Life Orientation CAT Preparation Notes

Life Orientation CAT Preparation

Examination Guidelines

  • The CAT examination is divided into three sections: A, B, and C.
  • Sections A and B are compulsory.
SECTION A: 20 Marks
  • Consists of multiple-choice questions and short-response questions.
  • May include a source or case study for context.
  • Combines question types (what, why, list, describe, explain, multiple choice, true/false with justification).
  • Tests understanding and factual knowledge.
  • Responses should be short and direct, ranging from one word to a full sentence(s).
SECTION B: 30 Marks
  • All questions are compulsory.
  • Includes short open-ended, scenario-based, source-based, and case study questions.
  • Questions are knowledge-based, drawing from Life Orientation content.
  • Learners should display, present, and apply knowledge and skills gained.
  • Demonstrate understanding of real-life issues affecting youth and society, providing advice or solutions.
  • Demonstrate goal-setting and decision-making skills.
  • Learners should provide direct responses, full sentences in point form, and extended writing in short paragraphs.
SECTION C: 30 Marks
  • Consists of three 15-mark questions (answer two) or four 10-mark questions (answer three).
  • Focuses predominantly on the application of knowledge and skills.
  • Learners will solve problems, make decisions, and give advice.
  • Responses range from direct answers to extended descriptive paragraphs or short essays.
  • Each question focuses on a specific topic or integration of content.
  • May include short text, diagrams, data, graphs, or cartoons as stimuli.

Content and Context Guidelines

The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) provides a framework for core knowledge and concepts.

Topics and Core Knowledge
  • Development of the self in society
    • Life skills to adapt to change as part of on-going healthy lifestyle choices
      • Stress management
      • Conflict resolution
    • Human factors that cause ill health
  • Social and environmental responsibility
    • Action plan for lifelong participation in physical activity
    • Environments and services which promote safe and healthy living
    • Responsibilities of various levels of government
  • Democracy and human rights
    • A personal mission statement for life
    • Responsible citizenship
    • The role of the media in a democratic society
    • ideologies, beliefs and worldviews on construction of recreation and physical activity across cultures and genders
  • Careers and career choices
    • Commitment to a decision taken: locate appropriate work or study opportunities in various sources
    • Reasons for and impact of unemployment and innovative solutions to counteract unemployment
    • Core elements of a job contract
  • Study skills
    • Refinement of portfolio of plans for life after school
    • Reflection on own study and examination writing skills
    • Strategies to follow in order to succeed in Grade 12
  • Physical education
    • Achievement of own personal fitness and health goals
    • Long-term engagement in traditional and/or non-traditional sport or playground and/or community and/or indigenous games or relaxation and recreational activities
    • Safety issues
Spheres of Life
  • Individual
    • Personal
      • Beliefs/Culture
      • Physical
      • Emotional
      • Mental/Psychological
    • Feelings
    • Thoughts
    • Self-concept
  • Environmental
    • Ecological (nature)
    • Situational
  • Social
    • Family
    • Friends
    • Community
    • Country
  • Financial
    • Individual
    • Community/Country

Stress

What is Stress?
  • Stress is what we feel in difficult, challenging, or frightening situations, especially when we feel unable to cope.
  • Good Stress (Eustress):
    • Stress that prepares you for action by providing adrenaline and energy. Example: Speaking in front of a class.
    • Short term with symptoms like sweaty palms, dry mouth, or butterflies in the stomach.
  • Bad Stress (Distress):
    • Stress that exceeds your ability to cope, leading to illness, unhappiness, and depression.
    • Impairs task performance and can cause headaches or sleep disturbances.
What is a Stressor?
  • A stressor is anything, event, or person that causes or triggers stress.
Symptoms of Stress
  • Short-Term Effects:
    • Faster breathing/heart rate, dry mouth, sweaty palms, neck tension, butterflies in the stomach.
  • Long-Term Effects:
    • High blood pressure, headaches, ulcers, allergies, etc.
Types of Stressors
  • Physical:
    • Caused by physical harm, such as violence and sexual abuse.
  • Environmental:
    • Caused by factors like extreme weather or pollution.
  • Personality:
    • Inherent traits that make some people more prone to stress.
  • Social:
    • Caused by the people around you, e.g., peer pressure.
  • Emotional:
    • Caused by your emotions, e.g., relationship problems.
Why Manage Stress?
  • The body produces cortisol (anxiety hormone) and adrenaline (fight-or-flight hormone).
  • Failure to manage stress can lead to chronic overproduction of these hormones, damaging the body and leading to chronic diseases like high blood pressure.
Factors Leading to Stress in the Workplace
  • Poor management/planning by supervisors or managers.
  • Lack of skills among workers.
  • Poor work relations.
  • Poor work environment.
  • Incompetent workers.
  • Jealousy
  • Autocracy by management
  • Demanding tasks
  • Understaffing
  • Low salary
  • Poor resources
  • Poor work ethics
  • Poor benefits
  • Poor attitude of superiors.
How to Manage Stress
  • Meditation and deep breathing exercises.
  • Exercise at least 3 times a week and maintain a healthy diet.
  • Avoid excess caffeine.
  • Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
  • Learn relaxation techniques (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation).
  • Develop assertiveness skills.
  • Learn effective coping skills, such as breaking large tasks into smaller ones.
  • Decrease negative self-talk.
  • Aim for competence instead of perfection.
  • Take breaks for enjoyable activities.
  • Build a positive social network.
  • Keep a stress journal to identify stressors and coping mechanisms.
  • Learn to say "no" and set personal and professional limits.
  • Avoid people who cause stress.
  • Take control of your environment (e.g., avoid triggers).
  • Compile a to-do list to manage tasks and responsibilities.

