LIFE ORIENTATION

TERMINOLOGY BOOKLET
GRADE 10

Draft document
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF IN SOCIETY

TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION
Abstinence • Restraining/preventing oneself from indulging in something, typically alcohol or sex.
• It is an act of refraining from indulging in certain activities, e.g., sexual intercourse, drinking alcohol and
taking drugs.
(Abstinence from sex) • In the context of abstinence from sexual intercourse, there are emotional, physical, psychological,
religious, moral etc. benefits for young boys and girls. Engaging in early sexual intercourse may have
untold negative effects to a young person. Abstinence, therefore, could spare the life of the young
person. The same benefits could be attained when you refrain from taking drugs, drinking alcohol etc.
Adolescence • The stage of physical and emotional development between puberty and becoming a young adult.
• The growth stage characterised by immediate physical growth spurt of children at the ages around 9,
10, 11 and 12. It gets manifested through visible physical, physiological, emotional, social etc. changes
experienced by a learner transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
Affirmation of others • An opinion of/action towards others which contributes/adds/supplements to their self-worth/positive self-
image.
• This could also refer to both verbal and non-verbal expression whose intention is to demonstrate
appreciation of what others are doing in different contexts. Affirmation of others goes a long way in
encouraging others to continue with their respective roles in different contexts with the resultant effect
that, you may also be encouraged and appreciated. It is actually a reciprocal process which could
benefit both parties in some of a relationship.
Asexual • Someone who …
- experiences little to no sexual attraction to a specific person.
- does not find any specific person sexually appealing and wanting to have sex with them.
- do not have any sexual feelings or desires.
Assertive/assertiveness • When one can show confidence, firmness, decisiveness, and boldness in one’s
decisions/communication.
• The ability to express yourself clearly while demonstrating confidence in your expression.

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 • It is about making your ideas known in an unambiguous manner enabling those you relate to, to
understand your point of view.
Abuse • Cruel/violent/ill treatment of a person or animal.
• This is a deliberate or unintentional act of harming, derogating, emasculating, lowering the dignity of
another person, making someone feel inadequate, hurting them, emotionally offending them, etc.
• It could also be used in the context of animals or objects. For example, if animals are maimed,
mutilated, put in cramped environments, excessively controlled for high yields etc., that is tantamount to
abuse.
bias • To have preference for or to favour a group of people or an idea.
• A prejudiced attitude towards people based on race/religion/social status/sexual orientation etc.
• To show favouritism of someone over others.
• It may come in various ways, namely, favouritism, discrimination, preferences, nepotism, etc.
Bisexual • A person who is romantically/sexually attracted to both girls and boys/men and women.
• Someone who is sexually attracted not exclusively to people of one particular gender; attracted to both
men and women.
Bullying • When a cruel person insults, threatens others with an intention of causing fear, doubts, lowered self-
esteem, etc.
• Actions with the intention to harm/intimidate/scare the victim or someone vulnerable.
• It may take place in various ways, i.e., it could be physical (face to face) or virtually (social media
platforms as in cyberbullying.)
Celibacy • A voluntary choice not to engage in sexual activity.
• A decision not to engage in sexual activities or be engaged in marriage where sex may be required.
• Some religions promote celibacy of certain groups of people in society. Abstinence is not similar to
celibacy. When a person abstains, he/she decides to refrain from sexual activity for a given period of
time. Celibacy, on the other hand, spans for more time than abstinence. For example, one may decide
to abstain from sexual activity while in the mourning period. Whereas, celibacy may mean the
individual, for religious reasons, decides not to engage in sex at all. For example, nuns are not
supposed to engage in sexual activities for their entire lives.
Consent • To agree to participate in something whether you are sure or unsure to do it e.g., sexual activity.
• An act of agreeing to participate in something. It could be an open consent or unexpressed consent.
For example, if a girl is quiet during rape, it does not mean she consents to it.

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Contraceptives • Drugs/medication/devices used mostly by women to prevent pregnancy. For example, the
contraceptive implant (Nexplanon), is a small flexible plastic rod that's placed under the skin in your
upper arm by a doctor or nurse. It releases the hormone progestogen into your bloodstream to prevent
pregnancy and lasts for 3 years.
•
coping with emotions • The ability to manage/deal effectively with negative or positive feelings.
• These are strong coping strategies focusing on soothing, distracting, and helping one tolerate distress.
Sometimes facing your emotions is the best way to cope. For instance, if you recently suffered a loss
and feel sad. You need time to grieve to move on healthily. Other times, you may need coping skills to
change your mood.
coping with stress • This refers to how you control/prevent the stress in your life.
• This is how you react to/deal with/manage your stress.
• The effective management of a situation that weighs heavily on a person’s mental capabilities as a
result of increased physical or emotional pressures.
• These are various mechanisms that an individual who experiences stress may use to deal with/manage
the negative effects of stress. Some coping mechanisms may not be effective to deal with the
extent/intensity of stress, while others may offer temporal relief. The goal is for people to develop
effective/beneficial stress management techniques. The inability to manage stress or cope with stress
effectively is responsible for many psycho-social diseases/ or emotional, psychological and social
challenges that many people suffer from.
Discriminate • Treating somebody differently/unfavourably/unfairly on the grounds of race, sex, religion etc.
• Discrimination comes in various ways, for example, it could include biasness, prejudice, nepotism,
cronyism, favouritism, partiality, etc. The form of discrimination determines its classification. For
example, when an employer considers his/her cronies or friends for promotion by disregarding the
requirements of the post, that is tantamount to cronyism. In other words, the employer discriminated
against the other employees by considering cronies, instead of subjecting all employees to one
objective criterion.
• Discrimination may lead to feelings of inadequacy, self-blame, worthlessness, emotional-psychological-
social problems, etc.

