ASSIGNMENT 1:
LIFE SKILLS ACTIVITIES IN THE FOUNDATION PHASE
ACADEMIC ESSAY
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS IN POST GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION
(FOUNDATION PHASE) (PGCE FP)
FOR
LIFE SKILLS DIDACTICS (ED4-LS2)
AT
CORNERSTONE INSTITUTE
BY
。
6 AUGUST 2020
,TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
The Life Skills Foundation Phase (Grades R-3) program has been specially set up in a way
that aims to nurture the development of young learners' social, emotional, and cognitive
abilities and enhance their creativity and autonomy. These are supported through a balance
of routine activities, free play (indoor and outdoor) activities, and structured activities that
help them adjust to school routines and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary
to succeed as young learners (ECDoE, 2012: 6). The Life Skills subject is concerned with
the holistic development of learners as envisioned in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy
Statement (CAPS) and aims at building competencies that are transferable to real-life
situations (DBE, 2011: 8). Learners need to develop certain abilities and behaviours in the
Foundation Phase, Life Skills lays the foundation for this development as learners are
exposed to various skills, values, and knowledge that is level appropriate and essential to
the healthy development of young learners.
2. BACKGROUND
The acquisition of Life Skills equips children with the tools necessary to live a productive and
meaningful life. Although there is no absolute list of Life Skills, some remain more relevant
than others depending on the individual's age, gender, community, cultural background,
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, geographic location, and the period of time within which we find ourselves. In the 21st
century, the world is developing at an exponential rate and the demands placed on learners
to keep up with the information-technology age has become a daunting task for educators to
handle. In a developing country such as South Africa, these challenges are exaggerated by
the fact that there is an exorbitantly high rate of unemployment and many people live in
poverty or poor economic conditions, often limiting access to good educational institutions,
learner support, and resources.
According to Naudé and Meier (2016: 3), the ever-pressing demands of society have caused
a significant rise in social dysfunctional behaviour amongst younger generations with more
turning to substance abuse and violence. Educational institutions that have a solid Life Skills
focus specifically in the Foundation Phase have been recognised as beneficial in addressing
many child developmental issues (Naudé & Meier, 2016: 4). Being able to practise life skills
in a supportive and caring environment creates the opportunity for young learners to build a
healthy self-image, a sense of autonomy, and social competencies amongst many other
qualities that are needed to become well-rounded individuals (Naudé & Meier, 2016: 3).
The Developmentally and Culturally Appropriate Practise (DCAP) guidelines provide an
important framework for the development of a Life Skills curriculum and teaching practise.
The DCAP focuses on how children grow and learn as they interact with the various
environments around them, developing both physically, mentally, and socially (Naudé &
Meier, 2016: 5). For teachers to effectively teach Life Skills in the Foundation Phase they
must have a sound knowledge of the developmental milestones of learners when selecting
the most appropriate content to meet their physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive needs
(Naudé & Meier, 2016: 6). Although the guidelines and theoretical principles that underpin
educational curriculums shed light on the continuous nature of child development, teachers
still have to develop their own educational philosophies that best suit the learner’s
developmental needs.
Teachers consequently need to focus on activities that promote contextual learning and also
take into account the learner's sociocultural background and developmental stage.
According to Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the growth of a child is directly
influenced by their biology, societal realities, and immediate family (Naudé & Meier, 2016: 9).
An imbalance in one of these microsystems can have a ripple effect on the various
environments that influence a child’s development. It is therefore important that teachers in
South Africa are aware of the diverse systems that children interact with, to create an
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