National Curriculum Statement and Assessment Policy Statement (NCS and CAPS)
NCS (National Curriculum Statement)
o Producing learners who can solve environmental and health issues, and see world in a
holistic perspective
o Purpose
Equipping learners irrespective of socio-economic background, race, gender,
physical/intellectual ability for participation in society as citizens of a free country
Provide access to higher education
Facilitate transition from education institutions to the workplace
Providing employees with a sufficient profile of learners competencies
o Principles
Social Transformation
Active and critical learning
High knowledge and High skills
Progression
Human Rights, inclusivity, environmental and social justice
Valuing indigenous knowledge systems
Credibility, quality and efficiency.
o Creates learners that can
Critically and creatively think
Work as individuals and effectively in teams
Organise and manage themselves
Collect, analyse, organise, and critically evaluate information
Communicate effectively (visual, symbolic and language skills)
Use science and technology effectively (environmental and health of others)
Recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement)
o Revision (not new curriculum) of NCS to present single policy statement
o Strengthening the implementation of the curriculum
o Guides what must be planned, what must be taught, what is assessed.
o Rationale behind introduction
Strengthened implementation in the classroom and provide more uniformity
Reduction of the number of subjects offered in intermediate phase
Specified content (pacing, sequencing and coverage of content provided)
Conceptual development from one grade to another is clearly indicated
Number of Formal Assessments clearly indicated
Support for teaching, learning, and assessment (activities and guidance)
Clarity on what is managed and monitored (guidance on pacing, sequencing and
coverage)
, Diversity
Understanding diversity
o Recognising people are unique
Socioeconomic background, race, language, culture, gender, ability, sexual orientation
o Factors that lead to a separation of “bright” and “unintelligent” learners
Schools act as if all learners are the same
Schools have evaluation systems where learners are rewarded for only a certain
number of abilities
o Diverse Learning Needs
Some Learners
Find it difficult to read and write
Experience hearing, visual and coordination difficulties
Live in poverty
Have health and emotional difficulties
Experience memory problems with what has been taught
Need assistive devices and adapted material (Braille)
o Responding to diversity through the curriculum
Up to teachers to teach NCS content differently so everyone feels included
Must monitor our own beliefs, attitudes and behaviours when responding to learners
by doing the following
Recognise biases or stereotypes we have absorbed
Treat and respect each learners as an individual
Avoid using language that can undermine or is biased to certain groups
Refrain from making remarks or assumptions about learners’ experiences
Consider the unique needs of all learners when designing learning
programmes
Constantly re-evaluate teaching methods and assessing learners in diverse
settings
Consider different teaching approaches, methodologies and strategies
Create opportunities for all learners to participate in activities
o Curriculum Differentiation
Key strategy for responding to needs of diverse learners
Modifying the following aspects
1. Curriculum Content
o Adapting the content so it is more manageable to all learners
o Some may require more challenging work, others less.
o Reasons for this include
Provide access to learning
Provide all learners with opportunities for success
Motivate and build self-esteem
Promote effective learning for all
, o Various levels of differentiation
Abstractness – Physical aspects before abstract (using counting
stones first)
Complexity – Contextualise instead of using isolating facts
Variety – Expand curriculum to assist all (more work for some
to prevent boredom
o Teachers should select content that
is meaningful
is in the learners interest and needs
is based on the environment
enables learners to learn more than just facts
is in line with learners’ current level of functioning
2. Learning Environment
o Two key dimensions of learning environment
Psychosocial learning dimension
Psychological and Social factors
o Learner satisfaction
o Health
o Well-being
o Ability to perform effectively
This includes
o Interpersonal cooperation
o Classroom and school culture
o Protection against harassment and mental harm
o Effective communication
Physical Dimension
Classroom space and infrastructure
Arrangement of furniture
Noise level and class size
Class displays and resources
3. Teaching Methods
o Flexible use of
Learning materials
Methods of presentation
Learning activities
Lesson organisation
o Learning materials
To teach effectively
Provide wide range of materials
Provide a range of graded materials
Adapt materials for learners with disability (large print
for poor eyesight)
, o Presentation methods
Must use various methods
Scaffolding – personal guidance, assistance and support
Flexible grouping – different groups for different
purposes. No seating by ability, only by task at hand
o Learning Activities
Diverse learning activities
Structured and well planned lessons for more learning
opportunities
o Lesson Planning
Plan differently for different learners
Ensure maximum involvement and participation of all learners
Activities must be adapted to
Development level
Interest
Background
Preparedness to study
Learner profiles
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Dev08. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.84. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.