Guidance and Counselling Through the Teaching of Life Orientation

Author(s):  
Nonzukiso Tyilo ◽  
Jenny Shumba

The education system in South Africa is exacerbated with challenges that influence the effective teaching and learning in school, for example, discipline, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, low self-esteem, lack of positive role models, peer pressure, poor study habits, poverty, etc. Guidance and counselling nurture learners to make informed decisions and about life and this deepens learners' self-knowledge, beliefs, interests, etc. Since the dawn of democratic government in South Africa, guidance was phased out in schools and replaced with Life Orientation (LO). LO as a compulsory subject focuses on self in relation to others and society. It addresses skills, knowledge, and values for people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, involved in solving problems and make informed decisions. The teaching LO in schools prepares and empowers learners to become responsible citizens. The chapter aims to help LO teachers to understand the key role of LO in schools, in the midst of the challenges.

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilna H. Oldewage-Theron ◽  
Abdulkadir Egal

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has not given nutrition education the necessary emphasis that it needs, despite its importance in South African schools. Nutrition is included as only one of many topics forming part of the Life Orientation syllabus. Educators are role models for learners in making healthy food choices, however, studies have shown that major gaps exist in the health and nutrition-related knowledge and behaviour of educators. The objective of this research was to undertake a pilot study to determine the impact of a nutrition education programme (NEP) on the nutrition knowledge of Life Orientation educators in public schools in South Africa (SA). An exploratory baseline survey, to determine the nutrition education practices in 45 purposively selected public schools, was carried out before the experimental nutrition education intervention study. A nutrition knowledge questionnaire was completed by 24 purposively selected educators, representing all nine provinces in SA, before and after a three-day NEP. Pre and post-NEP data were analysed on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for a Windows program version 17.0 for descriptive statistics, version 17.0. Paired t-tests measured statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) before and after the NEP. The knowledge of the respondents improved significantly after the NEP as the mean±s.d. score of correctly answered questions (n = 59) improved from 63.3±30.2% before to 80.6±21.1% after the NEP. The results proved that nutrition knowledge of Life Orientation educators in primary schools is not optimal, but can be improved by NEP. OpsommingDie Departement van Basiese Opvoeding het nog nie die nodige aandag aan voeding voorligting in skole gegee nie ten spyte van die belangrikheid daarvan. Voeding word aangebied as een van vele aspekte in die Lewensoriëntasie sillabusse. Onderwysers is rolmodelle om gesonde voedsel keuses te maak vir kinders, maar studies het bewys dat tekortkominge bestaan in die gesondheid en voeding verwante kennis en optrede van onderwysers. Die doel van hierdie loods studies was om die impak van ‘n voeding voorligting program op die voeding kennis van Lewensoriëntering onderwysers in publieke skole in Suid Afrika (SA) te bepaal. ‘n Basislyn ondersoek was uitgevoer om die voeding praktyke van onderwysers uit 45 doelbewuste gekose publieke skole te bepaal voor en na die implementering van ‘n eksperimentele voeding voorligting intervensie studie. ‘n Voeding kennis vraelys is deur 24 doelbewuste gekose onderwysers, verteenwoordigend van al nege provinsies in SA, voltooi voor en na die drie-dag voeding voorligtingsprogram. Beide pre en post data is geanaliseer op die Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) vir Windows program, uitgawe 17.0, vir beskrywende statistieke. Gepaarde t-toetse is gebruik om statisties betekenisvolle verskille (p < 0.05) voor en na die intervensie te bepaal. Die kennis van die respondent het betekenisvol verbeter na die intervensie aangesien die gemiddelde ±s.d. uitslag van die vrae wat korrek geantwoord is (n = 59) van 63.3±30.2 persent voor tot 80.6±21.1 persent na die intervensie verbeter het. Die resultate het bewys dat die voeding kennis van Lewensoriëntering onderwysers in publieke skole in SA nie optimaal is nie, maar dat dit kan verbeter deur voeding voorligtingsprogramme.


