LIFE ORIENTATION GR.

8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3 Date: ________________

WORKSHEET 7 TOPIC: WORLD OF WORK
Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in school subjects and
interests and abilities. & The decision-making process.
Informal activities. MEMORANDUM

1. Relationship between performance in school subjects and

interests and abilities.
In term 2, you learnt about the six career categories.
You also identified your interests and abilities and
explained how these relate to each career category as well
as the thinking and learning skills required by each career
category.

Are you interested in the things you can do well (abilities)

or can you do a thing well because you are interested in it
(interests)? Usually you are most interested in subjects in which you feel you are the
strongest. Positive feedback from your parents and teachers when you achieve,
motivates you to
do better in a subject.

To revise your interests and abilities of term 2, complete the following briefly:
Paste your photo here:

1.2. My personal profile: (Name)____________________________________

Interests Abilities/Strengths Weaknesses Values My personality
Friends & Organised Find it hard to Loyalty Friendly and
family Neat be assertive Honesty outgoing.
Cars Make friends easily Don’t like lazy Hard worker Relaxed
Music Doing things people so I Obedience Hard worker.
Soccer properly am rude to Respectful Relaxed
Bikes Singing them. independence
Soccer Fail some
subjects

Now that you know more about yourself, you will be able to analyse the relationship
between your personal profile and the subjects in which you do well at school.

ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in

school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 1
1.3. Do I have a favourite school subject?
Fill in the following table. Rank the subjects you do at school in the order that you
like them, with the best at the top and the worst at the bottom. Use your term 2
Progress Report.
Rank Subject Mark end Why I like /dislike this subject
term 2: %
1 English 71 Enjoy reading and writing.
2 History 62 Teacher makes the subject come alive.
3 Science 68 Enjoy doing experiments.
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
(Solutions for all, LB. p.187-188)
To discover the relationship between your performance in your school
subjects and interests and abilities, answer the following questions:
1.3.1. Do the subjects you like most match with your personal profile? Yes/No.
Motivate your answer. (Give a reason). (own answer)

1.3.2. In your opinion, is there a relationship between how well you do in a subject
and what you are interested in? Yes/ No. Why do you say so?(own opinion)

1.4. Types of learning activities:

Different subjects require different learning activities. Depending on your
personality, you will favour certain types of earning activities above others.

Complete the following table.

Give examples of subjects that are more practical
versus subjects that are more theoretical, and examples
of subjects that require more individual work versus
subjects that require more group work.
ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in
school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 2
 LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Practical subjects vs Theoretical subjects
Learning activities: Learning activities:
 Experiments  Research projects
 Presentations  Learning
 Demonstrations  Reading
 Role plays(song & dance)  Quizes
 Mimes & story-telling  Summerising
 Physical movement, etc.  Creating diagrams, etc.
Examples of subjects: Examples of subjects:
 Languages  Mathematics
 Life Science  Geography
 Physical Science  History
 Life Orientation,  Languages
 Creative Arts, etc.  Life Science &Physical Science,etc.
Individual work subjects vs Group work subjects
Learning activities: Learning activities:
 work alone most of the time and  collaboration project work and
come up with your own ideas participation within a group
 projects  Debates
 self-assessments  Role plays
 case studies  Quizes
 oral presentations, etc.  Research & presentations, etc.
Examples of subjects: Examples of subjects:
 Languages  Technology
 Life Science  EMS
 Physical Science  LO
 Life Orientation  Languages
 Social Sciences, etc.  Social Sciences, etc.
(Oxford, Practical teaching, Career Guidance, p.43)

1.5. Write a paragraph drawing a conclusion about the

relationship between the types of learning activities(practical,
theoretical, individual work & group work) you prefer and possible
matching career categories(investigative, enterprising, realistic,
artistic, conventional & social
E.g. I prefer logical, problem-solving type activities. I enjoy activities that
involve thinking and reasoning. I am good at working with a team and
working with others, but prefer working on my own.

ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in

school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 3
I am good at practical and theoretical activities. I like to learn about how things work,
but I also like to design and make things. I enjoy coming up with new ideas.

1.5. Demands of each subject: thinking and learning skills required.

MATCH THE COLUMNS: Choose the correct meaning in column B and match them
with the Thinking and learning skills in column A. Write down the correct LETTER in
column C.

Column A Column B Column C

Thinking and learning skills
Meaning Answer
1. Application skills A. Showing what you know or can C
remember about something
2. Evaluation skills B. Explaining in your own words what F
something means
3. Knowledge skills C. Using information to solve problems A
4. Synthesis skills D. Working out how things work. E
5. Analysis skills E. Seeing how different ideas fit together D
6. Comprehension skills F. Saying what you think about something B
(6)
(Oxford Successful, LB. 81.)
2. Decision-making process.

ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in

school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 4
 Career decision-making is difficult and it doesn’t happen quickly. No one else
can make the decision for you. You must be actively involved in the process
of choosing a career category and a career.
2.1. Steps in choosing career category relating to individual
strength, ability, interest and passion.

2.1.1. Explain the following concepts. Choose the answer from the textbox and write
it down. (Spot on, LB. p.110-111)

What are your strengths, abilities, interests and passions?

List the various choices so far.
Do research on each possible career.
Evaluate pros, cons and risks of each alternative.
Column A Column B
It may be necessary to go back and gather more information.
Decision-making steps Explanation
Implement it!
Select the best option It may be necessary to go back and gather more information.
Develop a plan of action Implement it!
Identify options List the various choices so far.
Know yourself What are your strengths, abilities, interests and assions?
Gather information Do research on each possible career.
Evaluate options Evaluate pros, cons and risks of each alternative.
(6)

2.1.2. Arrange the following decision- making steps (In column A of previous
activity(2.1.1.) in choosing a career category, in the correct order.

Decision-making steps
1. Know yourself.
2. Identify options.
3. Gather information.
4. Evaluate options.
5. Select the best option.
6. Develop a plan of action (6)

2.2. Read the case study on Jennifer s’ decision-making process below and answer
the questions that follow.
Jennifer
Jennifer sat around the dinner table with her family and decided that this
would be right time to discuss her career choices with her family. She decided
to start the process of choosing a career early to have enough time to find
information about careers. What better place to start than with her family?

ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in

school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 5
Jennifer told her family that she thought becoming a secretary was the coolest
career move she could make. Her Aunt Amanda pointed out all the not-so-cool
aspects of secretarial work. She mentioned scary office stories and put
Jennifer off a career choice she was serious about
pursuing.

Uncle Johan thought that Engineering would be a great

career field for Jennifer to follow, seeing that Engineers
were in demand in South Africa. Her mother, on the
other hand, looked down her nose at engineers; for her,
the only career worthy of her beloved little girl was that of a hot-shot attorney at law.
(Adapted from Spot on LO, LB.p.114)

Questions:
2.2.1. Identify what Jennifer is doing right in her decision-making process.

 Jennifer is starting the process early, which is a very good idea as it gives her
enough time to investigate possible careers and
 also enough time to change her mind if she wants to. (4)

Also explain how this can help her in choosing a career.

 Jennifer is also discussing her options with her family, who can give her good
advice.
 Your loved ones can help you weigh the pros and cons and come up with
interesting/brilliant new ideas (4)

2.2.2. Do you think Jennifer is also making use of the incorrect decision-making
skills? Yes /No? Explain your answer.

 Yes, I think Jennifer is making use of some incorrect decision-making skills.

 She is making a decision without having all the facts and
 she is allowing her family’s prejudices to make up her mind.
 She also allows them to decide for her and does not make her own decisions (4)

ATP LO Gr.8 Term 3: Weeks 1-3, Sub-Topic: Relationship between performance in

school subjects and interests and abilities. & Decision-making process.
WORKSHEET 7 MEMORANDUM Informal activities 6