8973 LG

NQF Level: 3 US No: 8973
Learner Guide
Primary Agriculture
Communications
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The availability of this product is due to the financial support of the National
Department of Agriculture and the AgriSETA. Terms and conditions apply.
Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes
Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

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Before we start…
Dear Learner - This Learner Guide contains all the information to acquire all the
knowledge and skills leading to the unit standard:
Title: Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes

US No: 8973 NQF Level: 3 Credits: 5
The full unit standard will be handed to you by your facilitator. Please read the unit
standard at your own time. Whilst reading the unit standard, make a note of your
questions and aspects that you do not understand, and discuss it with your
facilitator.
This unit standard is one of the building blocks in the qualifications listed below.
Please mark the qualification you are currently doing:
Title ID Number NQF Level Credits Mark

National Certificate in Animal Production 49048 3 120
National Certificate in Plant Production 49052 3 120
Are you enrolled in a: Y N

Please mark the learning program you
Learnership?
are enrolled in:
Skills Program?
Your facilitator should explain the above
Short Course?
concepts to you.
This Learner Guide contains all the information, and more, as well as the activities
that you will be expected to do during the course of your study. Please keep the
activities that you have completed and include it in your Portfolio of Evidence.
Your PoE will be required during your final assessment.
What is assessment all about?

You will be assessed during the course of your study. This is called formative
assessment. You will also be assessed on completion of this unit standard. This is
called summative assessment. Before your assessment, your assessor will discuss
the unit standard with you.
Assessment takes place at different intervals of the learning process and includes
various activities. Some activities will be done before the commencement of the
program whilst others will be done during programme delivery and other after
completion of the program.
The assessment experience should be user friendly, transparent and fair. Should
you feel that you have been treated unfairly, you have the right to appeal. Please
ask your facilitator about the appeals process and make your own notes.
Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006


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Your activities must be handed in from time to time on request of the facilitator for
the following purposes:
The activities that follow are designed to help you gain the skills, knowledge
and attitudes that you need in order to become competent in this learning
module.
It is important that you complete all the activities, as directed in the learner
guide and at the time indicated by the facilitator.
It is important that you ask questions and participate as much as possible in

order to play an active roll in reaching competence.
When you have completed all the activities hand this in to the assessor who
will mark it and guide you in areas where additional learning might be
required.
You should not move on to the next step in the assessment process until this
step is completed, marked and you have received feedback from the
assessor.
Sources of information to complete these activities should be identified by your

facilitator.
Please note that all completed activities, tasks and other items on which you
were assessed must be kept in good order as it becomes part of your
Portfolio of Evidence for final assessment.
Enjoy this learning experience!


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How to use this guide …

Throughout this guide, you will come across certain re-occurring “boxes”. These
boxes each represent a certain aspect of the learning process, containing
information, which would help you with the identification and understanding of these
aspects. The following is a list of these boxes and what they represent:
What does it mean? Each learning field is characterized by unique terms and
definitions – it is important to know and use these terms and definitions correctly. These
terms and definitions are highlighted throughout the guide in this manner.
You will be requested to complete activities, which could be group activities, or individual
activities. Please remember to complete the activities, as the facilitator will assess it and
these will become part of your portfolio of evidence. Activities, whether group or individual
activities, will be described in this box.
Examples of certain The following box indicates a summary of

concepts or principles to concepts that we have covered, and offers
help you contextualise you an opportunity to ask questions to your
them easier, will be shown facilitator if you are still feeling unsure of
in this box. the concepts listed.
My Notes …
You can use this box to jot down questions you might have, words that you do not understand,
instructions given by the facilitator or explanations given by the facilitator or any other remarks that
will help you to understand the work better.
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What are we going to learn?

What will I be able to do? .....................................................……………………… 6
Session 1 Learning resources..........................……………………………….. 7
Session 2 Learning strategies...........................………………………………. 14
Session 3 Learning materials...........................……………………………….. 28
Session 4 Basic research: Analyse and present findings………………….. 35
Session 5 Functioning in a team……………………………………………….. 40
Session 6 How learning is affected…………………………………………….. 45
Am I ready for my test? ........................................................... 53

Checklist for Practical assessment.......................................... 57
Paperwork to be done.............................................................. 58
Terms and conditions………………………………………………….. 59
Acknowledgements .................................................................. 60
SAQA Unit Standards


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What will I be able to do?

When you have achieved this unit standard, you will be able to:
access and use suitable learning resources
use learning strategies
manage occupational learning materials
conduct basic research and analyse and present findings
function in a team
reflect on how characteristics of the workplace and occupational context
affect learning
My Notes …
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Session 1 Learning resources

After completing this session, you should be able to:
SO 1: Know how to access and use suitable learning resources
1.1 Overview
The focus in this section is on learning resources, and this section will look in
particular at what these are and how to select them as effectively as possible to help
learning.
1.2 Definition of learning resources

First, we should understand what we mean by ‘learning’. Learning happens when we
acquire any new knowledge, skill, attitude or value that changes how we think or do
things, or even feel about a subject. When we have learned something, we have
better skills in doing something, we have more knowledge about it, we have a
different attitude towards it, and perhaps our values have changed in some way.
A learning resource contains information for learning. When we use any resource to
get information, it becomes a learning resource.
Now check that you understand the definition of learning

resources by answering the questions below.
Learning Task
1. Name 4 aspects of a learner that can change when learning takes place.
2. What must a learning resource provide for a reader? (give one key word).
3. Choose the best description of a learning resource:
a) A book that explains something
b) A book that helps you learn new information
c) Any resource that contains information
d) Any resource that contains new information
Answer (read the previous paragraph through carefully – this is quite easy)


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1.3 Examples of learning resources

The learning resource that you will probably be most familiar with is the textbook
that you had at school. This contained information on a particular subject that you
were required to learn. We will look at a wide range of learning resources, but let us
first look at where we can go to find large numbers of learning resources.
The best place to look for resources is a resource centre. This is usually a library in
which you will find a variety of learning resources, mainly books, but libraries are
increasingly including computer-based or electronic resources.
Resource centres or libraries have specialised sections. There is a lending section

with shelves of books separated into fiction books – sorted by author’s surname (A
to Z), and non-fiction books – sorted by subject, using a numbering system (the
Dewey decimal classification), then by author’s surname.
There is also a Periodicals section where magazines and journals are classified and
stored for use. The Reference section keeps books for readers to use at the library.
Many libraries now have an information technology section, where electronic
resources are available.
We will now consider some of the resources you will find there.
In the Reference section the following may be found: dictionaries, encyclopaedias

and other reference works. The dictionary is a source of information about words
and their meanings. Dictionaries can also be cross-
language (English-Afrikaans or English-IsiXhosa). A
Thesaurus is a dictionary-like reference book that lists
words and their synonyms, and is a useful tool for
writing. Encyclopaedias have information about a large
number of topics (listed A-Z). They usually extend over a
number of volumes.
The Periodicals section stores journals and magazines. A magazine is a periodical

that is published for information and entertainment. It has short articles on a variety
of topics, but with a target readership as its focus (e.g. teenage girls, car
enthusiasts, bodybuilders). A journal is also a periodical with articles, but these are
published for a specialised academic readership.
Each of these resources is an example of a learning resource because it

can be used to find information to assist learning. Even a newspaper or a
magazine can become a learning resource if it is intentionally being used
as a means of finding information i.e. if it is being used for research.
All of the examples mentioned above are referred to as print resources, or

sometimes literature because they are literally printed on paper.


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Over the last twenty years or so, however, the development of the microchip and its
use in electronics and computers has led to massive changes in the kinds of
resources we can use for learning. This technology lets us store and access
information on a scale that has never been possible before.
Information can be stored electronically and retrieved for use in a number of ways.
Learning Task
1. How many kinds of electronic information or communication systems can you think
of?
2. How many of these are designed for storing information, i.e. would be possible
learning resources?
Possible Answers: (if you are unsure, read the following passage before answering the
questions)
Let’s make sure we know what each of these resources is, and the basics of how it
works.
What is the internet? It is a network of electronic communication. Anyone can have

access to it as long as they have a computer (with a modem) that is linked to a
service provider. Through this technology, an internet user can get access to
countless websites, with all the information that these websites contain. There is
more information on the internet than in any other storage system in the world. For
this reason, it is potentially a very important learning resource. But it has limitations,
as we shall see.
Note that email is a system of electronic communication. Although information can
be transmitted using email (e.g. as attachments) this is not basically an
information storage system.
Floppy discs, CD’s and DVD’s are all discs that contain electronic
data. The main difference between them is how much data they can
store. The floppy disc can store the least. In fact, it is used mainly to
transfer documents from one computer to another, but it cannot hold
much information compared with the other types of disc. It is therefore a transfer
system rather than a storage system, and so it is not much use as a learning
resource. Cd’s and dvd’s, however, have a much higher capacity, and so you will find
amounts of information stored on them that truly make them a learning resource.
So far, we have looked at two kinds of learning

resources: print resources or literature and
electronic resources such as the internet. But if we say that
a learning resource includes any source where we can find
information that we can use for learning, then there is one
source of information we have not yet considered. In a
way this is the simplest and oldest resource of all – other
people. We all know people who know more than we do.
In fact, if you think about it, everyone knows more about
something (even if it is their own life history) than anyone
else. For this reason, the value of finding out

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information from other people should never be forgotten.
Learning Task
Think of three people that you know. You may think of a family member, a teacher, a
friend, a classmate, etc. Try to think of people of different ages and not all of the same
gender.
For each person, ask yourself what this person can do that you can’t do, or what experience
they may have had that you have not, i.e. think about the kind of new information that they
could give you.
Possible Answers:
how to make a cake; what life was like growing up fifty years ago; how to fix a car; what
it’s like being a ten-year-old girl (or boy) at this time in South Africa; what it was like voting
for the first time; what life is like with a disability; experiences as a worker, etc.
Would each of your three people be able to give you information from which you
could learn? If they can give you such information, these people could be learning
resources for you.
1.4 How learning resources are selected

and acknowledged
We have looked at what a learning resource is, what kinds there are and where you
might find them.
We will now look at using learning resources in the most effective way. This means
finding the best resources for your purpose, making the best use of those resources
and, lastly, knowing how to acknowledge the resources you have used.
To decide which is the best kind of resource to use for a particular task, we need to
look more closely at the kinds of resources we have discussed, and ask ourselves
some critical questions about how they are suitable for different tasks.
We have said that there are differences between using printed material (e.g. books
or magazines), electronic sources (e.g. the internet or DVD’s) and people as learning
resources. Each kind has its advantages, and will suit certain needs. On the other
hand, a learning resource that suits one need may not suit another. Here are some
characteristics of each kind of learning resource:
Resource Advantages Limitation
Print:
Book Reliable because publisher is Information may become out-of-date
accountable for its quality
Specialised information, accessible
through contents page and index
Reliability can be checked through Up-to-date at first but individual copies soon
Magazine publisher out-of-date
Articles give information in a reader-