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Disrespect • Showing disdain/utter disregard/absolute contempt for the ideas, behaviour, standing of others by
looking down upon them.
• Lack of respect or politeness towards others.
• Treating others indifferently/uncaringly/apathetically/lethargically.
effective communication • The ability to verbally or non-verbally express oneself clearly/appropriately/in ways that make your
ideas clear/understandable during interactions with other people in any given circumstances.
Emotional abuse • The use of words/actions e.g., criticism/embarrassment/ shame/blame/manipulation to show
control/power over another person that may result in feelings of inferiority/self-doubt/lack of self-
confidence/low self-esteem etc.
• Saying things that may cause others to doubt themselves/ make them blame themselves for certain
things/causing increased feelings of self-blame for things thy did not do.
Emotions • A feeling/mental reaction causing feelings of anger/fear/love/happiness etc. depending on what is
happening in a person’s life or your everyday experiences/encounters/relationships with others.
Female and male • Groupings according to sex.
• Classification of people according to discrete categories of either being male or female based on sex
organs.
Feminine (adjective) • Having the qualities and behaviour that are associated with girls and women.
• The behaviour that most people associate with being female. Most people classify certain and typical
behavioural traits to being either a male or female. In an event the observable behaviour border on
what is regraded/expected to be female behaviour, one may be regarded as feminine.
Femininity (noun)
• That which one shows to be characteristic features of being female.
• A set of feminine characteristics, behaviour and roles associated with being a girl or a woman.
• It refers also to the female sex and behaviour expected of women.
Gay (homosexual) • Boys/men who are romantically attracted to other boys/men
Gender • Taught and learnt behaviour based on the sexual organs one is born with. It could be roles and
responsibilities as established by families, societies and different cultures.
Gender based violence • Harmful acts/physical or sexual abuse directed at individuals based on their gender or sex.
• This could be physical, emotional, psychological harmful acts directed to the opposite sex with an
intention to ridicule, lower their dignity, causing pain/hurt/harm them due to them being of opposite sex.
• It could include male-chauvinism/ female chauvinism depending on which gender perpetrates it.

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Gender • How we are expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct ourselves based upon our assigned
characteristics/roles sex, e.g., girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways/be
polite/accommodating/ nurturing. Gender characteristics put absolute and distinct roles and functions to
males and females.
Gender equality • Equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities for girls/women and boys/men.

Gender inequality • The unequal or unfair treatment of people based on whether they are boys/girls or men/women,
intersex, or transgender.
• Gender inequality may perpetuate entrenched and narrow views of being female or male, e.g., it could
be a fertile ground for particular/negative treatment of males or females by those with intolerant views
of the meaning of gender equality.
Gender norms • Ideas, values, attitudes, established ways, conventionally accepted code of behaviour, that we learn
from families, schools, community, or media based on whether you are a boy/girl or man/woman.
Deviant behaviour from the established moral code is often frowned at. It has the potential to instil and
perpetuate certain narrow and ill-gotten code of behaviour.
Gender roles • What you are normally expected to do as a boy or a girl, as a man or a woman in a particular society.
• Societal established roles assigned to specific gender. It has a potential to compartmentalise certain
narrow and debilitating views of being male or female.
• Roles that society expects you to play as a girl/woman or a boy/man.
Gender socialisation • The way society teaches you from birth, about what is expected as boys/girls and men/women.
• This is how certain societies may entrench certain narrow gender views to the young ones/off-springs
of what it means to be male or female. The end result is that the young ones will eventually internalise
such behavioural code in ways that validate them as absolute truths. The unfortunate part is that the
young ones will not easily question these established norms, as questioning them may be regarded as
disdain/ contempt or unwanted behaviour. For them to conform to societal moral codes, they tend to
accept these stablished ways meekly/ without questioning
Gender stereotype • Giving boys/girls or men/women specific roles in society in keeping with them being males or females,
e.g., Men must be the breadwinners and women must stay at home and bear children.
• Stereotypical behaviour is debilitating as it forces people to act in exclusive and absolute roles or
certain ways in keeping with the narrow meaning of being male or female.
Goals • Things in life that you are striving for/you want to achieve.

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 • The end result of what you plan to achieve in life. It may be construed in different contexts/ ways, e.g.,
working goals, study goals, fitness goals, etc. Interestingly, goals push one to organise one’s activities
in ways that may put one in close proximity to reaching one’s aspirations in life.
Goal-setting • The process of making plans and staying motivated to work towards achieving your goals.
• A deliberate attempt and process embarked upon to apply your mind or execute an action that will
eventually assist you to chieve your goals.
Health • A complete state of physical, psychological, social, emotional and mental well-being e.g., being in good
health where the person is free of illness or disease/not suffering from any impairment/pain.
HIV and AIDS • HIV is a virus that attacks/destroys T-helper cells/CD4 cells (type of white blood cells in the immune
system/the body’s natural defence against illness).
• AIDS is a set of symptoms (or syndrome) caused by the HIV virus and when the immune system is too
weak to fight off infection/illnesses, and they develop certain symptoms and illnesses (known as
‘opportunistic infections’).
• The last stage of HIV, when the infection is very advanced, and if left untreated will lead to death.