2021 ◽  
pp. 074355842110529
Author(s):  
Katherine Sorsdahl ◽  
Thandi Davies ◽  
Charl Jensel ◽  
Dallas Oberholzer ◽  
Lillian Gelberg ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess the mental health needs and risk behaviors of adolescents attending an afterschool life-skills skateboarding program, to evaluate the perceived benefits of the program, and to identify potential modifications required to meet the identified needs. Program participants were from three gang- and poverty-affected urban communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Seventy-six adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years old (83% male) completed a self-report survey, and 24 adolescents and 19 key influencers participated in in-depth interviews and focus groups. Descriptive analyses were conducted on survey data and a framework approach was used to analyze qualitative data. 72% of the adolescents reported symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, 66% had experienced food insecurity, 45% had been physically abused at home, 47% had been bullied, and 59% had used alcohol. Benefits of the program included experiencing a sense of belonging to a skateboarding subculture, protection from gang recruitment and community violence, physical and emotional benefits of exercise, mentors as positive role models, and learning life skills. Recommendations to improve the program were to include information on depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and grief, and to include stress management and emotion regulation skills.


Author(s):  
Christa Beyers

The fact that youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are most vulnerable to contract HIV (UNAIDS, 2011) is a clear indication that adults are failing to provide them with the necessary skills and information to make informed decisions about healthy sexuality. Adults, including teachers, have a responsibility to engage youth about sexuality, in order to challenge critical thinking with the aim of contributing towards healthy and responsible individuals. Presently, sexuality education is taught as a component of Life Orientation, and teachers are given a considerable amount of autonomy on what and how to teach. This article aims to explore the gap between what youth want from sexuality education and what teachers think they need. I pose two questions: What are the sexuality education needs of youth? What do teachers think youth need in terms of sexuality education? To answer these questions, I argue that teachers seem to have knowledge on what youth need, but do not necessarily respond to what youth require in terms of sexuality education. Using an interpretive stance, I explore potential gaps and possible opportunities in how sexuality education is taught and discuss the need for a common agreement on, or understanding for the teaching and learning of sexuality education. I conclude with direction that future research might take.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari Young Kuchenbecker ◽  
Allison E. Newell ◽  
Daniel W. Pugh ◽  
Robert Soto ◽  
Gabrielle Bashist

10.28945/2679 ◽  
2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
ME Herselman ◽  
HR Hay

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are the major driving forces of globalised and knowledge-based societies of a new world era. They will have a profound impact on teaching and learning for two decades to come. The revolutionary change which is taking place in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), has dramatic effects on the way universities carry out their functions of teaching, learning and research, particularly on the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge. These developments pose unprecedented challenges to higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries particular in South Africa as South Africa is viewed as the leading country on the continent.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Jared McDonald

Dr Jared McDonald, of the Department of History at the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa, reviews As by fire: the end of the South African university, written by former UFS vice-chancellor Jonathan Jansen.    How to cite this book review: MCDONALD, Jared. Book review: Jansen, J. 2017. As by Fire: The End of the South African University. Cape Town: Tafelberg.. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South, [S.l.], v. 1, n. 1, p. 117-119, Sep. 2017. Available at: <http://sotl-south-journal.net/?journal=sotls&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=18>. Date accessed: 12 Sep. 2017.   This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sneha Barai

UNSTRUCTURED The UK General Medical Council (GMC) explicitly states doctors have a duty to ‘contribute to teaching and training…by acting as a positive role model’. However, recent studies suggest some are not fulfilling this, which is impacting medical students' experiences and attitudes during their training. As such, doctors have a duty to act as role models and teachers, as specified by the GMC, which it seems are not currently being fulfilled. This would improve the medical students’ learning experiences and demonstrate good professional values for them to emulate. Therefore, these duties should be as important as patient care, since this will influence future generations.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 668
Author(s):  
Tatiana Görig ◽  
Corinna Södel ◽  
Annette B. Pfahlberg ◽  
Olaf Gefeller ◽  
Eckhard W. Breitbart ◽  
...  

Seeking shade, the use of textile sun protection and sunscreen, and protecting one’s eyes by wearing sunglasses are recommended sun protection measures in children. We aimed to quantify the use of these measures as well as the prevalence of sunburn in children aged 1 to 10 years in Germany and to identify their determinants. Data collected via telephone interviews in a nationwide sample of 554 parents or caregivers in family were analyzed. Use of sunscreen was the most common measure applied (77.8%), while sunglasses were least frequently used (12.5%). The prevalence of sunburn during the past year was 21.8%, and it was positively associated with children’s age. The use of sun protection measures was significantly associated with the age and skin color of the child, while characteristics and tanning behaviors of the caregivers only played a minor role. The use of sun protection measures was higher when caregivers perceived themselves as a role model (Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.33, p < 0.001). Our nationwide data show that there remains a need for the improved use of sun protection measures, especially in children aged 7 to 10 years. In educational material, parents should be encouraged to become positive role models for their children regarding sun protection.


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