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friendly way
Adverts can be informative
Electronic
Internet Massive amount of information, mostly No controls over publishing on internet,
free therefore information may be unreliable
Information on a wide range of topics Slow, so can be expensive to use (phone time)
Search-engines can trawl for Amount of material available can make finding
information precise information difficult
Websites contain links for easy cross-
reference
New information constantly being
added to, so is up-to-date
Can be expensive to buy
Can contain much information
Has various formats: print, pictures,
DVD sound, films
People Interactive: you can ask questions and You must judge reliability
get explanations
You can probably think of many more points, but notice that one thing that keeps
coming up is reliability. When you are using learning resources, a key factor is how
accurate the information is. The internet, in particular, can give you a lot of
information but you have to use your judgement as regards the reliability of that
information. An important factor is to use credible websites i.e. websites that are
recommended, established and reliable.
Another factor in choosing a learning resource is its suitability to the task. The
following exercise asks you to make decisions about the main kind of resource you
would use for a particular task.
Please complete Activity 1:

Selecting appropriate learning resources (Individual)
Resources: Pen & paper
In column A there are some tasks and in column B there are different kinds of learning
resources. Think about each task, and think about each resource. Decide which resource
would be most suitable for each task.
Column A Column B
You are studying irrigation and need to find a film that Magazine
shows the different systems in action Reference book
You want to know how farmers in your area consult with Dictionary
each other about marketing their produce Internet
You need guidance on how to approach a written Dvd
assignment Teacher
You want to find the meaning of a word Local person with suitable
You are learning about a new plant propagation process experience
and want to get some information about it and the
company that is developing it
You want to find out what recent products are being
advertised for the South African market
You have an assignment on the structure and functions of
the cells of a leaf.


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Note that this Activity has been given to get you thinking about the strengths and
limitations of different resources. In practice, it is most important that when you
are doing research, you make use of a variety of resources.
Acknowledging resources
A critical point to bear in mind when doing research is that whenever you use that
information in writing up or presenting your research you must acknowledge the
source of that information. This is extremely important for two reasons. One is that
whoever reads your writing may want to follow up on a point. The other, more
serious reason is that using information without stating where it came from is seen
in the same way as taking something from another person without their permission.
In the academic world this is termed plagiarism, and it is seen as theft. For that
reason, when you are using any print resource, always keep a record of the resource
as you make your notes, because you will have to acknowledge any resource you
use (in your Bibliography). Printouts from the internet automatically have the source
printed at the top, but you must not forget to acknowledge it in your own
presentation.
What information do you need in order to acknowledge a resource?

For a book, you need the title (underlined), author/s, publisher, date and place of
publication. The title, author and publisher are found on the title page of the book,
and the place and date of publication are on the next page. For example:
FEEDING A
NATION
All rights reserved
Miller Publishers
E. FARMER Cape Town
© 2003
MILLER ISBN 07064 1695 3
Acknowledgement of this book would therefore be written:
Farmer, E: Feeding a Nation, Miller Publications, London, 2003.
To acknowledge an article in a journal, give the title of the article, the name of
the journal (underlined), its year, the volume and number, and the page numbers
E.g. SABIE Report, South African Bee Journal 2003 Volume 75 No. 3, p. 87
When you use an internet site, you write out the website address, for example:
The SA Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za
The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations www.fao.org

If you use the webpage from a site, include that in the reference
E.g. The business page of the SABC: www.Sabcnews.co.za/economy/business


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Investigating your local library
Go into your local library and look for the following: (if necessary ask the librarian for
help)
1. Magazine section – find 3 magazines that are relevant to your course.
2. Bookshelves – find the section on as many of the following subjects as you can:
Agriculture and related technology
Farm management
Plants: Injuries, diseases, pests
Field and plantation crops
Horticulture
Animal husbandry and domestic animals.
Write down the Dewey classification number for the subject/s you have found.
1. Select any book, and write down its reference details: title, author or authors,
publisher, place of publication and date of publication. (Hint: for title, author,
publisher – look at title page. Turn this page over to find the place and date of
publication).
2. Write a sentence to say why you selected this book (whether for its language
medium / appearance / title / subject / pictures etc.)
3. Select 2 other books and write down their reference details as above.
4. What system does this library use if anyone wants to find a book - electronic or card
retrieval system?
5. Is the internet available here?
6. Are there any video or electronic resources? If not, is the library planning to get any?
I understand Questions that I still would

Concept (SO 1)
this concept like to ask
Know how to access and use

suitable learning resources
Relevant learning resources are

identified.
Learning resources are used

effectively through appropriate
selection of information and
acknowledgement of sources.
My Notes …
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Session 2 Learning strategies

SO 2: Know how to use learning strategies
2 .1 Overview
In Section 1 we looked at learning resources, what they are, where to find them and
how to select them. In Section 2 we will be looking at how we can use such
resources for learning. We will look in some detail at the strategies that we can use
to help us learn more effectively. We will consider the strategies of summarising,
questioning, reading actively, listening actively and learning by communicating with
others. We will work in groups and individually, learning to select and apply a
number of techniques. Finally we will examine how effectively we are able to apply
these strategies and techniques in practice.
2.2 Summarizing information for learning

purposes
Summarising is one of the most important skills that we can use for learning. It
makes us read the text with understanding, and therefore helps us to learn what we
are reading. We will therefore look closely at some techniques for summarising
information presented in a written text.
Consider the following description of how a plant grows:

THE GROWTH OF A SEED
A flowering plant starts life as a seed. The seed itself contains everything needed for the growth of a
future plant. Protected inside is the embryo of the future plant: a tiny plumule which already shows the
form of tiny leaves, and a radicle which holds the future root in its potent cells. Surrounding this
delicate structure is a ready-made food supply, the endosperm that contains a precise balance of
nutrients – carbohydrates, oils, minerals and vitamins – to suit the needs of the particular species of
plant. Finally, wrapping the whole seed is a testa, a custom-made coat that helps to shield the seed
from chemical, bacterial or mechanical injury.
The seed stays like this, alive but unchanging, waiting to grow. Depending on the type of plant, it can
lie dormant for years. But growth or germination will be triggered at some point. Usually, it is a change
in season that sparks growth. Most plants are caught in an annual cycle, and the arrival of rain, or
warmth, or longer daylight hours, or a combination of these factors, will trigger the growing process.


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But for some plants the seed waits for a different trigger. Some proteas of the Western Cape will
germinate only after fire. Coconuts stay dormant as they float across the sea but as soon as they land
on a beach they germinate.
Once germination has started, each structure in the seed plays its
part. The first sign of change is the emergence of the radicle; it
bursts through the testa and lengthens until it has clearly formed a
small root, capable of drawing in water for the plant. The plumule
begins to grow, and soon small leaves are evident as they grow
upwards on a tiny stem. Of course this growth does not come
from nowhere: it relies on the food supply or endosperm. This may
be contained in the cotyledon. If there is one of these the seed is a
monocotyledonous plant such as the grasses, onion or lilies. Two
cotyledons tell us that it is a dicotyledonous plant, like the bean or the
sunflower. The cotyledons act as early leaves, providing food to help
the growing plant to become established.
A summary is based on the main ideas in a passage. Remember for a summary you
need to
look for main ideas
identify the key sentence in each paragraph – this should ‘cover’ or include all
other points
not confuse main ideas with examples
cut out detailed descriptions or extensions.
To look for the main ideas, take the following steps:
Look at the title: this will give you the theme of the passage, in this case ‘The
Growth of the Seed’. This alerts you to 2 aspects: seeds and growth.
Then, considering the way writing is structured, we usually find a main idea
in each paragraph. How many paragraphs do we have here? We will
therefore base our summary on three main ideas. Because the passages
follow on from each other, these ideas must also link to each other.
Starting with the first paragraph, let us identify the key sentence. What
aspect of ‘the growth of the seed’ is being described? The paragraph is
describing the parts of a seed, but what is the common idea that links these
descriptions? We can answer this question by looking more closely at the
description of each part. First it would be helpful to underline the words that
name each part, e.g. embryo, plumule, radicle, endosperm, nutrients,
carbohydrates, oils, minerals, vitamins, testa. Which of these are key words?
Which are less critical? Rereading the paragraph, we may decide that the
words nutrients, carbohydrates, oils, minerals, vitamins, are not critical
because they are extending the idea of (giving more detail about) the
endosperm. So we are left with the keywords . embryo, plumule, radicle,
endosperm, testa. Each of these items has its own description, i.e.
Protected inside is the embryo of the future plant:
a tiny plumule which already shows the form of tiny leaves,

a radicle which holds the future root in its potent cells.
a ready-made food supply, the endosperm


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a testa, a custom-made coat
So each has its own description, but back to our question: what is the
common thing that is being said about all of them? Is there a key sentence
i.e. one that covers all of these points? If we take such an overview, we will
see that the second sentence, The seed itself contains everything needed for
the growth of a future plant, contains the binding idea. Everything said
about each part of the seed adds to that key point.
With that as the key sentence, and our list of key words, we can start a
point-form summary as you learned to do in Unit 8970, or you can plan your
summary using a mind-map (as below).
Now look at the second paragraph. What aspect of ‘the growth of the seed’
is being described here? Which sentence ‘covers’ the meaning of the other
sentences i.e. what is our key sentence?
Note that the paragraph describes the start of germination, i.e. the ‘triggers’
that start the growth process. But none of these examples can
be the key sentence, as a number of different examples of
these triggers are given – introduced by the words
usually, most, some. In this case, we cannot say there is
one trigger that works for all plants. The
statement that applies to all others is But growth
will be triggered at some point. That is the one sentence
that covers all the others. Once you have made that key
generalisation, you can give the 3 different kinds of trigger that it
covers – seasonal factors (of which 3 examples – rain, warmth, daylight –
are given), fire, beach.
Now try the third paragraph for yourself, looking first for the main idea, then
the key sentence, then the key details. Write down your own answers before
looking at the ones that have been given.
Main Idea Key Sentence Key Words
Possible Answers
Each part grows Once germination has Radicle, root; plumule,
started, each structure leaves; endosperm,
in the seed plays its food; cotyledons, leaves
part.
My Notes …
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The mind-map that follows shows one way of recording the key points for
your summary, or you may want to simply list the key points. The important
thing is that your points must make sense to you.
GROWTH
OF
A SEED
SEED HAS
WHAT’S NEEDED EACH PART
GROWS
Embryo - plumule
- radicle Radicle - Root
Endosperm WHAT IS NEEDED Plumule – Leaves
Testa FOR Endosperm – Food
GERMINATION Cotyledons - leaves
Seasonal
- rain
- warmth
- light
Fire
Land
If you are going to turn your point-form summary back into sentences, use
your own words. Of course the key words will stay the same if they are
special terminology (as many of the words in this passage are). But if you
use these words in your own sentences, you will really be helping yourself to
learn.
2.3 Selecting and applying specific

techniques appropriately
This is a summary of some of the techniques that we use for effective learning. You
have used some of these techniques in Unit 8970 so this will give you some revision.
You should make sure that you understand each term so that when you are asked to
use the technique, or when an opportunity comes up, you can use it effectively.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a process that encourages creative thinking; where a group of

people gets together just to make suggestions in response to a topic. Suggestions
are recorded (usually by writing them down) and the only ‘rules’ are firstly that there
are no ‘no’ ideas, and secondly that there is no discussion about any suggestion. All
ideas are therefore recorded. Brainstorming encourages ‘right-brain thinking’ i.e. the