Incest • Sexual relations or sexual intercourse between people classed as being too closely related to marry
each other.
• Sexual abuse/molestation by the same or an immediate family member.
Intersex • This group of people are born with both the female and male sexual organs, it is up to them to decide
which sexual organ they want to identify themselves with.
‘invincible’ stage of • When a teenager is affected by how they look/are perceived by others (peers) they act as if nothing bad
thinking could happen to them and are most likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours.
Lesbian (homosexual) • A girl/woman who are romantically attracted to other girls/women
LGBTQI • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex.
Life roles • The role that someone plays in a family, society or other group.
• How a person is expected to behave in a given social position/status.
Masculine • Having the qualities and behaviour that are associated with men and boys.
Masculine • Having the qualities and behaviour that are associated with men and boys.

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Masculinity • A set of masculine characteristics, behaviour and roles associated with being a boy or man
• It refers also to the male sex and behaviour expected of men.
Matriarchy • the state of being an older, powerful woman in a family or group
• a form of social organization in which descent and relationship are reckoned through the female line.
• a system of society or government ruled by a woman or women.
Meaningful life • Being at peace with yourself, with your life, and with everyone around you, as you venture through life.
• Feeling peace, love, joy, contentment, and freedom most of the days of your life.
Menstruation • Vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman's monthly cycle.
Mutual respect • When two people value and admire each other and accept one another’s rights/ views/ responsibility.
Negative pressure • When a person or a group of people persuade or bully somebody or a group of people into doing
something that they don’t want to do, and which is not good for them. e.g., forced into having sex.
Ovulation • The release of an egg during menstruation in females.
Paedophiles • People who are sexually attracted to children and who abuse or molest them (children).
Patriarchy • A situation where a political system or a social setting believes that boys and men hold power over girls
and women.
Peers • People of the same age group or belonging to the same social group e.g., classmates, workmates, etc,
Peer group • A group of people, usually of similar age, background, and social status, with whom a person interacts
regularly and who are likely to influence the person's beliefs, views, attitudes and behaviour.
Peer pressure • The influence that the peers can have on each other.
• When you are influenced by your peers to act in a certain way.
• Your peers convince you to do what they do in order for you to conform/be accepted by the peers or the
group.
Positive pressure • When a person is encouraged or persuaded by another person or a group of people to do something
good e.g., improve marks or join a sports team.
Power relations • Sharing of power between two or more people in a relationship where one might be more dominant and
the other more submissive.
• Having power or control over something or someone e.g., in a relationship, one person may have
power over another.
PrEP • PrEP, or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is an HIV prevention method in which people who don’t have HIV
take HIV medicine to reduce their risk of getting HIV if they are exposed to the virus.

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Queer • A term used to cover all the LGBTQI people who feel they do not fit into any “NORMS”.
Questioning e.g., sexual • Exploring oneself trying to understand their sexual orientation or their own gender identity.
orientation
Resilience The ability to …
• hold out when in difficult situations.
• bounce back from difficult life events.
• show mental strength.
• carry on/continue even if subjected to extremely challenging/unsurmountable challenges/conditions.
Respect • to show consideration or take into account other peoples’ dignity, feelings, humanness, etc. when
interacting with them in various contexts, namely, at the workplace, home, during play, discussions etc.
• To treat people with concern, value, and high regard.

Romantic/intimate • Relationships that are openly/observably loving typically characterised by physical closeness including
relationship kissing, touching, and hugging someone you are attracted to.

Secondary sex • Features such as pubic hair, enlarged breasts and widened hips of females, and facial hair and Adam's
characteristics apples (when the larynx grows larger during puberty characterised by sticking out at the front of the
throat) on males that appear during puberty/adolescence.
Self-awareness • The way you see, think, and feel about yourself
• The ability to be conscious of your important facets of your being, e.g., physical (body), emotional,
psychological, social, interests, abilities, skills etc. It marks an important developmental milestone to a
person’s endeavour towards optimal development. It precipitates feelings of self-worth/self-esteem,
self-knowledge, self-identity etc. which distinguishes one person from the other. Self-aware people are
able to pursue goals in keeping with their abilities, potentialities, competencies, skills, values and
attitudes. Decisiveness and the ability to say “no” to pressures in conflict with your values, likings etc. is
easy for self-aware people. For example, a teenager may be able to stand firm and resist pressures to
have sex for ill-fated reasons, possibly, emanating from persuasive friends etc.
Self-confidence an attitude of …
• accepting/believing in yourself and having a sense of control over your decisions, wishes, plans, self-
worth etc.
• knowing your strengths and weakness well and have a positive view of yourself.

