Life Orientation

Terminology

Life Skills

Desirable or required abilities that a person may develop through social interaction, formal learning situations enabling one to optimally participate in everyday life contexts (social) in ways that enhance one's quality of life/making life meaningful or reasonable to live.

Healthy lifestyle choices

The ability to consciously take control of one's health by making decisions to adopt or follow good/positive/enabling/healthy life related habits/ways of living etc.

Stressors

Any events stimulus that may threaten one's general wellbeing (psychological etc.) in either positive (pushing you to do something worthwhile) or negative (frustrating you from doing what you could do under normal circumstances).

Abuse

Treatment of others in a cruel manner based on negative perceptions or cultural beliefs etc. that certain people have developed towards others.

Vocation

An occupation for which a person feels drawn to or has a strong impulse/calling/aptitude to follow.

Vocational stress

The pressure (emotional/psychological/physical) that workers may experience as a result of a lack of required knowledge/abilities/skills/acumen to perform certain activities in the workplace.

Life crisis (Singular)

An emotionally draining event or traumatic experience directed to a person in ways that threaten established ways of living.

Life crises (Plural)

Life threatening events/situations/occurrences that abruptly disrupt people's lives leading them to question the very foundation of their existence.

Personality

Combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.

Social pressure

Pressure from one's peers to behave in a manner similar or acceptable to them/ Influence that is exerted on a person or group by another person or group.

To do

Things that one is not prepared to do/to behave in a manner not compatible to one's wishes, plans etc.

Signs of stress

Physical, emotional, behavioural, cognitive/intellectual/mental characteristics that emerge or become observable when a person is under tremendous pressure disturbing his/her normal way of doing things.

Symptoms of stress

The feeling that a person may have as a result of being plunged in a stressful situation, which could include feeling anxious, listless, generalised negativity, loss of interests in pleasurable activities, inability to think clearly, inability to complete tasks etc.

Positive stress

A feeling of intense pressure when one is about to do certain things enabling you to actually perform (Eustress) as expected or beyond people's expectations, such as stage fright, taking an examination, or attendance of interviews when you are actually prepared to do it.

Negative stress

A feeling of intense pressure when one is to do something ending up not being able to perform as expected/required (Distress), such as fear of public speaking leading to inability to do it.

Chronic stress

Stress that goes on for long periods of time.

Stress management

Particular steps, mechanisms, strategies, and ways that a person feeling extreme emotional pressure/strain uses or considers to deal with the adverse effects of stress or to deal with stressors in his/her life.

Conflict resolution skills

Skills that enable a person to successfully resolve conflict, including methods, techniques, and processes involved in initiating or facilitating a peaceful end to conflict.

Interpersonal conflict

A strife, misunderstanding, dispute that may arise between two or more people in pursuance of the same thing, such as conflict from friends pressurising you to go out partying against the wishes of your parents.

Intrapersonal conflict

A strife, misunderstanding, dispute that may arise from within an individual when certain things are to be done, such as a conflict between wanting to complete a task and watching a movie.

Initiating, building, sustaining positive relationships

Starting, reinforcing and maintaining or forming supportive relationships with honesty, openness and trust.

Understanding others

A process involving the ability of one person to develop a genuine sense of knowledge about the needs, feelings, ambitions, aspirations, challenges that others are experiencing and acting in ways that compliments their feelings.

Communicating

The ability to successfully express, convey, show your true emotional state about something or others' views, behaviours, thoughts.

Beliefs

A certain set of values, standards, norms, philosophy of life, worldviews, convictions that people develop based on how they relate to something or based on how they were raised to relate to certain things in their living environment.

Attitudes

The manner in which people relate to certain things or feel about certain things in their lives. It could either be positive or negative, depending on their values, experiences, views, perspectives, feelings etc. about something.

Effective

The ability to successfully send or receive verbal or non-verbal message in ways that makes it easier for the communication recipient to understand the meaning thereof.