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creative sides of our brains are encouraged to think freely, by associating one idea
with another and not censoring ourselves or each other.
Group analysis
Group analysis takes place after a brainstorming session, when the group goes back
to the brainstorm suggestions that have been recorded and starts analysing these
ideas. Now we return to left-brain thinking, where we discuss ideas more critically,
then choose the most suitable ideas and sort them into a logical plan to suit the
task.
A mind-map
A mind-map is a scheme or plan which takes selected information in point-form and

arranges it on a page, in a way that shows how the points are related to each other.
You have used mind maps a number of times, including in the previous section of
this unit. It is a technique that suits the way some people think (so-called visual
learners), and for them it can be a great help in learning or planning. If you like
working with mind maps, you are probably a visual learner.
Note taking
Note taking is a technique that can be used in any situation in which we are getting
information by reading, listening or watching. It uses skills very
similar to summarising, because to take notes, we need to Let us take be
selecting key points all the time. We cannot write down notes here
everything we are reading or listening to or seeing. Taking _________
good notes means concentrating and understanding enough _________ to
take in the information and make decisions about what is ________
important and what is not worth writing down. If it is a
formal lecture, it is likely that you can take more orderly
notes (in point form), as the topic is being given to you in an organised way. If you
are making notes out in the field, it is often best to write down just the key words, in
case you miss something while you are busy writing.
Memorising
Memorising is not the same as learning. To memorise something (to ‘learn it by

heart’) may not necessarily involve understanding it. There
are times, however, that we need to be able to memorise
something. One way of helping our brains to do this is to
use a mnemonic (said “nemonic”). This is a word or
sentence which spells out the letters (or the first letters in
the names) that we are trying to remember. For example,
anyone who has learned music may know that the
progression of notes up the scale is EGBDF. But it is more
likely that they will know the sentence “Every Good Boy
Deserves Fudge”, which is much easier to remember than
the letters. Another example is the ‘name’ Roy G. Biv, which
does not make sense unless you know that it spells the colours of the rainbow in
their correct order.

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Key words
Key words are the most important words in a particular context. They carry the main
ideas. As we saw in the previous activity, identifying key words in a passage is an
important step towards summarising the passage, and in the process helps us to
understand the meaning of the passage.
Underlining
Underlining is a technique that can help us to focus on a passage, but it is not as

effective in helping us to learn as some other techniques, for example key words or
summarising. But it can be a way of starting to understand a text. Remember,
though, that we should only use underlining when we are working with our own
notes or photocopied material. Never mark a library book, by underlining or in any
other way. It is public property and other people will need to use it after you.
Skimming
Skimming is the technique of running our eyes over a text very quickly in order to
get the general idea of the content. In doing so, our eyes pick up occasional words,
so that we get some idea of what the text is about. Skimming gives us an
idea of the scope of the content but not much idea of the detail. It is
more useful for selecting a text than as a learning
strategy, because it is a quick way of checking to see if the text is
going to be useful to our needs.
Scanning
Scanning is another reading technique, also reading very quickly but this time
looking for something specific, and so allowing the eye to pass quickly over the
page, looking for a particular item. For example, when we look up a name in a
telephone directory, we ‘tell’ our eyes to look for a particular name and we
automatically ignore all the other names. For example, try looking at this page but
look only for the bold print. Do you notice how your eyes take no notice of the other
print? Now try taking the first letter of your name, and scan a few pages to spot that
letter (as a capital letter). Are you able to spot that letter among all the others?
Peer assessment
Peer assessment is assessment from a classmate. This can be an effective learning

strategy because it can be very helpful to have another person of equal standing to
reflect back to us what we have done. Peer assessment should help us to re-view
our work i.e. see it again from a new perspective. For this to happen, the peer who
is assessing the work should be sympathetic but honest. The peer assessment
should be done using clear criteria that have been agreed upon beforehand.
Self assessment


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Self assessment is a demanding task, as it requires the same honesty as peer
assessment, but applied to oneself. Self-assessment must also be done using
clear criteria. To be able to assess our own work, we should be able to be
objective about it, i.e. to look at the work without any self-interest in mind.
However hard we have worked on it, we need to learn to be honest with
ourselves: give credit where it is due and see where we could improve. The
real value of self assessment is not in the grades we give ourselves, but in learning
to monitor our own learning processes.
Please complete Activity 3.

Selecting an appropriate learning technique (Pairs)
Match the task in Column A with the most suitable technique in Column B
Column A Column B
1. You are about to hand in an assignment for which Brain storming
you have the criteria. You want to know if it is ready Group analysis
to hand in. Mind-map
2. You and a classmate check each others’ assignments Note taking
before handing in. Memorising
3. You and a group of classmates start work on a group Key words
assignment by contributing a wide range of ideas Underlining
4. You have a list of websites and you want to find one Skimming
that deals with wheat-growing Scanning
5. You want to get an overview of the scope of an Peer assessment
article Self assessment
6. After a brainstorm, your group critically reviews the
ideas that the brainstorm has provided
7. During a visit to a site, you want to record key ideas
8. You have to learn something off by heart so you use
a mnemonic
2.4 Asking relevant questions

Questioning is an important learning strategy. By asking relevant questions we can
check that we understand something
clear up anything we do not understand
get more information
make sure that we have accurate information
Sometimes we are not willing to ask questions because we do not want to look
ignorant or foolish. But we need to ask ourselves which is more foolish: to stay in
ignorance or to show our willingness to learn? There is an old saying: One man asks
questions; another stays silent. Who then is the wise man? In South Africa, this idea
is central to the promotion of life-long learning.
To encourage a healthy learning environment, it is very important to respect one

another’s right to ask questions.


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Learning through asking questions (Individual)
Read the following passage then complete questions 1 – 3 below.
Good food hygiene can contribute towards preventing the transmission of pathogens
responsible for many foodborne diseases. Governments, industry and consumers have
shared responsibility in ensuring the safety of food. WHO has long been aware of the need
to educate all food handlers, including professionals and ordinary consumers, about their
responsibility for food safety. After nearly a year of consultations with food safety experts
and risk communicators, WHO introduced the Five Keys to Safer Food poster in 2001.
Already translated into 25 languages, the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food are simple rules
elaborated to promote safer food handling and preparation practices: keep clean, separate
raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, use safe water and raw
materials. www.fao.org
1. Working individually and using the categories below, prepare three questions based on
this passage. These should be real questions, i.e. you should not know the answers.
Category 1: one word of which you do not know the meaning.
Category 2: one sentence that you do not understand
Category 3: one question that you have about the context.
2. Now work with a partner. Take turns to ask your questions, and help each other to
answer them as best you can. If you cannot answer any questions, keep these aside
and carry on with the next category. If you answer the questions of both partners, go
further through the paragraph until you find a question for each category that neither
of you can answer. You should end up with at least 3 questions.
3. Now combine with another pair so that you are working in a team of four. Share the
questions from each pair, and try to answer them. Again, if your group cannot answer
a question, keep it aside. If you can, move on until you have at least one question per
category.
Your facilitator will now take questions from each group. The class can try to answer the
questions; otherwise your facilitator can help the class reach an understanding.
Self assessment checklist
In order to establish whether you completed the Activity successfully, ask yourself these
questions
1. Did I prepare 3 questions (1 word that I did not know, 1 sentence that I did not
understand, 1 question about the context) based on things I did not understand
about the passage?
2. Did I work with my partner to find 3 questions like these that neither of us could
answer?
3. Did I work with my group to find 3 questions that none of us knew?
4. Did I feel comfortable saying I did not know the answers to my questions?
2.5 Reading for detail, interpretation and

analysis for a given context
As a learner at a college, much of your work involves reading.
Reading is something we do in many different contexts, and for different purposes.

We can sit down with a book or magazine and read for pleasure or relaxation. We
may read for simple information such as when we read a bus timetable or a
telephone directory.

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Sometimes we read involuntarily, for instance when we see an advertisement on a

billboard using a single word in huge writing. When we read a sms from a friend we
may be reading for fun.
Reading for learning, however, is different from all of these because we are then
reading in a very directed, goal-oriented way. Success in reading to learn
depends on using certain ‘attack’ skills when we approach the text. It is
useful to be aware of the strategies we can use to get information out of
the text.
It is a good idea to first look at the format of a passage i.e. the way it is
set out on the page (or screen). This will help you to navigate the text. Is
there a title? Is it written in paragraphs? Is it a table? Are there sub-
headings? All of these factors will allow you to approach the text in a more
organised way, and therefore increase your ability to learn from it.
When we read the text for the purpose of learning, we should read for:
detail i.e. extract information that is stated directly in the text
interpretation i.e. extract the meaning where the idea is there but not stated
directly
analysis i.e. use the content to draw a conclusion or add your own idea: you
have to sort out some information in the text to get an answer, or assess
something in order to give an opinion
Learning Task
Read the following passage and consider the questions that follow:
The Food Safety Department (FOS) of the World Health Organisation works hard all around
the world to reduce the effects of diseases carried by food. Diseases carried by food and
water are leading causes of illness and death in less developed countries, killing
approximately 1.8 million people every year, most of whom are children.
1. Where does the FOS do its work?
2. How many people die each year from diseases carried by food and water?
3. Who is more at risk from these diseases: children or adults?
4. Why do you think that these diseases are so dangerous in less developed countries?
You need to do 2 things: answer the questions, and then decide what kind of question each
one is. Take the following steps:
• Write down your answers to these questions.
• Find a partner and check your answers.
• With your partner, go back to the questions and discuss the kind of question each one
is. Is it asking for a detail, an interpretation or an analysis? (Clue: Of these 4 questions,
2 are detail, 1 is an interpretation, 1 is an analysis.
Answer:
Type of question:
1.
2.
3.
4.


