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A public/private sector initiative of government regulators and the industry in South Africa

Winners know when to stop

FOR PROBLEM GAMBLING COUNSELLING PHONE

0800 006 008 Tel: +27 083 625 6155 Fax: +27 21 426 1353 Website: www.schools.nrgp.org.za www.responsiblegambling.co.za E-mail: [email protected] P O Box 16331 Vlaeberg 8018 South Africa

Taking Risks Wisely content CONTENT Introduction National Gambling Act 2004 Overview of units: Grades 7-9 Grade 7 Unit plan 7.1 - Risk-taking behaviour, rewards, consequences and probabilities 7.2 - Making decisions about risk-taking behaviour 7.3 - Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour; and different forms of gambling 7.4 - How gambling works - coins and dice 7.5 - Minimizing risks in gambling Where to go for help with a gambling problem Grade 8 Unit plan 8.1 - Risk-taking behaviour and risky circumstances 8.2 - Reasons for people gambling 8.3 - How gambling works - Lotto numbers and cards 8.4 - Myths and superstitions - the illusion of control 8.5 - How to stay in control Grade 9 Unit plan 9.1 - Levels of control of high-risk behaviour and risky circumstances 9.2 - The history of gambling and reasons for people gambling 9.3 - How gambling works - slot machines and roulette 9.4 - Illusion of control: house advantage, cost per hour and superstitions 9.5 - The psychology of gambling and problem gambling Appendices References Additional resources Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards Pre- and Post-learning surveys

© 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme The material in this manual may be reproduced free of charge, with due acknowledgement to the South African National Responsible Gambling Programme. None of the material may be sold or used for commercial gain. Contents | Page 1

Introduction INTRODUCTION Hello Welcome to Taking Risks Wisely, a teaching resource aimed at developing healthy lifestyle decision-making skills that can be applied to a range of high-risk behaviours, including gambling. This resource was developed as a teacher's manual by the educational component of the National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), in partnership with the independent research unit called the National Centre of the Study of Gambling, both of which are administered by the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF). The SARGF was established by the National Gambling Act of 1996/2004. Its brief is to advise and monitor social and health consequences of commercial gambling and act to mitigate harm. The NRGP is neutral with respect to whether adults choose to spend their free time and money gambling. It is, however, concerned that people who presently gamble or who may one day choose to gamble, do so knowing what the risks are and how to minimize them. This manual is designed to develop sound decision-making skills so that learners can ultimately make sensible choices about what kinds of activities they want to pursue. The general goals of the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation are: • To reduce the incidence of problem gambling, especially among youth • To reduce the risks and harms related to problem gambling • To increase public awareness and promote healthy lifestyle choices • To neither encourage nor discourage people from gambling; but to help them exercise their freedom of choice in an informed and responsible way The resource Taking Risks Wisely was pilot tested in specific sites and feedback from teachers and learners informed the development of the resource, ensuring a relevant, lively and productive pedagogical tool. Aims of the resource The Grade 7 - 9 learner is exposed to a range of risky situations in the physical and socio-economic environment. The learner needs to develop a healthy lifestyle, informed by environmental awareness and should acquire the skills to negotiate peer pressure and to make responsible decisions. The risk of developing a behavioural problem can be reduced through awareness and education. Talking to learners about living a healthy lifestyle and helping them to make informed decisions about the activities in which they choose to participate, may reduce the possibility of developing problems later on. Although much of the focus of the resource is on gambling, the insights into high-risk behaviour and the development of sensible decision-making skills are competencies that can be applied broadly in the learners' immediate lives and be used as a life-long tool. Learning how to think through a high-risk situation carefully and systematically will hopefully reduce problems that may result because of inadequate or inappropriate consideration. Teachers play a vital role in coaching learners in lifestyle competencies as well as in communicating positive lifestyle choices. Teachers can help learners reduce the risks involved in certain forms of behaviour. Gambling is regarded as a form of high-risk behaviour. This resource is aimed to help you, the teacher, help young people make sensible decisions about their leisure time activities and to avoid developing a gambling problem, especially in a world that accepts gambling as a legitimate form of entertainment. The resource is aimed at the GET Senior level (Grades 7 to 9) in the Life Orientation Learning Area. The teaching/learning resource is designed to do the following: • Help learners identify high-risk behaviours and assist learners in developing sound decision-making skills on how to manage high-risk behaviour responsibly. • Show that gambling is a form of high-risk behaviour. • Explain to learners how gambling works (i.e. the underlying mathematical principles) and why the outcome of gambling cannot be known beforehand or be controlled. • Explain to learners the various misconceptions, superstitions and myths that give gamblers the illusion of control. • Show learners that gamblers pay for the opportunity to gamble and that the more players gamble, the more total costs will rise. • Teach learners about the social, psychological and economic risks involved (e.g. on a repeated basis spending more than is affordable, developing problems with gambling). • Make learners aware of certain strategies that may help reduce those risks and to help learners develop competencies and confidence to take action in managing personal high-risk behaviours and/or the effects of problem gambling by people they care about. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme

Introduction | Page 1

How to use the resource This teaching and learning resource package consists of: • Background information for the teacher • Three sections with five detailed units for each of Grades 7, 8 and 9 • Transparencies for use by the teacher • Learning Activity Sheets for the learners • Answer sheets • A comic book • Pre- and Post-learning surveys • References and websites • http://www.schools.nrgp.org.za The structure of the teaching and learning programme is designed to make it relevant to South African learners' actual environments and interests. Joe and the characters of the comic book are South African figures that learners can recognize and understand. Although distinctly South African in its examples and design, the resource aims to have international appeal. By creating multi-media materials, we hope that both teachers and learners remain stimulated and are able to engage with a variety of different methods. We think that this encourages sustained interests as well as flexibility of thinking and decision-making skills. The website offers teachers and learners the opportunity to engage with the issues in a different way, and is also suitable for learners who want to explore additional considerations. A key design feature of the resource is that learners learn by doing. Like learning to ride a bicycle, learners have to actively get engaged with the issues. The units therefore are driven by the activity-based learning tasks. These are set out in the “Learning Activity Sheets” which are printed single-sided, are easily detached from the ring binder, and are in simple black and white in order to make photocopying easier and cheaper. Moreover, the model of learning which drives this curriculum is that of process learning, which means that understanding proceeds i) through systematic and active engagement with the issues, as well as ii) through regular reinforcement. Key concepts are introduced early on and are subsequently re-visited with the aim of developing an enriched and deeper understanding. So, in each of the Grades the notion of high-risk behaviour and decision-making skills are addressed, consolidating and building on previous understandings. Learning is not so much a simple linear process, as a systematic cyclical process with ever-increasing sophistication and mastery. We also know that teachers have extraordinarily demanding workloads and we have tried to anticipate many of the possible teaching tasks. The resource Taking Risks Wisely is presented in a user-friendly format that reduces the teacher's load, rather than increases it. For those teachers who are unfamiliar with the content and who welcome suggestions on what to say when, the manual has sections with possible scripts for teachers to consult. It also provides possible answers to the tasks and questions learners have to complete. Simple icons clearly indicate the function of the material. Different icons are used to indicate: - some background reading for teachers - the information that teachers need to explain and present - when learners are required to do some activity Teachers at a glance can follow the logical progression of the main phases and specific steps in each unit. Each Grade is colour-coded and each unit has a tab: this enables you as a teacher to find your place in the resource easily and also facilitates cross-referencing when key issues are addressed again in subsequent grades for a deeper and more sophisticated understanding. At the end of the resource, additional references and websites are given for those teachers who wish to know more about gambling or who wish to develop their own materials. Page 2 | Introduction

All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme

Thanks and acknowledgments: The Taking Risks Wisely team who developed the material included (in alphabetical order): • Nelleke Bak, University of Alabama at Birmingham • Graham Barr, University of Cape Town • Peter Collins, University of Salford and Executive Director, National Responsible Gambling Programme • Loren Human, counsellor, National Responsible Gambling Programme • Hazel Petrig, advisor, National Responsible Gambling Programme • John Schoonbee, National Responsible Gambling Programme In addition, the team would like to thank the following individuals for their help with the Taking Risks Wisely project (in alphabetical order): • Natalie Bossie, trainer, National Responsible Gambling Programme • S.P.Mabena, Provincial Head of Life Orientation, Gauteng • Beth Mclagan, schools materials developer • Wally Morrow, Professor of Education • Alexander Schuhr, researcher, University of Cape Town We would like to thank the following administrators, teachers and schools who participated in the pilot project and gave feedback on the draft material of Taking Risks Wisely KwaZulu-Natal Province Thami Mbanjwa Dr PK Hadebe Pam Mtshali (District Director) VM Bhola Ms Cooke C Dougans V Govindasamy PT Khumalo S Mabinza Z Makathini TS Mavundla S Mgaga E Moonsamy C Naicker D Naicker G Ntsabeng D Phumzile N Sibisi JV Singh BG Shwala JS van Jaarsveld M Zanele Buhlebemfundo Secondary School Clayheights Primary Greenbury Secondary school Kwamanzini School Lenham Primary School JE Ndlovu School Pinetown Girls’ High School Zeph Dhlomu School

Northern Cape Province

T Makhanya A Mapena Toni Merementsi (Learning BB Mathe Area Coordinator) F Mdluli SH Abrahams S Mosamo BT Bedford M Moshime HR Borere P Ndlovu SM Gasealolwe EZ Nkosi M. Kgaje EN Ntsele RV Kika M Seshabela TP Merementsi P Soka MD Maganye Duduza Primary School JD Modise Dr Harry Gwala Secondary DJ Sas School KS Seleka JE Malepe Secondary School NW Sediti Brandvlei Intermediate School Kenneth Masekela Secondary School Izak van Niekerk Primary W J Mpemgesi Primary School School Nkumbulo Secondary School Makgolokwe Intermediate Ntokozweni Primary School School Shadrack Mbambo Primary Oreeditse Primary School School Redirile Secondary School Toto Technical and Commercial Tsakane Secondary School Zakheni Primary School High school Zimisele Secondary School Gauteng Province Zithembeni Primary School Sibongile Mabena (District Mpumalanga Province Director) Goba Mnisi (District Director) G Dladla G Jiyane V Baloyi S Madigage MS Hlungwani

S Madihlaba N Maredi W Mdudli SD Mokoena M Mphuthi S Msiza Muriel Ngwenya SS Nkosi F Poo A Sibusi L Sithole S Theledi J Tshabalala Esibusisweni School Z B Kunene School Libangeni Secondary School Lugebhuta High School Lumukisa Primary School Madikole Combined School Zacheus Malaza School Mpuluzi EDC School ML Nkuna School Redhill School Retang School Silindile School Tegwan’s Nest School Thulani School Tikhuni High School Tsandzanani Primary School

Taking Risks Wisely would like to thank the South African Responsible Gambling Trust for funding the project. Nelleke Bak Chief Curriculum Developer December 2010



Vol. 470

No. 960

Cape Town, August Kaapstad, 12 Augustus 2004

No. 26670

THE PRESIDENCY HOFISI YA PRESIDENTE ———— ———— 12 August 2004 No. 960 12 August 2004

It is hereby notified that the President has Hi mi tivisa leswaku Presidente u assented to the following Act, which is amukerile nawu lowu wu phablixiweke ku hereby published for general informa- andzisa vutivi bya n’wina:— tion:— No. 7 of 2004: National Gambling Act, No. 7 of 2004: Nawu wa Vugemburi wa 2004. Tiko, 2004.

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GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12 AUGUST 2004 NATIONAL GAMBLING ACT, 2004

————————— (English text signed by the President.) (Assented to 6 August 2004.) —————————

ACT To provide for the co-ordination of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence over matters relating to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering, and to provide for the continued regulation of those matters; for that purpose to establish certain uniform norms and standards applicable to national and provincial regulation and licensing of certain gambling activities; to provide for the creation of additional uniform norms and standards applicable throughout the Republic; to retain the National Gambling Board; to establish the National Gambling Policy Council; to repeal the National Gambling Act, 1996; and to provide for matters incidental thereto. PREAMBLE CONSIDERING that the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), establishes that casinos, racing, gambling and wagering are matters of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence; It is desirable to co-ordinate activities relating to the exercise of that concurrent competence within the national and provincial spheres of government; It is desirable to establish certain uniform norms and standards, which will safeguard people participating in gambling and their communities against the adverse effect of gambling, applying generally throughout the Republic with regard to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering, so that— * gambling activities are effectively regulated, licenced, controlled and policed; * members of the public who participate in any licenced gambling activity are protected; * society and the economy are protected against over-stimulation of the latent demand for gambling; and * the licensing of gambling activities is transparent, fair and equitable; It is expedient to establish certain national institutions, and to recognise the establishment of provincial institutions, which together will determine and administer national gambling policy in a co-operative, coherent and efficient manner.



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“minor” means a person under the age of 18 years

Protection of minors 12. (1) A minor must not— (a) enter a designated area within any licensed premises; (b) operate a gambling machine or gambling device; (c) conduct or make available a gambling activity; (d) engage in social gambling or a gambling activity other than an amusement game; or (e) falsely claim to be 18 years of age or over, in order to— (i) gain access to a designated area within licensed premises; (ii) gain access to a gambling machine or gambling device; or (iii) engage in, conduct or make available a gambling activity. (2) A person must not falsely claim that a minor is 18 years of age or over, in order for that minor to— (a) gain access to a designated area within licensed premises; (b) gain access to a gambling machine or gambling device; or (c) engage in, conduct or make available a gambling activity. (3) A licensee, licensed employee, or a person in control of licensed premises or a gambling machine or gambling device must not knowingly permit a minor to— (a) enter or remain in a designated area within such licensed premises; (b) operate that gambling machine or gambling device; (c) conduct or make available a gambling activity within such licensed premises; or (d) engage in social gambling or a gambling activity, other than an amusement game, within such licensed premises. (4) A person referred to in subsection (3) must take reasonable measures to determine accurately whether or not a person is a minor, before permitting that person to do any thing contemplated in subsection (3)(a) to (d).


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National Gambling Board Continuation of National Gambling Board 64. (1) The National Gambling Board, as established by the National Gambling Act, 1996 (Act No. 33 of 1996), is retained under this Act, subject to Item 3 of the Schedule. (2) The board is a juristic person. 20 Objects and functions of board 65. (1) The board has the following powers and duties to be exercised and performed in accordance with this Act: (a) Monitoring and investigating, when necessary, the issuing of national licences by provincial licensing authorities for compliance with this Act in accordance with sections 40 to 43; (b) investigating, monitoring and evaluating compliance with this Act by provincial licensing authorities, entering into agreements with those authorities in respect of steps to be taken to correct any deficiencies, and making recommendations to the Council in relation to such matters, in accordance with sections 33 and 34; (c) establishing and maintaining— (i) the national register of excluded persons, in accordance with section 14; (ii) the national central electronic monitoring system, in accordance with section 27; (iii) the national register of gambling machines and devices, in accordance with section 21; (iv) a central registry of information contemplated in section 35; and (v) the national probity register in terms of section 57; (d) monitoring socio-economic patterns of gambling activity within the Republic and in particular must research and identify factors relating to, and patterns, causes, and consequences of— (i) the socio-economic impact of gambling; and (ii) addictive or compulsive gambling; (e) carrying out the responsibilities set out in section 33; and (f) exercising any other powers and performing any other duties assigned to it in terms of this Act. (2) The board may— (a) advise the Council on the maximum number of any kind of licences relating to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering that should be awarded in the Republic or in any particular province;


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(b) advise the Council on matters of national policy relating to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering and on the determination of national norms and standards regarding any matter in terms of this Act that should apply generally throughout the Republic; (c) recommend to the Council changes to bring about uniformity in the laws of 5 the various provinces in relation to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering; (d) advise the Council, through the Minister, in respect of any matter referred to it by the Council; (e) monitor market share and market conduct in the gambling industry and refer any concerns regarding market share or possible prohibited practices to the 10 Competition Commission in terms of the Competition Act, 1998 (Act No. 89 of 1998); and (f) provide a broad-based public education programme about the risks and socio-economic impact of gambling. (3) The board may liaise with any foreign or international authorities having any 15 objects similar to the objects of the board. (4) In exercising its powers and performing its duties set out in this Act, the board— (a) must comply with directions issued to it by the Council relating to casinos, racing, gambling and wagering; (b) may have regard to international developments in the field of casinos, racing, 20 gambling and wagering; and (c) may consult any person, organisation or institution with regard to any matter deemed necessary by the board.

"Purpose of Act 2A. The purpose of this Act is to— (a) provide a legal basis for the regulation and control of all gambling activities; (b) preserve the integrity of the Republic as a responsible global citizen by ensuring an efficient and effective gambling regulatory regime; (c) promote the development of a responsible gambling industry in the Republic; (d) ensure that all gambling activities are conducted responsibly, fairly and honestly; (e) ensure that all players are treated fairly and that the privacy of a player is respected; (f) protect minors and other vulnerable persons from the negative effects of gambling; (g) protect and advance the interests of historically disadvantaged persons; (h) protect society against the over-stimulation of the demand for gambling; (i) prevent gambling from being a source of, or associated with crime or disorder, or used to support crime, disorder or money laundering.".

(GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12 NOVEMBER 2004)



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OVERVIEW

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Overview of the educational context of the resource OVERVIEW The resource has been developed within the requirements and context of the National Gambling Act of 2004 and the South African Revised National Curriculum Statement. Its contents and activities are designed in such a way to promote learners who will be able to: • • • • • •

identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking; work effectively with others as members of a team; manage their own activities responsibly; communicate effectively; know how to use up-to-date information to inform their responsibilities to themselves and to others; understand that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

The two main skills on which the Taking Risks Wisely programme focuses are: 1. enabling the learner to make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health; 2. enabling the learner to achieve and extend personal potential in order to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. The Senior Phase learner is exposed to a wider range of risky situations. The learner should acquire the skills to make informed choices about health and safety issues. In particular, the learner needs to develop a healthy lifestyle, informed by environmental awareness and by other health and safety aspects. Adolescence is marked by emotional and physical changes. The learner needs to continue the formation of a positive self-concept. It is necessary for the learner to develop insight into personal and social relationships and to develop further life skills in order to cope with challenges.


Overview | Page 1

Overview of Grade 7 - 9 Units on ‘Taking Risks Wisely’

Overview of Grade 8 units on ‘Taking Risks Wisely’


Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5

By the end of the 5 units, learners will be able to: • Know how to make responsible decisions about risk-taking behaviour • Explain why the outcomes of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem Unit Unit Unit Unit Unit

1 2 3 4 5

Unit 3 Overview of Grade 9 units on ‘Taking Risks Wisely’

Risk-taking behaviour and risky circumstances Reasons for people gambling How gambling works - Lotto numbers and cards Myths and superstitions - illusion of control How to stay in control

By the end of the 5 units, learners will be able to: • Know how to make responsible decisions about risk-taking behaviour • Assess their own vulnerability to risk • Identify low and high probabilities in gambling • Know that the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Identify strategies for staying in control • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem Unit 1 Unit 2

Page 2 | Overview

Risk-taking behaviour, rewards and consequences Probabilities Making decisions about risk-taking behaviour Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour Different forms of gambling How gambling works - coins and dice Minimizing risks in gambling Where to go for help for a gambling problem

Unit 4 Unit 5

Identifying low and high-risk circumstances in decision-making processes The history of gambling Reasons for people gambling How gambling works - slot machine and roulette Probabilities The illusion of control: house advantage, cost per hour and superstitions The psychology of gambling and problem gambling How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

By the end of the 5 units, learners will be able to: • Understand that risk-taking behaviour involves outcomes with different probabilities and consequences • Distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour • Make responsible decisions about high-risk behaviour • Explain some of the psychology of gambling • Explain why gamblers are unlikely to make money in the long-term through gambling • Outline how to manage gambling behaviour responsibly and describe strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know how to cope with someone who has a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem


Coherence of unit development within and across grades: *Blue indicates a deepening of understanding of issues addressed in preceding units

Grade 7

Grade 9

Grade 8

Unit 1

Risk-taking behaviour, rewards and consequences Probabilities

Risk-taking behaviour and risky circumstances

Levels of control of high-risk behaviour and risky circumstances

Unit 2

Decision making about risky behaviour

Reasons for people gambling

The history of gambling Reasons for people gambling

Unit 3

Gambling as a form of risky behaviour Different forms of gambling

How gambling works - Lotto numbers and cards

How gambling works - slot machines and roulette Probabilities

Unit 4

How gambling works - coins and dice More on probabilities

Myths and superstitions illusion of control

The illusion of control: house advantage, cost per hour and superstitions

Unit 5

Minimizing risks in gambling Where to go for help for a gambling problem

How to stay in control

The psychology of gambling and problem gambling: How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

* Topics in blue indicate reinforcement and advancement of work started in previous grades.


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GRADE 7


Lesson plan

Subject: LIFE ORIENTATION No of units: 5 in each Grade

Grade: SENIOR PHASE

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Focus: HEALTH PROMOTION and PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Topic: Taking Risks Wisely

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Learning Outcomes: • The learner will be able to make informed decisions regarding personal healthy life-styles • The learner will be able to use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. Assessment Standard: Demonstrate and reflect on decision-making skills for adopting healthy life-style choices (and managing high-risk behaviour responsibly).

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KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES AND VALUES Knowledge/concepts: High-risk behaviour Forms of gambling Reasons for gambling Mathematical principles Responsible gambling Problem gambling

4.

Skills Analysis Critical thinking Calculation Making choices Problem solving Coping strategies

Values and Attitudes Understanding Responsibility Responsiveness Pragmatism

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES Activities: Topics to be addressed: • Risk-taking behaviour • Decision-making skills • Gambling as risky behaviour • Reasons for gambling • How gambling works • Probabilities and randomness • Illusion of control • Responsible risk-taking • Problem gambling • Coping strategies

Group discussion, website Individual reflection, group discussion, website Group discussion Reading, analysis, group discussion and feedback Play game on website Play games, individual work and sharing with partner Group scenario construction Group discussion, role play, individual reflection Group discussion and role play Individual work, scenario play

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RESOURCES Resource file, comic book, nrgp.org.za website - supplied Dice, coins, cards - teacher to supply

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EXTENDED LEARNING Website has additional links and considerations that accelerated learners can engage with

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ASSESSMENTS Written work Presentations

Analysis Reading

What assessor will do: Observe, listen, interpret, question, read learner's observations

Debating Who will assess: Teacher and peers

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES Learning Activities sheets: fill in forms, tests, role play, debate LINKS WITH: Social sciences, Mathematics, Life Orientation (high-risk behaviour)


Grade 7 | Page 1

Lesson plan - Grade 7

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR GRADE 7: Learners will be able to: •

to make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health.

•

to use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. EXTEND KNOWLEDGE BASE

Learners will understand what high-risk behaviour is, what gambling is, how it works, the risks involved, and what support services are available for those with a gambling problem.

Learners will understand: • Why certain behaviour has high risks; • How to make responsible decisions about high-risk behaviour; • That the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled; • The warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem; • Where to seek help for a gambling problem.

DEVELOP SKILLS Learners will practise determining and evaluating the risks involved in various forms of high-risk behaviour, including gambling activities. Learners will be able to apply a systematic decisionmaking process to a risk-taking situation.

Learners will be able to: • Make responsible decisions about risk-taking behaviour; • Identify risks in gambling activities and will explore various strategies that may be taken to reduce those risks; • Formulate various responses that can be taken to coping with problem gamblers.

ADOPT CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDES AND VALUES Learners will participate in actions that reinforce decisions to reduce risks of high-risk behaviour and gambling.

Learners will: • Participate in group discussions; • Perform role-play situations; • Adopt responsibility for their own decisions.

Page 2 | Grade 7


UNIT 7.1

unit 7.1


UNIT 1


Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5

Making decisions about risk-taking behaviour Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour Different forms of gambling How gambling works - coins and dice Minimizing risks in gambling Where to go for help for a gambling problem

AT THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Know how to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • Explain why the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem LEARNING OUTCOMES: • To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. • To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling). • Describe strategies for managing and living with problematic consequences of high-risk behaviour. • Evaluate influences in personal lifestyle choices and propose appropriate responses for managing high-risk behaviour responsibly. • Demonstrate and reflect on decision-making skills. AFTER COMPLETING UNIT 7.1, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Discuss different kinds of risk-taking behaviour • Understand that risk-taking behaviour involves rewards and consequences • Describe how the high or low probability of certain consequences makes some forms of behaviour high or low risk MAIN CONCEPTS: • Risk-taking behaviour (or also referred to as risky behaviour) • Reward, consequences • High and low risks • Probability RESOURCES FOR UNIT 7.1: • Transparency 1 • Learning Activity 1 • Completed Teacher's Version of Learning Activity 1 • Transparency 2 • Expanded Teacher's Version with Notes of Transparency 2


Grade 7 | Unit 7.1 | Page 1

Unit 7.1 | Risk-taking behaviour, rewards and consequences | Probabilities

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Introduce the class to the notion of youth at risk and the importance of knowing how to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with. Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Divide the class into groups. Hand out Learning Activity 1. Ask each group to brainstorm the possible rewards and consequences of the listed activities.

enhancing

Once they have completed the list, ask them to think of their own example and to write this in the last blank box. STEP 3

Divide the number of topics (12) by the number of groups in the class. Then ask each group to report back on only the number of topics for that group. Invite each group to add to a topic if they have listed something that hasn’t been mentioned already.

synthesising

Ask each group to present their own examples.

STEP 4

Now introduce the notion of high-risk behaviour. That is, forms of behaviour that are likely to lead to long-term problems. Learners should understand that experimentation is part of adolescent development, but they should also know that some kinds of activities are high risk. See Transparency 1.

STEP 5

Put up Transparency 2 on risk-taking behaviour and probability for the class. The transparency captures the main points.

STEP 6

Introduce the notion of decision-making about getting involved in different forms of risk-taking behaviour with different probabilities of consequences.

STEP 7

Take in each group’s completed learning activity sheet for possible inclusion in the assessment portfolio.