Conflict

Concept of Conflict
  • Disagreements, opposing viewpoints, or struggles for power between people.
    • Interpersonal: Happens between people.
    • Intrapersonal: Happens within yourself.
Conflict Resolution Skills
  • Be assertive: State your problem clearly and explain which rights are being ignored or violated without becoming aggressive.
  • Use I-statements: Express your feelings and responses to the problem using I-statements (e.g., "I feel that you do not understand me when…").
  • Keep your feelings under control: Avoid hurting the other person physically or emotionally (e.g., talk and do not shout).
  • Do not accuse: Avoid blaming the other person; accept the conflict and deal with it.
  • Accept compromise: Agree on a middle ground that is not completely in favor of one side but acceptable to both.
  • Move on: Once the conflict is resolved, do not dwell on past issues.
  • Cool down before expressing feelings: Ensure you are in control of yourself.
  • Recognize the other person's point of view: Acknowledge that it is fine to have different opinions, but avoid fighting.
  • Respect the other person: Showing respect helps to solve the conflict.
  • Be willing to make peace or seek a solution: Maintaining conflict is not a positive way of dealing with it.

Relationship Communication

Importance
  • Positive communication leads to positive relationships.
  • Ability to communicate our feelings, beliefs and attitudes to them.
Initiating and Building Relationships
  • Make sure to hear their names.
  • Ask them about themselves because people do like to talk about themselves
  • Start a conversation by talking about neutral subjects if the person is shy.
  • Try to remember the name of the person, so the next time you see them, they feel special because you remembered them.
  • Share a little about yourself, but don't talk about yourself all the time. Avoid boasting or showing off. People don't like braggers.
  • Keep up to date with the latest news and topics that people are discussing.
Characteristics and qualities
  • Skills needed by good communicator
  • Ability to communicate
  • Ability to listen
  • Sympathetic
  • Not expecting all to have the same view as you
  • Ability to give and take
  • Unselfish
  • Mutual respect
  • Tolerant
  • Caring/Supporting
  • Respect for others and the work they do
  • Understanding how others think
  • Clear Communication
Skills
  • Self-Control
  • Positive attitude
  • Assertiveness
  • Conflit Resolution
  • Empathy Depersonalization
  • Taking Responsibility
  • A sense of humor
Effective Communication
  • Listen attentively and show empathy
  • Listen without judging
  • Understand before your respond
  • Speaking clearly without being emotional
  • Understanding the other's feelings
  • Show with your body that you are listening e.g. nod your head to show you listen or agree
Ineffective ways to communicate
  • Not listening to the other person
  • Interrupt the other person
  • Being judgemental & jumping to conclusions
  • Being emotional and overreacting
  • Sarcastic responses or defensive behaviour
  • Fold your arms and turn away and look around when the person is talking
Factors that Influence Effective Communication
  • Personality: The way you act, behave, and react and your attitudes all form part of your personality.
  • Attitudes and Values: Having an attitude that you are better than others affects communication. Respect for others’ ideas, beliefs, and values is important for effective communication.
  • Acceptance of Responsibilities: Reliability and accountability are essential for trust.
  • Appropriate Expression of Views and Feelings: Expressing thoughts and feelings in a way that does not hurt or offend others.
  • Respect the Feelings of Others: Showing respect for the feelings of others leads to mutual respect.
Personality types

  • Extroverts are energized by people, enjoy a variety of tasks, a quick pace, and are good at multitasking.

  • Introverts often like working alone or in small groups, prefer a more deliberate pace, and like to focus on one task at a time.

  • Sensors are realistic people who like to focus on the facts and details. They apply common sense and past experience to find practical solutions to problems.

  • Intuitives prefer to focus on possibilities and the big picture, easily see patterns, value innovation, and seek creative solutions to problems.

