, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
Question 1
1. Effective teaching and learning in History depend on the appropriate selection and use
of teaching media. Discuss the criteria that History teachers should consider when selecting,
adapting, and designing teaching media for FET History classrooms. In your discussion, explain
how different teaching resources can improve learners' understanding and engagement with
historical content. Illustrate your answer with relevant classroom examples.
Criteria for Selecting, Adapting, and Designing Teaching Media in FET History
The selection, adaptation, and design of teaching media are fundamental to effective History
education in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. History teachers must exercise careful
judgment when choosing resources, as the right media can transform abstract historical events into
tangible, engaging learning experiences.
Criteria for Selecting Teaching Media
Curriculum Alignment and Content Accuracy form the primary criterion for selecting teaching
media. Teachers must ensure that any resource directly supports the specific content, skills, and
concepts outlined in the CAPS document. This includes covering prescribed topics, historical skills,
and assessment standards (Department of Basic Education, 2011). For instance, when teaching Grade
12's topic on the Cold War, a teacher should select media that addresses the specified content of the
Cuban Missile Crisis and its implications. The resource must present historically accurate
information, free from bias or factual errors, as learners depend on these materials to build reliable
historical knowledge (Walsh, 2017).
Learner Appropriateness requires teachers to consider the developmental level, language proficiency,
and prior knowledge of their learners. Media should be pitched at the correct cognitive level for the
specific FET grade to prevent either confusion or disengagement (Bertram, 2020). For Grade 10
learners studying the French Revolution, a simplified documentary with clear narration would be
appropriate, while Grade 12 learners could engage with more complex historiographical debates.
Additionally, the language and vocabulary used in the media must be accessible to learners,
particularly for English Additional Language speakers who form a significant portion of South
African classrooms (Chisholm, 2017).
Pedagogical Soundness and Active Learning demands that media promote historical thinking skills
rather than passive memorisation. Effective resources encourage analysis, interpretation, and
evaluation of evidence (Seixas & Morton, 2013). For example, a collection of primary sources on the
Sharpeville Massacre should include guiding questions that prompt learners to evaluate perspectives,
reliability, and context. CAPS explicitly emphasises that learners must "engage with a range of
sources" and "analyse and evaluate evidence" (Department of Basic Education, 2011, p. 11). Media
that facilitates group discussions, debates, or inquiry-based activities enhances engagement and
deepens understanding.
Question 1
1. Effective teaching and learning in History depend on the appropriate selection and use
of teaching media. Discuss the criteria that History teachers should consider when selecting,
adapting, and designing teaching media for FET History classrooms. In your discussion, explain
how different teaching resources can improve learners' understanding and engagement with
historical content. Illustrate your answer with relevant classroom examples.
Criteria for Selecting, Adapting, and Designing Teaching Media in FET History
The selection, adaptation, and design of teaching media are fundamental to effective History
education in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. History teachers must exercise careful
judgment when choosing resources, as the right media can transform abstract historical events into
tangible, engaging learning experiences.
Criteria for Selecting Teaching Media
Curriculum Alignment and Content Accuracy form the primary criterion for selecting teaching
media. Teachers must ensure that any resource directly supports the specific content, skills, and
concepts outlined in the CAPS document. This includes covering prescribed topics, historical skills,
and assessment standards (Department of Basic Education, 2011). For instance, when teaching Grade
12's topic on the Cold War, a teacher should select media that addresses the specified content of the
Cuban Missile Crisis and its implications. The resource must present historically accurate
information, free from bias or factual errors, as learners depend on these materials to build reliable
historical knowledge (Walsh, 2017).
Learner Appropriateness requires teachers to consider the developmental level, language proficiency,
and prior knowledge of their learners. Media should be pitched at the correct cognitive level for the
specific FET grade to prevent either confusion or disengagement (Bertram, 2020). For Grade 10
learners studying the French Revolution, a simplified documentary with clear narration would be
appropriate, while Grade 12 learners could engage with more complex historiographical debates.
Additionally, the language and vocabulary used in the media must be accessible to learners,
particularly for English Additional Language speakers who form a significant portion of South
African classrooms (Chisholm, 2017).
Pedagogical Soundness and Active Learning demands that media promote historical thinking skills
rather than passive memorisation. Effective resources encourage analysis, interpretation, and
evaluation of evidence (Seixas & Morton, 2013). For example, a collection of primary sources on the
Sharpeville Massacre should include guiding questions that prompt learners to evaluate perspectives,
reliability, and context. CAPS explicitly emphasises that learners must "engage with a range of
sources" and "analyse and evaluate evidence" (Department of Basic Education, 2011, p. 11). Media
that facilitates group discussions, debates, or inquiry-based activities enhances engagement and
deepens understanding.