Page 2 | Unit 7.1 | Grade 7


orientating Background understanding of youth at risk. Learners need to be able to have a general idea of why they are asked to consider issues about youth at risk in order for the unit to make sense to them. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: The Senior Phase learner is exposed to a wider range of risky situations. The physical and socio-economic environment gives rise to the health and safety issues encountered by learners, but increasingly an adolescent is starting to have to make independent decisions about which activities to become involved with. The learner should acquire appropriate understanding, skills and values to make informed choices about the issues that affect personal health, safety and lifestyles. Lifestyle choices related to sexuality are crucial at this age and should be dealt with sensitively. Increasingly, the adolescent learner has to deal with a range of risky situations and therefore should acquire the skills to negotiate peer pressure and to make responsible decisions to cope with challenging situations. These units on preventing problem gambling are aimed at helping the learner acquire such skills. It is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to go about making sensible decisions. If the learner understands the process of responsible decision-making, then it is a process that can be applied to a whole range of risky situations. Youth are at risk because as they are initiated into the adult world, they are also being confronted with forms of adult lifestyles, e.g. smoking, drinking, sexual relationships and gambling. The adolescent learner therefore needs to develop an understanding of the risks involved in these activities in order to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with and how to spend leisure time. In the fast-paced and ever-changing social environment, there is an increasing range of entertainment options available. Different media offer a whole range of choices: films, TV, DVDs, internet, iPods, cell phones. Also, youth - especially in cities - are interacting with an increasing range of different groups of people, each one with different social conventions. For example, there are different levels of acceptance about drinking, the use of drugs, sexual relationships, and gambling. In some groups, drinking is regarded as morally wrong, whereas in other groups it is part of everyday life. Being able to make responsible choices about the overwhelming options is therefore an important skill for youth to learn. Studies have shown that youth are more at risk for addictive forms of behaviour than any other age group. Youth are particularly at risk because of their over-confidence combined with their lack of full life experiences. They are convinced that they will be able to handle the risks in certain situations, but since they don't yet have the experience of knowing just what those risks are, they are often unable to cope with the actual outcomes. It is the main aim of these units on preventing problem gambling to help learners develop the understanding, appropriate skills and values that will enable them to make sensible and informed decisions about all the new risky behaviours with which they are being (and will be) confronted. STEP 1 Introduce the class to the notion of youth at risk and the importance of knowing how to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with. Put up Transparency 1 with main points. Say, for example:

“

Invite the class to respond to the following questions:

•

How do your parents treat you differently as you grow older? Why do you think they do so?

•

How do you decide what to do in your free time?

•

Do some of these leisure time activities involve risk-taking? What kinds of risks?

•

Do you think it is important to understand about risky behaviour? Why?

•

Would it help you to understand more about the kinds of risk-taking behaviours you may decide to engage in?

(Now write the definition of risk-taking behaviour on the board: “Risk-taking or risky behaviours are those actions that can be dangerous for your health or emotional well-being in the short or long-term”.) All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


As you get older you will probably have lots more to think about. Your parents are giving you more and more independence and that means more and more decisions you have to make on your own, including decisions about which friends to get involved with and how to spend your leisure time. This is an exciting new phase in growing up, but it is also a risky one. If you make irresponsible or uninformed decisions, it is likely that you may be faced with problems later on. Something that many young people don't think about is the kinds of activities or forms of behaviours that may lead to accidents or problems. Those kinds of activities or forms of behaviour that may lead to accidents or problems later on, we call risk-taking or risky behaviour. Risky behaviour can be defined as those actions that could be dangerous for health or emotional well-being in the long-term. Ask:

• Can you give an example of a risk-taking behaviour? (Some examples would be drug use, unsafe sex, train surfing, gambling, reckless driving, alcohol use, etc.) As you are given more and more responsibility to make decisions about how to spend your time and with which groups you want to get involved with, it is important to know what the various kinds of risk-taking behaviour are and what their possible consequences may be. That is, some kinds of risky behaviour, e.g. reckless driving, are likely to lead to an accident, or too much drinking of alcohol can lead to ill health, family upheavals and addiction. Ask:

• What kind of risk-taking behaviour wouldn't you engage in? Why not? (Encourage learners to link risk-taking behaviour with consequences that are dangerous or problematic.) So, why do people engage in risky behaviour if they know that it is likely that an accident or problems may be the result? Why do people drink? Why do people smoke? Generally, they do because they enjoy it; it makes them “feel good”. This is what we call the anticipated reward. So, even though someone may know that fast and reckless driving may result in an accident, the person gets a thrill out of doing so. Let's have a look at different forms of risk-taking behaviour, how it may make people “feel good” (the anticipated rewards) and the possible consequences that the activity or form of behaviour may lead to.

“

STEP 2 Divide the class into groups. Hand out Learning Activity 1. Ask each group to brainstorm the possible rewards and consequences of the listed activities.

Once they have completed the list, ask them to think of their own example and to write this in the last blank box.

enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of risk-taking or risky behaviour, by getting them to brainstorm in groups about anticipated rewards and possible negative outcomes (or risks). STEP 3 Divide the number of topics (12) by the number of groups in the class. Then ask each group to report back only on the number of topics for that group. (e.g. if there are 4 groups ask group 1 to report on the first three topics, group 2 on the next three, etc.) This is to save time and to avoid unnecessary duplication. Invite each group to add to a topic if they have listed something that hasn't been mentioned already. Ask each group to present their own examples. See the enclosed example for teachers of the completed activity sheet – Learning Activity 1 with Notes for Teachers. Page 4 | Unit 7.1 | Grade 7


synthesising Consolidate learners' understanding, skills and values with regards to thinking about risk-taking behaviour, anticipated rewards, and the probability of particular consequences. The learning activity will have shown learners that there are some forms of behaviour that are likely to have more serious possible consequences than others. For example, drinking one brandy is not likely to lead to serious health or emotional problems later on, but getting drunk regularly and frequently is likely to lead to family upheavals, physical health problems, and maybe alcohol addiction. STEP 4 Now introduce the notion of high-risk behaviour. That is, forms of behaviour that are likely to lead to long-term problems. Learners should understand that experimentation is part of adolescent development, but they should also know that some kinds of activities are high-risk. See Transparency 1. Say to the class, for example:

“ • •

Ask:

Do all the different risk-taking behaviours have equally serious or problematic consequences? Why, do you think, are some actions likely to have more serious consequences than others?

(Encourage responses from learners that distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviours.) You'll have seen from the list you've completed that there are some activities and forms of behaviour that are likely to have more serious possible consequences than others. It's nice to eat a delicious hamburger every now and then, but to do so often is likely to lead to being overweight, developing skin problems from all the fatty foods, and health problems. No one can have full control of life, and no one can see into the future, so no one can be absolutely sure that a particular activity or form of behaviour may lead to an accident or problems later on. However, we know from past experience and lots of studies done, that certain kinds of behaviour are more risky than others. In other words, some kinds of behaviour are more likely to lead to problems. We call these forms of behaviour high-risk behaviour. Since high-risk behaviour is likely to have serious problematic consequences, we say that high-risk behaviour has a high probability of leading to social, emotional and physical problems. For example, there is a strong likelihood or high probability that smoking crack leads to drug addiction and health problems. (Not to mention a high probability of landing in jail!) Ask:

• • •

Can you control the decision you make whether to engage in risky behaviour or not? Can you control the circumstances and conditions under which you engage in risky behaviour? To what extent? Can you control the outcome or likely consequence of the risky behaviour?

(The degree of control learners have over their own risk-taking behaviour will be examined further in unit 7.2 as well as in Grade 8 in unit 8.1. At this stage, encourage learners to recognize that they are able to have a high level of control over the decisions they make, less control over the circumstances in which they find themselves, and even less control over the possible outcomes of high-risk behaviour, unless they make informed decisions on how to manage those risks sensibly.) How can we calculate what the likelihood of a possible outcome may be? How can we know which forms of behaviour are likely to lead to problems? Let's have a look at different probabilities.

“

STEP 5 Put up Transparency 2 on risk-taking behaviour and probability.

There is a transparency for the class and there is a Transparency 2 with Notes for Teachers that will help you explain the main points and responses to the questions.



STEP 6 Introduce the notion of decision-making about getting involved in different forms of risk-taking behaviour with different probabilities of consequences. Say something like:

“

Even though we can't be absolutely sure about the future and the probability of something bad happening, we can have some control over our lives by making informed decisions about what activities we're going to get involved in. You can change the probability of getting harmed, or being in an accident or developing an addiction by choosing to do or not do certain things (like stay indoors during a thunder storm, or not to drink regularly) that reduce the risks of something bad happening. This entails understanding the risks involved, the probability of a possible outcome and having the right skills to think through a complex situation. In the next unit, we'll have a look at how you can follow a thinking process that will help you make sensible decisions about risky behaviours.

STEP 7

“

Take in each group's completed learning activity sheet for possible inclusion in the assessment portfolio.



Unit 7.1 Learning Activity 1 I Risk-taking behaviour

Write down the names of all the members of the group: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ It is likely that:

+

=

Why is she teasing the dog when she knows that it is a fierce dog? •

She gets a thrill out of hearing the dog growl.

•

It relieves the boredom when she has nothing else to do.

•

She wants to boast to her friends about having teased the big fierce dog.

•

She enjoys the thrill of danger by teasing the dog.

In the table below, let your group brainstorm what the “feel good” motivations (the rewards) for the listed activity may be, as well as the possible accidents or long-term problems the activity may lead to. Once you have completed the list of given activities, think of an example of another kind of risk-taking behaviour. Write the example that the group comes up with in the last blank box, and note the possible rewards and negative consequences.

Activity or form of behaviour

Rewards (“Feel good” motivations)

Possible negative consequences (accidents or long-term problems)

Eating a fatty hamburger and chips every now and then.

Eating a fatty hamburger and chips every 2nd day

Stealing an orange from your fierce neighbour’s tree



Shoplifting a CD from a shop

Betting your friend 50c that you’ll do well in the test

Betting R200 on a game of dice

Drinking a strong brandy to see what it tastes like

Getting drunk every weekend

Kissing your girlfriend or boyfriend

Having unsafe sex, i.e. not using a condom

Getting into a car driven by a drunk driver

Playing “chicken” in the road

(Your own example)

You’ll notice that some forms of behaviour have more possible accidents or problems. These we call high-risk forms of behaviour. Put a large dot next to those activities or forms of behaviour you think are high-risk behaviours. Of course, no one can have full control of life, and no one can see into the future, so no one can be absolutely sure that a particular activity or form of behaviour may lead to an accident or problems later on. But we can develop good skills in making sensible decisions about which risky behaviours to get involved in and which not. We'll look at this in the next unit.



Unit 7.1 | For Teachers’ Reference | A completed form of Learning Activity 1 with Notes for Teacher

Activity or form of behaviour

Eating a fatty hamburger and chips every now and then. Eating a fatty hamburger and chips every 2nd day (!)

Stealing an orange from your fierce neighbour’s tree Shoplifting a CD from a shop (!)

Rewards (“Feel good” (motivations)

(accidents) or long-term problems)

•It tastes delicious!

•In general, there is nothing dangerous about enjoying a hamburger from time to time.

•It tastes delicious!

•Overweight

•I like not being fussed about what foods I can or can’t eat

•Health problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure

•It’s a thrill to be doing something naughty

•If the neighbour catches me, I may get into trouble with my family

•A juicy orange to enjoy

•I will have bad relations with the neighbour

•It’s a thrill to be doing something illegal

•I may get caught and be convicted. That means I will have a criminal record for life

•A new CD

Betting your friend 50c that you’ll do well in the test

Possible consequences

•Bad skin, acne

•Boast to my friends about having done something daring

•I will have lost the trust my parents had in me

•It’s an added motivation to do well

•There seems to be no risks involved apart from losing 50c if I don’t do well in the test

•I get an extra 50c •It feels good to win Betting R200 on a game of dice

•It’s a thrill to gamble •I may win R400 back •It feels good to win •I can boast to my friends

•It’s a lot of money to lose, and if I do so regularly, it’s bound to lead to money problems •I may get addicted to the thrill of gambling

Drinking a strong brandy to see what it •I now know what it tastes like •It’s unlikely that one drink will have longtastes like term consequences. •I may feel tipsy •I enjoy it when my friends think me daring Getting drunk every weekend (!)

•I feel part of a “in group” •I boast to my friends about my daring behaviour •My friends think it’s funny

•I get a reputation of being silly and irresponsible •My habit is likely to lead to problems with alcohol later on (like addiction) •Causing a serious accident •Alcohol abuse can lead to health problems

Kissing your girlfriend or boyfriend

•It feels nice! •It shows that s/he trusts me •I like being nice to my partner and make him or her feel wanted


•Kissing now and then is very unlikely to lead to serious physical and emotional problems


Having unsafe sex, i.e. not using a condom (!)

•It feels nice!

•Unwanted pregnancy

•It shows that s/he trusts me

•HIV and later AIDS •Sexually transmitted diseases

Getting into a car driven by a drunk driver (!)

•It’s feels fun to be daring

Playing “chicken” in the road (!)

•It’s a thrill

•Serious accident (even death)

•I get a lift instead of having to walk! •A serious accident (even death)

•I like showing off to my friends (Your own example)

(!) - Indicates high-risk behaviour



Unit 7.1 Transparency 1 - page i

Hi there… My name is Joe. You’ll read about me in a really cool comic soon. I’ve had some problems… But right now, I’m going to get my uncle, Enoch, to show you some stuff about growing up, risks and behaviour. I think I need to pay special attention…

Hey kids. My name is Enoch. I am really excited about all these interesting and very important things we’ll learn about today. You are all at a stage where, as a teenager, you are in an exciting new phase in growing up, but it is also a risky one. • Risky behaviours are those actions that are likely to be dangerous for health or emotional wellbeing in the short or long-term. • As you are given more responsibility to make decisions about how to spend your time, it is important to know what the various kinds of risk behaviour are and what their possible consequences may be. • Even though people may know that a certain kind of behaviour may lead to an accident or a problem later on, they still do so because they enjoy it, it makes them “feel good”. This is what we call the anticipated reward.



Transparency 1 - page ii

I think I am sometimes unaware of the risks involved in what I do….What about you…?

• Certain kinds of behaviour are more risky than others in that they are more likely to lead to problems. We call these kinds of behaviour highrisk behaviour. • High-risk behaviour has a high probability of leading to social, emotional and physical problems. • You can change the probabilities of getting harmed, or being in an accident or developing an addiction by choosing to do or not do certain things. • This entails understanding the risks involved, the probabilities and having the right decisionmaking skills to think through a complex situation. • The decision-making process we’ll learn about is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to go about making sensible decisions.




Now we come to a cool subject. This helps us understand all sorts of things. We’ll learn more about this in Maths too. It’s all about understanding that different things have different chances of happening – that is, we need a good idea of how likely they are to happen.

Yes kids, Joe is right, we are going to talk about

Risk behaviour and probability. (Probability is just a fancy word for ‘chance’.) We’ve covered risk-taking behaviour and you probably have a good idea of what probability means, but we’re going to see if we can tie them together…




Let’s go through some scenarios to see if we can get to grips with probability… •

What is the probability of being struck by lighting when you are inside your home? 100% certain? 50% likely? 0%, i.e. certain that it won’t happen?

•

What is the probability of being struck by lightning when outside in the open veld during a thunder storm? Is it higher or lower than being inside your home?



Transparency 2 - page iii

Here are some trickier questions.…(and very relevant ones) •

What is the probability of a young person developing an alcohol addiction after drinking a strong brandy?

•

What is the probability of an older person in his 60s developing an addiction to alcohol after drinking a strong brandy?

•

What is the probability of a young person developing an addiction to alcohol after getting drunk most weekends?

There are different probabilities depending on: •

your choice

•

your personality

•

the circumstances and

•

sometimes sheer luck!



Unit 7.1 Transparency 2 with Notes for Teachers

Risky behaviour and probabilities Say: If something has a 100% probability of happening, it is certain that it will happen. For example, there is a 100% probability that the sun will rise tomorrow. But, since we can never be absolutely sure about the future, we don't normally talk about a 100% probability. Who knows, during the night a large meteor can hit the earth and knock it off its orbit so that tomorrow the sun won't rise. It is highly unlikely that a meteor will hit the earth, but we can't entirely rule out the possibility that it will happen. We can only be almost sure. •

What is the probability of being struck by lighting when you are inside your home? 99% certain? 50% likely? Or 0%, i.e. certainty that it won't happen Answer: we are almost certain that it won't happen, but since we are never absolutely sure about the future, we can never have a probability of 0%. Again, we can only say that we are almost certain that it won't happen.

•

What is the probability of being struck by lightning when outside in the open veld during a thunder storm, in any particular year? Answer: Since South Africa is a lightning-prone country, with one of the highest lightning ground flash densities in the world, lightning related deaths in this country are about four times higher than the global average. But still, the probability is very small, with about 32 deaths per year out of a population of 50 million, or a 0.00000064% probability of being struck dead by lightning in any one year!



•

What is the probability of a young person developing an alcohol addiction after drinking a strong brandy? Answer: Studies have shown that youth are particularly prone to addictive forms of behaviour. Exploring and experimenting with new options is part of the development of an adolescent. It can be a useful learning experience for a young person to get drunk, feel very sick, and realize that doing so again is not something he or she will choose to do in future. It is unlikely that a young person, however, will develop a long-term problem after having had just one drink. But, of course, one drink can lead to another and if the person drinks regularly and frequently, there is a much higher probability of a long-term problem.

•

What is the probability of an older person in his 60s developing an alcohol addiction after drinking a strong brandy? Answer: Studies have shown that the younger the age at which a person starts drinking, the higher the probability of that person developing a problem with alcohol. Most adult alcoholics report that they already had a problem with alcohol at age 17-18. So, the older a person is when they first start drinking, the lower the probability of that person developing a problem with alcohol later on.

•

What is the probability of a young person developing an alcohol addiction after getting drunk most weekends? Answer: as we have discussed in the previous two answers, it is highly probable that such a young person who drinks regularly and frequently will have social, emotional and physical problems related to alcohol later on.

There are different probabilities depending on: • your choice • your personality • the circumstances and • sometimes sheer luck!



UNIT 7.2

unit 7.2

Overview of Grade 7 units on “Taking Risks Wisely”

Unit 1


UNIT 2

Making decisions about risk-taking behaviour

Unit 3

Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour Different forms of gambling How gambling works – coins and dice Minimizing risks in gambling Where to go for help for a gambling problem

Unit 4 Unit 5

AT THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Know how to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • Explain why the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem LEARNING OUTCOMES: • To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. • To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling). • Describe strategies for managing and living with diseases (and other problematic consequences of highrisk behaviour). • Evaluate influences in personal lifestyle choices and propose appropriate responses for managing highrisk behaviour responsibly. • Demonstrate and reflect on decision-making skills. BY THE END OF UNIT 7.2, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Know how to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • Apply the process of decision-making rather than just giving the final answer to the decision • Express an awareness that life involves risks, but know how to make informed decisions that can reduce those risks MAIN CONCEPTS: • Decision-making • Process and outcome • Purpose • Reliability • Compromises • Alternatives. RESOURCES FOR UNIT 7.2: • Transparency 1 • Transparency 2 • Transparency 2 with Teacher’s Notes • Learning Activity sheet 1 All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


STEP 1

Introduce the class to the notion of decision-making as a process. Put up Transparency 1 outlining the main points and meanings of difficult words.

STEP 2

Put up the Transparency 2 that outlines the 5 key steps in a decision- making process Referring to the teachers’ notes, take the learners through the various steps with the additional questions for them to consider under each step.

enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT 7.2:

Explain the meaning of difficult terms.

STEP 3

Leave the transparency up and give each learner a copy of Learning Activity Sheet 1. This is an individual activity because learners need to be able to identify their own responses to particular scenarios or possible situations.

synthesising

Read through the instructions aloud and answer any queries the learners may have.

STEP 4

When learners have completed the exercise, invite learners to share their answers to the questions and their final decision. Try to get at least one respondent for each of the 4 scenarios. Stress that the process of thinking through the various steps is important, rather than just the final answer.

STEP 5


Take in the activity sheets for possible inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio.


orientating Learners have dealt with risk-taking behaviour, anticipated rewards, consequences and probabilities. Now learners need to be able to develop simple skills to help them make sensible decisions about various forms of risky behaviour. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: It would not be very helpful merely to say to learners that they shouldn't engage in risky behaviour. Learners should develop the thinking skills to be able to make their own responsible decisions not only about which particular social groups and activities they are going to get involved in, but also about general lifestyle choices. Almost all teachers, parents and potential employers regard good decision-making skills as a key component of successful and independent behaviour. Yet, what exactly good decision-making skills are, is not that clear. Some people think it is being able to choose between alternatives; others again think it is being able to understand the reasons you have for making a particular decision. And others think that a good decision is one that gets you what you want and a bad decision is one in which you end up with something you don't want. This unit is based on the idea that good decisions result from a process of sensible thinking, but may not necessarily result in good outcomes every time. For example, suppose you plan to have a beach braai for your birthday. You are anxious about the weather and so you look up the various historical records for the best time to have your braai. You see that the last week in April has been the driest and most wind-free time of the year in your area and so you plan your party for then. Just after you arrive at the beach, heavy rain starts falling, forcing you to cancel the party. Have you made a bad decision? Should you have planned the braai for a time when more rain was expected? Of course not. You had good reasons on which to base your decision, and were just plain unlucky! So sometimes good decision-making can be ruined by bad luck and lead to unfavourable consequences, just as sometimes bad decision-making can be disguised through sheer good luck and lead to favourable consequences. But since we don't rely on sheer luck for our decisions, we need to be able to know what a good decision making process is. The exercises in this unit are therefore aimed at getting the process right, rather than merely arriving at the most favourable outcome. STEP 1 Introduce the class to the notion of decision-making as a process. Put up Transparency 1 outlining the main points and meanings of difficult words. Say for example:

“

Imagine that a generous aunt has given you money to buy yourself a cell phone. What will you do? Rush out to the nearest shop and buy the first cell phone you see?

Ask: • What would you do to make sure you get the cell phone you want? You want to make sure you get one that is reliable, sells at an attractive price, has the features (like ring tones and maybe even a camera) that you want, and comes in a cool colour! But to find out which cell phone will be the best one, you need to do some investigating, some thinking. What if you come across one that has the camera, has a great ring tone, and is on a special low price? But it comes only in silver and you wanted a pink one! And the only pink model available doesn't have a camera and is more expensive. You'll need to make a decision. Well, that's not such a difficult one. If you make the wrong decision, it is unlikely to have terrible consequences. What however about other, more difficult decisions you might have to make? Ask: • Can you think of some examples? • How would you try to avoid making a wrong decision? What about a decision where if you do make the wrong choice this can lead to serious problems, injury or accidents? You won't be able to reverse the decision, so you want to make sure you think through the decision carefully. How do you do this? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme

“


enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of the process of decision-making by explaining the 5-step procedure. Stress that the PRICE process can be applied to any decision about risky behaviour they may have to make. STEP 2 Put up Transparency 2 that outlines the 5 key steps in a decision-making process Referring to the teachers' notes, take the learners through the various steps with the additional questions for them to consider under each step. Explanation of the key terms: PURPOSE

-

the reason for doing something: the goal or aim you want to achieve

RELIABILITY

-

the extent to which you can trust that the information is true and accurate

COMPROMISES

-

when 2 people want opposite things, but then agree to accept a changed outcome that satisfies both people. For example, a curio seller charges the tourist R100 for the carved giraffe. The tourist offers R70. They both agree after some bargaining to settle on R85.

ALTERNATIVES

-

a different choice, a substitute

RESOURCES

-

the abilities, skills, available tools and assets you have to do something

NOTE FOR TEACHERS: A crucial element in the learning process is for learners to apply the steps themselves to relevant risky situations that they may face. Learners should be encouraged to extend their learning beyond the classroom and to apply these decision-making skills to real-world problems. The original decisionmaking process from which the 5-step PRICE process has been developed, has 8 steps, but we have simplified the process here in order to make it easier for learners to remember. The original steps1 are: 1.

Establishing the decision context

2.

Identifying values and norms

3.

Understanding uncertainty

4.

Structuring consequences

5.

Quality of information

6.

Creating alternatives

7.

Making tradeoffs

8.

Group negotiations

For example, say to learners:

“

Now, let's see how useful a tool these steps may be and apply them to decisions about some risk-taking behaviours.

1 Gregory, R.S. and Clemen, R.T. “Improving Students’ Decision Making Skills’. Decision research, Eugene, Oregon (undated).


“


synthesising Learners consolidate their understanding of the PRICE decision-making process by applying it to a possible situation. The activity asks learners to consider the relevant questions in each step, thereby breaking up the decision-making process into manageable units. The 4 examples are taken from unit 7.1, thereby helping learners consolidate their understanding as well as making the material familiar. STEP 3 Leave the Transparency 2 up and give each learner a copy of Learning Activity sheet. This is an individual activity because learners need to be able to identify their own responses to particular scenarios or possible situations. Read through the instructions aloud and answer any queries the learners may have. Allow at least 20 minutes for this exercise.

STEP 4 When learners have completed the exercise, invite them to share their answers to the questions and their final decision. Try to get at least one respondent for each of the 4 scenarios. Stress that the process of thinking through the various steps is important, rather than just the final answer.

STEP 5 Take in the activity sheets for possible inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio. Stress the main insight that the lesson promotes:

“

Life involves risks, but knowing how to make informed decisions about responsible actions, reduces those risks.


“



Hi there, it’s Joe again. You’ll see later on that I get into some real trouble. I wish I had known how to make sensible decisions about risky behaviour. This time, I’m going to pay close attention…

•

Good decisions result from a process of sensible thinking, but may not result in good outcomes every time. (Example of deciding the best weather for your beach party.)

•

How would you decide which cell phone to buy when there are so many choices, models, features and prices?

•

If you make the wrong decision, it is unlikely to have terrible consequences. But what about more difficult decisions where making the wrong choice could lead to serious problems, injury or accidents? You won’t be able to reverse the decision, so you want to make sure you think through the decision carefully and that the information on which you base your decision is reliable.

•

Any decision comes at a cost: you spend your energy, thinking, money and time trying to make the best decision.