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Reading for detail, interpretation and analysis for a given context (Pairs)
We will practice the above skills by reading the passage that follows and answering the
questions below. In addition, think about how you come to your answer and mark each answer
with a letter to indicate whether it is a question for detail (D), interpretation (I) or analysis (A).
(This should not affect your answers, it is just to make you more aware of how you are
approaching the reading.)
The following passage is taken from the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s current
website (address given below the passage). Read it through and then answer the questions
below.
Description: The Plant Pathology laboratory at Elsenburg renders a plant disease diagnostic ser
to the public of the Western Cape.
It specialises in the fields of vegetable-, small grain-, lupin- and canola diseases.
The tests performed at the laboratory are aimed at identifying disease-causing
organisms of the following kind:
Fungi
Bacteria
Viruses
Mycoplasmas.
Instructions: The following samples are required to perform the tests:

Whole plants (where possible)
Seeds
Fruits (for post-harvest diseases).
Samples must be accompanied by a submission form, which can be found on the
Elsenburg website.
The samples must be received in a suitable condition to perform standard plant
pathological methods on it.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture and its employees accept no liability
the outcome of this examination.
For more information, contact:
Lizette van Deventer
Tel: 021-808 5269
lizettevd@elsenburg.com
Provided At: These facility categories:
Western Cape Department of Agriculture Offices
Provided By: Technology Development and Transfer (Provincial Government of the Western Ca
Government Department of Agriculture)
Body:
PRICE: The tariffs as of 1 May 2003 are:

Macro- and microscopic examination: R80
Test for fungi (conventional): R140
Test for bacteria (conventional): R205
Seed tests are priced according to the organism being tested for. Each case is han
individually.
Prices include VAT and are subject to increases from time to time.
Invoices are sent via mail to the accountable person, as indicated by the client on
submission form.
http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/yourgovernment/gsc/3576/services/11428/9688


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Questions:
1. What format is used in this text?
2. How many columns are there?
3. How many rows are there?
4. What categories of information do these rows contain?
5. What service does the Plant Pathology laboratory at Elsenburg offer?
6. In which province is the laboratory found? How can you tell?
7. What is the laboratory’s field of specialisation?
8. What 2 steps are needed to make use of the service?
9. What would it cost to use this service?
10. Do the costs change often? How do you know?
My Notes …
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2.6 Listening for detail, interpretation and

analysis for a given context
We are not always aware of how much information comes to us through hearing it,
but to make the most of this, we need to actively listen rather than just hear sound.
Listening well means staying focussed on what is being said.
In the following Activity, you will be asked to listen for:

Detail: where the information is stated directly in the text
Interpretation: where the idea is there but not stated directly
Analysis: where you add your own idea: you have to sort out some
information in the text to get an answer, or assess something in order to
give an opinion.

Listening for detail, interpretation and analysis for a given context
Your facilitator will read you a passage about Nkanyiso Gumede. You should listen
carefully to the story of his experience as a farmer, and answer the following questions.
Each question is marked with a letter to indicate whether it is a detail (D), interpretation
(I) or analysis (A).
Questions
1. Did Nkanyiso grow up in the city or in the country? I
2. Were his parents rich or not? I
3. What was Nkanyiso’s first job? D
4. How long did he work in that job? D
5. While he was doing this job, he worked part-time as a contractor.
Why did he do this second job? D
6. Why did he choose to start farming? I
7. What crop does he grow? D
8. How did he get his farm? D
9. What was the biggest problem in his first year of farming? D
10. How did he and his family survive? D
11. How many tons is his mill estimate (approximately)? D
12. How much more than average is his RV (approximately)? A
13. How do you know some of his land was uncultivated? I
14. Give three kinds of help that Nkanyiso has had. A
15. Give two signs that he is making a profit. I
16. Name two things he is saving money for. D
17. Who has helped him the most? I
18. Where does this person live? Give the word that tells you this. I
19. What three pieces of advice does Nkanyiso give new farmers? D
20. Do you think this is good advice? Why? Or why not? A


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2 .7 Learning through communicating with

others in groups or as individuals
We have been doing this throughout this programme. For example, in Activity 4 we
could not have completed the activity without questioning each other in pairs, in
groups of four and as a whole class. We have also discussed the value of peer
assessment.
Working with others in a group helps learning because:

It exposes us to more ideas than our own. We saw the value of this in
brainstorming
It can assist our creative thinking to have a number of people sharing their
ideas, which we also saw in brainstorming
It helps us to organise our own ideas when we speak about them, and this
reinforces our learning
It gives us a chance to test out our own ideas, when our peers give us
constructive criticism
You can possibly think of other ways in which communicating with others helps us to
learn more effectively.
There are some points to remember.
Successful communication needs not only good speaking skills, but also good
listening skills. When we listen to someone attentively and empathetically, we
help that person to express their ideas more clearly, and we therefore help
their learning process.
The opposite is worth mentioning: if a listener interrupts constantly, or has a

negative attitude, it can interfere with the speaker’s thoughts, and therefore
block their learning processes.
Some people work better on their own. This should be respected, but we all
need group interaction some of the time.

Concept (SO 2)
Know how to use learning

strategies
Information is summarized for

learning purposes.
Specific techniques are selected

and applied appropriately.
Relevant questions are asked.


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Texts are read for detail and
interpreted and analysed for a
given context.
Spoken input is listened to for

detail, interpreted and analysed for
a given context.
Learning takes place through

communicating with others in
groups or as individuals.
My Notes …
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Session 3 Learning materials

SO 3:Know how to manage occupational learning materials
3.1 Overview
The focus here is on managing occupational learning materials well and this section
will look in particular at organising materials and understanding the ways that these
materials are laid out and presented, in order to use them as effectively as possible
to help occupational learning.
3.1 Organizing occupational learning

materials well
We have already, in this unit and elsewhere, looked at a number of learning
resources and learning materials and have used them in different ways. In the
previous section of this unit we looked at books and the internet in particular. We
will now extend the range of learning materials and look more closely at what they
are and how we can organise them, to make the best use of these learning
materials.
We have talked about the difference between print material and electronic material.
When we study plant production, the print material we use will probably include
textbooks, handouts, charts, maps, plans and diagrams. To organise these
effectively, we need to arrange them in an orderly way and store them safely.
Loose sheets such as handouts and notes should be dated and put into a file that
has been prepared with sections or dividers that match the sections of our
programme. Any notes and handouts should be inserted into the relevant section of
the file in the order in which they were received, or in an order that suits the way
they will be used.
The importance of writing the publication details onto any photocopied texts has
been mentioned (see section 1.4).


29
Textbooks should be covered and have the owner’s name written in

them. If markings are done in a textbook (e.g. underlining) this
should be done in pencil. Then, if the textbook is sold, the markings
can be removed by rubbing out.
Dealing with electronic learning resources also needs to be done in
an orderly way. When using the internet, we need to manage any
material we download and print out. We have noted that, for any
printout from a website, the address prints out automatically at the
top of the page. We should then file such printouts in our filing
system for future reference, and to follow up if we want to return to
that website at some future date.
Videos are learning resources that also need to be carefully labelled and stored.
In addition to considering the care of videos, we will now also look in some detail at
how we can organise ourselves when we use videos. This will give us a better idea
of how videos can be used as an occupational learning resource.
Most of us are familiar with videos as a way of watching fiction film (movies). Here,
however, we will concentrate on using non-fiction or documentary videos that deal
with plant production and agricultural topics.
Where do we find such specialised documentary videos? They are available from
libraries in the same way that books are. They are classified by the same categories
and Dewey decimal classification numbers that we used for books in the resource
centre, namely
Agriculture and related technology 630
Farm management 631
Plants: Injuries, diseases, pests 632
Field and plantation crops 633
Horticulture 635
Animal husbandry and domestic animals. 636
Your local library or resource centre should have a catalogue of available videos, or
you can go online to Webpals.wcape.gov.sa to check their catalogue for
documentaries (in English and Afrikaans). If your local library or resource centre
does not have your choice of video available, you can make a request through them
for a loan from the Western Cape Provincial Library Service and they will order it
from their central library in Cape Town.
To watch the video you will need a television. TV itself is another resource. Relevant
documentary programmes are shown from time to time, but regularly every morning
there is the 10-minute Agri Programme at 5h45 on SATV 2. This is a magazine
programme covering current issues in agriculture.
We will now do a group activity in which you will
choose a video
record a TV programme

30
organise yourselves for a viewing session
do some research before you view the material
watch the recorded TV programme and the video

discuss both items according to the given guidelines.

Organising video for learning (Pairs or small groups)
Resources: Video, video tape, video recorder and television set.
For this activity you will need to have a video machine (VCR) linked to a television set, a
recorded copy of SATV’s Agri Programme and a documentary video on an appropriate
topic (whether you have recorded it from TV or accessed it through the library services).
Preparation:
• If possible, work in pairs or small groups (not more than 4).
• Your group will have to agree on a video that you would all find interesting, and also
agree on a time and place to view it together. Your viewing session should be the
length of the video plus one hour. Most documentaries are 25 to 55 minutes long.
The extra hour gives half an hour to view and discuss the Agri Programme (which is
10 minutes long), and half an hour to discuss the documentary.
• Make sure that one of you knows how to set the VCR timer for recording, because
the activity will involve watching an episode of the SATV 2’s Agri programme, which
should be timer-recorded by one of the group for the viewing session. When you do
meet, the person who did the recording should show the others how the timer
recording was done.
• In preparation for the viewing session, each person should find out two facts about
the subject of the video.
Viewing:
• Start the viewing session with the Agri programme. Once everyone has gathered, the
person who did the recording tells how it was done (see point 3 above).
• Then the group views the Agri programme. Remember that it is a daily information
programme for farmers. Is any topic on the Agri programme familiar to anyone in the
group? Do you have experience of it? Does it link with what you are studying? As a
magazine programme, it covers topics that are current, so sooner or later it will raise
issues that are important for you your course and your learning.
• Then, before you start watching the documentary video, each person shares with the
group their two facts about the subject. If there are any points of difference raised,
or any questions or debates, note these but do not go into a discussion yet.
• Watch the video. You can make notes as you go. Remember that note-taking
depends on writing just key words, which can help you to remember the point later.
After the video, discuss what you have seen. Ask yourselves the following questions:
1. Did it make sense? Did you understand not only the immediate information but the
underlying idea or point of the whole film?
2. Was there anything you did not understand or that did not make sense to you?
3. Was it what you expected? Did the subject link adequately to what you are learning
and/or to your own experience? Or was it way off the point?
4. Do you think it was well made? Did you enjoy it? Were there points that you
disagreed with? Did the video leave out things that you think are important?
5. In a way, a documentary is like a book, while Agri Programme is like a magazine. In
what way/s is this statement true?