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 • setting realistic expectations and goals, communicate assertively, and ability to handle criticism.
• Self-assuring introspection of yourself in terms of your abilities, capabilities, potentialities, etc. when
certain tasks/undertakings are to be pursued. For example, believing in yourself when you are about to
do certain things. In other words, self- efficacious people are usually self-confident. Self-efficacy
includes the belief that you can something and exert effort and energy to actually do it. Self-confidence,
on the other hand, is merely believing in yourself and that may not necessarily include exerting effort to
realise your goals or to prove to yourself that you have all it takes to complete your tasks.
Self-development • How you improve yourself.
• Building your strengths and improve your weaknesses.
• Improving yourself to become the best you can be.
• This is the manner in which a person conceives and implements a plan for the enhancement of one’s
physical, psychological, intellectual, cognitive, emotional, social etc. wellbeing in ways that makes one
a better person. For example, one could attend classes aimed at enhancement of one’s understanding
of politics, social dynamics (how human beings operate), etc. This could shed some light on the inner
aspects of that which your interested in. As a result, your perspectives/views/attitudes may change.
Self-esteem • How much you appreciate and like yourself regardless of the circumstances.
• A person's overall sense of personal worth or value.
Self-respect • To admire, appreciate or stand up for and take care of oneself.
• People who have high levels of self-respect would not do things that may harm them They may protect
themselves from anything that has a potential to harm. For example, a person may not be engaged in
promiscuous sexual relationships because he/she values himself or herself. The idea is to protect
yourself because you cherish your body.
Sex • Means the biological qualities that define male, female, or intersex.
Sexual abuse • A kind of molestation/sexual behaviour by a person upon the other or perpetrating others using force.
• Taking unfair advantage of having sex with someone or making a move to have sex with them
inconsiderate of their decisions/wishes etc. not to have sex.
• When one person touches the other person in a sexually inappropriate way resulting in the other
person feeling uncomfortable/violated.
• When you are forced to have sex.
• When you are sexually molested.
Sexual arousal • When our bodies respond to sexually stimulation.

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Sexual exploitation • Actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, defencelessness, power, or trust for sexual
purposes.
• Sexual exploitation is one form of sexual abuse. In the same category, we may also have rape.
Sexual • A person’s sexual/gender identity in relation to the gender of the people the person is attracted to
orientation/sexuality romantically and sexually.
Sexually transmitted • Infections that are caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites which are transmitted from one person to
infections (STI’s) another through any form of sexual contact.
Stereotypical views • Generalised ideas/views and statements about a particular group of people that can be hurtful or
Stereotypes/ harmful.
• Expectations that people might have about every person of a particular group.
Stigma • When someone is treated …
o in a negative way/condemned based on how they look/behave.
o with disgrace based on a particular situation and circumstance e.g., HIV positive people, the
LGBTQI+ individuals etc.
Substance abuse • The use of a drug in large amounts/quantities or by methods which are harmful to the individual or
others. The word “drug” includes prescription, over the counter medication and illicit (illegal)
substances.
• A pattern of harmful/unhealthy use of substances with the intention to change one’s mood and how you
feel e.g., alcohol, drugs/intoxicating substances.
Suicide • The Act of taking one’s own life on purpose.
Trans gender • When the person’s gender identity does not match the biological gender/sex they were born with.
• Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they
were assigned at birth.
Uniqueness of self • Characteristics/personality traits/attributes/peculiar qualities in a person that makes them different/stand
out from others around them.
Violence • Behaviour that involves physical force with the intention to hurt, damage or kill someone or something.
Well-being • The state of physical/emotional/spiritual health, confidence, and happiness.
What is rape? • It is the extreme form of sexual abuse which involves sexual intercourse with a person against the
person’s will.

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CAREER AND CAREER CHOICES

TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION
Abilities • The skills/capabilities/aptitudes/proficiencies you possess that help you to do things well.
• Skills, things you can do.
Assembling • Connect or put together the parts of something.
• putting together different parts of something to make one solid product. For example, combining the
different parts of a car engine to develop one functional engine.
Bursary • An amount of money given to a needy student/applicant by a company/institution to help pay for
tertiary studies in which the student does not have to pay back the money, but may be required to
work for the company, as a collateral.
• An amount of money awarded to a person/applicant/aspirant/current student to enable them to study
at a college or university which usually doesn’t need to be repaid.
Campaign • An organized event or course of action to achieve a goal.
• A civic undertaking to demonstrate disdain/contempt with the current level of services, envisaged
services, any product brought to the community, or dissatisfaction about leadership and delivery of
services in communities.
Career • An occupation that you have for the larger part of your life. It gives you opportunities to progress.
• It is a specialised job that you have acquired the skills for/went to tertiary to study for/you have gone to
training for and you would do it for the larger part of your life.
Career field • A grouping of occupations that have common skills, knowledge and work setting.
• There are apparently 13 career fields in SA, e.g., Architecture and Engineering; Arts, Culture and
Entertainment; Business, Management and Administration etc.

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Conflict resolution • The ability to handle a hostile situation of friction between people calmly and peacefully.
• A way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a disagreement among them.
• Conflict resolution aims to use mutual respect and consideration to reduce or eliminate destructive
confrontation.
Demands in the job • The need for certain types of jobs, careers or skills.
market • The increased need for certain jobs in keeping with advancement in the means of production following
latest technologies.
Designing • To plan or prepare something by sketching or modelling, which will later be made or built e.g.; fashion
or buildings.
• Create the plans or drawings that show how something will be made.
• To make drawings or preliminary sketches or plans.
• To plan or make decisions about something that is being built or created.
Dirt taxes • Taxes paid on goods like cigarettes, alcohol etc.
Economic sector • A part of an economy that includes certain kinds of jobs.
Flexibility in the job • The ability to adapt according to a work environment with different ideas and ways of working as well
market as having co-workers from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Ability to change and do different things.
Formal learning • Official or prescribed learning provided by an education or training institution, which leads to
qualification or a certificate
Growing • To plant, breed or take care of e.g., farming with livestock or fruit and vegetables.
• It could also refer to maturity in what a person does with his/her life. For example, there is growth if a
person nurtures ways of doing things for better results.
Import tax • Tax paid on all goods imported into the country

Income tax (on salary • Tax that an individual and companies pay for what they earn/salary package or for their profits.
package) o (Methods of paying income tax are SITE, PAYE and provisional tax.)