Transparency 1 page ii

PURPOSE the reason for doing something: the goal or aim you want to achieve RELIABILITY the extent to which you can trust that the information is true and accurate COMPROMISES when 2 people want opposite things, but then agree to accept a changed outcome that satisfies both people. For example, a curio seller asks the tourist R100 for the carved giraffe. The tourist offers R70. They both agree after some bargaining to settle on R85. ALTERNATIVES a different choice, a substitute RESOURCES the abilities, skills, available tools and assets that enable you to do something

choice All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Unit 7.2 Transparency 2

STEPS IN DECISION MAKING THE PRICE PROCESS Whatever decision you make, it comes with a cost – you spend your time, energy, resources, talents, concentration, thoughts, and actions into making a good decision that will have a high probability of leading to good consequences. This is likely to make you “feel good” (anticipated reward). In other words, you adopt the PRICE decision-making process, invest in the process and that raises the probability of a favourable outcome. Here is the 5-step process you can follow in making a wise decision about a possible action: IDENTIFY THE PURPOSE OF THE ACTION Ask: “Why do I want to do it?” or “Why don’t I want to do it?”

IDENTIFY THE RISKS, POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES AND PROBABILITIES Ask: “What are all the possible (realistic) consequences?” “What are their probabilities?” And hence, “what are the risks?” ASSESS THE RELIABILITY OF YOUR INFORMATION Ask: “Is my information reliable?” CONSIDER COMPROMISES, AND CREATE ALTERNATIVES Ask: “How else could I use my time, energy, resources, talents and opportunities?” ENJOY THE FEELING OF HAVING DECIDED WELL



Unit 7.2 Learning Activity 1 | Decision Making

Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Read through the following 4 possible situations (scenarios2). Choose one that you think is most relevant to your own situation and then follow the 5 steps in the decision-making process that will help you reach a sound and informed decision. Write your answers to the questions in the blank space provided. Scenario: 1.

You are spending the night with a friend. After the parents go to bed, your friend suggests getting some brandy from the cupboard and seeing what it's like to get drunk. How do you decide what to do?

2.

You are new to the school. A classmate you meet starts talking about using drugs. Then he asks if you want to go over to his house and smoke some dagga. How do you decide what to do?

3.

You are at a party and most of your friends are smoking. Someone says to you, “Come on, try one. It's no big deal.” How do you decide what to do?

4.

A group of neighbourhood youngsters invite you to join them in playing “chicken” in the road. How do you decide what to do?

Scenario number:

Steps

Write your answers to the questions in here:

IDENTIFY THE purpose OF THE ACTION Answer the following: “What are my reasons for thinking about doing the action?” “Why do I want to do it?” or “Why don’t I want to do it?” (the rewards) “Why does this action matter to me?”

IDENTIFY THE RISKS, POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES AND PROBABILITIES Answer the following: “What are my chances of an outcome that benefits not only me, but others as well?” “What will it cost me?” (i.e. how much of my time, energy and resources will I have to use?”

2

Adapted from Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescents, p. 93.



What are all the possible (realistic) consequences?” “What are the probabilities of them happening?” Think through the various options of “What if ?” “How can I reduce the risk of a bad outcome?”

ASSESS THE RELIABILITY OF YOUR INFORMATION Ask yourself: “Is my information complete?” “Is my information reliable?” “What additional information do I need?”

CONSIDER COMPROMISES AND CREATE ALTERNATIVES Ask yourself: “How else could I use my time, energy, resources, talents and opportunities?” “Can I develop other reasons for engaging in the action?” “By engaging in the risky behaviour, how do I compensate (pay back) others who may be at risk as a result of my action?” “By not engaging in the risk behaviour, how will I reward myself?”

ENJOY THE FEELING OF HAVING DONE WELL

Write your final decision here:

Having invested in the decision making process, enjoy the reward of knowing you have acted wisely (even if you can’t always fully control the outcomes!)



UNIT 7.3

unit 7.3

Overview of Grade 7 unit on “Taking Risks Wisely”

Unit


Unit 2


UNIT 3

Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour Different forms of gambling

Unit 4

How gambling works – coins and dice

Unit 5


AT THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: •

Know how to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour

•

Explain why the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled

•

Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem

•

Know where to seek help for a gambling problem

LEARNING OUTCOMES: •

To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health.

•

To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world.

ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: •

Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling).

•

Describe strategies for living with diseases (and other problematic consequences of high-risk behaviour).

•

Evaluate influences in personal lifestyle choices and propose appropriate responses for managing high-risk behaviour responsibly.

•

Demonstrate and reflect on decision-making skills.

BY THE END OF THIS UNIT, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: •

Define what gambling is

•

Describe different forms of gambling

•

Understand that gambling involves rewards, risks and consequences

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Gambling

•

Gaming

•

Betting

•

Lotteries

•

Consequences

RESOURCES FOR UNIT 7.3: •

Transparency 1

•

Transparency 2

•

Comic book

•

Learning Activity 1

•

Learning activity sheet with teacher’s notes



STEP 1

Introduce the notion of gambling to learners. Reinforce the notion of decision-making as a process. Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Put up Transparency 2. The main aim of the transparency is for learners to see that there are a number of different forms of gambling. What they all have in common is that the person betting risks an amount of money (or something else of value) on a game whose outcome is uncertain and whose outcome cannot be known beforehand. In other words, there is a probability of a favourable outcome, but also a probability of an unfavourable outcome. We can't know beforehand what the outcome will be. That's why gambling involves taking risks.

STEP 3

Ask learners to team up in pairs of two. Hand each pair a copy of the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Allow the class 10 minutes to read through the comic book.

STEP 4

Hand out to each pair a copy of Learning Activity Sheet 1. Allow about 10 minutes for learners to complete the sheet.

STEP 5

If there is time, go through the answers with the learners. See Learning Activity Sheet 1 with Teacher's Notes. Take in the completed sheet for possible inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio.

synthesising

enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:



orientating Background understanding of gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour. Just as with the other forms of risk-taking behaviour, gambling involves rewards, consequences and risks. The same PRICE decision-making process can be applied to gambling as to other forms of risk-taking behaviour. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: In the previous two units, learners got to know about risky behaviour and how to make sensible decisions about choices that involve risk. No-one can guarantee the outcome of a decision, but following the PRICE process of decision-making, learners can apply the method in order to reduce the probability of bad outcomes, or to increase the probability of good outcomes. Before applying the PRICE decision-making process to gambling (unit 7.5) learners first need to know what gambling is, and how they can start to calculate some of the probabilities of the outcomes. STEP 1 Introduce the notion of gambling to learners. Reinforce the notion of decision-making as a process. Put up Transparency 1. For example, say to the learners:

“

In the last two units we looked at risk-taking behaviour and at a way of how you can make responsible decisions when you are faced with choices that involve risk, that means a probability of a bad outcome.

•

What are some examples of risk-taking behaviour?

Ask:

(Invite the class to give some examples of risk-taking behaviour dealt with in the previous units. Examples could include unhealthy eating habits, unsafe sex, drinking, smoking and taking drugs, playing “chicken”, etc) Ask:

•

Why do we think these kinds of behaviour are risky?

(Encourage answers that link risk-taking behaviour to rewards [the “feel good” motivation] to uncertain consequences that have a probability of leading to a lasting problem or accident or addiction.) So, people engage in risky behaviour because it makes them feel good and it has anticipated rewards. However, there is a probability that the outcome will not be favourable or even that the outcome is a lasting problem or accident. Ask:

• •

Do you think playing a friendly game of soccer with your friends is risky behaviour? What are the likely consequences?

Playing a friendly game of soccer with your mates is not a form of risky behaviour since, although it makes you feel good (it has rewards), there is little chance that you will endanger your health, lose a lot of money, get injured, or develop an addiction as a result. Ask:

• • •

But, what if you were to say to a player from the opposite team, “If you win this game, I will pay you R100; but if we win this game, you will have to pay me R100”? Is this a form of risky behaviour? How would you feel if you won? (Happy) How would you feel if you lost? (Angry, unhappy and disappointed)

(Prompt learners to see that although the outcome may be favourable - they may win - it is still risky because the outcome is uncertain and they are likely to lose a substantial amount of money.)



When we risk money (or something of value, like a CD or iPod or favourite pair of trainers) on an activity whose outcome is uncertain, we call this gambling.. Ask the class:

•

Why do you think people want to gamble and risk losing something of value?

People gamble because they hope to get a favourable outcome, e.g. more money, or something else of value. Let's have a closer look at what gambling is.

“

STEP 2

Put up Transparency 2. The main aim of the transparency is for learners to see that there are a number of different forms of gambling. What they all have in common is that the person betting risks an amount of money (or something else of value) on a game whose outcome is uncertain and whose outcome cannot be known beforehand. In other words, there is a probability of a favourable outcome, but also a probability of an unfavourable outcome. We can't know beforehand what the outcome will be. That's why gambling involves taking risks.

enhancing After discussing different forms of gambling, allow learners to identify different forms of gambling in the comic, and to link the examples to their relevant rewards and consequences.. STEP 3 Ask learners to team up in pairs of two. Hand each pair a copy of the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Allow the class 10 minutes to read through the comic book.

synthesising Using the comic book as a reference, learners are required to consolidate their knowledge of risk-taking behaviour, rewards, consequences and probabilities. The learning activity in unit 7.3 is aimed at getting learners to see that although Joe anticipates a certain outcome (lots of money!), a different actual outcome happens (he loses all his money). The exercise deepens learners' understanding of risk and forms the base for the next unit that further explores the probabilities in Joe's dice tossing gambling games. (Once learners know the probabilities of dice and coin games, they shouldn't be surprised that Joe keeps losing - they can calculate that the probability of Joe winning is low.) STEP 4 Hand out to each pair a copy of Learning Activity Sheet 1. Allow about 10 minutes for learners to complete the sheet.

STEP 5 If there is time, go through the answers with the learners. See Learning Activity Sheet with Teacher's Notes. Take in the completed sheet for possible inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio. In order to use the unit 7.3 as a basis for unit 7.4, get learners to think about the notion of probability again. Say to the class, for example: Page 4 | Unit 7.2 | Grade 7


“

You've seen that Joe's gambling has landed him in all sorts of trouble with his mother, his employer and with his best friend.

•

So, why does Joe think he can make money from gambling when he keeps losing money?

Ask:

In the next unit, we'll learn something that Joe doesn't know: that the probability of winning in coin tossing and dice is very low. If Joe had learnt how to calculate probability, maybe he wouldn't have been so foolish as to think that he could get rich from gambling.

“




Hi there, it’s Joe again. I know all about risky behaviour, and boy, did it land me in trouble.

• Risky behaviour has rewards (it makes you “feel good”), but it can also have consequences that have a probability of leading to a problem or accident or addiction. In other words, people engage in risky behaviour, hoping for a good outcome, but it’s also possible (depending on the probability) that a bad outcome may result. • Is playing a friendly game of soccer with a friend a form of risk behaviour? Why or why not? • Imagine taking a R100 bet with your friend that Chiefs will win the soccer game. (That is, if Chiefs win, he must pay you R100. But if they don’t win, you must pay him R100.) Is this a form of risky behaviour? Why? Why not? • When we risk money (or something of value) on an activity whose outcome is uncertain, we call this gambling. People gamble because they hope to get a favourable outcome, e.g. more money, or something else of value.




WHAT IS GAMBLING?

Gambling involves the staking* of money or items of value on the outcome of an uncertain event whose outcome cannot

be known beforehand.

* “staking” means the same as “betting” or putting a certain amount of money at risk Different forms of gambling: Gaming:

where items of value are exchanged, based on the outcome of a game. Examples: cards, dice, roulette, internet gambling games, electronic gaming devices, as well as “fafi”, “ukudlala ngemali” (Zulu for “gambling”), “itoti”, mochina, finderfinder, pexing, macociso, etc.

Betting:

where bets are placed on the outcome of an event, race or sporting contest. Examples: a soccer game, boxing match, horse racing, snooker or pool games, coin spinning, or even a private bet between individuals on how something will turn out.

Lotteries:

where winning bets are determined by a “lucky draw”. Examples: raffles, lottery tickets, scratch-and-win tickets.



Unit 7.3 Learning Activity Sheet Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour. Write down your and your partner's names: ____________________________________________________________________ Read the comic book “Chances Are” with the story of Joe. Then, with your partner, fill in the form: Write down the activities Joe gambles on:

What are the outcomes Joe hopes for?

What are the actual outcomes?

p3:

p4:

p5/6:

p7:

p12

You'll see that the more Joe gambles, the less he gets the outcomes he hopes for. In other words, what Joe hopes will be his outcomes are different from the actual outcomes. Maybe if Joe knew how to calculate a measure of the chance of the actual outcomes, known as probability, he wouldn't have gambled. If he had known the probabilities, he would have known that it was likely that he'd lose. (In the next unit we'll have a close look at how to calculate probabilities.) All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Unit 7.3 Learning Activity sheet (With Teacher's notes)

Gambling as a form of risk-taking behaviour. Read the comic book “Chances Are” with the story of Joe. Write down the activities Joe gambles on:

What are the outcomes Joe hopes for?

What are the actual outcomes?

p3: Game of dice

That he'll win money

He wins money


He wins money


He loses all his money

That he'll win back all

He continues to lose money,

the money he's lost

even the money he steals

p4: Betting on a game of soccer p5/6: Game of dice p7: Many games of dice

from his mother p12: Nine lives

He hopes he'll win back

???

(Often the name of a gambling

enough money to pay back

(What do you think Joe's

house which offers dice, cards

Sister Bucks as well

chances are of winning?)

and slot machine gambling)

as all the money he's lost

Then, with your partner, fill in the form: You'll see that the more Joe gambles, the less he gets the outcomes he hopes for. In other words, what Joe hopes will be his outcomes are different from the actual probabilities of the actual outcomes. Maybe if Joe knew how to calculate a measure of the chance of the actual outcomes known as probability, he wouldn't have gambled at those times. If he had known the probabilities, he would have known that it was likely that he'd lose. (In the next unit we'll have a close look at how to calculate probabilities.)



UNIT 7.4

unit 7.4


Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


UNIT 4


Unit 5




•


•


•


LEARNING OUTCOMES: • To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. •


ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling). •


•

Evaluate influences in personal lifestyle choices and propose appropriate responses for managing high-risk behaviour responsibly.

•



Describe the difference between games of skill and games of chance

•

Understand that in games of chance no inside knowledge or experience or skill will help determine the outcome.

•

Express awareness that coin tossing and dice games are games of chance.

•

Recognize that chance always influences the outcome in games of chance

•

Calculate the different probabilities of outcomes in games of chance.

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Games of chance and games of skill

•

Probability

•

Coin tossing

•

Dice


Transparency 1

•

Transparency 2

•

Learning Activity Sheet 1

•

Coins and 4 or 5 pairs of dice (to be supplied by the teacher)

•

Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet



enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Get learners to distinguish between games of skill and games of chance. Put up Transparency 1. Fill in the number of learners who think the listed games are games of chance or games of skill. Complete the task in about 5 minutes. (If you are short of time, leave out step 1 and go directly to step 2.)

STEP 2

Remind the learners about the different forms of gambling, e.g. lotteries, dice, horse race betting and poker playing. Introduce the notion that all forms of gambling involve chance, and that some forms of gambling in addition to chance, involve an element of skill. Put up Transparency 2.

STEP 3

Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 learners Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 1.

synthesising

Ask learners to take out a coin for the coin tossing exercises. Hand out a pair of dice to each group for the dice rolling exercises. Allow about 30 minutes for the activity. If there is not enough time, learners can complete the activity for homework.

STEP 4

Go through the answers using the Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet. Stick the completed sheets on the wall. Leave the sheets up for a few days. Allow 10 minutes for this task.



orientating After identifying different forms of gambling, introduce the notion of “skill” and “chance”. Learners need to understand that there are games, like playing tennis or chess, that involve skill and where, usually, you can predict with a fair amount of certainty that the more skilful player will win. But in most gambling, the outcome is much more uncertain. All forms of gambling involve chance and uncertainty. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: The expanded definition of gambling offered by the Australian Psychological Society which was given in the previous unit (i.e. “gambling involves the staking of money or items of value on the outcome of an uncertain event whose outcome cannot be known beforehand”) includes “speculation”1 , but for our purposes this broadens the definition too much. Our emphasis here is on games of chance, marketed as entertainment, and sold by commercial ventures (or governments, in the case of Lottos) for profit. So, in the units that follow, we regard gambling as stimulating entertainment that involves risking money or valuables on a game, contest or event where the outcome of the game or event cannot be known beforehand by those placing their bets. STEP 1 Get learners to distinguish between games of skill and games of chance. Put up Transparency 1 and first ask learners to put up their hands if they think the example is a game of chance. Count the number of hands and write it in the column under “chance”. Then ask learners to put up their hands if they think it's a game of skill. Write the number of hands that were put up in the column under “skill”. Complete the task in about 5 minutes.

“ •

Ask:

How do games of chance differ from games of skill?

The point of this quick activity is to get learners to see that there are differences, but that it's not always clear what makes something a game of chance rather than a game of skill. The next transparency starts to explain the reason for the difference. (Encourage answers that link risk-taking behaviour to rewards [the “feel good” motivation] to uncertain consequences that have a probability of leading to a lasting problem or accident or addiction.)

enhancing

“

Once learners see that different games involve different levels of chance or skill, they should begin to understand the reason for the difference. The outcomes of some games are determined entirely by chance, whereas the outcomes of other games involve a level of skill. All forms of gambling, however, involve chance and uncertainty. STEP 2 Ask learners to name some forms of gambling. (If they can't remember, remind them of the different kinds of gambling that Joe in the comic book participated in.) General examples can include: lotteries, dice, horse race betting and poker playing. Prompt learners to give a definition of gambling. (They discussed it in unit 7.3) Introduce the notion that all forms of gambling involve chance, and that some forms of gambling in addition to chance, involve an element of skill. Put up Transparency 2. Say, for example:

1

See Australian Psychological Society's website: http://www.psychology.org.au/



“

Ask:

•

Do you think that winning the final tennis game at Wimbledon, or winning the gold medal for the 100 meter race in the Olympics, takes skill?

•

What could you do to improve your chances of winning the 100 meter race?

(Allow learners to identify the preparation and training that is needed to win in such a contest, the hard work, the talent to play the game well, the proper diet, etc.) So, in order to stand a good chance of winning at Wimbledon or in the Olympics you need to work hard, train properly, develop skills, etc. These are things you can control to a certain extent. We call such games, games of skill. Now, what about Joe and his dice games? Joe thought that the more he played, the better he would become. But what actually happened? Joe did not become a “more skilful gambler” the more he played. In fact, the more he played, the more money he lost. Ask:

•

Why didn't Joe become more skilful at gambling the more he played?

That is because gambling involves games of chance. That is, you cannot know for certain what the outcome will be beforehand, no matter how “skilled” you think you may be. We say that the outcome of a game of chance is uncertain. Examples of such forms of gambling include: slot machines, lotteries, scratch tickets, coin tossing, dice throwing, roulette and fafi. The above covers most forms of gambling and the games don't involve skill or “inside knowledge”. All gambling involves chance and therefore the outcomes of gambling are uncertain. However, there are some forms of gambling where the skill of a player can increase his or her probability of winning. Ask:

•

Who do you think is more likely to guess correctly the outcome of a horse race? A person who knows nothing about horses and jockeys, or the person who has closely studied the past performance of each horse and of all the jockeys? Why?

•

Is the more skilled person guaranteed to guess correctly and win? Why not?

•

Does the best soccer player always score a goal?

There are some forms of gambling that involve skill and knowledge in being able to guess correctly or predict the right outcome. Examples of these are: poker playing and sports betting. For example, knowing the history of the sports team and its players, or knowing the pedigree and past performance of the horse may help you make an “informed” bet, one that stands a good probability of winning. However, even with lots of background information, the gambler still takes a chance, since she or he cannot be certain about the outcome. So, outcomes may be predicted correctly, but cannot be predicted with certainty! Not even the very best soccer player scores a goal every time; the horse with a winning record may be frightened by a bird that swoops down and causes it to stumble. And even games, like poker, which do involve skill still have an element of chance and therefore of uncertainty. Poker players can't know which cards they will be dealt, and even if they are trying to count cards (i.e. tracking the relationship between the high-value cards and the low-value cards, and who has played which cards), this requires skill. Ask learners to fill in the blanks:

i)

In a game of __________, you cannot know beforehand what the outcome will be.

ii)

In a game of chance, there is a __________ level of uncertainty of what the outcome will be.

iii)

In a game of skill, the more skilled player has a ____________ probability of determining or correctly guessing the outcome (and thus of winning).

iv)

In a game of skill, the less skilful player has a ____________ probability of correctly guessing the outcome (and thus of winning).



v)

Even a skilled player cannot know or determine with ____________ what the outcome of a game will be.

vi)

Because there is always uncertainty about the outcome, gambling is a form of _____________ behaviour.

(Answers: i) chance; ii) high; iii) higher, better; iv) lower; v) certainty; vi) risk-taking, risky.) Outcomes may be predicted correctly, but not with certainty! People who base their predictions of the outcome on omens or signals that appear in dreams, as for example in fafi, cannot know with certainty what the outcome will be. Even if they think that the ancestors know what the outcome is, the gamblers can only guess and hope that they have interpreted the signals correctly. Ask:

•

Why do you think basing your predictions on dreams is not guaranteed to get you a favourable outcome?

So, in summary, games of skill involve a person's intelligence, experience, knowledge and ability. Examples of games of skill would be chess, snooker, tennis, certain video games, and even some card games like poker. However, there is always an element of chance and luck; you could perhaps win at chess if you are lucky enough to play a grandmaster distracted by indigestion! Games of chance, like lottery tickets, do not involve skill. Even with practice, players don't become better. If they have won in the past, that does not mean they will win again in the future. Other examples of games of chance are slot machines, dice, coin spinning, and raffles. Gambling always involves chance and so there is always uncertainty about what the outcome will be. That is why gambling is a form of risk-taking. Ask:

•

So, what makes gambling different from, say, going to a movie?

(Prompt responses that recognize that going to a movie doesn't involve risking money or something of value on an uncertain outcome which cannot be known beforehand.)

Gambling is a stimulating entertainment that involves risking money or valuables on a game, contest or event where the outcome of the game or event cannot be known beforehand by those placing their bets.

“

synthesising

Consolidate learners' understanding of the uncertainty of outcomes in a game of chance, like of coin tossing and dice playing, by getting them to record the outcomes themselves. The aim of the activity is to get learners to see that there is no certainty of correctly predicting the outcome and thus of winning a game of coin tossing or dice. The main message in this activity is: the less you can control the outcome, the less chance you have of winning (or put differently, the higher the probability of losing and the lower the probability of winning). STEP 3 Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 learners. Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 1. Ask learners to take out a coin for the coin tossing exercises. Hand out a pair of dice to each group for the dice rolling exercises. Allow about 30 minutes for the activity. STEP 4 Go through the answers using the Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet. Stick the completed sheets on the wall so that learners can see that in every group, the outcomes were unpredictable. Leave the sheets up for a few days.




Games of chance and games of skill

Which of the following games do you think involve lots of skill in determining the outcome of the game, and which are purely a matter of chance? Game Winning Winning Winning Winning Winning

Chance or skill? a game of snakes and ladders? the Lottery? the 100 metre sprint race? a game of poker? at a game of dice?

So, what makes winning some games a matter of skill and some a matter of chance? To bet on the outcome of a game is a form of risk-taking because you are staking something of value (like money) on the chance of receiving more than you originally staked. But, there is also a good chance that you will lose your stake completely. Some people (like Joe) believe that if you are a skilful gambler, or have “inside information” that the probability of winning is higher. But even in games of skill, you cannot be certain of the outcome. Let's have a closer look at chance and uncertainty.



Unit 7.4 Transparency 2 page i

Yes, it’s me, Joe again. After winning at dice, I thought that I was a skilful player and could make lots of money. I didn’t know that dice is a game of chance.

•

Games of skill: The outcomes of Olympic races, sports games, chess, singing competitions, etc are determined mainly by skills. That is, the more skilled player or athlete has a higher chance of winning. An actual measure of this chance is known as a probability.

•

How do you become a better player so as to win at games of skill? Through lots of hard work, practice, dedication, exercise, and talent. You can therefore, to an extent, control the outcome of the game. The more skilful a tennis player you are, the higher the probability that you can place the ball where your opponent can’t hit it, and so the higher the probability that you will win the game.

•

Do you think that even the most skilful soccer player is guaranteed of scoring a goal each time? We know that the skilful, fit player will have an impact on the outcome of the game, but luck also plays some part. If it didn’t, there wouldn’t be much excitement in watching the game because then the result would never be a surprise!



Transparency 2 page ii

• Games of chance: The outcome of gambling games such as dice, coin tossing, lotteries, scratch tickets, roulette, are determined entirely by chance. In games of chance you cannot determine what the outcome will be. • How do you become a better player so as to win at games of chance? You can’t! Since no matter how “skilful” you are at betting, or how much “inside information” you have, you cannot know beforehand what the outcome can be. This is because you cannot control the process that determines the outcome. • Gambling games that involve chance (or luck) and some skill: For example, poker playing and sports betting. Even so, however, there is still a high degree of luck (or chance) involved since you cannot control which cards you’ll be dealt, or what a horse or sports team may do.

Outcomes may be predicted correctly, but not with certainty! Gambling is stimulating entertainment that involves risking money or valuables on a game, contest or event where the outcome of the game or event cannot be known beforehand by those placing their bets.



Transparency 2 page iiii

Fill in the blanks: •

In a game of __________, you cannot know beforehand what the outcome will be.

•

In a game of chance, there is a ___________ level of uncertainty of what the outcome will be.

•

In a game of skill, the more skilled player has a ____________ probability of determining or correctly guessing the outcome (and thus of winning).

•

In a game of skill, the less skilful player has a ____________ probability of correctly guessing the outcome (and thus of winning).

•

Even a skilled player cannot know or determine with ____________ what the outcome of a game will be.

•

Because there is always uncertainty about the outcome, gambling is a form of _____________ behaviour.



Unit 7.4 Learning Activity Sheet

Chance and probability – coins and dice Fill in the names of your group members: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ You may ask, “What is the probability of my correctly predicting the outcome, and thus of winning?” In your group, do the following exercises to find out the probability of winning or losing. Heads or tails? (Coins have a “head” side – the side with the South African emblem or coat of arms – and a “tail” side – the side with the amount written on it and the picture of a flower or animal.) 1.

Use one coin for the following exercise. Toss a coin in the air. Write down the result on the line below. Now, toss it 5 more times and after each toss, write down the result. (H = “heads”; T = “tails”) _________

2.