  • Thinkers tend to make their decisions using logical analysis, objectively weigh pros and cons, and value honesty, consistency, and fairness.

  • Feelers tend to be sensitive and cooperative, and decide based on their own personal values and how others will be affected by their actions.

  • Judgers tend to be organized and prepared, like to make and stick to plans, and are comfortable following most

  • Perceivers prefer to keep their options open, like to be able to act spontaneously, and like to be flexible with making plans.

Change

Transition Between School and Post-School Destination
Cope with Change
  • Speak to somebody you trust
  • Know what the changes will be
  • Make a plan to deal with each aspect
    • The more information you have the easier it will be to cope.
  • Think of previous changes
  • Look for the good aspects of the change
    • Learn from previous situations and knowledge and apply it.
    • Learn from mistakes others have made
    • See it as a challenge and opportunity to develop and grow.
  • Take charge
  • Give yourself time to adapt
Positive and Negative Aspects of Change
  • Positive:
    • Exciting, challenging, and motivating.
      *Opportunities and personal growth
    • Can lead to better things and keeps the brain active.
  • Negative:
    • Can cause stress, uncertainty, and insecurity.
    • For example, illness
    • For example, death
Life cycle/rituals
  • Baby
  • Young child/teenager
  • Parent/adult
  • Young adult
  • Grand parent / old age
Changes after school
  • More individual responsibility – money, time, planning, routine
  • Emotional - isolation, peer pressure
  • Independence - make own choices, but also deal with consequences

Personal Lifestyle Plan

Aspects to Include
  • Physical exercise
  • Outdoor recreation and relaxation
  • Avoid harmful substances
  • Promote healthy habits
  • Emotional health
  • Time management
  • Nutrition and weight management
  • Sleep
  • Abstain from having sex / safe sex
  • Cope with change
  • Stress management
  • Relationships and communication
  • Conflict resolution
  • Volunteer/help others
The Lifestyle Wheel
  • Health: Wellness, Longevity, Physical, Mental
  • Relationships: Family, friends, support
  • Leisure: Creativity, Travel, Hobbies
  • Financial: Income, Investments, Choices
  • Environment: Place, Pace, Beauty
  • Career: Passion, Purpose, Lifestyle
  • Life Long Learning: Personal, Professional
  • Spiritual: Believing, Trusting

Fitttness and BMI

Safety
  • Surface area - clear, not too hard/soft
  • Clothing and footwear - comfortable, evaporation, shoes, cap/hat
  • Spacing - move freely (one- to two-arm lengths apart)
  • Drink liquids about 8 glasses a day
  • Low impact – not harm joints: walking, hiking, swimming and seated workouts
  • High impact-injury risk (both feet leave ground): running, hopping, jump rope
Warming up and Cooling down
  • Warming up - gentle exercises (5-10 minute) for blood circulation and prepare body
  • Nerves and muscle preparation Reduces injury
  • Run on the spot; windmills; jumping jacks (5 minutes)
  • Stretches (3-5 minutes)
  • Cooling down - gentle exercises to slow heartrate, regulate breathing and rest Stretches - each for 20 seconds
Fitness and Health Goals

  • Cardiovascular Endurance - the ability of your heart and lungs to efficiently transport oxygen to exercising muscles

  • Types of cardiorespiratory measurement exercises:

  • 12-minute run-test

  • Run-on-the-spot test

  • Flexibility - the range of motion around a joint

  • Types of flexibility measurement exercises:

  • Sit-and-reach test Shoulder stretch

  • Muscular Endurance - the ability of the muscle to repeatedly contract without fatigue.

  • Muscular Strength - the maximum pulling force of a muscle against a resistance

  • Types of muscular strength and endurance measurement exercises:

  • Half curl-ups Knee push-ups

  • Agility - the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (e.g., zigzag running or cutting movements).

  • Balance - the ability to control the body's position, either stationary (e.g., a handstand) or while moving (e.g., a cartwheel).
    Coordination - the ability to combine balance and agility while moving. Doing two unrelated tasks at the same
    time requires coordination (e.g. running and dribbling a basketball).

  • Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movement. The two components of power are strength and speed (e.g., jumping or a sprint start).

  • Reaction Time - the ability to respond to a stimulus in as short a time as possible (e.g., goalie stopping a puck in hockey).
    Speed - the ability to cover distance or perform a motor skill as quickly as possible. It is generated by a combination of the skills listed above (e.g., sprints).

