EDT1602/201/2/2015

Tutorial Letter 201/2/2015

Learning and Teaching Strategies in the
Adolescent Years

EDT1602

Examination guidelines
Department of Psychology of Education
Semester 2
This tutorial letter contains important information about your
examination.

Dear Student

This tutorial letter is extremely important as it contains information about the scope of the examination.
It should help you to understand how to answer the examination questions and therefore serves as a
guideline for the examination. However, the tutorial letter is only a guideline you still need to master
all the study material as part of your preparation for the examination.
Read your study guide thoroughly before you start studying.
We suggest that you follow the step-by-step study process explained here:

Take a large piece of paper, write Learning and Teaching Strategies in the Adolescent Years
in a bubble in the middle of the page and then brainstorm your own ideas about module. What
do you think should be included in a module like this?

Now compare your ideas with the contents pages of the study guide.

Browse through the study material, noting headings, diagrams, tables, print in italics or bold,
and so on. Make notes of anything you find interesting or noteworthy.

Next refer to the study guide and look at each study unit separately. Note that each study unit
starts with an introduction, learning outcomes and activities, and each unit ends with a
summary and answers to the self-help activities in the study unit.

Read the introductory material, then the headings of the main text and then the concluding
paragraphs. This should give you a good idea of what each study unit is all about.

Now skim through the text more slowly and as you read, try to make a mind map of the main
ideas.

When you have gained an overview of the learning material and you know how the concepts
are related, you are ready to start working through the study guide in more detail.

GUIDELINES TO THE EXAMINATION PAPER

You will write ONE two-hour examination paper for 100 marks. The examination paper will contain
multiple-choice questions and short essay questions.
You need to obtain 50 marks or 50% to pass. If you do not pass, you might be allowed to write a
supplementary examination paper in May/June 2016 with students who have registered for this
module in the second semester.

IMPORTANT TIPS
Remember to plan your time carefully to ensure that you have enough time to answer all the
questions. Avoid rushing through the paper; use all the time at your disposal. The number of marks
allocated to a question serves as an indication of how much time you can spend on that question.
Make sure you have answered all the questions. Remember to number your answers clearly.
ALSO: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE QUESTION CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE THAT
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED.
If you are not sure what has been asked, put up your hand and ask the invigilator for assistance. Write
on both pages of the examination script.

EDT1602/201

(cannot be guaranteed). We hope you will find the information in this tutorial letter both informative
and useful.

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS EXAMINATION PAPERS:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

Name the four stages of Piagets cognitive development theory and give examples of how
you would apply this theory in teaching of adolescents.

(10)

Much of what learners learn about themselves comes from interactions with others,
including teachers.
Discuss this statement in detail and refer to the development of the self-concept, the
development of self-esteem and the impact of social interaction (especially the impact of
interaction with the teacher) on personal growth.

(15)

Name the first five stages of Eriksons theory of psychosocial development and discuss in
detail the stage relevant to adolescence. Give examples from your classroom to
substantiate your answer.

(12)

Name the different stages of moral development according to Kohlberg and discuss the
criticisms of Kohlbergs theory. Give your own opinion on Kohlbergs theory and
substantiate your views.

(13)

Cultural differences in the classroom can result in mismatches between the learners
beliefs and values, and those of the teacher or larger school culture. Discuss eight
strategies that you as a teacher could implement to create a culture-fair classroom. Give
reasons for your choices.

(12)

Discuss in detail in what way learners abilities vary and how you would accommodate
learners with special education needs or impairments in your classroom.

(13)

The behavioural approach to learning (as proposed by Skinner, Watson and Pavlov)
offers strategies for classroom management and suggests ways to prevent and resolve
disciplinary problems.
Your principal has requested you to address staff members on how to use this approach
when dealing with learners with behavioural problems in the classroom. Discuss in detail
how the behavioural approach would assist teachers in dealing with these learners.

(15)

You have identified a few learners in your classroom who cannot remember what they
have learnt. Describe in detail how you would use enhancing imagery, mnemonic
devices,metaphors and analogies as techniques to improve their memory skills.