__________

___________

___________

__________

__________

Before tossing the coin again, each person in the group must guess beforehand whether a “head” or “tail” will come up in the next three throws. Write your own three guesses in the three lines below (H = “heads”; T = “tails”): Your guesses

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must toss the coin. Write down the actual side that comes up in the three throws. Actual result 3.

_______

_______

_______

Look at the previous results above. Now, once again, guess the results of the next three tosses. Write down your own guess on the lines below: Your guesses

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must toss the coin. Write down the actual side that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

4.

How many people in your group guessed correctly for both rounds?

5.

There are 2 sides to a coin, therefore there are only two possible outcomes: heads or tails: Heads

Tails

Play a game in which you can bet only one outcome (Heads or Tails). Write down which outcome you wish to bet on:

Your chances of winning are therefore: _________________ (Hint: divide your 1 predicted outcome by the number of possible outcomes.) 6.

Note why you think coin tossing is a game of skill (the more skilful player is better able to determine the outcome) or a game of chance (it’s all just luck)?



Dice throwing As a group, complete the following: 1.

Use one die (one die, two dice) for the following exercise. Before rolling the die, each person in the group must guess beforehand what three numbers will come up in the next three throws. Write your own three guesses in the three lines below (any number from 1 to 6): Your guess

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must throw the die. Write down the actual number that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

How many of your guesses were correct? _________________________ 2.

Now repeat the game but this time, instead of one die, use two dice. Before rolling the dice, guess the sum of the numbers that you think will come up in the next three throws. Write your three guesses in the three lines below (This will be any number from 2 to 12). Your guess

_______

_______

_______

Once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must throw the dice. Write down the actual sum of numbers that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

How many of your guesses were correct? ______________ 3.

In dice throwing, using one die, there are 6 possible outcomes. What are they?

But you can choose only one option. Your chances of correctly guessing the number are therefore: 1 chance in _______ (Hint: you can choose only 1 number, but there are 6 numbers on a die, therefore 6 possible choices.) 4.

Here are all the possible ways in which a pair of dice can fall: Die 1

Die 2

1:1

1:2

1:3

1:4

1:5

1:6

2:1

2:2

2:3

2:4

2:5

2:6

3:1

3:2

3:3

3:4

3:5

3:6

4:1

4:2

4:3

4:4

4:5

4:6

5:1

5:2

5:3

5:4

5:5

5:6

6:1

6:2

6:3

6:4

6:5

6:6

How many possible ways can the dice fall in total: ___________ (Or put differently, how many possible outcomes are there in total?)



5.

Write down all the possible ways (combination of two numbers) in which you can roll a sum of 7, using a pair of dice: _______

_______

_______

_______

_______

_______

(Hint: look at the table above and count all the various ways in which two numbers can add up to 7.) 6.

What is the probability of your throwing a sum of 7 from two dice? _______________ (Hint: Divide the total number of possible ways the numbers from two dice can fall so that they add up to 7 by the total possible number of ways that the two dice can fall to give any sum at all.)

7.

Write down all the possible ways (combination of two numbers) in which you can roll a total of 10, using a pair of dice: _______

_______

_______

(Hint: look at the table above and count all the various ways in which two numbers can add up to 10. There are 3 different ways of throwing a sum of 10.) 8.

What is the probability of your throwing a total of 10 from two dice? _______________ (Hint: Divide the total number of possible ways the numbers from two dice can fall so that they add up to 10 by the total possible number of ways that the two dice can fall to give any sum at all.)

9.

Let’s imagine that you bet on a “10”. Now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome (the sum of the two dice):

10.

Let’s continue to imagine that you bet again on a “10”. But, now blow hard on the dice before throwing them again. Write down the actual outcome:

11.

You bet again on a “10”. But now, roll the dice softly when you throw them. Write down the actual outcome:

12.

Now, based on the previous two outcomes, make a prediction about what the next sum will be when you roll the dice. Your prediction: Actual outcome:

13.

Write down all the possible combinations in which you can roll a sum of 12, using a pair of dice: _____________

14.

What is the probability of your throwing a 12 with two dice? _______

15.

You bet on a “12”. Now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome (the sum of the two dice):

16.

You bet again on a “12”. But, before you roll the dice, concentrate hard on a 12, visualize the number 12 – now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome:

17.

You bet again on a “12”. But now, let the person who is feeling lucky throw the dice. Write down the actual outcome:



18.

Now, try 5 more times to get a “12”. Actual outcome 1: Actual outcome 2: Actual outcome 3: Actual outcome 4: Actual outcome 5:

19.

Do you think you can control the outcome of a game of dice? _________________ Can you predict with certainty what the outcome will be? ___________________ Are there some numbers that have a higher probability of appearing (i.e. a higher number of different ways in which the number can fall) than others? ____________

Is dice throwing a game of chance or a game of skill ? Why?___________________________________________________________________________________

THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO OR THINK OR BELIEVE THAT WILL BRING ABOUT YOUR DESIRED RESULT. DICE IS A GAME OF PURE CHANCE!! AS ARE SLOT MACHINES AND COIN TOSSING.



Unit 7.4 Completed Teacher’s Learning Activity Sheet

Chance and probability – coins and dice (The answers to the questions are in red.) You may ask, “What is the probability of my correctly predicting the outcome, and thus of winning?” In your group, do the following exercises to find out the probability of winning or losing. (If there is not enough time in class to complete the activity, learners can complete it at home for homework. A copy of the answer sheet can be handed out to learners once they have completed the task.) Heads or tails? (Coins have a “head” side – the side with the South African emblem or coat of arms – and a “tail” side – the side with the amount written on it and the picture of a flower or animal.) 1.

Use one coin for the following exercise. Toss a coin in the air. Write down the result on the line below. Now, toss it 5 more times and after each toss, write down the result. (H = “heads”; T = “tails”) _________

__________

___________

___________

__________

__________

(Learners fill in the actual results. Since these will differ from group to group, there is no need to go over the results for questions 1-4. The reason for their inclusion is to show learners that there is no certainty in being able to predict the correct outcome. Ask learners: What did you find when you compared your guesses with the actual outcome? Was it because you were skilful or merely lucky that you guessed correctly?) 2.

Before tossing the coin again, each person in the group must guess beforehand whether a “head” or “tail” will come up in the next three throws. Write your own three guesses in the three lines below (H = “heads”; T = “tails”): Your guess

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must toss the coin. Write down the actual side that comes up in the three throws. Actual result 3.

_______

_______

_______

Look at the previous results above. Now, once again, guess the results of the next three tosses. Write down your own guess on the lines below: Your guesses

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must toss the coin. Write down the actual side that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

4.

How many people in your group guessed correctly for both rounds?

5.

There are 2 sides to a coin, therefore there are only two possible outcomes: heads or tails: Heads

Tails

Play a game in which you can bet only one outcome (Heads or Tails). Write down which outcome you wish to bet on:

Your chances of winning are therefore: 1 in 2; or 1/2 , or 50% (Hint: divide your 1 predicted outcome by the number of possible outcomes.) Say: You can see that you cannot know for certain what the outcome will be. 6.

Note why you think coin tossing is a game of skill (the more skilful player is better able to determine the outcome) or a game of chance (it’s all just luck)? ____________________________________________________________ Say: Since you cannot know for certain what the outcome will be, coin tossing is a game of chance. Also, no matter how much you play, you don’t become more skilful at being able to predict the correct outcome.



Dice throwing As a group, complete the following: 1.

Use one die (one die, two dice) for the following exercise. Before rolling the die, each person in the group must guess beforehand what three numbers will come up in the next three throws. Write your own three guesses in the three lines below (any number from 1 to 6): Your guess

_______

_______

_______

Now, once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must throw the die. Write down the actual number that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

How many of your guesses were correct? _________________________ 2.

Now repeat the game but this time, instead of one die, use two dice. Before rolling the dice, guess the sum of the numbers that you think will come up in the next three throws. Write your three guesses in the three lines below (This will be any number from 2 to 12). Your guess

_______

_______

_______

Once you’ve written down your predictions, a person in the group must throw the dice. Write down the actual sum of numbers that comes up in the three throws. Actual result

_______

_______

_______

How many of your guesses were correct? ______________ Ask learners to look at whether predicted outcomes tended to differ from actual outcomes. If they differed, why do learners think they did? If they were the same, why do learners think they were the same? Was it a matter of skill or more of luck? 3.

In dice throwing, using one die, there are 6 possible outcomes. What are they?

1

2

3

4

5

6

But you can choose only one option. 1 chance in _ 6; or 1/6; or 16.6% (Hint: you can choose only 1 number, but there are 6 numbers on a die, therefore 6 possible choices.) 4.

Here are all the possible ways in which a pair of dice can fall: Die 1

Die 2

1:1

1:2

1:3

1:4

1:5

1:6

2:1

2:2

2:3

2:4

2:5

2:6

3:1

3:2

3:3

3:4

3:5

3:6

4:1

4:2

4:3

4:4

4:5

4:6

5:1

5:2

5:3

5:4

5:5

5:6

6:1

6:2

6:3

6:4

6:5

6:6

How many possible ways can the dice fall in total: 36 (count the number of blocks) (Or put differently, how many possible outcomes are there in total?)



5.

Write down all the possible ways (combination of two numbers) in which you can roll a sum of 7, using a pair of dice: (Hint: look at the table above and count all the various ways in which two numbers can add up to 7.) (1:6), (2:5), (3:4), (4:3), (5:2), (6:1) There are therefore 6 different ways in which you can get a sum of 7 with 2 dice.

6.

What is the probability of your throwing a sum of 7 from 2 dice? 6 in 36; or 6/36; or 1 in 6; or 1/6; or 16.6% (Hint: Divide the total number of possible ways the numbers from two dice can fall so that they add up to 7 (6) by the total possible number of ways that the two dice can fall to give any sum at all (36).)

7.

Write down all the possible ways (combination of two numbers) in which you can roll a total of 10, using a pair of dice: _______

_______

_______

(4:6) or (5:5) or (6:4) There are therefore 3 different ways in which 2 die can add up to 10. (Hint: look at the table above and count all the various ways in which two numbers can add up to 10. There are 3 different ways of throwing a sum of 10.) 8.

What is the probability of your throwing a total of 10 from two dice? _ 3 in 36; or 3/36; or 1 in 12; or 1/12; or 8.33% (Hint: Divide the total number of possible ways the numbers from two dice can fall so that they add up to 10 (3) by the total possible number of ways that the two dice can fall to give any sum at all (36).)

9.

Let’s imagine that you bet on a “10”. Now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome (the sum of the two dice):

10.

Let’s continue to imagine that you bet again on a “10”. But, now blow hard on the dice before throwing them again. Write down the actual outcome:

11.

You bet again on a “10”. But now, roll the dice softly when you throw them. Write down the actual outcome:

12.

Now, based on the previous two outcomes, make a prediction about what the next sum will be when you roll the dice. Your prediction: Actual outcome: Say: the exercise above shows that no matter what you do, whether you blow hard, or roll softly or base you guess on previous outcomes, it doesn’t increase your chances of predicting correctly.

13.

Write down all the possible combinations in which you can roll a sum of 12, using a pair of dice: _ (6:6) There is only 1 way in which a 12 can fall.

14.

What is the probability of your throwing a 12 with two dice? _ 1 in 36; or 1/36; or 2.7%

15.

You bet on a “12”. Now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome (the sum of the two dice):



16.

You bet again on a “12”. But, before you roll the dice, concentrate hard on a 12, visualize the number 12 – now roll the dice. Write down the actual outcome:

17.

You bet again on a “12”. But now, let the person who is feeling lucky throw the dice. Write down the actual outcome:

18.

Now, try 5 more times to get a “12”. Actual outcome 1: Actual outcome 2: Actual outcome 3: Actual outcome 4: Actual outcome 5:

19.

Do you think you can control the outcome of a game of dice? _ You cannot control the outcome in a game of chance. We’ll learn more about why this is so in Grade 8. Can you predict with certainty what the outcome will be? No, not with certainty, but when throwing two dice, some sums occur more often than others, that is, they have a higher probability of occurring. This is because there are more ways that the two dice can fall to sum to certain numbers than others. So, for example, there are six ways of getting a sum of 7, but only one way of getting a sum of 12.. Are there some numbers that have a higher probability of appearing (i.e. a higher number of different ways in which the number can fall) than others? Yes, a sum of 7 with two dice has a higher probability of appearing than a sum of 10; and a sum of 10 again has a higher probability of appearing than a sum of 12. Again, you might guess correctly, but you are much more likely to guess incorrectly. Is dice throwing a game of chance or a game of skill? Why? It’s a game of chance. We will see in Grade 8 why dice is a game of chance. In Grade 8 we will learn about “independent events” and “random numbers”, but for now it is enough for Grade 7 learners to say that dice is a game of chance because there is very little probability of correctly predicting the right outcome.

IT IS THEREFORE NOT SURPRISING THAT JOE, OUR COMIC BOOK CHARACTER, LOST MUCH MORE THAN HE WON!

THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO OR THINK OR BELIEVE THAT WILL BRING ABOUT YOUR DESIRED RESULT. DICE IS A GAME OF PURE CHANCE!! AS ARE SLOT MACHINES AND COIN TOSSING



UNIT 7.5

unit 7.5


Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


Unit 4


UNIT 5




•


•


•




•



Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling).

•


•

Evaluate influences in personal lifestyle choices and propose appropriate responses for managing high risk behaviour responsibly.

•



Recognize the warning signals of a potential gambling problem

•

Know where to go for help if they or someone they know has a gambling problem

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Warning signals

•

Problem gambler or problem gambling

•

Counselling help line


Transparency 1

•

Comic book “Chances Are”

•

Learning Activity

•

Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet

•

Transparency 2

•

Transparency 3



STEPS IN THE UNIT: STEP 1

Introduce the notion of “warning signals” of risk-taking behaviour.

orientating

Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Group the learners into pairs. Hand out the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Hand out Learning Activity Sheet.

synthesising

enhancing

Allow about 20 minutes for this activity.

STEP 3

Once the learners have completed the activity, invite responses from the class. See the Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet for possible answers.

STEP 4

Introduce the list of warning signals by linking Joe's gambling problem to other forms of risky behaviour. Many of the descriptions on the list of Transparency 2 could also act as warning signals for other kinds of problem, like excessive drinking of alcohol, and drug abuse.

STEP 5

Put up Transparency 2 and take the learners through the list.

STEP 6

Put up Transparency 3 to tell learners where they can go if they or someone they know has a gambling problem.

orientating It is unlikely that learners in Grade 7 themselves have a gambling problem, but it is likely that they know of someone, maybe a close friend or family member, who does. It is therefore important that learners are able to recognize the warning signals of possible gambling problems and should know where they can go to seek help. Since gambling is a form of risk-taking behaviour, the notion of “warning signs” is key to other potential behavioural problems, like drinking and drug abuse. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: Most people who gamble enjoy it and manage to control their buying of gambling pleasure. However, there are those for whom too much gambling can lead to serious trouble. In extreme cases, it can become an addiction and can ruin the lives of the gamblers as well as harm those close to them. Since we don't yet know much about problem gambling, it is wise to make safety a priority by developing an awareness of signs that may warn a person who is at risk of developing a gambling problem. Page 2 | Unit 7.5 | Grade 7


Psychological studies have shown that when people are rewarded every now and then in an unpredictable pattern, they develop a strong persistence to keep on with the activity. In poker machines, this factor (i.e. that players have a win from time to time) can lead a person to keep playing until all their money is gone. Irregular winnings or payouts cause some gamblers to think they can predict with certainty when the next payout or win will occur, but in games of chance this is impossible to do. The poker machine's lights and the music it plays when a player gets credits encourage the person to keep on playing, making it even harder to stop. Studies have shown (e.g., Frankel, 2006) that those youth who are vulnerable to problem gambling, are mainly those with poor education and lack of employment opportunities, some psychological problems and socio-economic disadvantage in general. Gupta and Derevensky's (1998) research suggests that adolescent problem gamblers are more likely to be extroverted, anxious, have lower self-discipline, are less able to conform and have poor coping and adaptive skills. STEP 1 Put up Transparency 1 Introduce the notion of “warning signals” of risk-taking behaviour by saying something like:

“

Remember Joe from the comic book? When we first met him, he was a regular school boy. By the end of the comic, he is in serious trouble. Ask:

•

How would knowing about risk-taking behaviour have helped Joe?

Maybe if Joe had known that gambling is a form of risk-taking behaviour, and maybe if he had known how to make responsible decisions about how to handle this risk better, he would not be in such trouble. You, as youth, are at a stage when you're starting to be drawn into adult forms of entertainment and to sample some new kinds of experiences. Ask:

• •

How does what you do now in your leisure time differ from what you did in primary school? Do you think it is healthy for people to explore new possibilities? What are some examples?

Exploring new possibilities is a healthy part of growing up. If people did not try new things, it is likely that they won't develop much. Certainly, the human race would not have survived if our ancestors hadn't been willing to explore! But at the same time that you are faced with lots of new possibilities, you are also required to make more and more decisions on your own. This is what makes certain forms of behaviour so risky - you are keen to try new things, but don't yet have the experience of knowing some of the serious consequences that some forms of action can lead to. Ask:

•

So, how can you deal sensibly with risk-taking behaviour and the temptation to try new things?

(Invite responses. If no-one can tell, prompt them by saying: We have already looked at one way in which you can manage risky behaviour. What is that? Remind them of the decision-making process PRICE -Purpose of action, Risks involved, Information, Compromises, and Enjoyment from knowing you've thought it through carefully - that will help them make informed, responsible decisions, thus minimizing the risks of creating a problem later on.) 1.

We have already looked at the PRICE decision-making process which is one way in which you can manage risktaking behaviour more responsibly.

2.

However, apart from having the skills to make informed and wise decisions, there is another way of minimizing the potential problems of risky behaviour:



Ask:

•

What might alert you, for example, to the risk that all those fatty hamburgers you have been eating are starting to create a health problem for you?

(Invite responses: prompt learners to recognize that the scale may show a serious weight increase; that they may be getting lots of pimples from the fatty burgers; that they have difficulty breathing, etc.) So, you can minimize the risk of a potential problem developing by being able to recognize the warning signs that you (or someone you know) is heading for trouble. Let's have a look at Joe again and see whether there are some warning signals that make us aware that he is heading for trouble, even if he doesn't know it himself!

“

STEP 2 Group the learners into pairs. Hand out the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 1. Allow about 20 minutes for this activity.

enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of the warning signals that go with many forms of risk-taking behaviour: the lack of selfdiscipline, the mistaken belief of being able to control the process, the increasing criminal activity, and the unwillingness to face up to the problem. STEP 3 Once the learners have completed the activity, invite some responses from the class. See the Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet for possible answers.

synthesising Once learners have discovered for themselves the warning signals that accompany Joe's risky behaviour and growing gambling problem, discuss the list of warning signals that point to problem behaviour in general. STEP 4 Introduce the list of warning signals by linking Joe's gambling problem to other forms of risky behaviour. Many of the descriptions on the list of Transparency 2 could also act as warning signals for other kinds of problems, like excessive drinking of alcohol, and drug abuse. Say something like:

“ • •

Ask:

What are some of the reasons why people gamble? Do you think that everyone who gambles is heading for serious trouble?

(Allow the class to offer various reasons for why someone might gamble. Some of the reasons are unlikely to lead to serious problems – for example, gambling for a bit of fun or to support the local running club fundraising event – but learners may offer other reasons that may be more likely to lead to a problem, e.g. people who gamble because they are determined to win the big jackpot.) People gamble for various reasons: to win money, to belong to a special group, to reduce boredom, to support a charity, to escape problems or get away from home, for entertainment, for a thrill, or because friends and family do. While most individuals don't take gambling that seriously or manage to stay in control of their gambling, for some people gambling becomes a problem.



Ask:

•

When do you think gambling might start developing into a problem?

(Highlight particularly responses that identify that gambling starts to become a problem when on a repeated basis more time or money or effort is being spent gambling than the person feels he or she can comfortably afford, and when the person cannot control or stick to his or her decision to set limits on gambling time and money. Learners should start to formulate a possible definition of “problem gambling”.) It's not always easy to know when someone is heading for trouble. Gambling can start out to be fun and then suddenly it becomes the most exciting thing for the individual. However, if more and more time (and money) is spent on gambling and less time enjoying sports, or other recreational activities, or just having fun with friends, this is a signal for concern. This is a warning signal that a problem may be developing! So we can say, that: Gambling becomes a problem when someone continues to gamble despite bad consequences. Problem gamblers on a repeated basis spend more time and money they can afford, and thereby neglect their other responsibilities (like school work or employment tasks), or damage the relationships that are important to them (e.g. with family or friends). So, how do we know if someone is heading for a problem? Let's have look at the warning signs, not just of problem gambling, but of other problems like substance abuse as well.

“

STEP 5 Put up Transparency 2 and take the learners through the list.

STEP 6 Put up Transparency 3 to tell learners where they can go if they or someone they know has a gambling problem.




Warning signals! •

Joe from the comic book is an ordinary school boy at the start of the comic, and in very deep trouble by the end of it.

•

You, like Joe, are at a stage when you're starting to be drawn into adult forms of entertainment and to sample some new kinds of experiences.

•

Do you think it is healthy for people to explore new possibilities? What are some examples?

•

Certain forms of behaviour involve serious risks for you. Can you think of what kinds of behaviour are “high-risk”?

•

You are keen to try new things, but don't yet have the experience of knowing some of the serious consequences that some forms of action can lead to.

•

So, how do you deal with high-risk behaviour and the temptation to try new things? 1. The decision-making process PRICE - Purpose of action, Risks involved, Information, Compromises, and Enjoyment of having chosen wisely - will help you make informed, responsible decisions, thus minimizing the risks of creating a problem later on.

•

What might alert you, for example, to the risk that all those fatty hamburgers you have been eating are starting to create a health problem for you? 2. Learn to see the warning signs that you or someone you know is heading for trouble.

•

Since we don't yet know much about problem gambling, it is wise to make safety a priority by developing an awareness of signs that may warn a person who is at risk of developing a gambling problem.



Unit 7.5 Learning Activity Sheet - Warning signals

Names:

Read the comic about Joe and his gambling again. On page 1, Joe is an ordinary school boy, but by the end of the comic, Joe is in serious trouble. How did he get there? Were there signs that he ought to have recognized as warnings that he might be developing a problem with gambling? Write down your responses to each of the questions and then with your partner, discuss your replies. 1.

What is the first sign that you think that Joe might be heading for a gambling problem?

2.

What further things does he do, or fail to do, which show that he is becoming a problem gambler?



Learning Activity Sheet - Warning signals

3.

What does Tiger recognize as a warning signal?

4.

How does Sister Buck encourage Joe, despite it being obvious that Joe is getting into serious debt?



Unit 7.5 I Completed Teacher's Learning Activity Sheet - Warning signals

Read the comic about Joe and his gambling again. On page 1, Joe is an ordinary school boy, but by the end of the comic, Joe is in serious trouble. How did he get there? Were there signs that he ought to have recognized as warnings that he might be developing a problem with gambling? Write down your responses to each of the questions and then with your partner, discuss your replies. 1. What is the first sign that you think that Joe might be heading for a gambling problem? • P3: After Joe has won for the first time, he wants to continue playing. • He doesn't know when to stop. • He thinks he knows how the system works and that he can continue to win money. • He is even willing to miss the first class of school. 2. What further things does he do, or fail to do, which show that he is becoming a problem gambler? • P4: He starts to gamble on other things - he bets with Sister Bucks on a soccer game. • P5: When he wins, he thinks that gambling is “easy” and that he will get rich through gambling. • P5: Even though he thinks he'll play just one game of dice and will stop after that, he carries on gambling for an hour, until all his money is lost. • Despite continuing to lose money, Joe thinks he knows how the system works. • Joe thinks that if he blows on the dice, he can control the outcome. We know that dice throwing is a game of chance and that nothing or no-one can determine its outcome with certainty. • P6: he used the money that was meant to buy bread for gambling instead. • He is under the mistaken belief that if he can have just one more chance (“lend me one Rand”) that he will be able to win it all back. • He steals money from his mother's purse, trying to tell himself that he is just “borrowing” it and will return it once he has won all the money he has lost back. • P7: Despite the fact that he keeps losing, he thinks he'll win. He continues to steal from his mother, goes back and back to the gambling game, and keeps losing and losing. • He tries to borrow money from Tiger. • P8: he steals from the till at work. • He tries to lie to Tiger, his friend, about the fact that he is stealing. • He thinks that he doesn't need help - not from anyone! • P9: He borrows money at high interest rate from Sister Buck - a very shady moneylender and drug dealer. • Joe thinks that by going to a gambling place (Nine Lives) he will win everything back. • P11: he tries to ignore his conscience telling him that he's doing wrong.



3. What does Tiger recognize as a warning signal? • P3: Joe finds it difficult to stop after he has won some money the first time he gambles on a game of dice. Tiger knows when to stop, Joe doesn't. • P3: Tiger prevents Joe from missing the first class of school. Tiger tells Joe “Enough!”. • P5: Tiger, unlike Joe, knows that there is no “system” in a game of dice. • P6: Tiger refuses to lend money to Joe because Tiger knows that Joe will lose it. • P8: Tiger catches Joe stealing from the till, even though Joe tries to deny it. • Tiger recognizes that Joe has a problem and gives him the telephone number of the Problem Gambling Counselling Line. 4. How does Sister Buck encourage Joe, despite it being obvious that Joe is getting into serious debt? • P4: He encourages Joe to take a bet on the soccer game and pays Joe a lot of money when Joe wins. • P5: He flatters Joe (“You sure know how to play my friend”), encouraging Joe to think that he is a good gambler. • P5; Sister Bucks tells Joe that he can always come and borrow money from him at any time. • P9: Sister Bucks loans Joe money (R100). Joe will have to pay back Sister Bucks R130. (Sister Bucks makes his money not from gambling, but by loaning problem gamblers money who have to pay back Sister Bucks the loan and an extra amount! - called “interest”) • P9: Knowing the risks of gambling, Sister Bucks himself doesn't gamble!