Income tax on final salary o See PAYE

package
Informal job • Jobs that are not registered with the Department of Labour/South African Revenue Service (SARS)

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 • Jobs that fall outside the formal economy or
• Jobs that fall in the informal sector of the economy.
Informal learning • Casual, unstructured or unofficial learning that happens every day.
Infrastructure • The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for a society or organization to
function efficiently.
Interests • Things that attract your attention and make you want to learn more about them/be involved in.
Interview • A face-to-face (or online) meeting of people, especially for consultation, where one person questions
the other to gain information, particularly for the purpose of employment. It usually takes place during
the recruitment process.
IRP5/IT3 • A receipt issued to the employee by the employer after SITE or PAYE has been deducted.
Job • If you have a job, you are employed and get paid. You may need some basic training.
• A paid position of regular employment.
Learnership • Allows you to earn while you learn. You study the theory at college and practise what you have learnt
in a real job.
Lifelong learning • Constant learning and self-development throughout your life.
Niches • A job that is very suitable for particular people.
• A specialised job that requires unique skills and knowledge.
• a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment
• a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service.
• Opportunities that you may seize to earn employment or to identify gaps in the entrepreneurial world
for the provision of needed services, thus enabling you to earn an income.
Non-formal learning • Organised/structured learning that may or may not be guided by a formal curriculum which are for
example led by a qualified teacher or by a leader with more experience. The aim is to enrich the
persons’ skills and capacities and not to obtain a formal qualification.
Occupation • This is the work that you do and requires special education, training, or a skill.
Online recruitment • When companies/organisations use Internet technology/web-based tools to advertise vacant posts on
the web to target online job seekers.
PAYE (Pay-As-You-Earn) • Is the income tax deducted from an employee’s salary every month if you earn more than R120 000
per year.

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Primary economic sector • Involves the extraction of products/raw materials form the earth and making them into basic
foods/products.
• The part of the economy where earning a living is obtained from nature and mainly focusing on
activities that are related to agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.
Provisional tax • It is paid twice a year of what you have earned.
• Tax paid by people who do not have the same income every month and every year e.g., sports
persons earning money from his winnings.
Recruitment • The process of identifying, attracting, interviewing, selecting and hiring employees/applicants who
have the knowledge, skills, and ethics to help an organisation to achieve its mission.
Recruitment process • The overall process of attracting, shortlisting, selecting, and appointing suitable candidates for jobs
(either permanent or temporary) within an organization.
Re-train • To learn a new skill.
• When a person is provided with additional training following changes in the job-market to enable
him/her to keep up with the latest ways of doing business.
Scholarship • a grant/payment/financial aid made to support a student's education/studies/training, awarded on the
basis of academic/sport or other achievement whereby the student can further their studies at a
private elementary or secondary school/a private or public post-secondary college/university/other
academic institution.
Secondary economic • People who work in this sector take raw materials and make them into goods that can be sold.
sector • Secondary manufacturing industries turn raw materials (primary goods) into finished products
(secondary goods)
SITE • Standard income tax on employees. This tax is paid by employees who earn less than R120 000 a
year.
Stereotyping • Stereotyping in the field of careers means we tend to allocate specific jobs to boys/men and
girls/women due to perceived strength or weakness associated with a particular gender.
e.g., the perception that women cannot be fire fighters, or mine managers or men cannot be nursery
school teachers or chefs.
Strengths • The things you always do well
• The things that you are always good at.
• These are a set of skills, abilities, capabilities, etc. that makes a person standout in doing certain
things in the job-market etc.

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Student loan • Money borrowed from a financial institution and need to be paid back with interest. A surety may be
required for the monthly servicing of the student loan. The student will be expected to repay the
student loan once he/she is employed. What the surety pays on monthly basis is not tantamount to
repayment of the loan, but merely servicing the loan. A small proportion of what the surety pays goes
directly to the repayment of the loan.
Talents • The natural/inert special abilities you were born with/ or one is endowed with at birth.
Tax year • It is a period from1st of March each year up to the end of February the next year.

Tertiary economic sector • People who work in this sector provide services to people and businesses. Examples could include,
teachers/bankers/dry cleaners/sales assistants/lawyers doctors/truck drivers etc.
• Is responsible for the provision of services to the primary and the secondary economic sectors.
• Includes all activities that sell/distribute products from the secondary sector.
Transfer of skills • Using the same skills in a different job or area.
Trends in the job market • How the job market changes in relation to the demand for labour and the available supply of workers
within the overall economy.
Unemployment • The state of being unemployed, being without a job.
• When you are not working, you are looking for a job and cannot find a job.
VAT • Value Added Tax which is an amount in percentage (15%) added to all goods that you buy.
• There are zero rated food products in SA. For example, brown bread, dried mealies, rice etc.
Vocation • A strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation.
• A trade or profession for which one has the ability to perform.
• A person’s employment or main occupation, especially regarded as worthy and requiring dedication
Volunteering • Freely offering to do something or working for an organization without being paid.
Weaknesses • Things/activities you are not good at doing/ struggle with / that prevent you from doing your
best/performing well.
Work ethics • A set of principles and norms which guides an employee/worker’s behaviour in the workplace.
Work settings • The place, office, etc., where a person is employed/works.
• A professional environment in where interaction and coordination take place.

