and science.
Defining Essential Life Skills
- Communication and interpersonal skills.
- Decision-making and problem-solving.
- Creative thinking and critical thinking.
- Self-awareness and empathy, which are two key parts of emotional intelligence.
- Assertiveness and equanimity, or self-control.
The Life Orientation Test (LOT) was developed to assess individual differences in generalized optimism versus pessimism. This measure, and its successor the LOT-R, have been used in a good deal of research on the behavioral, affective, and health consequences of this personality variable.
The calculation of an APS is simple and is based on a candidate's achievement in six recognised 20-credit subjects. Life Orientation is excluded from the calculation to determine the APS required for admission.
Social justice is concerned with the ways in which benefits and burdens are distributed among the members of a society. This includes the fairness in which a society provides, protects and recognises the means and qualities individuals require to both determine a conception of, and live, a good life.
General aims of the South African Curriculum (a) The National Curriculum Statement Grades R - 12 gives expression to what is regarded to be knowledge, skills and values worth learning. It will ensure that learners acquire and apply knowledge and skills in ways that are meaningful to their own lives.
Wits tabulates the points score for all subjects on the following basis: Wits does not distinguish between designated vs non-designated subjects when calculating the admission point score (APS) The APS calculation is based on the best seven subjects including Life Orientation.
A Bachelor's Pass means that you can study at any tertiary institution, as long as you meet the requirements for your chosen field of study. If you passed with a Bachelor's Pass, that means you got at least: 40% in your Home Language.
To calculate your APS, add the six best subject percentages, excluding Life Orientation and scores for “Advanced Programme” (AP) subjects, but including English and any other required subject(s) for the relevant programme.
This equals an average cost of $30,400 (resident) or $78,400 (non-resident) for a four-year bachelor's degree, not including room and board, which averages an extra $8,545 per year. A master's degree program in education typically costs $12,000-$74,000.
Bachelors Degree pass requirementsMust obtain at least 50% for four other subjects excluding Life Orientation, Must obtain at least 30% for Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) of the tertiary (Higher Eduction) institution, Must obtain at least 30% for one other subject, Must pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects.
What a learner needs for different pass levels?
| Pass Level | Points |
|---|
| Bachelor Pass | - 4 in four high credit subjects - 3 in home language - 2 in other two subject Total points: 23 |
| Diploma Pass | - 3 home language - 3 in other four high credit subjects - 2 in other two subject Total points: 19 |
25% of your final matric result comes from your Internal School-based Assessments (SBA). This is the mark given to you by your school. It's made up of all of your class work, assignments, tests and exams done throughout the year.
APS stands for Admission Point Score. This is the score that universities use to see if you qualify for a specific course. You can work out your APS using your final Matric results.