The following are signs that a young person may have a problem with a risky behaviour, like gambling or substance abuse. Of course, there may be other reasons for why the person displays any of these forms of behaviour, but if she or he does the following in order to carry on with the risky behaviour or as a result of the risky behaviour, it signals a possible problem:

• Being so busy thinking about gambling that other activities and tasks are neglected • Selling, pawning or stealing valuables • Stealing money • Skipping classes at school • Not doing homework assignments and neglecting school work • Lying about whereabouts • Mood swings and emotional withdrawal • Being argumentative, irritable, restless and have difficulty concentrating • Breaking promises, forgetting commitments and being generally unreliable • Hanging out with a dubious gang of friends • Repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop the specific risk behaviour • Trying to win back losses (in cases of a gambling problem) • Needing to gamble with ever-increasing amounts of money in order to attain the desired effect




If you think you are in trouble, talk to someone about it. If you think you (or someone close to you) may be heading for a problem, seek professional advice. The free helpline number is: 0800 006 008 Or go to http://www.responsiblegambling.co.za

Because gambling is illegal for anyone under 18, many young people are reluctant to seek help because they are scared that the police will target them. This will not happen, because the helpline doesn't ask your name and doesn't want to know your contact details. If you phoned the free helpline 0800 006 008, the person answering the phone will: •

be a professional counsellor

•

not ask your name

•

keep your call and information absolutely confidential

•

talk about what you want to talk about

•

offer further advice as to where you can go for further help

•

offer free services



7/12/10

12:09 PM

Page 8

GRADE 8


Lesson Plan


Grade: SENIOR PHASE

1.


2.


3.


4.





5.


6.


7.


Analysis Reading





Grade 8 | Page 1




•


Learners will understand the various circumstances that may place them at risk.

Learners will: • Describe risky circumstances that increase the probability of negative outcomes;

Learners will understand what gambling is, how it works and the risks involved.

• Offer definitions of gambling; • Explore the reasons for people gambling; • Understand that the outcome of a gambling game cannot be controlled.

DEVELOP SKILLS Learners will practise determining and evaluating the risks involved in various forms of risky behaviour, including gambling activities. Learners will develop decision-making skills with regards to high-risk choices.

Learners will be able to: • Evaluate the risks in gambling activities and will explore various strategies that may be taken to reduce those risks; • Practice various responses that can be taken to

Learners will explore ways in which to manage high-

coping with problem gamblers.

risk forms of behaviour.

ADOPT CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDES AND VALUES Learners will participate in actions that reinforce decisions to reduce risks of gambling.

Students will: • Participate in group discussions; • Perform role-play situations;

Learners will work in a team.

• Take responsibility for their decisions about risktaking behaviour.

Page 2 | Grade 8


UNIT 8.1

unit 8.1


UNIT 1 Unit Unit Unit Unit

2 3 4 5

Risk-taking behaviour and risky circumstances Reasons for people gambling How gambling works – Lotto numbers and cards Myths and superstitions – illusion of control How to stay in control

BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO : •

Know how to make responsible decisions about risk-taking behaviour

•

Assess their own vulnerability to risk

•

Identify low and high probabilities in gambling

•

Know that the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled

•

Identify strategies for staying in control

•




•



Critically analyze the causes of common diseases (like problem gambling) in relation to socioeconomic and environmental factors.

•

Describe what a healthy lifestyle is in own personal situation and ways of preventing diseases (like problem gambling).

•

Demonstrate informed, responsible decision-making about health and safety (including high-risk behaviour).

•

Analyze and discuss factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation (including self discipline).

•

Reflect on appropriate behaviour in different kinds of interpersonal relationships (including coping with a problem gambler).

•

Explain how self will cope with depression, crisis or trauma (like problem gambling).


Describe the ways in which risk-taking behaviour involves rewards and consequences

•

Explain how to make sensible decisions about risk-taking behaviour

•

Describe the various risky circumstances that increase the probability of negative consequences

•

Outline the risks in their own circumstances and personal characteristics

•

Distinguish between the greater level of control they have over their own decision-making processes and the lesser level of control they have over their particular risky circumstances

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Risk-taking behaviour

•

Rewards, consequences

•

High and low risks

•

Probability

•

Risky community circumstances

•

Risky family circumstances

•

Risky individual characteristic and peer group circumstances

•

Levels of control



Unit 8.1 | Risk-taking behaviour and risky circumstances


Transparency 1 - pages i, ii and iii

•

Transparency 2

•

Transparency 3 - pages i and ii

•

Learning Activity

•

Transparency 4

enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Revise the main points of the notion of youth at risk and the importance of knowing how to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with. Put up Transparency 1 pages i-iii with main points.

STEP 2

Introduce discussion of the need to know about the various risks in the community or family that contribute to a young person being a “high risk” candidate for risky behaviour. In other words, learners should recognize those circumstances in their own lives that may place them at risk to engage in dangerous behaviour. Put up Transparency 2.

STEP 3

Put up Transparency 3. Refer to the “note for teachers” for further discussion of the main points in each of the three groups of risky circumstances.

STEP 4

The Learning Activity is a very sensitive exercise and should be monitored closely. It is important that learners do this activity on their own in order to be able to assess the risk levels in their own circumstances without fear of their friends seeing their score. Tell the class that there needs to be privacy of each learner's responses. There is to be no sharing of answers. Tell learners that you won't be taking in their sheets.

synthesising

Also, before starting the exercise stress to learners that if there are any questions that they feel they can't or don't want to answer, they shouldn't. Allow about 15 minutes for this exercise. If there is not enough time to complete the exercise, ask learners to complete it at home for homework. STEP 5

Once learners have completed the exercise, insist on confidentiality when you take them through the score interpretation on Transparency 4. Stress that knowing what potential risks their personal circumstances and personality may pose, is a major step in their being able to make informed decisions about personal risky behaviour. Also, allow learners to see that they can control their own risk-taking behaviour by making informed decisions, and that they can to some extent control the risky circumstances in which they find themselves. (Units 8.3 and 8.5 will demonstrate that learners cannot control the outcome of a game of chance.)



orientating In Grade 7, learners were introduced to the notion of youth at risk. Revise the key points of the previous unit 7.1 to remind learners why they are being asked to consider issues about their own risk-taking behaviour

NOTE FOR TEACHERS: The Senior Phase learner is exposed to a wider range of risky situations. The health and safety issues encountered by the learner are affected by his or her physical and socio-economic environments, but increasingly the learner is starting to have to make independent decisions about which activities to become involved with. The learner should acquire appropriate understanding, skills and values to make informed choices about the issues that affect personal health, safety and lifestyles. Lifestyle choices related to sexuality are crucial at this age and should be dealt with sensitively. Increasingly, the adolescent learner has to deal with a range of risky situations and therefore should acquire the skills to negotiate peer pressure and to make responsible decisions to cope with challenging situations.

Taking Risks Wisely focuses on preventing problem gambling and is aimed at helping the learner acquire responsible decision-making skills. It is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to go about making sensible decisions. If the learner understands the process of responsible decision-making, then he or she has learned about a process that can be applied to a whole range of risky situations and risk-taking options. Youth are at risk because as they are initiated into the adult world, they are also being confronted with forms of adult lifestyles, e.g. smoking, drinking, sexual relationships and gambling. The adolescent learner therefore needs to develop an understanding of the risks involved in these activities in order to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with and how to spend his or her leisure time. In the fast-paced and ever-changing social environment, there is an increasing range of entertainment options available. Different media offer a whole range of choices: films, TV, DVDs, internet, iPods, and cell phones. Also, youth - especially in cities - are interacting with an increasing range of different groups of people, each one with different social conventions. For example, there are different levels of acceptance about drinking, the use of drugs, sexual relationships, and gambling. In some groups, drinking is regarded as morally wrong, whereas in other groups it is part of everyday life. How to make responsible choices about these overwhelming options is therefore an important skill for youth to learn. Studies have shown that youth are more at risk for addictive forms of behaviour than any other age group. Youth are particularly at risk because of their over-confidence combined with their lack of full life experiences. They are convinced that they will be able to handle the risks in certain situations, but since they don't yet have the experience of knowing just what those risks are, they are often unable to cope with the actual outcomes. It is the main aim of this unit on preventing problem gambling to help learners develop the understanding, appropriate skills and values that will enable them to make sensible and informed decisions about the various new risky behaviours with which they are being (or will be) confronted. The aim of this unit is to introduce the notion of degrees of control: life is complex and difficult to manage. So, learners need to be alert to what they can and cannot control. 1.

In unit 7.2, they learnt that by following the PRICE process of decision-making, they can control their own risktaking choices, like choosing to gamble. (Better knowledge about the purpose for their gambling, the risks and likely consequences of gambling, the information about how gambling works, and the compromises they can make will help learners make informed decisions about whether to gamble or not.)

2.

In unit 8.1, they will learn that to some extent they can control the risky circumstances in which they find themselves. Knowing what these are, and recognizing their own particular vulnerabilities, will strengthen learners' skills in making informed choices about their own risk-taking behaviours.

3.

In units 8.3 and 8.5 - and later in 9.3 and 9.4 - they will learn that they cannot control the outcome of a game of chance.



STEP 1 Re-vise the main points of the notion of youth at risk and the importance of knowing how to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with. Put up Transparency 1 pages i-iii with main points. Say, for example:

“

•

Ask:

Now that you are in Grade 8, what decisions do you make about how to spend your leisure time? Can you remember the process you can follow to make informed decisions about risk-taking behaviors? (Prompt learners to recall the PRICE process in which they will consider the Purpose of the action, the Risks and possible consequences, the reliability of the Information, possible Compromises that could be made, and the Enjoyment of knowing that they have made an informed decision.) In Grade 7, we looked at risk-taking behaviour and how you can make wise decisions about the kinds of activities with which you want to get involved. As you get older you are given more and more independence and that means more and more decisions you have to make on your own, including decisions about which friends to get involved with and about how to spend your leisure time. This is an exciting new phase in growing up, but it is also a risky one. If you make irresponsible or uninformed decisions, it is likely that you may be faced with problems later on. Risk-taking behaviours are those actions that are likely to be dangerous for health or emotional wellbeing in the long-term. In other words, risk-taking behaviour is likely to have problematic consequences.

Ask:

•

Can you think of examples of risk-taking behaviour that are likely to lead to serious problems later on?

•

What kinds of problems could these lead to? (Examples could include: drug use which is likely to lead to relationship breakdowns and possible addiction; unsafe sex is likely to lead to STDs or unwanted pregnancy; train surfing is likely to lead to accidents and injuries; and gambling to financial problems and possible addiction, etc.) Some of these risk-taking behaviours are more likely to lead to problems than other risk-taking behaviours.

Ask:

•

Which risk-taking behaviour do you think is more likely to lead to serious problems? (Examples could include: fast, reckless driving, has a high probability of leading to an accident, or too much drinking of alcohol is likely to lead to ill health, family upheavals and addiction. Whereas, driving slowly while talking on a cell phone is taking a risk, but it is less likely to lead to a serious accident. Also, having an alcoholic drink every now and then is unlikely to lead to serious health problems, whereas getting drunk regularly is likely to have serious consequences.) The kind of behaviour that is very likely to lead to problems later on (like fast, reckless driving) is called high-risk behaviour; and the kind of risk-taking behaviour (like driving in the rain) is called low-risk behaviour since, although risky, it is unlikely to lead to serious problems.

Ask:

•

Can you think of examples of other high-risk behaviour; and examples of low-risk behaviour? (Examples of high-risk behaviour could include: train-surfing; playing chicken; taking “tik”; not using a condom in sex; swimming at night in the sea that has strong rip currents, etc. Examples of low-risk behaviour could include: playing a friendly game of soccer, going to a movie, etc. There are, of course, examples that are in-between: kinds of actions that have a fair amount of risk, but are not as likely to lead to serious problems as high-risk behaviours. Examples could include: parachute jumping



[which although very scary has a good safety record; few people die from parachute accidents], skate-boarding down a steep ramp, etc.) Ask:

•

So, why do people engage in high-risk behaviour if they know that it is likely that an accident or problems may be the result?

•

Why do people drink too much? Why do people smoke? Generally, they do these things because they enjoy them; it makes them “feel good”. This is what we call the reward. So, even though someone may know that fast and reckless driving may result in an accident, the person gets a thrill out of doing so. And even if statisticsding whether the rewards of different forms of risk-taking behaviour outweigh the probability of bad consequences that may result from engaging in the risky behaviour.

“

enhancing

Deepen learners' understanding of how to cope with risk. In addition to sensible choices, probabilities of risk also depend on circumstances and personal characteristics. Discuss the kinds of circumstances that contribute to risky behaviour, by introducing the three main classes of risky circumstances and so help learners judge how much at risk they themselves are. The learning exercise is aimed at alerting learners to the level of control they have over their own decision-making processes and over their personal circumstances and own characteristics that are likely to place them at greater risk. STEP 2 Introduce discussion of the need to know about the various risks in the community or family that contribute to a young person being a “high risk” candidate for risky behaviour. In other words, learners should recognize those circumstances in their own lives that may make it more likely that they will engage in dangerous behaviour. Put up Transparency 2. Say something like,

“

We looked at the PRICE process that can help you make good decisions when you're not sure whether you should take part in certain risky behaviour. You need to understand why you want to do it, what the risks are, how much you can depend on the information about possible consequences, and think of compromises or alternatives that may give you similar rewards without the risks. So, you can control the decision you make about whether to take part or not in risky behaviour.

Ask:

•

Do you think you have control over what your community or your family or your friends are like? (Prompt learners to recognize that to a certain extent they can control which friends to hang out with, some control over what their families do, and some control over their own personal feelings.) So, whereas you have lots of control over what decision you make, you have less control over the circumstances in which you find yourself.

Ask:

•

Do you think you would be more at risk of taking drugs if you lived in a community where drugs were traded frequently in the streets and many people used drugs, than if you lived in a community that had very little drug trade and use?

•

How much control would you, as an individual, have over what your community did? (Prompt learners to recognize that some circumstances will make it more likely that they will engage in risky behaviour. For example, living in an area that has lots of drug use, will increase the chances of the learner taking drugs. Also, get them to see that although at this stage of their lives they don't have much control over their personal circumstances, it is possible later - as a policy maker, or mayor, for example - to make a difference to their community circumstances, and as a parent to have more control over their family circumstances.)



The choices you make, over which you have control, and the circumstances in which you find yourself, over which you have less control, both contribute to whether you get involved in risky behaviour, especially highrisk behaviour, or not. The more risky your circumstances, the more likely you are to get involved in high-risk behaviour. When we talk of someone being at risk we mean that person has a high probability of developing a problem. Or put differently, a high-risk person is very likely to get into trouble. At this stage of your lives, you often don't have control of the circumstance in which you live: the community, the laws and social habits of residents in the neighbourhood, and your family. However, even if you can't change your immediate circumstances right now, being aware of how they can influence your actions will give you a powerful tool in your decision-making process. Knowing about your own risky circumstances will help you decide in a more informed way about the risks and consequences involved. Also, as you grow older, you should start being able to judge what your strengths and weaknesses are. Ask:

•

Are you a dependable person, or do you break promises easily? Are you willing to admit to mistakes or do you think you're always right? Understanding yourself and your circumstances better is an important part of being able to make good decisions. So, let's have a look at what the various risky circumstances in your community, your family and your own personality and circle of friends actually are.

“

STEP 3

Put up Transparency 3. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of the main points in each of the three groups of risky circumstances. Say something like:

“

1.

RISKY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE COMMUNITY: Availability Ask:

•

How do you think availability of drugs will increase the likelihood of your using them?

The more available the drugs or alcohol or gambling opportunities are in a community, the higher the risk that abuse will occur. For example, if you know that you can get “tik” on the street corner around from your house, you are at higher risk of trying it than someone who can't get it that easily. 2.

Social habits that allow high-risk behaviour and laws that allow abuse Ask:

•

If there are few police around to arrest drunken drivers, do you think it is more likely that people will drive when drunk?

•

If most of your friends are having sex without condoms, how likely is it that you will do the same?

When members of a community don't really condemn substance abuse or violence, young people are at a higher risk of developing problem behaviours. And, if it seems as though most of your friends in your class are already sleeping around, you are at risk of joining them in that risky behaviour. Page 6 | Unit 8.1 | Grade 8


3.

Mobility (i.e. how often people move) Ask:

•

How well do you know all the people who live in your street? Have they lived there for long?

Communities or neighbourhoods in which the members move a lot or stay for only short periods before going elsewhere, have higher risks of criminal behaviour and social problems. For example, if your neighbours change every few months, it is likely that they won't really care about the safety of the neighbourhood and its residents. In communities where everyone knows the members, it is likely that there will be less substance abuse, vandalism and violence. 4.

Very poor communities Ask:

•

Why do you think that there are more murders and crime in the poor parts of our cities than in the richer parts?

Statistics have shown that young people who live in communities where there is a lot of poverty, where most people don't have jobs, and where the living conditions are poor (like no running water, lots of rubbish on the street, no electricity), such young people are at much higher risk of teenage pregnancies, dropping out of school, violent behaviour and getting involved with crime. RISKY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE FAMILY: 1.

Family members with addiction problems Ask:

•

If a young person's parents both had an alcohol problem, how likely do you think it is that the young person will start drinking a lot too?

Studies show that young people whose family members have an addiction problem are at high risk of developing an addiction themselves. For example, if both your parents have an alcohol problem, you are at much higher risk than others of developing a similar problem. 2.

Little supervision or monitoring by parents Ask:

•

Do your parents always know where you are when you go out at night? Do you think their wanting to know your whereabouts is a good thing or not? Parents who don't really take in interest in what their children are up to, or parents who punish their children with extreme harshness, or parents who hand out inconsistent punishment are likely to place their children at a high risk of developing health and behaviour problems.

3.

Conflict within the family Ask:

•

What do you think a person who has ongoing serious disagreement with his or her parents is likely to do after a while? In general, if there is serious fighting between the parent or care giver and children, it raises the chances of these children developing behavioural problems (e.g. alcohol abuse).

4.

Parents who excuse their children's bad behaviour When parents excuse their children for breaking the law, or when parents accept drug use, crime and violence as part of everyday life, then it is likely to lead to their children developing violent behaviour.



RISKY PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RISKY CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE PEER GROUP: 1.

Impulsive, rebellious, hyper-active Ask:

•

How impulsive or rebellious do you think you are?

Young people who are impulsive or who can't concentrate for long, are at higher risk of developing substance abuse and violent behaviour problems than people who are less impulsive and who are able to concentrate. For example, if you tend to do something before really thinking about the consequences, or if you are constantly looking for something else to try out and amuse you, you are at high risk of developing serious behaviour problems later on. 2.

Poor school performance Ask:

•

Who, for example, do you think is more likely to start using “tik”: (a) a person who does well at school and at sports, or (b) a person who has failed repeatedly at school and isn't involved in any extracurricular school activities?

Academic failure starting in primary school increases the risks of drug abuse, delinquency and teenage pregnancy. 3.

Lack of commitment to school Young people who feel a lack of commitment to their education are at a high risk of developing behavioural problems later on.

4.

Friends involved with problem behaviour Ask:

•

Have you ever felt under pressure to join your friends into doing something that made you uncomfortable or scared?

Young people whose friends are involved with drugs, or drinking or crime are likely to follow what their friends are doing. The peer pressure is strong. 5.

Inherited physical body factors There are some people whose physically inherited (genetic or biochemical) make-up makes them sensation seekers, or makes them people who can't control their impulses. If no proper medication to control their reactions is taken, it is likely that such people will develop problems.

synthesising

“

Consolidate learners' understanding, skills and values with regards to thinking about their own risk levels. The learning activity will have shown learners that there are some forms of behaviour that have more serious possible consequences than others (i.e. the distinction between high-risk and low-risk behaviour.) For example, drinking one brandy is not likely to lead to serious health or emotional problems later on, but getting drunk regularly and frequently is likely to lead to family upheavals, physical health problems, and maybe alcohol addiction. The learning activity is also aimed at enabling learners to recognize their own risky circumstances that can make it more likely for them to get involved in high-risk behaviour. STEP 4 The Learning Activity is a very sensitive exercise and should be monitored closely. It is important that learners do this activity on their own in order to be able to assess the risk levels in their own circumstances without fear of their friends seeing their score.



Tell the class that there needs to be privacy of each learner's responses. There is to be no sharing of answers. Tell learners that you won't be taking in their sheets. Also, before starting the exercise stress to learners that if there are any questions that they feel they can't or don't want to answer, they shouldn't. Allow about 15 minutes for this exercise. If there is not enough time to complete the exercise, ask learners to compete it at home for homework. STEP 5 Once learners have completed the exercise, insist on confidentiality when you take them through the score interpretation on Transparency 4. Stress that knowing what potential risks their personal circumstances and personality may pose is a major step in their being able to make informed decisions about personal risk-taking behaviour. Also, allow learners to see that they can control their own risk-taking behaviour by making informed decisions, and that they can to some extent control the risky circumstances in which they find themselves. (Units 8.3 and 8.5 will demonstrate that learners cannot control the outcome of a game of chance.)




Hi there… Remember me? My name is Joe. In Grade 7 you read about me in a really cool comic about the problems I ran into … I didn’t know how to make good decisions, but since then I have learnt about PRICE from my uncle Enoch, who is a teacher. He showed me that high-risk behaviour has a high probability of bad consequences. I hope that in future I’ll be able take my chances more wisely!

High-risk behaviour has a high probability of serious consequences I’m hoping that my nephew Joe has learnt how to make sensible decisions about high-risk and lowrisk behaviour in order to reduce the probability of something bad happening. Before we look again at how to take your chances wisely, here are two examples of high-risk behaviour with their rewards and probable consequences:




Here are two scenarios: High-risk behaviour

Reward

Likely bad consequences


• I feel part of a “in group”

• I get a reputation of being silly and irresponsible

• I like the “buzzy” feeling I get from alcohol

• My habit is likely to lead to problems with alcohol later on (like addiction)

• I boast about my daring behaviour

• Causing a serious accident

• My friends think it's funny

• Alcohol abuse is likely to lead to physical health problems • Drinking a lot of alcohol regularly is likely to cause depression and psychiatric problems

Taking an ecstasy tablet

• I feel part of a “ingroup” • I like the “high” I get • It makes me feel confident • I boast to my friends about my daring behaviour

• Being in an altered state, I'm likely do something dangerous and stupid • Although the long-term effects of ecstasy are still being studied, it is clear that it is likely to lead to physical problems, especially heart problems, epilepsy and eye disease (glaucoma) • After-effects are likely to include anxiety, depression and paranoia




High-risk behaviour has a high probability of leading to problems; it is very likely to have bad consequences. Low-risk behaviour has a low probability of leading to problems; it is unlikely that there will be bad consequences. So, how do you minimize the likelihood or probability of bad consequences? Different risky behaviours have different probabilities depending on: • • • •

your choice (the PRICE decision-making process) the circumstances your personality and character and sometimes sheer luck

There's not much you can do about sheer luck, and changing your personality and character is difficult. Also, sometimes circumstances are beyond your control, but what you do have control over is your choice. For every decision you make and for every action you take, there is a cost attached (the money, time, energy, and resources you spend doing it). So, let's go through the PRICE decision-making process again and think about how we can reduce the risks of bad consequences … P - Identify the purpose of the action R - Identify the risks, consequences and probabilities I-

Assess the reliability of your information

C - Consider compromises, and create alternatives E - Enjoy the feeling of having made a good decision




Levels of control • Can you control the decision you make about whether you should take part in a certain risky behaviour? Yes. The PRICE decision-making process can help you make informed decisions. • Can you control the circumstances in your community, or in your family? To a certain extent. Understanding your own risky circumstances will also help you make better decisions about getting involved in high-risk behaviour. You often don't have control of the circumstances in which you live, but being aware of how they can influence the probability of bad consequences, will give you a powerful tool in your decision making. • Are you able to control your own emotional reactions and personality? As you grow older, hopefully you'll have more control and judgment over your own strengths and weaknesses. How do you tend to react to certain situations? Are you impulsive, impatient, hot-tempered? In other words, what are your characteristics? Are you a dependable person, or do you break promises easily? Are you willing to admit to mistakes or do you think you're always right? Understanding yourself better is also an important part of being able to make good decisions. Whereas you have lots of control over what decision you make, you have less control over the circumstances in which you find yourself and over your own personal characteristics. High-risk circumstances Understanding yourself and your circumstances better is an important part of being able to make informed decisions. •

So, let's have a look at what the various risky circumstances in your community, your family, your circle of friends and your own personality or character are.




Risky circumstances in the community: •

How do you think availability of drugs will increase the likelihood of your using them?

•

If there are few police around to arrest drunken drivers, do you think it is more likely that people will drive when drunk?

•

How well do you know all the people who live in your street? Have they lived there for long?

•

Why do you think that there are more murders and crime in the poor parts of our cities than in the richer parts?

1. 2. 3. 4.

Availability of drugs, drinking and gambling opportunities Social habits that are tolerant of high-risk behaviour and laws that allow abuse Mobility of transition of community residents Very poor communities.

Risky circumstances in the family: •

If a young person's parents both had an alcohol problem, how likely do you think it is that the young person will start drinking a lot too?

•

Do your parents always know where you are when you go out at night? Do you think their wanting to know your whereabouts is a good thing or not?

•

What do you think a person who has ongoing serious disagreement with his or her parents likely to do after a while?

5. 6. 7. 8.

Family members with addiction problems Little supervision or monitoring by parents Serious conflict within the family Parents who excuse their children's bad behaviour

Risky personal characteristics and risky circumstances in the peer group: •

How impulsive or rebellious do you think you are?

•

Who, for example, do you think is more likely to start using “tik”: (a) a person who does well at school and at sports, or (b) a person who repeatedly fails at school and isn't involved in any extra-curricular school activities?




•

Have you ever felt under pressure to join your friends into doing something that made you uncomfortable or scared?

9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Impulsive, rebellious, hyper-active personality Poor school performance. Lack of commitment to school Friends involved with problem behaviour Biochemical factors

•

Can you think of a person who has done well in life, despite coming from a poor community and difficult family background? Nelson Mandela grew up in a poor village in the Transkei, Oprah Winfrey (the US TV host), Arnold Schwarzenegger (the RoboCop movie star and governor of California), and JK Rowling (the author of the Harry Potter books) all had to deal with difficult circumstances in their youth. So, being at risk doesn't mean that you will develop a problem or that you won't succeed in later life: it just means that you need to be aware of your personal risks.



Unit 8.1 Learning Activity Sheet | How much at risk am I?