Grade 10 Concepts Booklet Draft: 2023

 DEMOCRACY & HUMAN RIGHTS

TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION

Convention on the rights • A legally binding international instrument adopted for purposes of guaranteeing the protection of
of the child. Human Rights, especially, the rights of all children in the world.
Accountable • Taking responsibility for your actions/inactions/behaviour etc. by explaining how or why something
has been done/not done.
Advocacy • Any action that speaks in favour of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or
pleads on behalf of others.
affirmative action • giving working opportunities to those from previously disadvantaged/ designated groups (black
people, women and the disabled) first to redress the imbalances of the past.
• measures intended to ensure that suitably qualified employees from previously
disadvantaged/designated groups (black people, women and the disabled) have equal employment
opportunity and are equitably represented in all occupational categories and levels of the work
force.
Bill of Rights • The Bill of Rights outlines the kind of human rights each person in South Africa has/ may enjoy/
should uphold, thus protecting people from discrimination.
Campaign • A Planned series of actions intended to achieve a particular aim.
• Planned series of activities conducted over a set period of time to reach a particular goal.
• An organized event or course of action to achieve a goal.
• A civic undertaking to demonstrate disdain/contempt with the current level of services, envisaged
services, any product brought to the community, or dissatisfaction about leadership and delivery of
services in communities.
Citizenship • To do your duty as a citizen.
• Accepting the responsibilities of being a citizen of a country.
• A responsible member of a community.
• A person with legal rights within a given political order/country.
• A citizen is a participatory member of a political community.

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Constitution • A set of laws and principles of nation, state, or social groups that outlines …
- how a country must be governed.
- the powers and duties of the government.
- what people may and may not do and it guarantees certain rights to the people.
- how a company/institution must be managed, etc.
Culture • The beliefs/behaviours/items//ideas that are common to the members of a particular group or
society that may include language/dress/customs/values/norms/traditions/rituals/music.
Discrimination • Unfair/different/bias/prejudicial treatment of a person or group of people based on issues such as
gender, culture, sexual orientation, age, colour of their skin, etc.
Discrimination in the • Unfair/different treatment of an employee based on his/her colour/sex/disability in the workplace.
workplace • When men get a job/promotion because they are men and not because they are the best candidate.
Diversity • Everyone is unique and/we have to recognize our individual differences/the range of human
differences i.e., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical
abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, cultures or other ideologies.
Ethical teachings • These constitute a series of education initiatives that people are subjected to in ways that enable
them to decide between good or bad in their everyday life.
• Teachers should be guided by certain values, visions, and beliefs in the classroom and help
students to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong so that student can follow accepted
rules of behaviour.
Freedom of assembly • A situation where everyone has the right to protest, demonstrate and assemble peacefully and
unarmed.
• A provision in the South African constitution that allows for people of the country to come together in
an effort to discuss and bring to the attention of the authorities matters related to issues/challenges
emanating from the manner they are led/ governed or how certain institutions/individuals etc. are
handling them
Freedom of association • A provision in the South African constitution that provides that accords or enables every citizen the
liberty to freely join and interact with other people for whatever reason.
Freedom of expression • A situation where everyone is allowed to express themselves freely, including media, share ideas
and art and do academic and scientific research, as provided for by the South African constitution.
NB: (BUT everyone has the responsibility not to encourage war, incite violence or use

Grade 10 Concepts Booklet Draft: 2023

 hate speech.)
Freedom of movement • This a constitutional provision that accords everyone/citizen in South Africa …
- the right to move freely within a country.
- the right to leave any country and the right to enter a country of which you are a citizen.
NB: (The right may be restricted in certain circumstances.)
Freedom of residence • A constitutional provision that accords all South Africans citizens liberties to live wherever they feel
like. However, those liberties must be exercised according to the law. Section 36 of the South
African constitution provides for the limitation to the exercise of al the rights.
Freedom of security • A constitutional provision that discourages or prohibits the arrest of individuals without trial, that they
could be violently assaulted, tortured and punished in a cruel, inhumane and or derogatory manner.
Freedom of trade, • A constitutional provision that allows for people with the necessary qualifications/ skills/experience
occupation and have right to choose to do any kind of work they want.
profession
Human dignity • Everyone has the right …
- to be respected
- to be treated with care and kindness
- to be protected from the use of racist language against them or sworn at or shamed.
- Not to be subjected to live under unhygienic conditions etc.

NB: most rights in Chapter 2 of the South African constitution border on the extent to
which human dignity is threatened. For example, if the right to freedom of residence
is curtailed, the right to human dignity is also affected.
Human rights • The set of rights that promote preservation of and respect for the humanness of a human being.
• The rights you have because you are a human being and alive.
Human trafficking. • The deliberate act of forcefully subjecting people for sale.
• This is an inhumane organised act of selling and buying of people.
• Illegal buying and selling of people.
NB: It is manifested in various ways, e.g., people are promised jobs and eventually
sold to individuals, groups of individuals or organised gangs who make money out of
it.

