Life Skills Didactic
Module Code: ED4 – LS2 (FP)
Assignment 1
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In partial fulfilment of the requirements in Post Graduate Certificate
in Education (Foundation Phase) (PGCE FP) at Cornerstone
Institute.
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By L.M. Jaffe
SN: 38483
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8 August 2019
,Introduction
Life skills in education are essential for learners in the 21st century. The aim of Life Skills
education is to encourage learners to build an empathetic disposition towards the diversity
of society today (Naudé & Meier, 2016). This essay focuses on the types of activities that
should be used for diverse Life Skills lessons in Foundation Phase. These activities are
known as routine, free play and structured activities. Young learners, especially grade R
learners, should not be bound to deskwork and should be allowed to and encourage to
move around their classroom (DoBE, 2011).
As we are living in the age of information and digital influence, it is essential for young
learners, who are the future of our world, to strengthen their abilities in order to meet the
needs and demands of our contemporary society (Prajapati, Sharma & Sharma,
2017). Life Skills in education inspires learners to be creative, critical thinkers, self-
managers and communicators. Life Skills urges young learners to be aware of their health
and safety as well as the environment that surrounds them (Naudé & Meier, 2016).
The activities mentioned below take place in the micro-system of learning. The micro-
system is where roles are established, relationships are built and direct interaction takes
place with others (Naudé & Meier, 2016). This is learners initial and immediate circle that
has the biggest influence on their process of development. Learners begin to receive input
from and interact with their immediate circle to construct an outcome that assists these
learners in building an aesthetic environment of holistic development (Naudé & Meier,
2016).
Activities should be entertaining and age-appropriate. It is essential for educators to have
a variety of resources and to manifest an environment that is well managed, child-friendly
and freely accessibly (DoBE, 2011). Whether activities are structured or not, it is essential
to set lesson aims and possibly include learners in pinpointing the aims for each day. This
increases learner’s ability to take responsibility, set goals, prioritise certain activities and to
possibly manage their time (Kagan, Perrett & Hannam, 2004).
Routine Activities
The idea behind routine activities is to integrate the importance of developing life skills into
the structure of a learner’s day and into the organisation of classroom (Kagan, Perrett &
Hannam, 2004). According to the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)
guidelines, 10 minutes should be allocated to each routine activity (DoBE, 2011). In a
grade R classroom, learners should begin their day with a routine activity also known as
morning ring or circle time. During this time learners should have a whole group
discussion, guided by the teacher, about the theme they are learning about as well as
routine activities.
With specific focusing on grade R learners, routine activities help young learners to
develop their self-awareness and self-management to prepare themselves to be
independent as they move to grade 1 (DoBE, 2011). For example, if the theme of the
week is the sense of touch, the teacher can guide learners to discuss what we do with our
hands and how it is essential to keep our hands clean. The teacher can guide learners to
, sing the song “this is the way we wash our hands so early in the morning” that can be
followed by the routine of toilet time (Excell & Linington, 2015). Another topic of life skills
that should be incorporated into morning ring is the weather and date chart. During this
discussion, the teacher can model the behaviour for learners to get a sense of real life
expectations of diverse senses and time (Excell & Linington, 2015). For example, if it is
cold outside the teacher can pretend to be shivering and ask learners how they can keep
warm in the cold weather.
Young learners should be developing their life skills throughout the day. At the beginning
of an art activity the teacher can ask learner what they think they need to do before they
being to paint, learners should respond by saying their aprons. For example, when the
learners are finishing up an art activity or free play indoors, the teacher can sing, “it’s time
to pack away my friends, it’s time for outside time”. This motivates learners to clean up
and move onto the next activity. The teacher should encourage learners to see routine
activities as a fun way to take care of themselves and their environment. The teacher can
use simple songs, humour and an energised attitude to do so.
Free Play Activities
Free play is a time for learners to develop their socialisation skills as well as their fine and
gross motor skills. Free play can take place inside the classroom and outside the
classroom. Free play inside the classroom includes playing with building blocks, drawing
pictures, dressing up and playing with play dough. For example, learners could do a
puzzle where the teacher simply suggests and supervises learners’ behaviours. The
teacher can suggest that learners share with their peers to increase their communication
skills (Kagan, Perrett & Hannam, 2004). Another example of an free play activity that
could take place inside the classroom is a colour organisation game. Learners use a pair
of chopsticks that have a peg glued in between for better grip. Learners will use these
chopsticks to pick up certain coloured pom poms and place them in bottle caps that are
painted the same colour as the pom poms. This will assist young learners in developing
their fine motor skills and organisational skills (DoBE, 2011).
Outdoors activities include water, mud and sandpit play. Outside activities includes
interaction with fixed equipment such as a jungle gym, walking poles and bike tracks. Bike
tracks are a great way for learners to become aware of road safety and other general
safety awareness skills (Excell & Linington, 2015). Learners develop their gross motor
skills outdoors, such as climbing, balancing and swinging (DoBE, 2011). Along with fixed
equipment outside, learners can interact with moveable equipment during inside and
outside free play. For example, learner can move sand pit toys, been bags or hula-hoops
around the playground or classroom. These moveable pieces of equipment will assist
learners in developing their perceptual, coordination and motor skills (DoBE, 2011).
Teachers should play an active role in monitoring and encouraging learners during free
play. The inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning can be used when learners are
playing freely. The idea of the inquiry-based approach to education encourages learners
to be curious and seek their own answers as they actively interact with their peers and
their environment during free play (DoBE, 2011). For example, the teacher can
demonstrate the dos and don’ts for inside and outside play by asking learners rhetorical