For the following exercise work by yourself. The aim of the activity is to help you identify and understand the risky circumstances in which you find yourself. The more risky circumstances you have to cope with, the more likely it is that you may get involved in high-risk behaviour. Understanding yourself and your circumstances better is an important part of being able to make informed decisions about risk-taking behaviour. Knowing the risks in your own circumstances is an important part of being able to make sensible decisions and taking life's chances wisely. Don't write your name of the sheet. Be honest in your responses. If there are some questions you'd rather not answer, leave them blank. You will not be required to share your answers with anyone - they are for your eyes only! Read through the following questions and then rate yourself. For each question, give yourself between 1 or 5, with: 1 = “nothing, none, never or definitely 'no'”; 2 = “sometimes, but not often, or not much”; 3 = quite often, or quite a lot”, 4 = “lots, or often” and 5 = “everybody, everything, all the time or definitely 'yes'”. Once you've answered all the questions, add up all the numbers into a grand total.

Write the number in the column 1

2

3

4

5

1. How available are drugs or under-age drinking or gambling opportunities in your community? 2. Are the people in your neighbourhood tolerant of violence, drug and alcohol use? 3. How often do you have people moving in and out of the neighbourhood 4. Do you consider your family to be poor? 5. Do you have family members who have a drinking or drug or gambling problem? 6. Are you allowed to go out during the weekends at during the week without telling your parents where you are going or what you've done? 7. Do you have major disagreements or serious fights with your parents or caregiver? Is there a lot of tension between you? 8. Have any of your parents or caregivers or family members been in jail, or involved in crime and violence? 9. Are you very impulsive, that is, do you usually do things without thinking about the consequences first? 10. Do you struggle at school with your academic work? Do you often fail a subject at the end of the year? 11. Are you part of a group whose members often drink, take drugs, drive recklessly or boast about their number of sexual encounters? 12. Do you think it is OK to take drugs or to drink regularly? Totals of each column (add the numbers in each column) My total score (The sum of all 5 column totals added together)




Here is a picture of Socrates, a well-known wise Greek philosopher who lived many centuries ago. His famous words of advice were:

Know thyself! Your at-risk score: Less than 24: Your circumstances make it unlikely that you will develop a serious problem. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful when doing something potentially risky! 24 - 35:

You are most likely a healthy, curious teenager who might get into a little trouble now and then. Your circumstances don't really add to the likelihood of your developing a problem, but remember it is ultimately your own responsibility to handle your circumstances and own weaknesses in a sensible way.

36 - 47:

You have to cope with some difficult circumstances that can tempt you into acting unwisely. Knowing what exactly makes you vulnerable to risk (that is, increases your personal risk levels), will help you make wise decisions and avoid those forms of risk behaviour that increase your personal probability of developing a serious problem.

48 - 60:

You are high risk. It means that the circumstances in your community and family increase the likelihood of your getting involved in high-risk behaviour. You need to be aware and tough to be able to withstand their influence on your own actions. However, knowing just what the risky circumstances are, makes it possible for you to try to avoid them and so minimize the likelihood of your developing an addiction or behaviour problem. Being high risk doesn't mean that you will develop a problem or that you won't succeed in later life: it just means that you need to be aware of your personal risky circumstances.



UNIT 8.2

unit 8.2


Unit 1


UNIT 2 Reasons for people gambling Unit 3

How gambling works – Lotto numbers and cards

Unit 4

Myths and superstitions – illusion of control

Unit 5




•


•


•


•


•


LEARNING OUTCOMES: • •

To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world.

ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • • • • • •

Critically analyze the causes of common diseases (like problem gambling) in relation to socioeconomic and environmental factors. Describe what a healthy lifestyle is in own personal situation and ways of preventing diseases (like problem gambling). Demonstrate informed, responsible decision-making about health and safety (including high-risk behaviour). Analyze and discuss factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation (including self-discipline). Reflect on appropriate behaviour in different kinds of interpersonal relationships (including coping with a problem gambler). Explain how self will cope with depression, crisis or trauma (like problem gambling)

BY THE END OF THIS UNIT, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • • •

Outline the various reasons (and rewards) why people gamble Describe the rewards that people gain from gambling Distinguish between “good” and “bad” reasons

MAIN CONCEPTS: • • • •

Rewards Purposes and reasons Sound and appropriate reasons Bad and inappropriate reasons

RESOURCES FOR UNIT 8.2 • • • • • •

Transparency 1 Comic Book “Chances Are” Learning Activity Teacher's Completed Learning Activity Sheet Transparency 2 Transparency 3



orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Revise the link between risky behaviour and rewards or “feel good” factors. This was dealt with in Unit 7.1 and 7.2, and touched on again in 8.1. This unit aims to have a closer look at the various reasons why people gamble, but many of the reasons can be applied to other forms of risky behaviour as well. Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Divide the class into small groups. Hand out the Comic Book “Chances Are”.

enhancing

Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet and inform learners that the completed sheets will be taken in for assessment. Allocate about 20 minutes for this exercise. STEP 3

Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the notes for teachers for further discussion of each of the reasons.

STEP 4

Leave up Transparency 2 and ask each group to compare the reasons they've written down in their Learning Activity to the ones in the transparency.

synthesising

Allow learners to add to their written responses. STEP 5

Put up Transparency 3. Introduce the notion of evaluating the soundness or wisdom of each reason. Discuss why some reasons are “healthy” or “acceptable” or “good” (appropriate) and why other reasons are “bad” or “inappropriate”.

STEP 6

Ask learners to put a big coloured dot (with any coloured pen) next to those reasons of Joe's and Tiger's that they think are “good” or “appropriate” reasons.

STEP 7

Take in the completed Learning Activity Sheet from each group for marking and inclusion in the assessment portfolio. Refer to the Teacher's Completed Learning Activity Sheet for the answers.

orientating In Grade 7, learners read the comic about Joe and his growing problem with gambling. Using the same comic, this unit focuses on the different reasons people gamble. Learners who know about the various reasons for gambling, may then be in a more informed position to judge their own reasons or motivation when they make decisions using the PRICE decision-making process. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: Increasingly, the adolescent learner has to deal with a range of risky situations and therefore should acquire the skills to negotiate peer pressure and to make responsible decisions to cope with challenging situations. In Grade 7, and again in unit 8.1 learners were encouraged to apply the PRICE process when making decisions about risky behaviour. It is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to go about making sensible decisions. If the learner understands the process of responsible decision-making, then it is a process that can be applied to a whole range of risky situations. Page 2 | Unit 8.2 | Grade 8


The first step in the PRICE process is to identify the purpose for wanting to get involved with the specific risk behaviour. Knowing what other people's reasons for gambling may be, will help the learner identify his or her own possible reasons for choosing to get involved in forms of risky behaviour, be it to drink too much, to abuse drugs, to experiment irresponsibly with sex, to drive recklessly, etc. Of course, when a person is seriously addicted to drink or drugs or gambling, he or she no longer “chooses” to do so because it makes them feel good. Many addicts say that they want to stop, but can't. The PRICE decision-making process, however, is for people who are voluntarily choosing to do something risky, not for someone like an addict who no longer has the ability to choose freely, or put differently, who no longer is able to control his or her own decision-making processes. STEP 1 Revise the link between risky behaviour and rewards or “feel good” factors. This was dealt with in unit 7.1 and 7.2, and touched on again in 8.1. This unit aims to have a closer look at the various reasons why people gamble, but many of the reasons can be applied to other forms of risky behaviour as well. Put up Transparency 1 with the main points. Say, for example:

“

Ask:

•

Why do people engage in high-risk behaviour if they know that it is likely that an accident or problems may be the result?

•

Why do people decide to drink too much if they know it will probably lead to drunkenness and problems?

•

Why do people choose to smoke if they know it is likely to cause cancer?

•

Why do people deliberately drive fast and recklessly if they know the probability of causing an accident is high?

(Encourage those answers that say that, generally, people do so because of the thrill, or because it makes them “feel good” or because of peer pressure.) This “feel good” factor of risk behaviour is what we call the anticipated reward. So, even though someone may know that train surfing or playing “chicken” in the road may result in a serious accident, the person gets a thrill out of doing so. There are however many different reasons why people choose to do the things they do. Let's have a look again at Joe, the character in the comic book we read in Grade 7, and try to identify why he chooses to gamble, despite increasingly bad consequences.

enhancing

“

Develop learners' understanding of the reasons for people engaging in risky behaviour. STEP 2 Divide the class into small groups. Hand out the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet and warn learners that the completed sheets will be taken in for assessment. Leave about 20 minutes for this exercise. STEP 3 Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of each of the reasons. Say something like:

“

From the long history of gambling, it is clear that people have always gambled. Different societies at different times have engaged in some kind of gambling. Gambling has existed for centuries in most cultures and civilizations. There are many forms of gambling and different people gamble for different reasons. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Ask:

•

Why do you think people choose to gamble? (Encourage learners to identify reasons, and then take them through the list below.) Let's look at some of the reasons why people gamble1:

•

To win money Gamblers see playing as an opportunity to win “easy” money. They see the possibility of potential profit coupled with entertainment at “no cost”. Some even dream of “winning big”, of becoming rich. A significant number of unemployed South Africans rely on gambling as their main means of income (Frankel, 2006: 34). Ironically, many gamblers play in order to pay their gambling debts!

•

For entertainment and recreation Slot machines have constant movement, lights and music. There is an energy and excitement in a casino that is fun and stimulating. Just like you would buy a ticket for the thrill of going on a roller-coaster ride, so gamblers who play for entertainment pay do so because they enjoy the thrill. Gambling is a ticket to a fun fantasy world.

•

To belong to a special group The shared experience with other gamblers, the special language and words used in the specific game, and the sense of belonging to a distinct group of individuals are all reasons why people gamble. Controllers of gambling and other related activities, often with links to organized crime, offer incentives for youngsters to join what is perceived as an exciting and privileged membership in an elite group with power and money. Many gamblers live in hope of becoming rich and influential gambling operator themselves, for example of ultimately “owning a fafi bag”.

•

To alleviate boredom Many slot machines are situated in gaming arcades in shopping malls, a frequent gathering place for the young who seek some entertainment. Also, large numbers of unemployed people who idle on street corners for long periods of the day or night seek some activity to break the boredom.

•

To support a charity For some gamblers, the opportunity to be entertained while supporting a worthy cause (e.g. buying a raffle ticket to support the local choir) is a reason to participate.

•

To escape problems or to get away from home Gambling may be an escape from problems, depression or negative feelings. Playing a game can give gamblers a thrill and concentrating on the game can make them forget about other issues they'd rather avoid. However, if a person gambles in order to escape financial problems, the chances are that he or she will only increase their debts!

•

For mood change The action and excitement of gambling can be a form of escapism. Gamblers may experience a “high” while playing. This excitement, with “feeling lucky” or the belief that it is “their turn” to win, can create in some people a desire or even a need to gamble. In adolescents, in particular, the “feel good” factor is strong when they think they have “beaten the system”.

•

To experience that winning spirit Winning feels good. It's exciting and can give you an adrenaline rush, a “high”. When you think back of winning a sport event, you may remember how good you felt. For some gamblers, that exciting, positive memory of how they felt when they won in the past is the motivation to carry on gambling. They try to capture that experience again. In addition, focusing only on winning, makes them forget how much money they may have lost.

•

Because friends and family do Many gamblers, especially adolescents, say that their parents or caretakers gamble, and school learners who see their friends gamble are often keen to try gambling themselves.

1

Based on Gambling: Reducing the Risks, Grade 7, p.46. Saskatchewan Health, 1999.


“


STEP 4 Leave up Transparency 2 and ask each group to compare the reasons they've written down in their Learning Activity to the ones listed in the transparency. Are there some additional reasons why Joe and Tiger gamble? Allow learners to add to their written responses.

synthesising Consolidate learners' understanding, skills and values with regards to being able to identify and assess the purposes or reasons for risky behaviour. The learning activity will have shown learners that there are some sound and solid (healthy) reasons why some people gamble, but that there are also some bad or unhealthy reasons for choosing to gamble. Learners should be able to evaluate which can be “acceptable” or “sound” reasons and which are “unacceptable” or “bad” ones. STEP 5 Put up Transparency 3. Introduce the notion of evaluating the soundness or wisdom of each reason. Discuss why some reasons are “healthy” or “acceptable” or “good” and why other reasons are “bad” or “inappropriate”. Say something like:

“

Imagine the following situation:

The school is hosting the annual regional inter-schools choir competition and the principal has asked for students from your class to volunteer to help with the arrangements. You will need to show the various choirs to their seats and to ensure that each choir is lined up in time for their performance. You volunteer. Ask:

•

What might be some of the reasons for your wanting to work as a choir marshall?

Here are some of the reasons we can imagine for your wanting to work as a choir marshall: •

You enjoy bullying people and ordering them around

•

You look forward to meeting some of the students from the other schools

•

It gives you an excuse not to do your homework

•

You hope you can get a chance to slip behind the stage, out of sight of the teachers, for a quick smoke

•

You think it is a contribution to strengthening the school spirit

•

You hope that you can learn from the experience of working in a team

Take each reason, one by one, and invite learners to say whether they think it is a good or bad reason. Encourage those responses that link their evaluation of the reason to the probable outcome of the action. For example: •

You enjoy bullying people and ordering them around A bad reason: bullying people around is likely to cause friction and fighting. You will very likely cause the other students to resist you and think badly of you and your school.

•

You look forward to meeting some of the students from the other schools A good reason: meeting new people is likely to make you a more mature and capable person, skilled at social interaction (a very necessary skill in life!).



•

It gives you an excuse not to do your homework A bad reason: not doing your homework just means that you'll either have to catch it up at a later stage or you will miss out on a crucial bit of training. Come the test, it's likely that you won't do well when that topic is examined.

•

You hope you can get a chance to slip behind the stage, out of sight of the teachers, for a quick smoke A bad reason: you may get a thrill out of smoking when you're not allowed to, but it is likely that you may get caught and punished. Of course, by smoking you are putting your own long-term health at risk as well.

•

You think it is a contribution to strengthening the school spirit A good reason: studies have shown that students who are committed to the school are likely to be well-adjusted and stable individuals; whereas low commitment to the school is likely to lead to problematic behaviour.

•

You hope that you can learn from the experience of working in a team. A good reason: a very important skill in personal relationships as well as in professional employment is the ability to work well in a team. It's not always an easy thing to do, so by gaining experience, you are likely to strengthen you own skills.

So, we can see that one way to evaluate our reasons for doing something is to look at the possible consequences the action may have. Bad reasons are likely to have bad consequences and good reasons are likely to minimize the risks of those bad consequences happening. Let's now go back to Joe and Tiger and see which of their reasons are good ones and which ones are bad .

STEP 6

“

Ask learners to put a big coloured dot (with any coloured pen) on their completed Learning Activity Sheet next to those reasons of Joe and Tiger that they think are “good” or “appropriate” reasons.

STEP 7 Take in the completed Learning Activity Sheet from each group for marking and inclusion in the assessment portfolio. Refer to the Teacher's Completed Learning Activity Sheet for the answers.




Know your reasons •

Why do people engage in high-risk behaviour if they know that it is likely that an accident or problems may be the result?

•

Generally people get involved in a specific risky behaviour because it gives them a thrill or makes them “feel good” - the reward.

•

There are however many different reasons why people choose to do the things they do.

•

Applying the PRICE process when making decisions about risky behaviour is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to make sensible decisions. It is a process that can be applied to a whole range of risky situations.

•

The first step in the PRICE process is to identify your purpose (or the reasons) for choosing to get involved with the specific risky behaviour.

•

Of course, when a person is seriously addicted to drink or drugs or gambling, he or she no longer “chooses” to do so because it makes them feel good. Many addicts say that they want to stop, but can't. The PRICE decision-making process is for people who are voluntarily choosing to do something risky, not for someone like an addict who no longer has the ability to choose freely or who cannot control his or her own decisionmaking processes anymore.




Why do people gamble? Write down the names of all the people in the group:

Read the story about Joe in the Comic Book “Chances Are”. Then, as a group, discuss and write down your responses to the following: 1. In point form write down all the reasons why you think Joe gambles.



2. Why does Tiger gamble?

3. Why doesn't Sister Bucks gamble? Does he know something about gambling that Joe doesn't?



Unit 8.2 Teacher's Completed Learning Activity Sheet

Why do people gamble? Read the story about Joe in the Comic Book “Chances Are”. (Page references below are to the comic book.) Then, as a group, discuss and write down your responses to the following: 1.

Write down all the reasons why you think Joe gambles.

•P1 P2 -

Joe is bored. He's looking for some excitement. (People buy entertainment in order to be amused. It's not inappropriate to buy some fun when you're feeling bored and are looking for some entertainment.) Joe decides to gamble because Tiger, his friend, does. (This is an inappropriate reason. Studies show that many problem gamblers started gambling because their friends or a family member did. See unit 8.1 on risky circumstances.)

•P2 P2 -

Joe says he's going to try gambling just for fun. (To gamble for fun is an appropriate reason. You buy leisure time activities - like going to the movies, or going to listen to music, or going on a roller-coaster - because it gives you pleasure.) but very soon it's clear that he wants to continue because he thinks he can get rich. (This is a “bad” reason for gambling. In unit 7.4 we started looking at why dice and coins are games of pure chance. We'll see in unit 8.3 and 9.3 and 9.4 that it is very unlikely that you will become rich through continued gambling. Thinking that you can is likely to lead to more and more gambling, and more and more losses.)

•P3 •P4 P5 -

Joe is sweating with the excitement and thrill of having won some money. (Getting a thrill or “high” from gambling is not necessarily a bad reason, as long as you manage to keep the amount of money and time spent on gambling under control. People who go on roller-coaster rides scream with excitement and delicious fear!) Joe bets on the soccer game because he remembers the sweet feeling of having won at dice before. (This could be an appropriate reason - it's the same reason that people go back for a second ride on the roller coaster - as long as the gambler keeps the number of times he or she goes back under control, or within the limit that was set beforehand.) Joe thinks he has “beaten the system” and wants to gamble because he thinks he can become a millionaire - “easy” money! (This is a “bad” reason for gambling. In unit 7.4 we started looking at why dice and coins are games of pure chance. Games of chance are based on random processes and that means that there is no system or pattern in the outcomes.)

P6/7-

He feels bad about losing and so wants to gamble again to win back the money he lost. (Again, this is an inappropriate reason. In unit 8.3 and in unit 9.4 we will examine why there is very little probability of winning back your losses. Thinking you can, is highly likely to lead to just losing more and more money.)

P6/7 -

Despite his increasing losses, Joe continues to gamble because he thinks he knows the dice numbers and that his luck will turn. (As above, this is a “bad” reason because in unit 7.4 we learnt that the outcome of a game of dice is unpredictable.)

P9 -

He borrows money from Sister Bucks to gamble because he thinks he can win back all the money he's lost. (A “bad” reason - Joe is unlikely to win back his losses and so he just gets himself deeper and deeper into debt.)



2.

Why does Tiger gamble?

•P2 -

Tiger gambles for fun. He knows that it's a game of luck, and he's enjoying the thrill of seeing whether he will be lucky. If he is, that's great; if he's not, it's not a problem. (This is an appropriate reason for gambling. Tiger knows that he is likely to lose the money, but he enjoys playing the game anyway.)

•P2 -

Of course, Tiger is hoping to win some extra money as well (and a huge lunch!), but that's not his main reason for gambling. (Tiger's reasons for gambling are appropriate. Of course, he's hoping to win some money back, but knows that the probability is very small.)

3.

Why doesn't Sister Bucks gamble? Does he know something about gambling that Joe doesn't?

•P9 -

Sister Bucks knows that he is very unlikely to win with gambling and also knows that there is a “mean” crowd of controllers, a gang, who runs the Nine Lives gambling joint. (A “good” reason - knowing that you are likely to lose more money and are likely to get beaten up, is a sound reason for avoiding that risky behaviour!)




I am Socrates, the famous ancient Greek philosopher. In order to live well, you need to know yourself. (This means knowing the reasons why you choose to do certain things …)

Why do people gamble? •

To win money - Gamblers see gambling at getting “easy” money. In the next unit, we'll see there is very little probability of that happening!

•

For entertainment and recreation - It's fun to gamble and get a thrill.

•

To belong to a special group - To gamble can make you feel as if you are part of a special group. Unfortunately, many of these gambling groups have criminal connections.

•

To alleviate boredom - The thrill and the lights of a slot machine add to the excitement.

•

To support a charity - Some people buy a lottery ticket or raffle ticket because they want to be both entertained and to support a local charity at the same time.

•

To escape problems or to get away from home - Some people gamble because it is an escape from problems, depression or negative feelings.

•

For mood change - Some people gamble because they experience a “high” while playing.

•

To experience that winning spirit - For some gamblers, that exciting, positive memory of how they felt when they won in the past is the motivation to carry on gambling. They try to capture that experience again.

•

Because friends and family do - Especially true for adolescents who see their family or friends gamble and are often keen to try gambling themselves.




Good and bad reasons You can do the same action, but you may have either good (sound or appropriate or wise) reasons for doing so, or bad (inappropriate or unwise) reasons. As a necessary skill in informed, mature decision-making, you need to be able evaluate your own reasons. Imagine the following situation: The school is hosting the annual regional inter-schools choir competition and the principal has asked for students from your class to volunteer to help with the arrangements. You will need to show the various choirs to their seats and to ensure that each choir is lined up in time for their performance. You volunteer. Let’s imagine some of the reasons for your wanting to work as a choir marshal: •

You enjoy bullying people and ordering them around

•

You look forward to meeting some of the students from the other schools

•

It gives you an excuse not to do your homework

•

You hope you can get a chance to slip behind the stage, out of sight of the teachers, for a quick smoke

•

You think it is a contribution to strengthening the school spirit

•

You hope that you can learn from the experience of working in a team

Which of these reasons are “good” or “appropriate” reasons and which are “bad” reasons for volunteering to help out?



UNIT 8.3

unit 8.3


Unit 1


Unit 2


UNIT 3 How gambling works – Lotto numbers and cards Unit 4


Unit 5




•


•


•


•


•




•




•


•

Demonstrate informed, responsible decision-making about health and safety (including high-risk behaviour)

•

Analyze and discuss factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation (including self-discipline)

•


•

Explain how self will cope with depression, crisis or trauma (like problem gambling)


Be clear about the fact that in games of chance there is no “pattern” of outcomes.

•

Understand that since there is no pattern in games of chance, like the Lotto, there is no control a player can exercise over the outcome.

•

Distinguish between the levels of control over decision-making processes, risky circumstances and games of chance.

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Games of chance

•

Uncertainty

•

Random processes

•

Independent events

•

Probability

•

Lotto

•

Cards



Unit 8.3 | How gambling works: Lotto numbers and cards

RESOURCES: FOR UNIT 8.3 •

Transparency 1

•

Transparency 2

•

Deck of cards (to be supplied by teacher; ask a few learners to bring a deck to school if they have)

•

Learning Activity Sheet

•

Transparency 3 with Answers to Learning Activity Sheet

•

Transparency 4

enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Revisit the notion of uncertainty and unpredictability in games of chance, like coin tossing and dice. Put up Transparency 1 with the main points.

STEP 2

Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of each of the reasons. If you have a deck of cards available and for each example ask a learner to draw a card, it would demonstrate vividly the notion of probability.

STEP 3

Divide the class into groups of about 4 -6 learners Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. If you have a deck of cards (or if you have asked the learners to bring a deck of cards to school for the unit) allow a deck for each group. Then, after they have calculated the probability, let a member of the group draw a card to see what the actual outcome is.

synthesising

Allow about 30 minutes for this exercise.

STEP 4

Put up Transparency 3 with the Answers to Learning Activity Sheet. Take the learners through the calculations and answers to each question.

STEP 5

Ask the learners what they have learnt from this exercise. The main point is to stress the insight that the outcomes in gambling games like dice, Lotto and card-picking (with perhaps the exception of poker) are uncertain. The process in determining the outcome in games of chance are based on random processes and therefore cannot be controlled by the player. The outcome is therefore always uncertain. Put up Transparency 4.



orientating In Grade 7, learners were introduced to the notion of probability in coin tossing and dice. The main insight was that these are games of chance which means that 1) each outcome is independent (it does not depend on what the previous outcomes have been), and 2) the player can’t control the outcome of the game. Revisit the main points.

NOTE FOR TEACHERS: When it comes to educating learners about responsible risk-taking in gambling, there are three main insights that need to be stressed constantly: 1. You can manage risky behaviour by knowing how to make sensible decisions. This involves being able to asses your own reasons, to identify the probable risks involved, to evaluate the quality of the information you have, and to think of compromises or alternatives. 2.

In gambling, which involves mainly games of chance, the process of selection is random and so the outcome cannot be known beforehand. So players who think they have “inside information” or who think they “know the system” are wrong. Such players have the “illusion of control”.

3.

The more you gamble, the more you can expect to lose.

STEP 1 Revisit the notion of uncertainty and unpredictability in games of chance, like coin tossing and dice. Put up Transparency 1 with the main points. Say, for example: In order to reduce the risks in games of chance, we need to learn more about chance, uncertainty and probabilities.

“

Ask:

•

What are some examples of games of chance and games of skill?

•

What makes a game of chance different from a game of skill?

(Prompt learners to recognize that in games of chance the player cannot determine the outcome and the outcome is therefore always uncertain; whereas in games of skill the player can to an extent control the process that determines the outcome.) In Grade 7 we looked at coin tossing and dice. We saw that these were games of chance. In games of chance you cannot know what the outcome will be beforehand, no matter how “skilled” you think you may be. In games of chance, the outcomes are uncertain because the outcomes of the games are based on random processes. A random process means one in which there is no pattern or system. For example, the Lotto draw is a random process. So is the sequence of plays on a slot machine. That means that it occurs in such a way that one cannot control the selection process in order to bring about a desired outcome. If the desired outcome does happen, it is merely a matter of luck! In random processes the outcomes are independent of the previous ones. This means that because the occurrence of any outcome cannot be controlled, each outcome is unconnected to what outcomes were before, and unconnected to what future outcomes may be. We say this lack of pattern in the outcomes is due to the notion of “independent events”. We saw in Grade 7 that, when a fair coin is tossed randomly, each outcome is independent. In other words, no matter how many times “heads” has come up, each time you toss the coin, the same 1 in 2 chance (or 50-50) chance applies to the outcome. (Of course, there are weighted coins and some “loaded” dice that tend to make the coin or dice fall more frequently on one side or one number – but these are unfair gambling devices.) So, even if you were very skilled, you would not be able to predict the outcome. It is always uncertain because the process that determines the outcome is random and the outcomes are independent of each other. You might, of course, guess correctly, but you can never know what the outcome will be. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Part of human nature is to look for patterns to help us learn about the world around us and thus take greater control of our circumstances., Looking for “patterns”, however, in outcomes brought about by random processes is a futile exercise – there are no patterns. It may seem that there is a pattern, but betting on something which isn’t there will likely lead to losing money. The chances are you’d lose. We will use simple mathematics to prove it. In unit 7.4 we learnt that in games of chance, outcomes brought about by random processes are always uncertain. We will now look at why this is so. Ask:

•

If you have thrown a 5 with one die three times in a row, is it likely that you will throw a 5 again for the fourth time?