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Indigenous belief systems • Each culture has an ideology/set of principles (attitudes, values, stories and
(IBS) expectations)/philosophy of life/ world view which they express through their religion/ethics etc. It
informs one's every thought and action.
maladministration • Bad, dishonest or inefficient management
Match-fixing • Dishonestly deciding on the result of a match before it is played.
Multi religious society • Society that comprised many different religions.
Political rights • The right to participate in free, fair and regular elections, vote, participate in politics, and stand for
public office and hold office if elected.
Privacy • Everyone has the right to privacy, to not have their home, body or property searched, their
possessions seized or private communications read or listened to without their permission.
rule of law • Is a legal guideline/cornerstone of our Constitution that says that no one (politician, government,
judge, union, citizen) is above the law and governmental decisions must be made only by applying
known legal and moral principles.
(The Rule of Law is meant to prevent dictatorship and to protect the rights of the people. It
reflects our country’s commitment to an orderly and civil society in which everyone is bound
by the rules, principles, and values of our Constitution as the supreme source of law and
authority.)
Slavery • Forcing someone to work without receiving payment or forced to work against their will.
redress • To correct something that is unfair or wrong.
• Correcting that which went wrong in the previous political dispensation. For example, Affirmative
action seeks to promote the inclusion of designated groups into the mainstream of the economy
following the repressive and exclusionist laws of the Apartheid regime.
social justice • Redressing the situation whereby people with fewer choices (the poor and disadvantaged) often
suffer most from discrimination (e.g., race, religion, gender, culture, ability, age) and a lack of
acknowledgement of their human rights, access to services (e.g., health, educational) and
infrastructure (e.g., water, energy, housing).
Subjective umpiring • Unfair and biased umpiring e.g., where the umpire favours Team A by ignoring their fouls but
penalising Team B for the same foul.
• It merely refers to unfair/selective judging/adjudication of the manner team players engage in the
game of play.

Grade 10 Concepts Booklet Draft: 2023

transparent (context of • Transparency refers to a situation where those not involved in the manner in which certain things
corruption and fraud) are done/institutions are run are enabled an opportunity to know how things are really done or they
are enabled to have an understanding of how finances, employment or recruitment practices etc.
are conducted.
• Therefore, corruption and fraud have a potential to derail realisation of transparent and clean
government/ institutions/sports administration etc. This is so, as those involved in fraud and
corruption will likely ensure that the operations of government processes/institutions, transactions,
dealings and procurement practices are hidden from the public for perpetuation of
underhandedness activities. There would be no accountability for what they have done or are
appointed to do. Those who have interests in the manner the institution is run will be left in the dark.
• There must be openness and fairness with regard to …
- the management of finances/funds.
- appointments in government/companies/NGO’s etc.,

which would ensure honesty/that all business processes are done fairly and openly/prevent
mismanagement of finances/funds.
Violation of human right • Not to respect/ignore somebody’s human rights.
• A deliberate or un-intentional act of violating/ putting to question other peoples’ rights/ encroaching
on other peoples’ rights/ disrespecting them/ calling them names/ beating them/ hurting them/
emotionally abusing them/ slandering/ badmouthing them etc. which makes them feel
uncomfortable/ violated.
Xenophobia • Prejudice or fear of foreign nationals.
• A form of discrimination of people from other countries.

Grade 10 Concepts Booklet Draft: 2023

 TOPIC: SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION
Adaptions • Any heritable/genetic trait that helps an organism, such as a plant or animal, survive and
reproduce in its environment.
• The act of changing something or changing your behaviour to make it suitable for a new
purpose or situation.
• The ability to change current situations/ conditions in ways that enable fulfilment of a person’s
goals, plans, ambitions, aspirations etc.
Air pollution • Harmful chemicals released into the air, caused by smoke from fires, petrol, burning oil,
exhaust pipes and forest fires. This should not be confused with land pollution. The pollutant
should be released direct to the atmosphere.
Basic services • Basic services needed in a functioning town/city e.g., constant safe water supply, electricity,
access to food, affordable housing, refuse removal (waste management) etc.
Civic life • Community involvement for e.g., volunteering, supporting local sports teams, attending local
ward meetings.
• Assuming an active role in the life of the community you find yourself in. Civic life, therefore,
talks to the manner in which you actively get involved in the affairs of your community. It
characterises the nature of your involvement in the affairs of your community.
Climate change • A change in global/world or regional climate patterns.
Climate mitigation • Consist of actions to limit global warming and its related facts e.g., saving natural resources
like water and not overusing electricity.
Constructive thinking • Finding a workable, affordable and long-lasting solution to an issue by considering all the
various aspects involved.
Critical thinking • Process of actively and skilfully evaluating information.
• Thinking process involved in evaluating, making judgement, reviewing, analysing, and getting
into details about something.
Deforestation • The act or outcome of cutting down/burning all trees in an area resulting in the barrenness of
the arable land.
• Removing all the trees or vegetation in an area for various purposes.
Electronic media • Are virtual media that are viewed through videos and online articles.