31
6. Did you learn anything from either of the videos you watched?
7. Do you think you learn better from a book or from watching a video? Or are they
just different ways of learning? If so, in what way/s are they different?
You will have completed this activity successfully if you have participated in the group
discussion and have developed your own response to each of the questions 1 – 7. You do
not have to agree with one another on each point, but you do need to have discussed
them together and shared your ideas.
3.2 Understanding and using layout and

presentation of learning materials
To make effective use of any resource, we need to know the elements of how it is
set out, and therefore how we can locate the material most useful to our research.
Books that are designed as learning resources are organised to assist learning. They
have standard features to help us find the information we need. We will look at the
most important of these features.
Contents page
The contents page is found near the front of the Contents book,
just after the title page (see our example of a titles
page in section 1.4). The contents page lists the 1. Seeds
chapters of the book, and the chapter titles give 2. Germination us an
overview of the main focuses of the book. 3. Cultivation
4. Harvesting
Sometimes there is additional material besides 5. Storage
the
chapter headings: some contents pages give 6. Relaxing more
information in the form of the sub-headings for each
chapter.
If a book deals with a topic that is important for our field of study, it is very useful to
make a photocopy of the contents pages (there is usually more than one page of
contents) and keep that filed as a record of what is available, for future reference.
Index
The index is at the back of the book. It is a detailed listing of all the items dealt with
in the book, together with the page/s on which those items can be found.
Sometimes the page numbers will be printed in bold print. This may mean that these
are the pages where the item is the main topic, or it may mean that these are the
pages on which you will find illustrations. To find out, go to the top (i.e. first page)
of the index and there will be a note explaining how the numbering system works.
The index is a most useful tool in research.
When we are selecting a book for purposes of doing research, the first thing we look
at is the title, which gives us a general idea of the topic it deals with. We then go to
the contents page to see whether it covers the aspects of the topic that will be


32
useful to us in our research. If we decide that the book will be of use, we finally go
to the index to locate the detailed aspects of the topic that we need.
Glossary
What does Many reference books also have a glossary at the back of the book. This is an
alphabetical list of the specialised or technical terms used in that book. This
that mean?
word-list is often very useful; it is like a mini-dictionary and it is sometimes
worth photocopying these glossary pages too, to build up your own reference
bank.
Electronic texts
Electronic texts e.g. cd’s, DVD’s and web-pages on the internet are laid out in a
different way. The information is laid out in fields such as boxes or columns. When
we are reading the text, instead of turning the page as we would in a book, we scroll
down the screen. In a book, if we want to go to any section dealing with a specific
topic, we find it by using the contents page or the index, and then physically turning
to that page. In an electronic text, the material is organised to make this easy.
There are menus, boxes and icons (little symbols) on which we can click to locate
the given topic. In this way we can navigate the document and make cross-
references.
3.3 Using and clarifying technical

language/terminology
In any field of study, there is a vocabulary of terminology that is specific to that
field. (Remember the section on Jargon?) Part of learning about the subject is
learning this new language. It is important to understand the meaning of these new
words because you are then learning the concepts or ideas that they are referring
to. This understanding develops as we use the terms in their context, and successful
learning of a subject is linked to learning the language of that subject in a
meaningful way.
In our studies we will therefore come across many new words. How do we help
ourselves to make the best use of this?
Firstly, we need to recognise that it is a new word, so if we hear a term being used,
or if we have read a word we do not understand, we need to make a note of that
word. It is likely that we will have an idea of its meaning from the context, but how
do we make sure that we have the right idea? If possible, we can ask on the spot.
Otherwise we go to a resource (print or electronic dictionary) and look it up. Many
technical terms are not found in an ordinary dictionary, but there are dictionaries or
glossaries of terms that are specialised for a particular field of study. Finally, we
should keep our own glossary of terms, and add to it as we acquire new terms. This
is especially helpful if we are learning in a language that is not our mother tongue.
Also we can apply word-attack skills as we learnt in a previous Unit.


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Creating a glossary of terms for your course (Individual & small group)
Resources needed: Exercise book (soft- or hard-cover), material to cover book.
This activity will be in 2 stages: First we will make a suitably formatted book and then we
will start to fill it in.
A: Making the book
This should be done at home and brought to class ready to use.
1. You may buy a book (soft-cover or preferably hard-cover) or use an old one
that still has most of its pages.
2. Cover the book with paper or plastic, write the word ‘Glossary’ on the cover
and make sure that your name is inside as well as outside the book.
3. Count the number of pages in the book and divide this number by 24. This
will give the number of pages you can use per letter of the alphabet. There
are 26 letters in the alphabet but some letters are not very common. Q is
one of these so it can be combined with P. X Y and Z can take a single page.
4. First plan your book in pencil. On the first page, write an A. Turn over the
number of pages you have calculated for each letter, and on the page
following that number write B. e.g. if you have calculated 2 pages per letter,
write your B on page 3. Continue through the book, writing each letter on its
page. Remember to write P and Q on the same page, and the same for XYZ.
5. Once you are sure you have distributed the letters correctly through the
book, go back to page 1 and, in the upper right hand corner of the first
page, write the capital letter A in large print, this time with a pen. Then do
the same on the pages for B, C etc, right through the alphabet. Once you
have written the large letter in, you can erase the pencil letter.
B: Starting the glossary
You need to bring your prepared book to class, where you will work in groups of four,
going through the following steps:-
1. First working individually, each person must think of five specialised new words that
you have heard or read in your course. These should be words that you did not
understand when you first came across them.
2. Each person writes their five words down, then notes where this word first came up
(if you remember the context), then what you think the meaning is.
3. When everyone has completed this task individually, each person shares their words
with the group. [Some of you are likely to have the same words.]
4. For each word, discuss it until you have reached consensus on its meaning. Write
this meaning down.
5. You now have a list of new words with their meanings. Divide this list up among the
group, and each will then research the meaning to make sure it is correct.
Remember, we discussed three categories of learning resource: print, electronic,
other people. You may therefore choose to use a dictionary (if you can locate a
specialised one), any electronic resource that is available or an appropriate
facilitator from your course.
6. When the meaning of each word has been verified (checked), you, as well as the
people in your group may use those as the first entries in your glossaries. You may
want to write the word in one colour and its meaning in another.


34
Concept (SO 3)
Know how to manage occupational

learning materials
Layout and presentation of learning

materials are understood and used
effectively.
Technical language/ terminology is

engaged with, and clarification
sought if needed.
My Notes …
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35
Session 4 Basic research: Analyses

and present findings
SO 4: Know how to conduct basic research and analyses and
present findings
4.1 Overview
In Section 1 we looked at accessing and using learning resources. In Section 2 we
considered different learning strategies, and in section 3 we looked at managing
occupational learning materials. These three sections provided theory and practice in
a wide range of skills for using learning resources and strategies.
Section 4 will provide the opportunity to apply these skills in practice, but
undertaking a substantial research project. This is thus a consolidation of what has
been covered before, and you will be referred to other sections wherever relevant.
The research project is to be done in a group, so we will be focussing on working in
a team, as well as on basic research skills. This research project will be in the place
of any Activities in this Section, i.e. 4.2 - 4.7 comprise the research project.
4.2 An appropriate or relevant topic and

scope is identified and defined
You will work in teams of four for this project. The first step in the project,
therefore, is to form a team of four. Each person in the team has a role to perform.
The roles are:
Conductor: keeps things running smoothly e.g. materials, participation
Chair: co-ordinates the activity
Scribe: keeps written records
Reporter: gives feedback when required
Each person should support the others in their roles e.g. all assist the recorder to
capture the group’s ideas. [These roles are not fixed, and with the next project they
will rotate.]


36
The next step is to decide what the topic for your research project
is, and what the scope of the research is. Some possible topics for
research are land distribution, monoculture, food security, genetic
modification, organic farming, climate change, conservation issues,
water needs, mechanisation, subsidies, mixed farming, sustainable
farming, emerging farmers, agriculture in a mixed economy.
Your facilitator will assist the class in listing some research topics
that are relevant to your occupational concerns as Plant Production learners.
To decide on the topic for your group research project, you need to think of a
subject but you also need to keep in mind the scope or extent of your research. You
can think of the topic as being the starting point of the research, and the scope as
how far you are going to go with that research.
In your group, discuss subjects that you all find interesting. Use the following as a
guide for your discussion:
You need to have consensus on the choice of topic, as you will all have to work
equally hard at it
The topic should be one in which you all have an interest
There should be a common understanding of what the topic is
The topic should be one for which you will have access to a range of suitable
resources
You should all have some basic information on the topic as a starting point
Once you have agreed on a topic, you will need to define the scope of your
research. It is important to all have a similar idea of what you are going to
do with the topic. One way of doing this is to have a research question. This
will focus everyone in the group on a common approach.
To develop a research question, the group should brainstorm ideas around

the topic. Remember the conditions for a brainstorm (section 2.3). Having a
range of ideas on the table will open up different aspects of the topic, and
you should then make a decision as to the best aspect for your group to
research. This will lead you to a research question.
When you have a question planned, submit it to your facilitator for

comment.
4.3 Research steps are planned and

sequenced appropriately
The steps to carrying out good research are:
Gathering relevant information

37
Evaluating the information
Processing the information – classifying, categorising, sorting
Analysing and presenting
As this is a group project, these steps should be carefully planned. So far, the work
has been a group effort. Your group decided on a topic and developed the research
question, but the group members should now take on certain tasks individually. The
group should plan:-
1) Who will take on responsibility for gathering and processing information from
different sources. You may decide that each will work with different resources,
or some may work with the same kinds of resources.
2) How many sources will be found by each person.
3) Whichever way it is decided, there should be an agreed plan, as well as a

timeframe. This plan should be recorded:
PLAN OF ACTION: Electronic Print Human
resources resources resources
[name] [no. of sources] [no. of sources] [no. of sources]
4.4 Research techniques are applied

Gathering information gives the basis for providing an informed, reliable and valid
answer to a given question. This information should
be from a range of sources
be relevant to the research issue
come from reliable sources.
In Section 1 we looked at a range of learning resources, including print, electronic
and human (Section 1.3). We evaluated them for reliability and found that the
internet must be used with caution because there are no controls (Section 1.4). We
must therefore be careful to use information only from a reliable website.
When using print resources we should make use of the contents page and index to
locate relevant information, and when using electronic resources we can make use
of the efficient mechanisms for linkages between sites (Section 3.3).
Note-taking will be used when interviewing people, using reference books etc.
(Section 2.3)


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4.5 Information is evaluated for relevance

We have established that the information gathered must be relevant to the topic and
the question. In this regard, the following should be noted:
skimming will be a useful skill when evaluating the relevance on websites, where
choices must be made from the substantial amounts of information that are available
(Section 2.3)
scanning will be helpful on internet sites when searching for key ideas relevant to
the topic (Section 2.3)
4.6 Information is classified, categorized

and sorted
Processing the information relies on the techniques we have developed in
Section 2. In particular, the following skills will be useful:
key-words are used when classifying material, doing summaries, and in making
presentations (Section 2.3)
underlining can be used when using internet printouts (Section 2.3)

The information gathered and processed by individual members is now
put together and discussed in relation to the research question.
Information should be arranged in groups, e.g. statistics, diagrams,
evidence for one point of view, evidence against that point of view,
unexpected information that was found etc.
4.7 Research findings are analyzed and

presented in the appropriate format
The group returns to the research question and, based on the information that has
been gathered, processed and sorted, now makes a decision as to the answer to the
question.