•

What does Joe think?

(Prompt learners to remember that the probabilities in fair dice throwing are the same with each throw, i.e. a 1 in 6 chance of throwing a number, irrespective of what the previous number was. Joe, from the comic book, thinks that he can detect a “pattern” in the outcomes, but there is no pattern.) By calculating probabilities we can understand why some events happen frequently and others almost never happen. It provides an explanation for why some numbers considered to be “lucky” never come up, or why some gamblers think they have a winning streak and then a spell of “bad luck”. The notion of probability can be applied not only to gambling, but to everyday life occurrences as well. Ask:

•

What is the difference between high-risk behaviour and low-risk behaviour?

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Can you think of examples of each?

(See unit 7.3 for examples. High-risk behaviour has a high probability of bad consequences – it is highly likely that there will be serious problems; low-risk behaviour has a low probability of bad consequences – it is not likely that there will be serious problems.) In gambling games, like throwing fair dice, spinning a perfectly balanced roulette wheel or playing the slot machine, the process of determining the outcome is random and therefore each outcome is independent of previous outcomes. So, no matter what numbers have already come up, they in no way have any influence on what the next number will be. There is no pattern which will predict the next outcome. We call these outcomes independent events. Each outcome is as likely to come up now as in any time in the future, so previous results are no indication of what will happen in the future. If the die is perfectly balanced and fairly thrown, the possible outcomes are {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}; and each number has the same chance of coming up at each new throw. Ask:

•

Why doesn’t Sister Bucks gamble? Does he know something Joe doesn’t?

(Maybe Sister Bucks knows some maths!) Gambling has elements of chance and “luck”, but simple mathematics can be applied to all gambling games. Knowing how gambling works will help players make informed decisions about where, how and when to gamble (and when not to gamble). Learners must “get in the know” in order to reduce the risks – and that means learning more about chance, random processes and probabilities. As an early casino owner said, “Gambling is all mathematics.” In Grade 7 we calculated the probabilities in coin tossing and rolling dice. Let’s now have a look at how the notion of independent events and probability can be applied to Lotto numbers and cards.

enhancing

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Develop learners’ understanding of how random processes and calculation of probabilities make it unlikely that they will win money in Lotto competitions and card games of chance. (With the exception of poker: Poker is generally regarded as a game in which the more skilful player is likely to win. However, even in poker, luck deals you good or bad cards!)



STEP 2 Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of each of the reasons. If you have a deck of cards available and for each example ask a learner to draw a card, it would demonstrate vividly the notion of probability. Say something like:

“

Even though there is no pattern in gambling on which to base predictions, you can calculate the likelihood of a particular outcome and you can also calculate your chances of winning. The number assigned to this likelihood is called a probability. Probability lies between impossibility and certainty, where 0 = impossible and 1 = certain. Probabilities may be represented by fractions, e.g., 1/2, (a 1 in 2 chance that an event will occur – like heads or tails), 1/6 (a 1 in 6 chance that your chosen number will come up in a die throw), etc; or alternatively as decimal numbers between 0 and 1, e.g., 0.5, 0.25, 0.66666, etc. The general rule for calculating the probability of outcomes in an event (like picking a card, or throwing a number) is: p = n/t

(where p stands for probability, n for the number of favourable or desired outcomes, and t for the total number of possible outcomes.) Ask:

• How many cards in a deck? (“Deck” is the name of a full set of cards) • How many 9 are there in a deck? • What do you think the chances are of picking or drawing a 9 from a deck (no peeking beforehand! The draw must be a random process!) (Prompt learners to apply the general rule as follows: there are 52 cards in a deck. The probability of picking the 9 can be calculated as follows: n: the number of favourable outcomes = 1 (i.e. there is only one 9 in the entire deck) t: total number of outcomes = 52 (there are 52 cards in a deck and you have an equal chance of drawing any of those) p = n/t =1/52. In other words, you have a 1 in 52 chance of drawing your desired card. Not very high! Ask:

• What however about the probability of drawing any card? The probability of picking a heart card can be calculated as follows: n: the number of favourable outcomes = 13 (there are 13 heart cards in a deck of cards: A; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; J; Q; K) t: total number of outcomes = 52 (there are 52 cards in a deck and you have an equal chance of drawing any of those) p = n/t =13/52. Or, after simplification, you can see you have a 1 in 4 chance of picking a card.



Ask:

• Now, what about the probability of drawing any red card from the deck? We can calculate this as follows: n: the number of favourable outcomes = 26 (there are 13 red heart cards and 13 red diamond cards in a deck of cards) t: total number of outcomes = 52 (there are 52 cards in a deck and you have equal chance of drawing any of those) p = n/t =26/52 (which equals 1/2 after simplification; alternatively this probability may be expressed as a percentage (50%) or written as a decimal (0.5)) However, note that the formula is only applicable in cases where the event: 1. Has a number of favourable outcomes and total that we can count, and 2. All these outcomes are equally likely. The formula does not apply if we wish to find say, the probability that Gijima will win the next race (some horses are much faster than others and therefore much more likely to win) or the probability that you will die before the end of the year (you’re not equally likely to die on each day; if you go swimming in a lake with crocodiles, it is more likely that on that day you will die rather than on the day you stay at home and watch TV!) In these situations we must use other means to estimate the probability.

“

STEP 3 Divide the class into groups of about 4 -6 learners each. Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet.

If you have a deck of cards (or if you have asked the learners to bring a deck of cards to school for the unit) allow a deck for each group. Then, after they have calculated the probability, let a member of the group draw a card and note the actual outcome. Allow about 30 minutes for this exercise.

synthesising Consolidate learners' understanding of and skills necessary to be able to calculate the probability of outcomes of a specific gambling game. The learning activity will demonstrate to learners that there is a low probability of winning in card picking games (or the Lotto or dice). Therefore, if they think they are guaranteed to make money from gambling, they are just not doing the maths properly! STEP 4 Put up Transparency 3 with the Answers to Learning Activity Sheet 8.3. Take the learners through the calculations and answers to each question.

STEP 5 Ask the learners what they have learnt from this exercise. The main point is to stress the insight that the outcomes in gambling games like dice, Lotto and card-picking (with the exception of poker) are based on random processes. The outcomes are therefore always uncertain and so cannot be controlled by the player. Page 6 | Unit 8.3 | Grade 8


Put up Transparency 4. Say something like:

“

Ask

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What have you learnt from the exercise?

•

What does it tell us about the likelihood of winning in a game of dice or card-picking or when playing the Lotto?

Wait for learners to suggest answers that say that the probability of winning is low. So, we've learned the following: 1)

that the outcome of a game of chance cannot be known beforehand - not by anybody;

2)

that each outcome of the dice or combination of Lotto numbers is independent of what went before; and

3)

that even though you aren't able to know what the actual outcome will be, you are able to calculate the probability of particular outcomes. What is more, in games of chance, like the Lotto, the probability of winning is low!

In the next unit we'll look at how some gamblers, like Joe, think that by doing certain things (like blowing on the dice) or by picking certain numbers (like “lucky” birthdays) they can control the outcome. We call this the illusion of control.

“




CHANCE, RANDOM PROCESSES, PROBABILITY AND INDEPENDENT EVENTS •

What are some examples of games of chance and games of skill?

•

What makes a game of chance different from a game of skill?

•

Coin tossing and dice are games of chance - you cannot know what the outcome will be beforehand, no matter how “skilled” you think you may be.

•

In games of chance, the outcomes are uncertain because the outcomes of the games are based on random processes. That means that you cannot control the process in order to bring about a desired outcome. The outcomes of fair coin tossing, fair dice throwing (i.e. with a coin or die that isn't “loaded” or weighted), slot machines and the Lotto are all based on random processes.

•

A random process means one in which there is no pattern or system.

By calculating probabilities we can understand why some events happen frequently and others almost never happen. •

What is the difference between high-risk behaviour and low-risk behaviour? Can you think of examples of each?

•

The notion of probability can be applied not only to gambling, but to everyday life occurrences as well.

•

In random processes like games of chance the outcomes are independent of the previous ones. This means that any particular outcome is not connected or dependent on what the previous outcomes were, nor does it influence the probability of any outcomes in the future.

•

If you have thrown a 5 with one die three times in a row, does it affect the probability of throwing a 5 again for the fourth time?




More on probabilities •

There is no pattern in gambling games of chance (like the Lotto, coin tossing, dice throwing, card-picking, slot machines) on which to base predictions. You can, however, calculate the likelihood of a particular outcome and you can also calculate your chances of winning. The number assigned to this likelihood is called a probability.

•

Probability lies between 0 and 1, where 0 = impossible and 1 = certain. Probabilities may be represented by fractions, e.g., 1/2, (a 1 in 2 chance that an event will occur - like heads or tails), 1/6, (for dice) etc; or alternatively as decimal numbers between 0 and 1, e.g., 0.5, 0.25, 0.66666, etc.

•

The general rule for calculating the probability of an outcome of an event (like picking a card) is: p = n/t p stands for probability, n for the number of favourable outcomes, and t for the total number of all possible outcomes

•

How many cards in a deck?

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How many 9 are there in a deck?

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What do you think the chances are of picking or drawing 9 from a deck (no peeking beforehand! The draw must be a random process!)

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What is the probability of picking any card from the deck?

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What is the probability of drawing any red card (and o) from the deck?



Unit 8.3 Learning Activity Sheet - page i

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES? WHAT ARE THE PROBABILITIES? Write down the names of the members of the group: ____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Remember the formula for calculating probability: Probability

=

Total number of favourable outcomes Total number of equally possible outcomes

Calculate your probabilities in a card draw: 1.

What is the probability of drawing any Queen from a deck of cards? (We assume that the card is drawn from a full deck of cards, that no other cards have already been drawn or dealt. That would change the probabilities!) (Hint: there are 4 different “suits” in a deck of cards - hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. Each suit has 13 cards, ranging from Ace [or one] to 10 and then a Jack, Queen and King. Therefore, there are 13 cards in each of the 4 suits.)

The probability is: __________________ (may be expressed as a fraction or a decimal) (Hint: Divide the total number of Queen cards by the total number of cards in the deck) If you have a deck of cards, draw one and note which card it is: ____________

Was it a Queen?

2.

Yes/ No

What is the possibility of drawing a number lower than 9 (i.e. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, ace) from a deck of cards?

The probability is: ________________ (may be expressed as a fraction or a decimal)

(Hint: Divide the total number of cards that are lower than 9 - remember there are 4 suits of each! - by the total number of cards in the entire deck)

If you have a deck of cards, draw one and note which card it is: ____________

Was it a lower than 9?

Yes/ No



Learning Activity Sheet - page ii

Calculate the probabilities in a Lotto draw: 3.

In a Lotto game you choose 6 numbers from 1-49. The total number of combinations of winning the 1st prize (of getting all 6 numbers) is : 49 x 49 x 49 x 49 x 49 x 49 (or 496). The probability of winning first prize is 1 in 14 million! There is therefore a good chance you could win. True or false?

4.

In a Lotto draw, you stand a better chance (i.e. a higher probability) of winning if you: a) chose numbers that have not been in the previous week's winning numbers True or false?

b) just choosing the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6 every time. True or false?

Calculate the probability in everyday occurrences:

5.

Eighteen athletes with numbers 1 to 18 are running in the school race. The probability that the athlete numbered 7 will win is 1/18. True or false? Why?

6.

A couple has 3 daughters. If they have another baby it is likely to be a boy because 4-girl families are uncommon. True or false? Why?

7.

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. If I select a letter at random from the page of an English novel, the probability that it will be an “e” is 1/26. True or false? Why?

8.

Elizabeth doesn't know the answer to a 4-answer multiple choice question. She is going to guess a, b, c or d. The probability that she will guess incorrectly is 3/4. True or false? Why?




WHAT ARE MY CHANCES? WHAT ARE THE PROBABILITIES? Remember the formula for calculating probability: Probability = Total number of favourable outcomes Total number of equally possible outcomes Calculate your probabilities in a card draw: 1. What is the possibility of drawing a Queen from a deck of cards? (Hint: there are 4 different suits in a deck of cards - hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. Each suit has 13 cards, ranging from Ace or one to 10 and then a Jack, Queen and King. Therefore, there are 13 cards in each of the 4 suits.) So, divide the total number of Queen cards (Answer: 4) by the total number of cards in the deck (Answer: 52) Answer: 4/52 or 1/13 (although not asked to calculate this, the percentage is 7.7%). If you have a deck of cards, draw one and note which card it was: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Was it a Queen?

Yes / No

2. What is the possibility of drawing a number lower than 9 from a deck of cards? (Hint: there are 4 suits with numbers 1-10, Jack, Queen and King in each. In this case, an Ace counts as 1) (Answer: each suit has 8 cards lower than 9, i.e. numbers 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,and Ace. There are 4 suits, therefore the total number of cards less than 9 are 8x4 = 32. Divide by the total number of cards = 52. Answer: 32/52 or 8/13 (although not asked to calculate this, the percentage is 61.5%) If you have a deck of cards, draw one and note which card it was: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Was it a lower than 9? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme

Yes / No Grade 8 | Unit 8.3 | Page 12


Calculate the probabilities in a Lotto draw: 3. In a Lotto game you choose 6 numbers from 1-49. The total number of combinations of winning the 1st prize (of getting all 6 numbers) is :49 x 49 x 49 x 49 x 49 x 49 (or 496). The probability of winning first prize is 1 in 14 million! Therefore, there a good chance you could win 1st prize. True or false? (Answer: False!) 4. In a Lotto draw, you stand a better chance (i.e. a higher probability) of winning if you: a) chose numbers that have not been in the previous week's winning numbers. (Answer: False) b) just choosing the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6 every time? True or false? (Answer: False. The process of selecting the numbers in a Lotto draw is totally random. That means there is no pattern, no connection between the numbers chosen or between the previous weeks' draws and the current one. Each of the 49 numbers has an equal chance of being drawn for each of the 6 slots. You therefore stand the same chance of winning if you chose 1,2,3,4,5,6 every week or 13,1,8,27,33,46 every week, or some combination based on birthdays, or any other combination of six numbers.) Calculate the probability in everyday occurrences: 5. Eighteen athletes with numbers 1 to 18 are running in the school race. The probability that the athlete numbered 7 will win is 1/18. True or false? (Answer: False. Running a race is not a random event. It is determined largely by skill and training. Of course, luck, as in all matters of life, can also play a part, for example if the fastest runner happens to be suffering from a bad cold that day.) 6. A couple has 3 daughters. If they have another baby it is likely to be a boy because 4-girl families are uncommon. True or false? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme



Answer: False. It is true that 4-girl families are uncommon, but in general having had a boy or girl previously has no influence on the gender of the next child, i.e., we assume that births are independent events. Actually, this isn't entirely accurate. The true probability is not exactly 50/50 due to rates of conception, miscarriages, and other environmental and physiological factors. A boy is more likely to be born (with a probability of 51.21%) than a girl (with a probability of 48.79%). 7. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. If I select a letter at random from the page of an English novel, the probability that it will be an “e” is 1/26. True or false? Answer: False. As any Scrabble player knows, there are some letters (like vowels) that appear much more often than other letters (like x or y). 8. Elizabeth doesn't know the answer to a 4-answer multiple choice question. She is going to guess a, b, c or d. The probability that she will guess incorrectly is 3/4. True or false? Answer: True.




So what have I learnt from this exercise? It’s shown me that my chances of winning in a game of dice or cards or playing the Lotto are very small!

So, we’ve learned the following: 1. that the outcome of a game of chance cannot be known beforehand – not by anybody; 2. that each throw of the dice or combination of Lotto numbers is independent of what went before; and 3. that even though you aren’t able to predict the actual outcome, you are able to calculate the probability of particular outcomes. In games of chance, the probabilities of winning are low!



UNIT 8.4

unit 8.4


Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


UNIT 4 Myths and superstitions – illusion of control Unit 5




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Analyze and discuss factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation (including selfdiscipline).

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Outline how, since much of gambling is governed by a random selection process, there is no control a player can have over the outcome.

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Describe the illusion of control that some gamblers think they can have over the outcome.

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Identify the various superstitions and myths that gamblers think they can have over the process that determines the outcome.

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Random selection process

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Illusion of control

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Myths

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Superstitions



Unit 8.4 | Myths and superstitions: the illusion of control


Transparency 1

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Transparency 2

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Transparency 3

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enhancing

orientating

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

STEP 1

Revisit the conclusion of the previous unit; namely, that the process of selecting the outcome in many gambling games is random. This means that players cannot control, influence or know the outcome beforehand. To think that they can, is to have the illusion of control. Put up Transparency 1 - with the main points.

STEP 2

Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the Notes for Teachers for further discussion of each of the superstitions. Invite learners to say what the superstitions linked to the various illustrations are. (This may be a potentially sensitive topic. Proceed with tact. Don't be hasty to dismiss certain deeply-held cultural beliefs as mere superstitions!) No doubt learners will offer some of their own passionately held superstitions.

STEP 3

Put up Transparency 3. Take the learners through each one of the myths. Ask the learners whether they think the myth is true or false, then go on to explain why each one is false. Refer to the Notes for Teachers.

STEP 4

Hand out Learning Activity Sheet. Divide the class into small groups of about 4-5 members per groups.

synthesising

Allow about 15 -20 minutes for this exercise.

STEP 5

Take in the completed activity sheets for possible inclusion in the learners' assessment portfolios. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions. Different learners will focus on different aspects, depending on their own personal circumstances. Ask the learners what they have learnt from this exercise. The main point of the exercise is for learners to realize that winning a million Rand is not going to solve all their problems.



orientating In the previous unit, learners were shown how the selection of outcomes in many gambling games is based on a random process. Revisit the main points of the previous unit which demonstrated that outcomes in gambling games generated by random processes (such as dice, coin tossing, the Lotto and some card games), the players cannot know or influence the outcome beforehand. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: When it comes to educating learners about responsible risk-taking in gambling, there are three main insights that need to be stressed constantly: 1. You can manage risky behaviour by knowing how to make sensible decisions. This involves being able to assess your own purposes, to identify the probable risks involved, to evaluate the quality of the information available, to think of compromises or alternatives, and, ultimately, to enjoy knowing that an informed decision has been made (following the PRICE procedure). You are able to control your own decision-making. 2.

In gambling, which involves mainly games of chance, players have the illusion of control. The notions of probability and of independent events show that the outcome cannot be known beforehand. So players who think they have “inside information” or who think they “know the system” are wrong. As a gambler, you cannot have control over the outcome in a game of chance.

3.

The more you gamble, the more you can expect to lose.

STEP 1 Revisit the conclusion of the previous unit; namely, that the process of selecting the outcome in many gambling games is random. This means that players cannot control, influence or know the outcome beforehand. To think that they can, is to have the illusion of control. Put up Transparency 1 with the main points. Say, for example:

“ •

Ask;

Why is it pointless looking for patterns in the outcomes of games of chance?

(This serves to help refresh learners' understanding of random processes, uncertain outcomes, independent events and probability.) In the previous unit we saw that in games of chance (like coin tossing, dice throwing and the Lotto), the outcomes are uncertain because the outcomes of the games are generated by random processes. A random process means one in which there is no pattern or system. Thus however skilled or experienced you are, you will not be able to know what the next outcome will be, nor will you in any way be able to control the process that determines the outcome. Part of human nature is to look for patterns to help us learn about the world around us to help us take greater control of our circumstances. Looking for “patterns” in outcomes generated by random processes is, however, pointless - there is no pattern. We used simple mathematics to illustrate this. Believing that there is a “hidden” pattern when in fact the underlying process is random is a dangerous illusion. An “illusion” means that you think you're seeing something that isn't really there, or believe something that isn't true. An illusion deceives us. Ask:

•

Can you think of examples of an illusion?

(Prompt learners to think of a magician's tricks - sawing the woman in half is an illusion.) By calculating probabilities we can understand why some events happen frequently and others almost never happen. When the process generating the outcomes is random, each outcome will be independent. This means that current and past outcomes give no indication of what future outcomes will be. In other words, there is no pattern in the independent outcomes in games of chance. To think that there is, is to be mistaken.



Ask:

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Why does Joe think he is lucky?

In the comic, Joe thinks that after his first win, he is a “lucky” person, a person who is likely to win lots. When he doesn't, he thinks he can improve his luck and influence the outcome of the dice game by blowing on them first! Joe is under the illusion that he can control the outcome. The illusion of control is likely to lead to problem gambling. Gamblers, like Joe, who think that they can predict the outcome of random processes or think they have inside information or are “lucky” players are mistaken. Moreover this mistaken belief will most likely cost them lots of money. Many gamblers, like Joe, have this mistaken belief. They think that if they do certain things, it will influence the outcomes of the game in their favour. We call such beliefs gambling myths and superstitions. In general, myths are stories people tell themselves about the world. Superstitions are irrational beliefs that a certain act or ritual (like blowing on the dice) can bring about good luck. Superstitions try to connect independent events. There is no connection. Although one event may be associated with another (e.g. rain on Tuesdays), the one event (Tuesdays) doesn't cause the other (rain); there will be as much chance of it raining on Tuesday as on any other day. Similarly, if one has an accident on Friday the 13th, the accident was not caused by the fact that it was Friday the 13th. The accident has the same chance of occurring on any other day of the week or month. Myths and superstitions in gambling are usually false and can be dangerous for gamblers, because irrational beliefs can give players the false idea or illusion of being able to control the selection of the outcome. And that means that such players keep on gambling and gambling, falsely believing that if they do certain things their luck will turn. If players do win, it's not because of what they did, but because there is always a chance that a low probability event (winning) actually occurs. Let's have a closer look at some of the myths and superstitions that people have.

enhancing

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Develop learners' understanding of the danger of some myths and superstitions in gambling because they give people the illusion of control! First examine the notion of superstition that many people hold, and then more specifically the superstitions that gamblers have in an effort to try to increase their luck. STEP 2 Put up Transparency 2. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of each of the superstitions. Invite learners to say what the superstitions linked to the various illustrations are. (This may be a potentially sensitive topic. Proceed with tact. Don't be hasty to dismiss certain deeply-held cultural beliefs as mere superstitions!) No doubt learners will offer some of their own passionately held superstitions.

•

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Can you give examples of a myth or of a superstition?

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Can you think of certain objects or numbers or actions that will bring you good luck?

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Can you think of certain objects, numbers, actions or events that will bring you bad luck?

Ask:

(Allow learners to offer their own suggestions, before discussing some of the examples below with learners. Ask learners why they think the belief true or false.) Page 4 | Unit 8.4 | Grade 8


GOOD LUCK SUPERSTITIONS Horseshoe - To bring good luck, the horseshoe must be lost by a horse and be found by you, with the open end facing your way. You must hang it over the door with the open end up, so the good fortune doesn't spill out. Another origin of the 'lucky horseshoe' is the belief that they ward off witches. Witches, it was once believed, were opposed to horses, which is why they rode brooms and pitchforks instead. By placing a horseshoe over a door, the witch would be reluctant to enter. Four Leaf Clover - Clover is believed to protect humans and animals from evil spells and it is thought to be good luck to find a four leaf clover, particularly for the Irish. Wishbones - Two people pull apart a dried breastbone of a chicken and the one who is left with the longer end will have their wish come true. BAD LUCK SUPERSTITIONS The ground hornbill Black cats - Black cats have long been believed to be a supernatural omen since the witch hunts of the middle ages when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it has been considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path. Broken Mirrors - An ancient myth our ancestors believed was that the image in a mirror is our actual soul. A broken mirror represented the soul being astray from your body. To break the spell of misfortune, you must wait seven hours (one for each year of bad luck) before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside in the moonlight. Ladders - In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore believes that it is bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of evil ghosts and spirits. Unlucky Number 13 - The fear of the number 13 is still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th. We can see that there are beliefs that if we perform a specific act then something good or bad will happen. For example, some people think that if you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with one breath - or see a falling star and make a silent wish - your wish will be granted. There are also people who believe that if you pour salt at the entrance of a new home, no evil spirits will enter. This gives people the illusion that they are able to control a world that is often difficult to determine.

“

Let's have a closer look at some of the false beliefs that gamblers have. STEP 3 Put up Transparency 3. Take the learners through each one of the myths.

Ask the learners whether they think the myth is true or false, then go on to explain why each one is false. Refer to the Notes for Teachers below:

“

•

Ask:

We know from Joe in the comic book that he thinks that if he blows on the dice he will be able to control the outcome. Can you think of other false beliefs that gamblers have about increasing their luck or controlling the selection of the outcome? (Again, allow learners to offer their own examples before discussing the list below.)

