The Curriculum Statement
of The Department of Education serves as a guide for educators in
terms of the new outcomes-based education system. It specifies the
outcomes, assessment criteria and knowledge requirements for each
grade.

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT GLOSSARY

This is an alphabetical list of key terms used in designing the Revised National Curriculum Statement

assessment - a continuous planned process of gathering information on learner performance, measured
against the Assessment Standards

Assessment Standards - the knowledge, skills and values that learners need to show to achieve the Learning Outcomes in each grade

baseline assessment - initial assessment used to find out what learners already know

continuous assessment - assessment model that encourages integration of assessment into teaching and the development of learners through ongoing feedback

critical outcomes - together with the Developmental Outcomes, key outcomes of Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools), that are inspired by the Constitution; they include core life skills for learners, such as communication, critical thinking, activity and information management, group and community work, and evaluation skills

Curriculum 2005 - the first version of the post-apartheid National Curriculum Statement. That 1997 education policy document gives a framework for Early Childhood Development, General Education and Training, Further Education and Training, and Adult Basic Education and Training. This Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) aims to strengthen Curriculum 2005.

developmental outcomes - together with the Critical Outcomes, key outcomes of the Revised National
Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) that are inspired by the Constitution; they include enabling learners to learn effectively and to become responsible, sensitive and productive citizens

exit-level - when learners complete Grade 9 and are awarded the General Education and Training Certificate

formative assessment - a form of assessment that assesses learner progress during the learning process in order to provide feedback that will strengthen learning

Foundation Phase - the first phase of the General Education and Training Band: Grades R, 1, 2 and 3

General Education and Training Band - the ten compulsory schooling years, made up of the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phases

General Education and Training Certificate - the certificate obtained on successful completion of the General Education and Training Band

integration - a key design principle of the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools), that requires learners to use their knowledge and skills from other Learning Areas, or from different parts of the same Learning Area, to carry out tasks and activities

Intermediate Phase - the second phase of the General Education and Training Band: Grades 4, 5 and 6

language of learning and teaching - the language that is most used in a particular learning and teaching environment; some learners experience learning and teaching in an additional language (not their home language).

 (Schools): Languages, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Technology, Social Sciences, Arts and Culture, Life
Orientation, and Economic and Management Sciences

learning area statements - the statement for each Learning Area that sets out its Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards

learner profile - an all-round record of a learner's progress, including personal information, social development, support needs, samples of work and annual reports

learning programmes - programmes of learning activities, including content and teaching methods; these are guided by the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) but developed by provinces, schools and teachers
national coding system - a standard national system of performance codes used to report on a learner's
progress

outcomes - the results at the end of the learning process in outcomes-based education; these outcomes help shape the learning process

outcomes-based education - a process and achievement-oriented, activity-based and learner-centred education process; in following this approach, Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement

portfolio - individual file or folder of each learner's work

progression - a key design principle of the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) that enables the learner to gradually develop more complex, deeper and broader knowledge, skills and understanding in each grade

progression schedules - end-of-year tool for recording the progress of all learners in a grade, including codes for progress in each Learning Area and grade, and comments on support needed.

summative assessment - different from formative assessment, as it is about regular reports of a learner's progress, usually at the end of the term or year.

SOCIAL SCIENCES LEARNING AREA GLOSSARY

archaeological site - a place where material remains (e.g. tools, jewellery) and fossils (e.g. human or animal bones) are found that tell us something about life and living in the past

archaeology [arrowheads] - the study of ancient human times, usually by digging up archaeological sites

armed struggle - a struggle which uses weapons instead of only peaceful means; see also passive resistance

artifacts - objects made by people that tell us something about the how they lived in the past (e.g. pottery, carvings, arrowheads, stone tools)

bias - a one-sided view of events

conservation - protection of the natural environment (e.g. soils, plants, animals) from damage or loss

construct (verb) - fit together, build or interpret (e.g. construct history = fitting together and/or
interpreting historical information; can also be used as 'construct identity' or 'construct knowledge')

contested - something not agreed on, something argued about

current events - events happening within the present

development - improving something; if used about a country, it usually means improving social and economic conditions

discrimination - treating people unfairly on the basis of race, class, sexual orientation, culture, religion, etc.