BMI (Body Mass Index)
  • Measure of your body composition. The formula is expressed as: BMI=weight in kgheight in m2BMI = \frac{weight \space in \space kg}{height \space in \space m^2}
  • Ideal range: 18.5 to 25. Values outside this range can indicate underweight or overweight.
SMART Goal
  • S - Specific and Sustainable
  • M - Measurable and Meaningful
  • A - Action-Oriented
  • R - Results based
  • T - Time-bound

Assessment & Study skills

Process ofassessment and examination writing skills
What is assessment?
  • It is the continuous planned process of gathering information on achievement.
Why assess?
  • It identifies how you cope with new knowledge, content and skills.
Reasons for assessment

  • Informal: not for marks; give feedback and to check understanding/progress

  • Formal: for marks – measure achievement and provide feedback

  • Formative assessment: happens when you are working on something and helps you and your teacher work out how you are coping.

  • Summative assessment: this happens at the end of a term, chapter or project. It measures how you manage over a period of time.

  • Self-assessment: you assess yourself.
    Purpose of Assessment

  • Develops self -regulation

  • Increases motivation

  • Records achievement

  • Provides to teachers the tools

  • Provid informan to self regulate.

What is School-based assessment ?
  • School-based assessment is all the formal tasks done throughout the year, including:
  • Term tests
  • Projects and Investigations
  • Oral presentations
  • Practical Assessment Tasks
  • Examinations (June and Prelim)
Importance of obtaining the NSC
  • 25% of year mark
  • It allows you to study at a Higher Education Institute.
  • It is a basic requirement if you want to apply for a bursary.
  • Most employers require a NSC as a basic requirement for many jobs.
  • It shows employers you have some skills and knowledge and that know how to learn.
Studying methods and planning
Study skills
  • Study skills - tools used for study like flashcards, mind-maps, mnemonics, summaries
  • Study strategies – plans or methods for study like study plan, place, organisation
  • Study styles – particular of studying and learning
The SR3 method
Strategise your study time
  • Plan your study time - where, when and what and how are you going to study?
  • Planning is important - have enough time to study efficiently and effectively.
  • Prioritising your daily activities. For example is watching your favourite program
  • Having sufficient sleep important to concentrate in class.
What are exm preparation
  • Prepare yourself for an exam
    • Start studying long before the time.
    • Make sure you sleep enough
    • Eat a breakfast before an exam
  • Practise past papers.
What skills are multiple choice questions
  • Multiple choice questions test factual knowledge
What essay questions needed
  • Instructions properly understand instructions
Tips before,after and during exam

  • During Exam writing

  • Make sure you are handed the right paper especially in language e.g. HL/FAL

  • Key examination question words and their meanings
    analyse Break up into separate parts and discuss, examine, interpret, explore and investigate each part
    *apply Use in practical way. When you apply, show in a practical way what your understanding isUse your knowledge and understanding of the topic to make it relevant to a situation, issue or problem.
    *assess Judge or estimate the nature, quality or value of something.
    calculate You need to get to an answer by using numbers. You will add, subtract, multiply or divide numbers to reach an answer.

Application for work or study

Commitment to a decision taken
  • You should make a decision based on your interests, strengths, weaknesses, skills abilities and personality and commit to it.
    Why did you choose this field?
    Admission requirements for different courses
  • Institution's reputation – SAQA; NQF and CHE
  • Availability of funds OR need for funding
  • Accommodation and travel arrangements
  • Completion of CLOSING DATES!
  • Application for a course at a higher education institute
Goals-strategies for achievement
  • S What do I want to achieve? Say exactly what you want to achieve. Who is involved? What do I need to do this?
  • M You must be able to measure if your make progress and achieve
  • A What do I need to achieve it? Money, skills, abilities.
  • R You must be able to achieve it and must be willing to work
  • T You must set a time limit to achieve your goals
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS TO FURTHER STUDY

BACHELOR'S DEGREE:

High Level 40%

4 X 50% (designated subjects)

2 x 30%

DIPLOMA

High Level 40%

3 X 40% (excl. LO)

2 X 30%

HIGHER CERTIFICATE

High Level 40%

3 x 40%

2 x 40%

FUNDING/FINANCE FOR FURTHER STUDY

Scholarships/Merit Awards - performance-based

Bursaries - academic/sport/culture

NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) – loan converted to bursary

Government bursaries – work for government after graduation

Bursaries from companies/organisations - training schemes and work opportunities

Employer and trade union bursary

Work study programmes - work at institution while you study

Eduloan various types of loans. Bank loan pay back after study

Unemployment

Reasons and impact What is unemployment?
Specific reasons for youth unemployment:

Poverty, which leads to lack of funds for further qualifications, and lack of money to pay
for transport to job interviews, CV printing, airtime and online application access.

Some young people make high wage demands at entry level, which workplaces are not willing to agree to.

Some youth give up, and stop looking for jobs.

Innovativesolutions to counteract unemployment

  • Register on the Department of Labour database as an unemployed work seekers
    poverty
What is entrepreneurship?