Values

Those qualities that a person identifies with and are considered very important to a person's life.

Acceptance of responsibilities

Holding oneself accountable for duties/responsibilities/obligations that accompany a specific role or position.

Growth and change

This refers to physical, emotional, economic, social development etc. that a person goes through as he/she moves from one phase of life to another.

Post-school destination

This is where an individual may go after completion of a phase/milestone at school and it includes universities, colleges and or workplaces.

Positive aspects of change

These are good developments that come after a person has done certain improvements or has made progress or has abandoned certain inclinations/habits in the manner he/she lives his/her life.

Negative aspects of change

These are uncomfortable or unwanted outcomes of altering certain tendencies/way of doing things/attempting new things in life or undesirable outcomes emanating from making progress that shifts the manner in which you lead your life.

Life cycle

The stages in a person's life characterised by developmental milestones ranging from being born through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, to death, ultimately.

Traditional practices

These are cultural practices reflective of the long held unique values, beliefs, customs, etc. of a given group of people in certain communities spanning generations.

Personal lifestyle plan

This is a deliberate written or non-written plan about how you want or commit to live a meaningful life by considering your physical, psychological, emotional, social, occupational etc. aspects of your life.

Quality of life

The degree to which you are healthy (physically, emotionally, socially, psychologically/mentally), comfortable, free spirited and able to happily engage or participate in life events in ways that further enhance your personal life and that of others.

Personal fitness

The desired level of physical, mental, emotional, psychological, social etc. health reached by a person who engages in activities that seek to support his/her general health/wellbeing.

Health goals

Specific, attainable, measurable, realistic and time bound general health/wellness plan that an individual sets out in relation to physical, emotional, social, mental, psychological etc., health/wellbeing.

Frequency of participation

How often one participates in physical activity over a specific time frame.

Movement performance

Evaluating one's physical performance, against specified norms/criteria.

Safety issues

Precautions taken to ensure safety before, during and after physical education sessions.

Cortisol

A hormone produced by fear, results in anxiety.

Adrenalin

A hormone that prepares the body to react physically to a threat.

Study Skills

The learning skills that an individual develops over a period of time enabling him/her to efficiently confront/approach a learning task.

Study styles

Preferred ways of learning that varies from an individual to the other, such as visual, auditory/aural, social, solitary, logical, verbal, Kinaesthetic etc.

Study method

A process in which learning material, time table for studying, needed stationary and the learning environment are subjected to systematic and critical scrutiny to enable the learning process to happen efficiently.

Study strategy

A way that a learner may use to approach a specific task in the light of its perceived demands/difficulty/challenges.

Study plan

A program that a learner may develop for usage in studying all the subjects at school by prioritizing certain topics in those subjects.

Process of assessment

Formulation of the assessment activity, which may include determining the purpose of assessment, identifying aspects or content for assessment, and working out the nature and type of questions to be used in that assessment.

Examination writing skills

These are series of activities/steps designed/undertaken to measure learning competence in a specific period.

Preparation for examination

This refers to how the learner prepares for an examination (before, during and after) in terms of how to study and manage exam stress, what food to eat, how and when to exercise, what and how to read subject matter, how to read questions and the meaning of the action words, how to present answers in line with the mark allocation and within the specified time frame.

National Senior Certificate

It is the certificate awarded to a learner after fulfilling the requirements of the 12 years of learning/schooling determined by the National Qualification Framework (NQF) in South Africa.

Exit examination

It is an exit examination written after a minimum of 12 years of formal schooling in South Africa.

Commitment to a decision

Deliberate act of weighing up pros and cons of a decision, and resolve to undertake or follow it.

Unemployment

Inability to get a job, though one either has the qualifications or meets the job requirements and is actively searching for one.

Innovative solutions

Creative and legal ways of doing something. For example, innovative ways of counteracting unemployment refer to creative/new/never explored ways of eliminating unemployment.