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 • It is any media that is powered by electricity or batteries, such as the Internet and television.
Environmental issues • Includes climate change, pollution, environmental degradation, resource depletion etc.
Environmental justice • The right to a safe, healthy, productive and sustainable environment.
• Redressing the situation whereby people with fewer choices (the poor and disadvantaged)
often suffer most from e.g., pollution, jobs hazardous to health, resource depletion.
Erosion • The depletion of natural & renewable resources.
• Removal of the topsoil in an event of heavy rain, thunder, storm etc. This could be
precipitated by careless usage of the land, e.g., poor planting habits, building of infrastructure
(roads, storm drainage systems etc.) which result in the vulnerability of the topsoil making it
easy for it to be washed away in an event of rain, floods, etc.
Environmental sustainability • Developing a country and meeting people’s needs in ways that do not damage or use up the
environmental resources (clean water, air, healthy soils and ecosystems) on which
sustainable development and quality of life ultimately rest.
Fires • When for example wood burns, it causes smoke that pollutes the air, the flames and smoke
damages property, destroys land, people inhale smoke and get ill, can damage power lines
etc.
Fertilizer • Natural or man-made chemicals added to soil to increase fertilization.
Floods • Rain over a long period, storms, flash floods and river dams overflowing or bursting causes
floods. These floods can contaminate our drinking water.
Hormones • Chemical substances which for example promotes cell growth, regulation of cell activity and
brain activity.
Ill health • A state of mental/physical health in which you are unable to function normally and without
pain.
Inhumane • Being treated in a cruel and unjust way.
Intervention strategy • These are strategies designed to bring about changes or improve the conditions in
communities e.g. implement free youth counselling sessions in an area that is plagued with
violence.
Land pollution • When people/companies dump garbage, waste, and other toxins/dangerous chemicals which
makes the land contaminated/dirty.
Lobbying • Any attempt by individuals or private interest groups to influence the decisions of
government.

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Nutritional value • The dietary value that food holds.
Radiation • It is energy given off by for example a fire, the sun or nuclear material. We are exposed to
radiation every day. High levels of Ultraviolet radiation are harmful to all life.
Recycling • Process of converting waste materials into new materials & objects.
Social issues • It is any social problem that influences citizens within a society e.g., gangsterism, rape, child
abuse, drug abuse, poverty etc.
Social justice • The responsibility of e.g., local government/municipalities in maintaining infrastructure like
fixing potholes (right to safe environment) and damaged water pipes (right to safe/clean
drinking water).
• This is attainable when attempts are made to correct a situation in which people are deprived
of needed services due segregation, biased development etc.
Social thinking skills • Skills that help people to figure out how to think in social situations with the outcome
focussed on the bettering of the group and not just individual.
Soil erosion • When heavy rains/waterflow/wind detaches and removes soil particles, causing the soil to
deteriorate. This can also be caused by human activities such as overgrazing, deep
ploughing, and planting of crops down a slope.
Water pollution • when harmful substances such as chemicals/toxins like heavy metals/mercury etc. gets
illegally dumped/deposited to a stream, river, lake, ocean etc. eventually
degrading/reducing/contaminating water quality, leaving it toxic to humans or the
environment (animals/plants).
Wind damage • Damage caused by very heavy winds leaving trees uprooted/fires rage out of control/power
lines are cut.

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 TOPIC: STUDY SKILLS
TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION
Creative thinking • The ability to think of and explore the different possibilities of how to do a task or how to deal
with a problem.
Critical thinking • The ability to think through situations adequately, weighing up the advantages and
disadvantages to be able to make appropriate/the right decisions.
• Process of actively and skilfully evaluating information.
• Thinking process involved in evaluating, making judgement, reviewing, analysing, and getting
into details about something.
Criticise/Critique/ • Examination writing skill that is used to make judgements culminating in
Evaluate/Critically analyse (as demonstrating/showing your understanding and analysis of a topic.
an examination writing skill)
External assessment • All assessments set by the National, Provincial or District Department of Education.
Internal assessment • All assessments set and administered by teachers/schools.
Scanning • Reading a text quickly to find specific information, e.g., figures or names.
Scholarship • A financial grant or payment made to support a student's education, awarded based on
academic or other achievement.
Skimming • Reading quickly to get a general idea of meaning of the text/topic/chapter is about.
Study skills/strategies • Different techniques/approaches to study for example listening, speaking, reading,
summarising, memorising, time management and motivational techniques.
Study styles • Different forms of learning that allows a learner to learn best, e.g., visual learner, auditory
learner, reading and writing learner and a kinaesthetic learner.
Study plan • A workable schedule set in place to maintain continuous study periods/sessions.
Time management • Using your time well in order to benefit the most from how you use it i.e.be studying, extra-
curricular activities, leisure time/family time.

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 PHYSICAL EDUCATION
TERMINOLOGY/CONCEPT DEFINITION/EXPLANATION
Cardiovascular fitness • Is when you can exercise your body for long periods of time without getting tired, e.g.,
walking, cycling, dancing, swimming, aerobics.
• Is when your heart and lungs could sustain long exercises, as is the case with regard to
running, doing aerobics etc.
Endurance • Your body can exercise for longer without getting tired e.g., walking, cycling, swimming,
aerobics, weights, jogging.
• It is when your body could sustain physical exhaustion resulting from different exercises. It
merely refers to the stamina one could exert in the performance of different exercises.
Fitness • is a measure of the amount of physical capability rather than a measure of well-being.
• it is a result of physical action / good physical condition resulting from exercise and proper
nutrition.
Flexibility • The ability to use all your muscles in all motions around a joint e.g., yoga, swimming,
abdominal exercise etc.
Mental health • Keeping yourself healthy on a psychological and emotional level, i.e., getting counselling if
need be and staying away from negative influences.
Muscular strength • It is the power and force you use, to do an activity. e.g., Climb steps, push against a partner’s
body weight, shot put, lift weights, etc.
Physical health • The health and physical state of the body and all its internal and external parts.
Recreation • Any activities done for entertainment and/or relaxation

Grade 10 Concepts Booklet Draft: 2023