39
In consultation with your facilitator, the group must decide on the format for
presentation of this finding. This may be, for example, a poster, a written
presentation or an oral presentation.
Different skills will be used for this presentation, depending on the format. For
example, if a written or oral presentation is submitted, summarising the information
and findings will be a key skill (Section 2.2). If the research is presented as a poster,
selection of key words will be most important.
We have noted many times how important it is to keep a record of every resource
used. At the end of your presentation, each resource that your group has used must
be acknowledged, whether it is a book or a website, a DVD or a person. We have
learned the convention for acknowledging print or electronic sources (Section 1.4).
Now is the time to use them.

Concept (SO 4)
Know how to conduct basic

research and analyses and present
findings
Appropriate or relevant topic and

scope is identified and defined.
Research steps are planned and

sequenced appropriately.
Research techniques are applied.
Information is evaluated for

relevance.
Information is classified,
categorized and sorted.
Research findings are analyzed and

presented in the appropriate
format.
My Notes …
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40
Session 5 Functioning in a team

SO 5: Know about functioning in a team
5.1 Overview
The main focus of this section, which concludes our unit on using language and
communication in occupational learning programmes, is on functioning in a team.
Much of this section has been covered before when doing group-work in a range of
contexts, so we will refer to the appropriate sections where relevant.
5.2 Actively participating in group-learning

situations
We have worked in pairs and groups throughout this unit and in unit 8968. As
pointed out in Section 2.7, this encourages our creative thinking and our ability to
learn, and that sometimes participating in a group means active listening.
5.3 Taking up responsibilities in the team

and applying group work conventions in
learning situations
Effective group work requires full participation from all members of the group. Not
everyone has the same personality, however, and sometimes in a group of people
some are more dominant and others are more retiring. To make sure that everyone
does participate, there are conventions that govern group work. You will recall that
in Section 4.2 we made use of these conventions, when we gave each person in the
group a role to perform, with the addition that each member should support the
others in their roles, and that the roles would rotate in another project.
In Unit 8968 we covered participation in groups, meetings, debates and
negotiations.

41
5.4 Practicing conflict management and

negotiating techniques
In occupational learning programmes, communication skills may be needed in order
to deal with conflict. Conflict can take different forms. It can be a minor
disagreement over a minor issue and pass out of the picture. At the other extreme
it can be a long-term, ongoing opposition between 2 people. The conflict is not
necessarily noisy; it may not be expressed in words but in hostile deeds. Sometimes
there is a build-up of anger to the point of violence. One thing that is always there
is a fixed attitude; a situation of deadlock. Conflict management is the skill of
shifting such an attitude from a deadlocked opposition to one where the people in
conflict are dealing with their hostility.
Anger is usually experienced in a negative light and people nearby are often keen to
stop the conflict by trying to get the participants to stop being angry. Unfortunately
this often makes it worse. Another way of understanding conflict is to see the anger
as the result of some other feeling, such as fear or frustration, and to manage the
situation so that the person can express the feelings behind their anger. If both
people can express such feelings, and can hear and understand the feelings of the
other person, the situation will change. There may still be grounds for conflict, but
what changes is how people deal with it. We will therefore give this some attention
by means of a role-play.
My Notes …
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42
Conflict management
You will work in groups of three. Two will be the angry people, the arguers, and the third
will act as arbitrator.
Choose one of the following scenarios:
• Two fellow learners arguing over a video that was not returned in time
• A learner and a facilitator argue about a late assignment
• A parent and teenage child argue about staying out late at night
• A labourer and a employer argue about wages
• A boy and a girl argue about leaving a party early
If you are an arguer, consider your role, and build up a case. The arguers should have a
minute or two to get their argument going.
If you are arbitrator, your job is not to judge the arguers, not to take sides, but to get
them talking about what they are feeling. But remember, if you start by opposing them
(“Please stop behaving like this”) you will make it worse. Instead of focussing on their
anger, try listening to what they are saying rather than how they are saying it. Then you
may be able to reflect that back to them. If you say something like “So what you’re
saying is …” it lets the person know that you are listening to them, that you understand
their point of view, and that you are empathising with them.
Then do the same for the other person. (An arbitrator does not take sides.)
Try to get people talking about their own feelings. “When you say … I feel …”
The arbitrator’s job is not to stop the conflict (only the arguers can do that). Your job is
to change the balance from 2 people shouting at each other accusingly to two people
telling each other what has been making them angry. If you can do that, you have
managed the conflict, and possibly set the arguers on the road to settling the conflict for
themselves.
At that point, stop the roleplay and discuss what has been happening, and how you each
experienced it. Talk about what worked and why, and if something did not work, talk
about how you could do it better.
Now change roles, take another topic, and try another roleplay with someone else as the
arbitrator.
You will have completed this activity successfully if you have gained some insight into
1. the difference between conflict and fighting
2. the fact that behind a person’s anger is a deeper cause
3. the value of reflecting people’s feelings with understanding
4. the importance of getting people to speak about what is really behind their anger.
Negotiation involves trying to come to an agreement on something through
discussion and compromise. As covered in Unit standard 8968, negotiating
techniques are skills involved in attempting to achieve such terms of agreement.
5.5 Team work resulting in meaningful

product or outcomes
Consensus is a form of decision-making which tries to reach the most inclusive
position possible. It is often contrasted with the system of voting, in which people
take a yes-or-no position. Reaching consensus means reaching a broad agreement in
which everyone makes a slight compromise, but there is enough common ground for
everyone to be ‘satisfied enough’ to go forward into action.


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Consider the following situation: X needs to make a decision with Y

DECISION A
X Y
DECISION B
X Y
DECISION C
X Y
In Decision A, we see that X and Y have come into contact in their negotiation, but they
have ended up with nothing in common.
In Decision B, there is a small overlap where they share some common ground, but
most of X and Y are not in agreement with each other.
In Decision C, there is still some part of each that is not in full agreement, but we can
see that they have reached a point where they share a lot of common ground.
Which of these is a consensus decision?
Consensus has been stressed throughout this Unit standard (Sections 3.4, 4.2) as it
is a strategy for groupwork which allows us all to stay included in the group, agree
to disagree on smaller issues, but co-operate on the basis of a broad agreement.
An example of consensus was when, in planning our project in Section 4, we

reached agreement on our planned timeframe for completing the project.


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Concept (SO 5)
Know about functioning in a team
Active participation takes place in

group-learning situations.
Responsibilities in the team are

taken up and group work
conventions are applied in learning
situations.
Conflict management and

negotiating techniques are
practiced.
Teamwork results in meaningful

product or outcomes.
My Notes …
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45
Session 6 How learning is affected

SO 6: Reflect on how characteristics of the workplace and
occupational context affect learning.
6.1 Overview
In this Section, which is considerably shorter than the others preceding it, we are
going to be looking in some detail at the range of possible occupational
environments you could find yourself in and how each of these affects the type of
learning that will take place. You may already have experience of the workplace or
may as yet simply have been a student. It is important however that you understand
that learning does not just occur in learning institutions such as Technikons, FET
colleges or universities. Learning also occurs in an occupational context (at work).
6.2 Occupational environment

What do we mean when we refer to the occupational environment? Our environment
refers to our surroundings. It can be defined as our social and physical conditions;
the conditions that surround people and affect the way they live.
We spend the bulk of our adult life in some or other occupation. Most adults,
depending on the level they attain in education, will work from their early twenties
until they retire at sixty or sixty five. Obviously in economically depressed areas with
few educational facilities, people might start work at a much younger age and be
forced to continue working until they are too old or sick to do so.
Also in some parts of the world, unemployment is a major

problem, and so not all adults can find work. The figure for
unemployment in South Africa varies according to the source
but ranges from estimates of 20 to 40 percent.
Depending on what type of work we end up doing our

workplace environment can vary enormously.


46
Learning Task
Compare these two jobs in terms of working conditions, pay, leave conditions, opportunities
for learning and job satisfaction.
What are the most glaring differences between Amelia and Magda's workplace
environments? What do they both have in common?
A) Amelia Bezuidenhout has a diploma in Agricultural Economics. She started work for the
business AgriGro twelve years ago. AgriGro is responsible for supplying the top twenty wine
estates in the Western Cape with young vines. Amelia is currently the Director of New
Business Section. She earns R160 000 per annum. She has annual leave of 25 working days
and has 2 days sick leave available per month. Amelia regularly attends workshops both
here in South Africa and abroad where she learns about new developments in vine
production and the economics of viticulture. Amelia enjoys the challenges she faces in her
career and looks forward to a long career with AgriGro. Her ambition is to one day be the
Chief Executive Officer of the business.
B) Magda Maxwell has a grade 3 education. She started work as a labourer on a wine
estate when she was fourteen years old. She has worked on different wine estates for the
past twenty years. She now earns R350 per week. She has one week's paid leave a year.
She does not qualify for sick leave benefits. Recently Magda's employer has sent the staff to
Adult Literacy classes where she is improving her literacy and numeracy skills. Magda would
like to stop work as she has chronic back pain and suffers from dizzy spells. She does not
however have a pension fund so feels she must continue working. She would like a job
where she did not have to do such heavy manual labour.
Answer:
Amelia earns considerably more than Magda;
Amelia has far better leave conditions than Magda does;
Amelia enjoys her work whereas Magda would like a different job;
What they both have in common is that both have opportunities to learn. (Note that Amelia
is learning skills specifically related to her occupation whereas Magda is learning more
general skills).
6.3 Occupational focus

Clearly there is an enormous range of occupations. Let us spend some time looking
at the focus of some of these occupations.
One important category of occupation is that of services or service delivery. This

refers to the range of services supplied by different people.
The service industry - broadly speaking - refers to that group of industries involved
in providing services, as opposed to primary industries (such as agriculture and
mining) and secondary industries (manufacturing and production). Service
industries are commonly known as tertiary industries. The term “services” covers a
huge range of economic activities, including retailing, banking, insurance, catering,
medicine, law, accountancy, cleaning, teaching, television production, the civil
service, sport, transport, and many more activities.


47
It is possible to break down the service industry into smaller components such as
financial or educational and see these as each having a separate occupational focus.
In financial one would include all aspects relating to finance such as insurance and
banking.
In educational one would include all practitioners in the educational sphere such as
pre-school teachers, lecturers, trainers and literacy workers.
Over the past century the service sector has expanded in the developed world. The
service sector is now the most important sector in the advanced economies,
accounting for about two thirds of the total economy in countries such as the United
Kingdom and the United States.
Another very significant arena of occupational focus is that relating to the

manufacturing field.
Manufacturing refers to any process in which materials or items are brought

together and work is performed on them to make a saleable product. The work is
done to convert the separate components into an object that has more value. The
manufacturer sells it and pays the wages of the workforce and other costs relating to
the manufacture. The money left after paying the cost of manufacture, distribution,
and sale of the product may be distributed as profit to shareholders in the company
or invested in research and development of new products.
The efficiency with which raw materials or components can be brought together
affects the amount of profit the manufacturer can make when the product is sold.
Important points to consider when manufacturing a product are: matching the
market size (how many people will want to buy the product) with the materials and
methods, or processes, by which the product may be made; and making the best
use possible of the factory, machines, and workers.
Modern methods of manufacturing involve computers, which may be used to control

the machines that make and assemble components. Using computer-controlled
machines to cut or form a product is called computer numerical
control (CNC) machining. Computers may also be used to
control the movement of materials, components, and finished
products around the factory and the distribution of the products
to their points of sale. Organizing the movement of products or
parts from one location to another is known as logistics.
Computers can also be used to design a product.
There is also the mining industry which employs many people in

mineral rich South Africa. In addition there is the field of agriculture,
into which you would fall although you may end up providing a service or even
playing a role in the educational field. As mentioned earlier, mining and agriculture
are referred to as primary industries.