(10)

Explain what is meant by motivation, including intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

(10)

(10) List and explain all seven strategies for teaching problem solving.

(14)

MEMORANDUM FOR ASSIGNMENT 02

1.

Differentiate between self-concept and self-esteem. Provide examples to illustrate

the differences between these concepts.
(20)

ANSWER: (page 63 of the prescribed book)

Self-concept is a persons description of himself or herself in terms of roles, attributes or
characteristics. E.g. I am pretty; I am clever etc.
Self-esteem refers to a persons evaluation of his or her self-concept and the feelings
associated with that evaluation. Two people may describe themselves as possessing the same
attribute-stubbornness, for example- but one person may judge stubbornness as being positive
while the other judges stubbornness as being negative, depending on their values.
Provide five guidelines on how the teacher can develop the adolescent learners
self-concept and self-esteem in a classroom situation.
(20)

2.

ANSWER: (page 75 of the prescribed book)

Guidelines along these lines:
Use the dichotomies as a basis for interpreting your observations of students. For
instance, does a learners behavior indicate a lack of industry? A sense of inferiority?
Confusion about his or her future?
-

Look for or design opportunities that encourage independent action on the part of
learners. For example, you might have learners interview other learners, parents, other
teachers, and/or friends outside of school on some appropriate topic.
Reward independent efforts. Using the interview example, even if the interview is not
particularly fruitful, you can praise the effort it took to conduct the interview. While
discussing reasons why an interview was not successful, you can point out that the
learners efforts have provided a learning opportunity that would not have existed.
-

3.

Recognize that gender differences may exist. Specifically, keep in mind that research
suggests that females may be as concerned with interpersonal relationships as they are
with achievement. This difference should be taken into account when interpreting
observations of learners behavior.
Use parent conferences to determine whether and in what ways students are encouraged
at home.
Explain the concept identity diffusion as proposed by James Marcia.

ANSWER: (page 73 of the prescribed book)

Marcia was interested in conducting research on Eriksons psychosocial development theory. A
young person who is unable to commit to decisions and who is unable to postpone decisions by
declaring a psychosocial moratorium may seek another solution to the developmental crisis as
explained by Erikson.
Adolescents experiencing identity diffusion will adopt a negative identity and they will, for
instance, rebel against their parents and/or teachers. Marcia also says these adolescents avoid
thinking about life-style decisions. Typically, they are disorganized; they act impulsively; they are
not goaloriented.
They often avoid commitment to schoolwork or to interpersonal
relationships.
4

(20)

EDT1602/201

4.

In almost every classroom there is a variety of learners with a variety of

behavioural patterns. They can range from the quiet learners, to disruptive
learners.
State and discuss the effective and practical steps that the teacher can follow to
help change the behaviour of learners in the class so that the teaching-learning process
can be more effective and meaningful.
(40)

ANSWER: (page 194-196 of the prescribed book)

Set behavioural goals:
To change a students behavior, you must know how you want the student to behave. What is
the learner doing now that you want to reduce or eliminate? What should the learner do to
behave appropriately in your classroom that he or she is not doing now, etc.
Determine appropriate reinforcers:
What is reinforcing to one person may not be for another. What you choose as reinforcers for a
particular learner should depend on careful observation of the learner to determine likes and
dislikes, etc.
Select procedures for changing behavior:
Whether your goal is to increase or decrease a behavior determines the type of procedure likely
to be most effective in reaching the goal, etc.
Implement procedures and monitor results:
Once goals, appropriate reinforcers, and behavior change procedures are all determined, you
and the learner are ready to implement the plan, etc.
Evaluate progress and revise as necessary:
The final step in working to change behavior is to evaluate whether the procedures implemented
are indeed working as intended, etc.
Best wishes
Mr S Ntshangase
Tel: 012 352 4193
ntshas@unisa.ac.za
and
Mrs B Feldman
Tel: 012 352 4133
feldmb@unisa.ac.za