Counteracting unemployment

An attempt that individuals, government, business, CBOs etc. make to create job opportunities in order to eliminate joblessness.

Volunteering

Unpaid work that provides services to the community/business/CBO/government etc. It increases one's opportunities for employment when a vacancy is available.

Part-time jobs

Short-term employment. These are jobs in which an employee is required to work fewer hours per week than it is usually the case with fulltime employment.

Community work

These are jobs that an individual would do to serve the needs of the community without expecting any payment.

Entrepreneurship

Starting a business/enterprise by identifying opportunities in your community for profit.

Informal jobs

Jobs that provide income to pay for living expenses. Work in which an employer hires an employee without an established working agreement/contract.

SARS tax obligation

Registering and paying taxes according to legislation.

Corruption

Dishonesty, misuse of public power and money, for private benefit.

Fraud

Wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain.

National Benchmark Test (NBT)

These are a set of tests that measure your academic, i.e. Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) test & the Mathematics (MAT) test relative to the university course of interest.

Embezzlement

It is a form of crime in which a person or entity misappropriates the assets entrusted to them.

Cronyism

The appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications.

Nepotism

The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs, promotion etc. in the workplace.

Bribery

the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty.

Responsible Citizenship

It is about doing what is right and expected of you as a citizen of a country.

Discrimination

Unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, sex, gender and socio economic factors.

Human Rights

These are the rights that all human beings should enjoy by virtue of them being human beings.

Bill of Rights

A formal declaration encapsulated in Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution that guarantees both the exercise and enjoyment of the 25 specific human rights in the country.

Human Right Violations

An act of disregarding basic human rights when interacting with people and such cases may be referred to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

Campaigns

These are series of operations/actions intended to raise awareness about something/program/initiative/occurrence/plans happening in a specific area.

Events

These are occasions/activities that come into being for important reasons.

Electronic Media

Media that use electronics for the access the content i.e. radio, television and internet.

Print Media

Media that produce newspapers, and magazines.

Social media foot print

These are recorded and shared traces of text, photos, videos, likes/dislikes, emoji and or comments that are posted, as private messages on internet.

Cyber wellness

It is an understanding of online behaviour and awareness of how to protect oneself in cyberspace.

Cyber bullying

The act of using electronic communication/media to humiliate/embarrass/slander/smear etc. a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Cyber savvy

An act of being able to use the digital space in ways that does not expose you to unscrupulous users.

Freedom of Expression

Right to express your ideas and opinions freely.

Limitations

Being restricted to exercise your freedom of expression fully.

Critical Analysis of Media

To analyse the media and evaluate their balance and fairness in reporting about issues.

Coverage of Sport

Content that covers different codes of sports by media.

Sport Personalities

People that participate in different codes of sports e.g coach, soccer and netball players, etc.

Recreational Activities

Activities that are meant for enjoyment, satisfaction, pleasure and amusement to individuals.

Ideologies

Set of beliefs that affect one's outlook on the world i.e. principles.

World Views

General standpoint/side from which people see and interpret life/world.

Long Term Engagement

Being involved with someone or something for a very long time, probably for 3 or more years.

Indigenous Games

A host of traditional games for people of all ages.

Non-traditional sports

These are current sports activities that are mostly publicised and most people know of. They include soccer, rugby, tennis, etc.

Community Responsibility

The responsibility of individuals in a community to ensure clean and healthy living environments.

Laws

These are statutes/bills/orders/acts/rules etc. whose purpose is to decree how people should live in a given community.

Regulations

The details necessary for informed implementation of the law in a country.

Rules

Procedures that have to be followed or legal ways of doing things.

Community Services

Services provided by the different levels of government to community, for example, water, sanitation, waste removal etc.

Intervention programmes

Programmes that are considered and implemented in order to address a particular and urgent problem in a community, for example, vaccination for Covid - 19, rollout of ARVs to HIV positive community members.