48
Mix & Match (Individual)
Make a list of at least thirty different occupations.
Now classify each one according to its occupational focus, as explained above. You will
thus choose from: Services; Financial; Manufacturing; Mining; Agricultural or Educational.
6.4 Organization type

Having looked at occupational focus we now move on to look at different types of
organisations that exist in the world of work.
Government is one of the largest employers in South Africa. As government

employees are paid by money raised from taxes they are known as public servants.
Let us look at what the then minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Ms Thoko
Didiza, had to say about agriculture as an occupational field:-
"The agricultural sector, defined as all activities relating to agricultural input

provision, farming and the processing and distribution activities that add value to
farm products, remains an important sector in the South African economy despite its
small direct share of the total gross domestic product (GDP).
It provides for two of the basic human needs, namely food and fibre, and has strong
economic and employment linkages with the other sectors of the economy, thus
contributing substantially to economic growth.
More than half of the provinces and about 40 % of the country's total population are
therefore dependent mainly on agriculture and related industries. "
2001. Printed and published by the Department of Agriculture

Directorate Agricultural Information Services, Private Bag X144, Pretoria 0001
We can see from this extract what a critical role agriculture plays in terms of the
economy and work environment.
Parastatals
Parastatals can be defined as state owned companies The best known examples are
Transnet of which SAA is a subsidiary, and Eskom. Telkom was a parastatal until
2003 when it was privatised, i.e. shares were issued and sold to the general public.
In the agricultural sphere South Africa used to have a system of agricultural boards
which stabilised prices for farmers. However this system was seen to be inefficient
and farmers are now required to sell their produce at free market (“world”) prices.
Heavy industries
Heavy Industries can be described as those industries that produce basic materials,
such as steel.


49
Medium industries
Medium industries produce items such as cars.
Light industries
Light industries produce goods such as computer parts.
Let us now look at some differences between large organisations and small
businesses. Some examples of large organisations are Old Mutual, all the
major banks, Anglo American, De Beers Mining and so on. Large organisations
are often a mix of bureaucratic rules and fairly progressive thinking. There are
many advantages to working for a big organisation. The benefits are usually
very good and there is a sense of stability.
Small businesses on the other hand are enterprises which are started by one or
two people who usually put up their own capital. An example of a small
business could be a business which makes ornaments out of the bark of a certain
tree and employs four people. The rewards for working in a small business are that
one could experience a greater challenge and feel more directly involved in the
process. Some of the disadvantages are that one could be insecure, have an
irregular income and not be assured of benefits.

Who does what where? (Pairs)
Below is a description of some employees. Underneath that is a list of possible work
environments from which they come.
Match the letter of the employee description with the number of the appropriate work
environment.
Occupation:
a A worker producing steel girders
b An air hostess for SAA
c A literacy trainer
d A designer of optic fibres
e A person making pressed flower pictures
f An insurance agent
g A grape picker
h A director of Telkom
i A worker fitting together tractor parts
j A waitron
Work environments:
a Light industry
b Heavy industry
c Medium industry
d Financial
e Educational
f Agricultural
g Parastatal
h Large organisation
i Small business
j Service industry

50
6.5 Different learning applications

By the time you go and start your careers you will have had a broad range of
learning. In your time at college you will have learnt about the theory of plant
production and the practical aspects of plant production. You will have experienced
transmission teaching whereby information is passed on to you by a lecturer or via
notes. You will also have experienced more interactive learning methods in which
you undertook small research projects, went on field trips, collected and analysed
data, worked in groups, accessed information on the internet, presented your
findings and so on. You will also have done some courses such as this one which
deal with broad general topics like communication and numeracy. Altogether you will
possess a wide range of skills and learning strategies. How will you apply these in
your occupational environment? Will you stop learning once you leave college?
The answer to the second question is a definite and resounding “no”. No matter how
thorough your basic training has been there will always be aspects to your work that
require you to learn new things.
Learning Task
After you qualify you go and work for a person who is running a successful Lucerne farm in
Barrydale. This person then decides that she wishes to branch out into organic olive
growing. She puts you in charge of this project. You will be responsible for the entire
project, from drawing up the budget to employing the workers.
What skills will you need to learn in order to make a success of this project?
Make a list of all the aspects relating to this project that you can think of. Next to each one
put what skills you will need to learn and what skills you have already learnt. Indicate what
resource you could use to access these skills.
1. Planning:- need knowledge regarding olive farming;
Possible resources:- text books, the internet; lecture notes; other experienced
farmers; any co-operatives relating to organic farming in the area.
2. Financial planning:- need knowledge of how to draw up a business plan;
Possible resources:- consult a financial expert; texts on business plans; short course
on financial planning; other successful olive growers.
3. Sourcing the plants:- need to learn where the best supplier is.
Possible resources:-need to consult other olive growers; do research on the internet;
visit commercial nurseries.
4. Equipment needed:- need to establish what is required in the way of specialised
equipment.
Possible resources:- texts on olive growing; established olive growers; internet;
posing questions to suppliers of equipment to establish price and availability
5. Employing workers:- need knowledge of labour relations.
Possible resources:- Government archives or gazette detailing Labour law;
consultation with any relevant trade unions; research into good labour relations;
investigation regarding language issues if employees not of same language group as
self; researching how to draw up a valid work contract; research to determine fair
wage and conditions and benefits; research regarding appropriate number of people to
employ.
6. Keeping the accounts:- need basic knowledge of bookkeeping.
Possible resources:- short course on bookkeeping; consulting with an auditor
regarding requirements of accounts; researching the cost-effectiveness of employing a
part-time bookkeeper.

51
Can you see from this example that there is a wide range of learning that will need to be
applied in your future careers?
We can cluster the type of application of learning that you will experience the need
of in the workplace.
Firstly, there is technological knowledge. Many of your courses will have provided
you with much that is necessary in this regard. You may however end up working in
an occupation that requires very specific technological expertise and may have to
learn this as well as apply what you already know.
Secondly, in any work environment you will require communication skills. Even if
you end up being a researcher who does not interact with clients or employees in
any way, you would still have to communicate with colleagues and communicate
your findings in public arenas. Hopefully the four Units you have done in this
Communications Module will have honed your communication skills and you will be
able to communicate with a wide range of people and employ appropriate
communication strategies in the workplace.
One aspect of communication that has not been dealt with in this Module is
multilingualism. In our country there is often a need to be
able to communicate effectively in more than one language.
In the Western Cape the three main languages are English,
Afrikaans and IsiXhosa. It would be extremely beneficial to
you as a future employee to become as proficient as possible
in all of these languages. Most people appreciate the attempt
others make to speak their language and multilingualism
ensures effective communication with a far broader range of
people in your occupational environment.

Concept (SO 6)
Reflect on how characteristics of

the workplace and occupational
context affect learning.
Features of the occupational

environment are described and
discussed.
Ways in which these features affect

learning processes and/or
application of learning are
described and discussed.


52
Conclusion
• In this Unit we looked at how to apply learning in the occupational arena. Specifically
you looked at how to access appropriate learning materials, and how to use effective
learning strategies.
• You were given an opportunity to apply your learning skills and knowledge of
learning resources in Section Four where you were required to undertake a major
research project in a team.
• This teamwork has helped consolidate the material in Section Five. Finally we looked
at the range of occupational environments in which you could be employed after you
have completed your studies. We also explored the range of learning that will still
occur after you have completed your course.
• The South African Government is committed to the notion of life-long learning and
we all need to be aware that each new work environment we occupy will have its
own set of requirements, not all of which will be familiar to us.
• We also looked at how important communication is in any work environment in order
to be really effective. It is a skill that we can continue to improve at, and practice as
we enter the world of work.
My Notes …
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53
Am I ready for my test?

Check your plan carefully to make sure that you prepare in good time.
You have to be found competent by a qualified assessor to be declared
competent.
Inform the assessor if you have any special needs or requirements before
the agreed date for the test to be completed. You might, for example,
require an interpreter to translate the questions to your mother tongue, or
you might need to take this test orally.
Use this worksheet to help you prepare for the test. These are examples of
possible questions that might appear in the test. All the information you
need was taught in the classroom and can be found in the learner guide that
you received.
1. I am sure of this and understand it well
2. I am unsure of this and need to ask the Facilitator or Assessor to explain what it means
Questions 1. I am sure 2. I am unsure
1. Define a learning resource.
2. Name 4 sections that you might find in a library

or resource centre.
3. Define a print resource and give 3 examples
4. Define an electronic resource and give 2

examples.
5. Which is the biggest learning resource available?
6. Give 3 advantages of using the internet as a

learning resource.
7. Generally speaking, which is a more reliable

source of information: a book or the internet?
Why?
8. Under what circumstances can a person be a

learning resource?
9. What term is used to describe using a resource

without acknowledging it?
10. What details do you have to give when

acknowledging (a) a book (b) a journal article
(c) a webpage


54
11. Why is summarising such an effective strategy

for learning?
12. List 4 steps you should take when summarising

information for learning.
13. Which side of our brain is more concerned with

creative thinking? How do the ‘rules’ for
brainstorming make use of this?
14. What process is necessary after a brainstorm?

What steps should be taken to make best use of
the ideas from the brainstorm?
15. How is a mind-map different from a list of

points?
16. In what way is memorising different from

learning?
17. When should you not use underlining as a

learning technique?
18. In what way are skimming and scanning similar?

What is the difference between them?
19. Mention 4 ways in which asking questions can

help learning.
20. Mention 4 attack skills we can use when we read

for learning.
21. Mention two things to bear in mind when

organising learning materials that are loose
pages e.g. handouts and notes.
22. What should always be done to textbooks, and

what should never be done to them?
23. What is a non-fiction film called?
24. Give two differences between a contents page

and an index.
25. When using an electronic learning resource,

what three things could you look for if you want
to find a link to another page?
26. What is a glossary? In what way is it different

from a dictionary? Where will you find it?
27. What information does the contents page of a

book give you?