dispossession - taking away things owned by others (e.g. land); casting people out of their own place or land

ecological process - the way in which interrelationships between living organisms and the environment change over time

empathy - the ability to understand another person's actions, ideas or feelings (e.g. being able to
understand how people felt who had to carry passes during apartheid)

enquiry skills - the abilities needed to find out about something (that is, asking questions and trying to find answers to them)

equality - being at the same level or having the same things

equity - fairness; equal opportunity

evolution - development in stages from an original form into something more advanced

exploitation -
(i) using something (positive meaning) (e.g. exploiting the growing power of good soil to feed the population, or exploiting minerals by mining them)
(ii) using something for one's own benefit (negative meaning); often used of workers or resources (e.g. exploiting labour = using workers for profit without paying them adequately for their work)

exploration - investigation or examination; travel for the purpose of discovery

gender - the differences between women and men that are socially and historically created; 'sex' (that is, male or female) refers to biological differences between men and women

genocide - wilful killing of many people belonging to a certain group

geomorphological features - landforms on the Earth's surface

globalisation - the increasing economic, political and cultural integration of the world in such a way that nations become more and more interdependent on each other and are less and less able to take decisions that affect only themselves; this trend has meant an increase in the dominance of richer countries

heritage sites - places of historical, cultural or environmental importance (e.g. Robben Island Museum, St. Lucia wetlands)

historical consciousness - having an informed understanding of the meaning of the past and how it affects the present

historical context - the historical circumstances in which an event took place (e.g. the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission was formed after the founding of a democratic South Africa in 1994)

historical interpretation - an explanation of an event based on selected evidence (e.g. how and why an event happened and its consequences)

historical landmark - place, structure or event that has cultural and historical value

historical significance - the historical importance of an event or person

hypothesis - an assumption made as the starting point for further investigation

identity - the different ways in which people understand or describe themselves (e.g. as Hindu, as African, as gay, as female); the condition of being a specified person

ideology - the political ideas of people (e.g. liberal, socialist, radical, conservative)

indentured labour - contract labour

informed judgement - judgement based on knowledge and understanding of the issue(s)

integration -
(i) combining parts into a whole
(ii) coming into equal membership of society, specifically without regard to race or religion
(iii) the ending of racial segregation
interrelationships - the relationships that things and/or people have with each other

landmark - a conspicuous or important object in an area; see also historical landmark

land restitution - restoring (giving back) land to its rightful owners or compensating them for such loss (e.g. through cash payment)

livelihood - means of making a living (e.g. a job)

myth -
(i) a traditional belief or story, usually with some religious significance (positive meaning)
(ii) an untruth or distortion (negative meaning)

narrative - spoken or written account (of how something happened)

neocolonialism - a new form of colonialism, in which one country is dominated by another through economic means rather than by direct political rule

non-renewable resource - a natural resource which, once depleted, is unlikely to be available again (e.g. coal which is gone once it has all been mined; a species which might become extinct)

objective - not being influenced by personal feelings or opinions

oppression - subjecting a person or a group or a country to cruelty or injustice (e.g. apartheid,
colonialism, fascism, gender oppression)

oral account - a story told or historical evidence given through the spoken word (rather than being written down)

oral testimony - evidence given by use of the spoken word

passive resistance - opposing a government or system through non-violent means (e.g. peaceful protest); see also armed struggle

persecution - harsh treatment and harassment of individuals or groups of people

post-colonial - after colonialism has come to an end

prejudice - unfair judgement and treatment

propaganda - a programme designed to persuade people to believe certain things or to support certain actions; often (but not always) has a negative meaning

racism - a belief that people belong to inferior or superior races; attitude or prejudice based on such a belief redress -
(i) (verb) to set right or make up for wrongs or injustices
(ii) (noun) a programme or policy to do this (e.g. affirmative action in employment to correct past job discrimination)

renewable resource - a natural resource that renews itself within a reasonable length of time (e.g. a forest can be harvested for timber but new trees can be planted for future harvesting)

resource - something that can be used to fulfil needs (e.g. labour, minerals, food, technology,
medicine)

rural - in the countryside, not in a city or town (e.g. farming areas)

segregation - enforced separation (e.g. of different racial groups)

sexism - discrimination based on gender differences (e.g. believing that only men or women can do certain jobs)

silenced voices - voices and experiences of certain groups left out of the writing of histories (e.g.slaves, women, workers)

simulation - to act out a scene from the past by using historical imagination (e.g. 'it is the year 1976; you are one of the protesters in the student uprising...')

societies - communities of people with their own culture and system of laws
space (geographic) -
(i) an area or place that is occupied by a physical or constructed feature
(ii) the distance between these features or objects

spatial patterns - ways in which people, places and the environment relate to each other

state repression - a system of control through harsh government actions and laws

statutory - required by law(s) passed by a country's parliament

stereotype - a prejudiced and fixed idea of people (e.g. 'all people from Africa are uncivilised' or 'all blondes are stupid')

sustainable development - development that meets the needs of the present generation without
harming the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

tolerance - respect for and acceptance of others

urban - living or situated in a city or town

urbanisation - the movement of people to urban areas

violation of rights - lack of respect for someone else's rights

xenophobia - a dislike and rejection of people from other places or countries