55
28. Where would you look to see if a book mentions

a particular detail?
29. What is this part of the book called?
30. In this section, why are some numbers written in

bold? (give two possible reasons)
• In preparing my research assignment:

I participated in identifying a research topic and
research question
• I had a defined role in our group’s plan of action
• I made use of research techniques of:

• summarising
• skimming
• scanning
• note-taking
• underlining
• using key words
• When using print resources, I used

• contents page
• index pages
• When using electronic resources, I used

• only reliable sites
• linkages between webpages and websites
• I participated in the group sorting of information
• I helped reach a final conclusion on our research

question
• I participated in our presentation of our research

findings.
31. What is the difference between conflict and

fighting?
32. What is the one feature of conflict that conflict

management tries to change?
33. What term do we use for the ‘outsider’ in a

conflict situation?
34. Define negotiating techniques.
35. What are the conventions governing group

work?


56
36. Define consensus.
37. Define occupational environment in your own

words.
38. What do we mean by the service industry?
39. What do we mean when we refer to the

manufacturing industry?
40. Give two examples of primary sector activities.
41. What is a parastatal?
42. Why is multilingualism an advantage in the

workplace?
43. Give three examples of service industry

employees.
44. Give three examples of goods that would be

produced by light industries.
My Notes …
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57
Checklist for practical assessment …

Use the checklist below to help you prepare for the part of the practical
assessment when you are observed on the attitudes and attributes that you need
to have to be found competent for this learning module.
Answer Motivate your Answer

Observations
Yes or No (Give examples, reasons, etc.)
Can you identify problems and deficiencies

correctly?
Are you able to work well in a team?
Do you work in an organised and

systematic way while performing all tasks
and tests?
Are you able to collect the correct and

appropriate information and / or samples
as per the instructions and procedures that
you were taught?
Are you able to communicate your

knowledge orally and in writing, in such a
way that you show what knowledge you
have gained?
Can you base your tasks and answers on

scientific knowledge that you have learnt?
Are you able to show and perform the

tasks required correctly?
Are you able to link the knowledge, skills

and attitudes that you have learnt in this
module of learning to specific duties in
your job or in the community where you
live?
The assessor will complete a checklist that gives details of the points that are
checked and assessed by the assessor.
The assessor will write commentary and feedback on that checklist. They will
discuss all commentary and feedback with you.
You will be asked to give your own feedback and to sign this document.
It will be placed together with this completed guide in a file as part
of you portfolio of evidence.
The assessor will give you feedback on the test and guide you if there are
areas in which you still need further development.


58
Paperwork to be done …
Please assist the assessor by filling in this form and then sign as instructed.
Learner Information Form
Unit Standard 8973
Program Date(s)
Assessment Date(s)
Surname
First Name
Learner ID / SETA
Registration
Number
Job / Role Title
Home Language
Gender: Male: Female:
Race: African: Coloured: Indian/Asian: White:
Employment: Permanent: Non-permanent:
Disabled Yes: No:
Date of Birth
ID Number
Contact Telephone
Numbers
Email Address
Signature:
Postal Address


59
Terms & Conditions

This material was developed with public funding and for that reason this material is
available at no charge from the AgriSETA website (www.agriseta.co.za).
Users are free to produce and adapt this material to the maximum
benefit of the learner.
No user is allowed to sell this material whatsoever.


60
Acknowledgements
Project Management:
M H Chalken Consulting
IMPETUS Consulting and Skills Development
Donors:
Citrus Academy
Boland College
Weskus College
Developer:
Dr M Roets
Mr J H P van der Merwe
Cabeton Consulting
Authenticator:
Rural Integrated Engineering
Prof P J Robbertse
Ms D Naidoo
Le Toit Management Consultants cc
Mr M M Ratsaka
Mr D N Cronje
Technical Editing:
Mr R H Meinhardt
OBE Formatting:
Ms P Prinsloo
Ms B Enslin


61
Design:
Didacsa Design SA (Pty) Ltd
Layout:
Ms A. du Plessis
Ms N. Matloa


62
All qualifications and unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework are
public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and
reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted,
the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD:

SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
8973 Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes
SGB NAME NSB PROVIDER NAME
SGB GET/FET Language and NSB 04-Communication
Communication Studies and Language
FIELD SUBFIELD
Communication Studies and Language Language
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined Regular-Fundamental Level 3 5
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START REGISTRATION SAQA DECISION
DATE END DATE NUMBER
Reregistered 2004-10-13 2007-10-13 SAQA 0356/04
PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

The purpose of this unit standard is to facilitate learning and to ensure that learners are able to cope with
learning in the context of learnerships, skills programmes and other learning programmes. Many adult
learners in the FET band have not been in a learning situation for a long time, and need learning and study
strategies and skills to enable successful progression.
Learners competent at this level will be able to deal with learning materials, to access and use useful
resources, to seek clarification and help when necessary, and apply a range of learning strategies. They do
this with an understanding of the features and processes of the workplaces of the workplaces and
occupations to which their learning programmes refer.
Learners credited with this standard are able to:

• access and use suitable learning resources
• use learning strategies
• manage occupational learning programme materials
• conduct basic research and analyse and present findings
• function in a team
• reflect on how characteristics of the workplace and occupational context affect learning
LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the full
spectrum of language knowledge and communication skills laid down in the national curriculum statements
up to NQF level 2.


63
UNIT STANDARD RANGE
Learning materials appropriate to the learners in a given context.
Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular
outcomes or assessment criteria.
Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1
Access and use suitable learning resources.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
1. Relevant learning resources are identified.
ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE
Resource centres, literature, internet, other people.
2. Learning resources are used effectively through appropriate selection of information and
acknowledgement of sources.
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2
Use learning strategies.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Information is summarised for learning purposes.
2. Specific techniques are selected and applied appropriately.
Group activities such as brainstorming, group analysis, peer and self-assessment mind maps, note taking,
memorising, key words, underlining, skimming and scanning.
3. Relevant questions are asked.
Checking understanding, clarifying meaning, getting information, confirm accuracy of information.
4. Texts are read for detail and interpreted and analysed for a given context.
5. Spoken input is listened to for detail, interpreted and analysed for a given context.


64
6. Learning takes place through communicating with others in groups or as individuals.
Facilitators, other learners, colleagues.
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3
Manage occupational learning materials.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Occupational learning materials are well organised.
Videos, internet, texts, handouts, text books, charts, maps, plans, diagrams.
2. Layout and presentation of learning materials are understood and used effectively.
Index, contents page, or glossaries, electronic texts.
3. Technical language/ terminology is engaged with, and clarification sought if needed.
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4
Conduct basic research and analyse and present findings.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Appropriate or relevant topic and scope is identified and defined.
2. Research steps are planned and sequenced appropriately.
3. Research techniques are applied.
Gathering information, reading, interviewing, using appropriate electronic sources.
4. Information is evaluated for relevance.
5. Information is classified, categorised and sorted.


65
6. Research findings are analysed and presented in the appropriate format.
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5
Function in a team.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Active participation takes place in group-learning situations.
Meetings, site/field visits, excursions, discussions, activities, workshops.
2. Responsibilities in the team are taken up and group work conventions are applied in learning situations.
Supervision, mentoring, rotation of roles: conducting, chairing, recording, reporting.
3. Conflict management and negotiating techniques are practised.
4. Team work results in meaningful product or outcomes.
Reaching consensus, completed projects/assignments.
SPECIFIC OUTCOME 6
Reflect on how characteristics of the workplace and occupational context affect learning.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
1. Features of the occupational environment are described and discussed.
Workplace/occupational focus:
Services, manufacturing, financial, educational.
Organisation type:
Government, parastatal, heavy/light industry, large organisation, small business.
2. Ways in which these features affect learning processes and/or application of learning are described and
discussed.
Technological resources, communication resources, communication strategies and multilingual needs in

66
relation to necessary client or colleague interaction.
UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the
GENFETQA.
Moderation Option: The moderation requirements of the GENFETQA must be met in order to award credit
to learners for this unit standard.
UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

Learners can understand and explain that language has certain features and conventions, which can be
managed for learning purposes. Learners are aware that there are skills, strategies and resources which
will facilitate learning. They are familiar with the workplace context in which their learning will be applied.
Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):
UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Identify and solve problems: using learning programme material and learning tasks to solve problems.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Working effectively with others and in teams: using interactive speech and roles in activities, discussions
and projects.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANIZING

Organise and manage oneself and one`s activities responsibly and effectively: through organisation of
learning materials and assignments.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information: through application of information
processing skills in study.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in formal and informal learning
situations.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use science and technology effectively and critically: using electronic media for learning.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING

Reflect on and explore a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
UNIT STANDARD CCFO CONTRIBUTING

Explore education and career opportunities.
UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

It should be noted that these 5 credits do not necessarily represent 50 notional hours of learning time for
learners. As a standard aimed at facilitating learning, these outcomes should be integrated into the delivery
of a specific learning programme. They should also be assessed in context of the specific learning
programme, or any workplace training. The assessment of successful application of learning strategies and

67
techniques will be done through integrated assessment in relation to the designated outcomes of the
learning programme. The development of assessment tasks aimed directly at assessing these outcomes is
optional.
UNIT STANDARD NOTES

This unit standard will be replaced by unit standard 119467 which is "Use language and communication in
occupational learning programmes", Level 3, 5 credits, as soon as 119467 is registered.
All qualifications and unit standards registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only
payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is
reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

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NQF Level: 3 US No: 8973

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

Title: Use language and communication in occupational learning programmes

Title ID Number NQF Level Credits Mark

Are you enrolled in a: Y N

What is assessment all about?

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

It is important that you ask questions and participate as much as possible in

Sources of information to complete these activities should be identified by your

Enjoy this learning experience!

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

How to use this guide …

Examples of certain The following box indicates a summary of

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

What are we going to learn?

Session 1 Learning resources..........................……………………………….. 7

Session 2 Learning strategies...........................………………………………. 14

Session 3 Learning materials...........................……………………………….. 28

Session 4 Basic research: Analyse and present findings………………….. 35

Session 5 Functioning in a team……………………………………………….. 40

Session 6 How learning is affected…………………………………………….. 45

Am I ready for my test? ........................................................... 53

Terms and conditions………………………………………………….. 59

SAQA Unit Standards

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

What will I be able to do?

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

Session 1 Learning resources

1.2 Definition of learning resources

Now check that you understand the definition of learning

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

1.3 Examples of learning resources

Resource centres or libraries have specialised sections. There is a lending section

In the Reference section the following may be found: dictionaries, encyclopaedias

The Periodicals section stores journals and magazines. A magazine is a periodical

Each of these resources is an example of a learning resource because it

All of the examples mentioned above are referred to as print resources, or

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

What is the internet? It is a network of electronic communication. Anyone can have

So far, we have looked at two kinds of learning

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

1.4 How learning resources are selected

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

Please complete Activity 1:

Version: 01 Version Date: July 2006

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

What information do you need in order to acknowledge a resource?

Acknowledgement of this book would therefore be written:

Farmer, E: Feeding a Nation, Miller Publications, London, 2003.

The SA Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za

The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations www.fao.org

E.g. The business page of the SABC: www.Sabcnews.co.za/economy/business

Primary Agriculture NQF Level 3 Unit Standard No: 8973

I understand Questions that I still would

Know how to access and use