Here are some common myths relating to gambling: •

Myth: If I can crack the code and identify the pattern, I can control the outcome. Ask: True or false? False



There are people who spend a lot of time trying to identify the “pattern” in a sequence of numbers, believing there is a hidden code that determines which numbers will come up. They think that once they know the sequence, they will be able to predict the winning outcome. There are some gambling games that do involve skill - e.g. pokerand knowing the capabilities and strengths of a sports team may help gamblers make fairly informed guesses about the team's anticipated performance in sports betting, but as we know from the underlying mathematics, all gambling involves chance. Outcomes in games like slot machines, dice or roulette are based on a process of random selection- there is no “pattern”; and every outcome is independent of the previous outcomes. Many gamblers think they have a special strategy that will help them win. They think they know how to pick certain numbers for the lottery or when to press the stop button on a slot machine at exactly the right time. The reality is that the outcome of most games of chance, including lotteries and slot machines, is completely random: you cannot influence it, regardless of what you do. For lotteries, this means that betting on the same numbers every week won't help you win any more than betting on different numbers will. The probability of winning the big prize in the Lotto, for example, is 1 in 14 million every time you play. It doesn't matter how many people have purchased tickets or what numbers you play, the probability is always the same, regardless. Joe believes that he knows how the numbers work. And Sister Bucks encourages Joe to gamble by making him believe that he “knows how” to play. (We know, of course, that Sister Bucks encourages Joe to gamble so that Joe will come to borrow money at very high interest rates.) But Joe has a mistaken belief - there is no system that will help him to win. •

Myth: If I concentrate hard enough, I'll win Ask: True or false? False In most areas of life, we tend to filter out information that doesn't interest us or is not relevant to the specific task we're doing. In gambling, many people pay close attention to their wins, but don't keep track of how much they are spending. This results in a skewed or mistaken view about the amount they have won compared to what they've paid for playing. Many people will report that they're “up” (i.e. have won more money than they have lost, or at least have broken even, meaning that they have won as much money as they have won), but if this were true, then it would be difficult to explain the huge profits made by casinos and gambling operations. Many people are very surprised when they find out just how much they have actually spent on gambling activities.

•

Myth: If I follow my ritual, I'll win Ask: True or false? False Some gamblers are superstitious, meaning that they connect events that are not related. They believe that certain events will somehow affect their wins. For example, if a player wins a large amount on a Tuesday, she may start to believe that Tuesdays are better than Thursdays for gambling. In doing so, she is making a mistake by connecting events that are unrelated. Some dice throwers think that rolling the dice “softly” will encourage low numbers, while throwing it hard will increase the chances of high numbers. Hoping, wishing or even needing to win money has absolutely no influence on the outcome of a game of chance.

•

Myth: If I dream of a certain number or lucky omen, it means that if I bet on it, I'll win. Ask: True or false? False Mythical signs (such as a falling star, or a number that appears in a dream) and magic are often seen as controlling the process of selecting the outcome of the game. Seeking the advice of “experts” to interpret dreams with possible significance for choosing the winning horse or numbers, gamblers think they can increase their chances with “fate”. In gambling games like fafi, magical and mythical symbols that appear in dreams play a prominent part. It is based on the mistaken belief that outcomes based on random selection processes are connected. Of course, there may be some events that occur simultaneously or follow one another (e.g. like the gambler winning on Tuesdays) but which are not causally connected, i.e, the one is not the cause or the result of the other. For example, there is no causal connection between the day of the week and the weather, but there is a causal connection between the time of the year and the weather. That means that we know that in the Western Cape



it rains predominantly during winter whereas in KwaZulu-Natal it rains predominantly in summer. We may complain that it rains, just when we want to have a braai, but despite the events happening at the same time, there is no causal connection. Similarly, a particular number may seem to appear more frequently than some other number in the Lotto draw, perhaps every time I have dreamt of a ship, but the two events are not causally linked - the dream does not cause the number to be drawn. Although recognized as a game of chance, fafi players attach much weight to interpretations of signals or omens that will make them “lucky”. •

Myth: Someone just sat down at the slot machine which I had left and hit a big jackpot. If I would have just stayed a bit longer, it would have been mine. Ask: True or false? False For this to be true, you would have had to push the spin button or pull the handle at exactly the same split micro second that the other player did. Any change in timing yields a different result. Some players think that because a machine or set of numbers has not paid out a big prize for a while, it has a better chance of winning than others. The machine is referred to as being “hot”. Other people, in contrast, believe that such machines are even less likely to pay; they are “cold”. Neither of these beliefs is correct. We've seen that all the outcomes are generated randomly and are thus independent so that any machine or any set of numbers has an equal probability of paying on the next play as it always has. Whether it has paid out recently or not has no effect on the outcome.

•

Myth: It's my lucky day Ask: True or false? False “It's my lucky day” or “I'm feeling lucky” are common sayings people use when they think everything is just going their way. Having a positive attitude can be healthy, but … a gambler, like Joe, who believes that feeling lucky will make him win a game, is heading for trouble. He thinks that by blowing on the dice, he will make a difference to whether he will win or not. As we have seen, since a randomly thrown fair die will generate six possible outcomes with an equal probability of occurrence, nothing can influence the outcome of such a process. There is no control Joe or any gambler can exercise over the outcome. In other words, as long as the die is fair and the die is thrown randomly, there is no possible connection between what Joe does and the number that comes up on the die. There are many superstitions that gamblers think may improve their “luck”. Such as: • Using lucky charms • Using a lucky slot machine, or sitting on a lucky chair • Blowing on or kissing the dice before throwing them • Wearing a lucky piece of clothing, like a shirt or cap • Always sitting in the same place • Betting on numbers using a birthday, or any other “lucky” date • Interpreting dreams as signals for lucky numbers or lucky bets • Saying a prayer before betting

•

Myth: If I try, again … and again, I'm bound to win Ask: True or false? False For most things in life, if you want to get better at something, you need to practice and work hard at it. For most things this works - like schoolwork, sports, playing a musical instrument and other skill-based activities. But trying harder at gambling is likely to cost you money because the probability of your losing money remains the same however much you practices. Hence the more you play the more likely you are to lose more money. Remember, most gambling is a game of chance, so the probability of losing in the next round remains the same no matter how hard you practice and in the long-run, because the odds are stacked against you, you will be certain to lose a considerable amount of money. The more you play the more you can expect to lose; gambling is a costly recreational activity.



Joe is under the mistaken belief, like many problem gamblers, that the more he plays the more likely he is to win back all his losses. We see that exactly the opposite is likely to happen. Each time Joe places a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous one. This means that the probability of losing on the tenth bet is the same as it was on the first bet. Over time, the more he plays, the more he'll lose. The fact that the odds are stacked against him (known as the House Advantage - we'll learn more about this in Grade 9) means that with every bet, he can expect to pay a proportion of that bet to the gambling operator. •

Myth: I'm so close; next time I'll win! Ask: True or false? False Many gamblers will say they almost won a lot of money, or a raffle ticket holder may say that she was very close to having the winning ticket - her ticket was number 6927 and the winning number was 6928! So, although the gambler thinks that she had a near win, she goes home with … nothing, just like all the other losers. A loss is a loss - there's no such thing as a near win. Joe thinks that when he throws the dice he almost makes a 7; instead he throws a 6. The only effect this has is to make him think, mistakenly, that he's getting “closer” to winning, that he's “almost” there and that the next throw will get him to the winning number. We know that dice is a game based on a random sequence of outcomes and that the outcome of each throw is unconnected to (i.e. “independent of”) the outcome of previous throws. Joe's chances of winning in the future are no better or worse for having just thrown “so close”. "Almost" winning in no way means that an actual win is around the corner. Future gambling outcomes are in no way influenced by previous outcomes.

•

Myth: I'm good at video games, so I'll be good at computer gambling games. Ask: True or false? False Some players are really good at video games. They have developed fast reflexes and can anticipate certain situations. With practice, some players become very skilled with high scores. But playing a video game is not at all the same as playing an electronic gambling game. The only thing they have in common is that both are viewed on a screen and have exciting graphics and sound effects. But no matter how much a gambler plays a slotmachine, she will not get any better at it. Why? Because we know that this gambling game is based on a randomly generated sequence of independent outcomes. When a player wins, it is a matter of chance, not skill.

•

Myth: Winning the Lottery will solve all my problem

“

Let's see …

synthesising

Consolidate learners' understanding of the various superstitions that gamblers hold in an attempt to try and connect random events, when there is no actual causal connection. STEP 4 Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Divide the class into small groups of about 4-5 members per groups. Take the learners through the calculations and answers to each question. Allow about 15 -20 minutes for this exercise. STEP 5 Take in the completed activity sheets for possible inclusion in the learners' assessment portfolios. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions. Different learners will focus on different aspects, depending on their own personal circumstances. Ask the learners what they have learnt from this exercise. The main point of the exercise is for learners to realize that winning a million Rand is not going to solve all their problems. Page 8 | Unit 8.4 | Grade 8



CHANCE, RANDOM PROCESS AND INDEPENDENT EVENTS Why is it pointless looking for patterns in the outcomes of games of chance? •

In games of chance the outcomes are uncertain because the outcomes of the games are generated by random processes.

•

A random process means one in which there is no pattern or system. So, even if you are a very experienced player, you would not be able to know what the outcome will be.

•

Thinking that there is a “hidden” pattern, when in fact it is just a random process, is a false belief.

Can you think of examples of an illusion? •

Gamblers who think that they know the pattern or have inside information or are “lucky” players are mistaken and under the illusion that they can control the occurrence of a particular outcome. The illusion of control is likely to lead to problem gambling.

Why does Joe think he is lucky? •

Many gamblers have mistaken beliefs. Many gamblers have myths and superstitions about improving their luck or being able to know what the outcome may be. Myths are stories people tell themselves about the world and superstitions are irrational beliefs that a certain act or ritual (like blowing on the dice) can bring about good luck.

•

Superstitions try to connect events generated by random processes. There is no connection. Although one event may be associated with another (e.g. rain on Tuesdays), the one event doesn't cause the other. (The fact that it is Tuesday does not cause it to rain!)

•

Myths and superstitions about gambling can be both false and misleading, because they give players the false belief of being able to control the selection of the outcome. This in turn means that such players keep on gambling and gambling, falsely believing that if they do certain things their luck will turn.

•

If players do win, it's not because of what they did, but because the calculation of the probability of winning made that outcome likely.

•

Let's have a closer look at some of the myths and superstitions that people have.




Do you recognize any of the following superstitions? Good luck omens:

Bad luck omens:

And more:

Broken mirror Walking under a ladder Friday the 13th Full moon …

There are also numerous superstitions regarding the powers of the baobab tree. Anyone who dares to pick a flower, for instance, will be eaten by a lion. On the other hand, there is a belief that if you drink water in which the seeds have been soaked, you will be safe from a crocodile attack. These are all superstitions because they are beliefs that when you do (or see) something, you will cause a particular (good or bad) consequence. The one event may sometimes follow the other, but the one doesn't cause the other to happen.




Some common beliefs regarding gambling: • If I can crack the code and identify the pattern, I can control the outcome. True or False? Why? • If I concentrate hard enough, I'll win. True or False? Why? • If I follow my ritual, I'll win. True or False? Why? • If I dream of a certain number or lucky omen, it means that if I bet on it, I'll win. True or False? Why? • Someone just sat down at the slot machine where I had just been playing and he hit a big jackpot. If I would have just stayed a bit longer, it would have been mine. True or False? Why? • It's my lucky day. My chances of winning are therefore good. True or False? Why? • If I try, again … and again, I'm bound to win. True or False? Why? • I'm so close; next time I'll win! True or False? Why? • I'm good at video games, so I'll be good at computer gambling games. True or False? Why? • Winning the Lottery will solve all my problems. True or False? Why? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme



What would happen if my family won a million Rand?

Write down the names of all the members of the group: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Close your eyes and imagine that someone in your family, maybe you, has just won the Lotto, a million Rand! Just imagine all that money. What would your family do with it? Do you think the person will quit her job, or stop worrying about getting a new job? Buy a new house in a different neighbourhood? Buy a fancy car? Give some away? How will your life change? Will you still go to this school or go to a school in another part of town, maybe a private school somewhere? How about clothes, holidays and friends? As your lifestyle changes, will your friends change too? The day of the announcement, your phone starts ringing non-stop. Some people will have read your name in the newspaper, looked up your phone number in the directory, and will try and persuade you to buy this or that, invest in this or that. Some charities will call, hoping for donations. Old friends and relatives you haven't heard from in years will call up, wanting to congratulate you, hoping for a gift from you. A cousin who gambles too much asks you for a loan. An older family member wants to start a business of her own and puts pressure on you to invest in her venture. Some will get angry if you don't share your winnings with them. Who can you trust? Suddenly it seems as though there are so many possibilities, but things are happening far too fast. Now that everyone knows that you're rich, you may become the target of bitter envy, some may be resentful of your good luck, while others may see you as a lucrative target to steal from. Suddenly you are feeling very vulnerable and under pressure. Your family decides to go away for two weeks to think about it all and try and develop some plan. With your partner or group answer the following questions: Some people believe that if they won the lottery - big time - it would solve all their problems. But is this really true?

1.

Problems that would disappear if I had a million Rand.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

1

Adapted from Gambling: Reducing the Risks, Grade 6, p. 34, Saskatchewan Health, 1999.




2.

Problems that wouldn't disappear, no matter how much money I had.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.

Problems that could get worse if I had a million Rand.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.

New problems that could develop if I won a million Rand.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________



UNIT 8.5

unit 8.5


Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


Unit 4


UNIT 5 How to stay in control BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO : •


•


•


•


•


•




•




•


•


•

Analyze and discuss factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation (including self-discipline).

•


•



Outline how to make sensible decisions about risk behaviour

•

Discuss strategies for staying in control when gambling

•

Know where to find help for a gambling problem

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

PRICE decision-making process

•

Controlling behaviour

•

Prevention strategies



•

Transparency 2

•




Unit 8.5 How to stay in control

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

Revisit the conclusion of the previous unit that gamblers who have superstitions about being able to control the selection process of the outcome of the game are likely to develop problems with gambling. Draw links as well with unit 8.2 that looked at the risky circumstances that are likely to increase the probability of developing a gambling problem. The aim of this unit 8.5 is to strengthen learners' knowledge, skills and values in making sensible decisions about risk-taking behaviour. Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Put up Transparency 2 . Take the learners through each of the guidelines. Refer to the note for teachers below for further discussion of each of the guidelines.

enhancing

orientating

STEP 1

Stress that if after having assessed their own risky circumstances and after having gone through the PRICE decision-making process, learners still decide to gamble, they need to know how to be responsible gamblers, even in games of chance in which they have no control of the outcomes.

STEP 3

Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet.

synthesising

Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 10 - 15 minutes for each group to discuss and plan their presentation. Allow 5 minutes for each group to present to the class. (If there isn't enough time, you could choose only 1 or 2 groups to perform, or you could organize for the groups to present at an alternate time.) Good presentations will pick up on risks and guidelines of how to stay in control.

orientating Gamblers who think they can control the outcome of random events are likely to develop a problem with gambling. Knowing how gambling works (being able to calculate the probability of an outcome, and recognizing that outcomes in games of chance are independent events) as well as being aware of the various myths and superstitions surrounding gambling, learners will now have insight into how to stay in control when gambling. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: When it comes to educating learners about responsible risk-taking in gambling, stress the following insights they should have learnt by now: 1.

A person can manage risky behaviour by knowing how to make sensible decisions. This involves being able to assess the purposes for the action, to identify the probable risks involved, to evaluate the quality of the information at hand, and to think of compromises or alternatives. Also knowing what the various myths and superstitions are allows a player to make more informed decisions.

2.

In gambling, which involves mainly games of chance, players have the illusion of control. We saw previously that because game outcomes are generated by a random process and because the outcomes of such a process will occur independently of each other, the outcome cannot be known beforehand. So players who think they have “inside information” or who think they “know the system” are wrong.



3.

Gamblers are unlikely to make money from gambling in the long run. The house advantage (more about this in unit 9.4) points to the fact that the longer a gambler plays in a gambling house where the chances of winning are against him or her, the more it can be expected to cost the player.

STEP 1 Revisit the conclusion of the previous unit that gamblers who have superstitions about being able to control the selection process of the outcome of the game are likely to develop problems with gambling. Draw links as well with unit 8.2 that looked at the risky circumstances that are likely to increase the risk of developing a gambling problem. The aim of this unit 8.5 is to strengthen learners' knowledge, skills and values in making sensible decisions about risk-taking behaviour. Put up Transparency 1. Say, for example,

“ •

Ask: Do you think that most people who gamble have a problem?

•

When is gambling not a problem? (Learners should recognize that most people don't have a problem, but for some there are seriously bad consequences.)

Most people who gamble don't experience a problem with it. Some people choose not to gamble at all, so they are nongamblers. Others again gamble once in a while. Many people gamble regularly without problems. They spend money and time that they can afford and see gambling as fun or entertainment. However, there are others for whom gambling becomes a problem. Ask:

•

When are gamblers likely to develop serious problems?

In the previous unit we saw that gamblers who think they can control the selection process of the outcome of a game of chance by performing certain rituals (like blowing on the dice), or doing certain things (like sitting in their “lucky” spot) are likely to keep on gambling even if they lose. They hold on to superstitions, believing that their luck will turn, that they'll win big if only they continue to believe their superstition. Gamblers like these are likely to develop a serious gambling problem because they think that the outcome of the game can be controlled. But we have seen that in games of chance, generated by random processes, it isn't possible to know the outcome beforehand. Gamblers can try and calculate the probability of winning, but they can't control the process that selects the outcome. Ask:

•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control his or her decision to engage in this risky behaviour? (Prompt learners to remember that using the PRICE method of decision-making, they are able to have control over their own decision-making processes. Prompt them to remember what the PRICE letters stand for.)

Gambling, like other forms of risky behaviour, need not lead to problems if you know that you can control the process of sensible decision-making about risky behaviour. Remember the PRICE decision-making process we looked at in Grade 7 (unit 7.2) and again in unit 8.1. P -

know your purpose or reason for getting involved in the risk behaviour

R -

know the risks involved. Know not only the probabilities of winning (and the likelihood of losing), but also the risks posed by your community, family and individual character - your personal risk level. (You rated your own risk level in unit 8.2)

I -

judge the quality of your information. Is your information based on superstition? On myths? Now that you know what the superstitions are (unit 8.4), you will be able to know that blowing on the dice is not going to make any difference to the outcome.

C -

be able to compromise, look for alternate ways of enjoying yourself, earning money, or getting a thrill.

E

-

enjoy knowing that you've taken your chances wisely

Knowing how to make sensible decisions about risky behaviour is an important skill. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Ask:

•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control his or her circumstances that are linked to encouraging risky behaviour?

(Prompt learners to remember that to some extent they have control over the risky circumstances in their community, or in their family, or in their own personality, or in their peer group.) Gambling, like other forms of risky behaviour, need not lead to problems if you know what the risky circumstances are in your community, your family, your own personality and in your group of friends. Although you don't have as much control over your circumstances as you do over your own decision-making, you are to an extent able to control the risky circumstances that tend to encourage risky behaviour. In unit 8.1 we looked at how risky circumstances can influence our actions. Ask:

•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control the outcome of the gambling if it is a game of chance? (Prompt learners to recognize that if they were to play a game of chance, they have no control over the process that selects the outcomes.)

Gambling need not lead to problems if you know that in a game of chance you have no control at all over the process that selects the outcome.

Knowing how to make sensible decisions, and being aware of the risky circumstances in which you may be placed, and knowing about probabilities and independent events in games of chance, will help you in trying to avoid developing a problem with gambling. You may decide not to gamble at all, or you may decide to gamble for a bit of fun. If you do decide to gamble (based on an informed decision), you'll also need to know how to be a smart and responsible gambler.

“

enhancing

Learners have practised the skills of sensible decision-making, and have assessed their own personal risk level. In the event that learners after going through the process still decide to gamble, they should know how to be able to stay in control. In other words, they should know how to be a responsible gambler. STEP 2 Put up Transparency 2 . Take the learners through each of the guidelines. Refer to the notes below for further discussion of each of the guidelines. Stress that if after having assessed their own risky circumstances and after having gone through the PRICE decision-making process, learners still decide to gamble, they need to know how to be responsible gamblers, even in games of chance in which they have no control of the selection process.

“

SHOULD I GAMBLE OR NOT?

There are times when a person should not gamble at all: •

When an individual is under the legal gambling age. In South Africa you may not gamble if you are under 18. (For a copy of the Act, see the Introduction section of the file.)

•

When using substances that impair decisions or alter moods, e.g. alcohol or drugs.

•

When other people or responsibilities are being neglected as a result of the gambling.

•

When the gambling activity is illegal.

Ask:

•

How much control do you have over:



•

Your own decision-making process?

•

The risky circumstances in your community, in your family, of your personality or of your peer group?

•

The selection process of outcomes in a game of chance?

(It is important that learners have a very clear sense of what they can and cannot control.) If, after carefully and honestly going through the steps of the PRICE decision-making process, you decide you will take your chances wisely, you will also need to know how to manage your gambling behaviour responsibly. Ask:

•

If you made an informed decision to gamble, how would you avoid getting into trouble, like Joe? (Prompt learners to suggest some of the strategies listed below. Using the transparency, elicit responses from learners.)

People who choose to gamble should keep the following guidelines in mind1: Maintain balance •

If you choose to gamble, gambling should be only one of many activities that you participate in. An important aspect of social activities is having fun with family and friends and to relieve the pressures of daily living. Keep in mind that gambling is not essential to having a good time.

•

Don't take gambling too seriously; see it mainly as a form of entertainment, not as a job or as a way of earning “easy” money.

•

When gambling, take frequent breaks.

•

When you win, take the money and go somewhere else.

Set limits •

Set limits before you start to gamble. Decide ahead of time how much this activity is worth to you and how much you can reasonably afford to spend. Expect to lose. You should consider the money lost on gambling as the cost of your entertainment.

•

Decide ahead of time what you will do if you win. Will you go on gambling or will you stop? Calculate regularly how much you are spending on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Ask yourself whether the money spent on gambling could have been used in more enjoyable or even “profitable” ways.

•

Time spent in a gambling place needs to be evaluated. Decide ahead of going to the venue how much time you will spend on gambling. Keep in mind that other activities (e.g. time spent with family and friends, playing sports, studying, other social activities, or work responsibilities) may be neglected because of time spent gambling.

•

The slogan “Winners know when to quit” signals that if you can make a responsible decision when to stop gambling, even if you have lost, you have “beaten” the system which often tries to tempt you to keep on gambling until you've lost everything. As a responsible gambler you'll recognize that you are likely to lose in the long term and you don't try to “chase” a loss, that is, you'll see that it is risky to try and “win back” your losses.

•

Don't be fooled into thinking that the machine is about to pay out, the dice are about to roll your lucky number, the right card is about to be picked, or that your luck is about to change if you gamble for just a little longer. The longer you play, the more it will cost.

Never borrow money to gamble •

Borrowing money to gamble and hoping to pay it back with your winnings is a risky activity and should be avoided. Some people have found it helpful to use only the cash they have on hand, leaving cheque book, credit cards and ATM cards at home.

•

Never borrow money to gamble, or use money set aside for other things (household budget, savings towards a computer, etc).

1

Adapted from Gambling: Reducing the Risks, Grade 6, p. 3, Saskatchewan Health, 1999.



Assess your reasons for gambling •

Some reasons (e.g. to win money for basic needs, or to escape personal problems and unpleasant situations) present a high risk for problem gambling. (We looked at this in unit 8.1.)

•

Be aware of your own risky circumstances. If you continue to gamble beyond your set limits, take a close look at what in your character makes you disregard the risks.

•

Responsible gamblers, in general, don't take gambling too seriously. They gamble mainly for the fun of it; not for the money.

•

Gamble for fun and accept that you will need to pay for the excitement.

•

Don't gamble when you are angry or upset.

Know that gambling is not essential for having a good time •

Although gambling can be fun for most people, there are many other activities that are entertaining and enjoyable. For example, organizing a braai with friends, building or making something, going to a movie … Although risky behaviour may hold a certain attraction for a specific kind of person or age group, you need to be aware of alternative forms of entertainment that don't carry as much risk.

Know that you cannot control the selection process of the outcome of the game •

Much of gambling involves games of chance and no one is able to know the outcome beforehand or control the process. This is because the game outcomes are generated by a random process and outcomes are thus independent of each other.

•

Gamblers who hold certain superstitions about how they can improve their luck are fooling themselves. All that is likely to happen is that they will lose more and more.

Recognize that the longer you play, the more it will cost you •

Gamblers will often boast about their winnings, but they don't say anything (or have themselves forgotten) about all their previous losses.

•

Understanding the maths that governs random processes and chance, you will know that the chances of winning are against you, each bet costs you money, and therefore the longer you play the more it is expected to cost you.

•

Knowing that the outcomes of games of chance are independent of each other and that the chances of winning are against you, you will recognize the foolishness of trying to win back your losses. The longer you play, the more it will cost you.

•

The probabilities of losing or winning are always the same in a game of chance - they don't change over time. Playing for longer when the chances of winning are against you means you can expect to lose more and more.

•

Young males, in particular, tend to overestimate their chances of “beating the system” and winning money in a gambling house, even though the chances of winning are against them.

“

synthesising

Consolidate learners' understanding of how they can handle gambling responsibly. If they do decide to gamble and get involved in risky behaviour, they need to know how to manage their behaviour responsibly. STEP 3 Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet 8.5. Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 10 - 15 minutes for each group to discuss and plan their presentation. Allow 5 minutes for each group to present to the class. (If there isn't enough time, you could choose only 1 or 2 groups to perform, or you could organize for the groups to present at an alternate time.) Good presentations will pick up on different levels of control and guidelines of how to manage gambling responsibly. Page 6 | Unit 8.5 | Grade 8



WHY DO SOME PEOPLE DEVELOP A PROBLEM WITH GAMBLING WHILE OTHERS DON'T? LEVELS OF CONTROL •

Do you think that most people who gamble have a problem?

•

When is gambling not a problem?

•

When are gamblers likely to develop serious problems?

•

Gamblers who hold on to superstitions are likely to continue to gamble and lose more and more money. Gamblers like these are likely to develop a serious gambling problem because they think that the outcome of the game can be controlled. In games of chance, however, it isn't possible to know the outcome beforehand.

•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control his or her decision to engage in this risky behaviour?

•

Gambling, like other forms of risky behaviour, need not lead to problems if you know that you can control the process of sensible decision-making about risky behaviour.

•

How P R I -

•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control his or her circumstances that are linked to encouraging risky behaviour?

•

Gambling, like other forms of risky behaviour, need not lead to problems if you know what the risky circumstances are in your community, your family, your own personality and in your group of friends. Although you don't have as much control over your circumstances as you do over your own decision-making, you are to an extent able to control the risky circumstances that tend to encourage risky behaviour.

to make sensible decisions about gambling: know your reason for getting involved know the risks involved. judge the quality of your information. Is your information based on superstition? On myths? C - be able to compromise, look for alternate ways of enjoying yourself, or earning money E - enjoy knowing that you are taking your chances wisely




•

Can a person, who is deciding whether to gamble or not, control the outcome of the gambling if it is a game of chance?

•

Gambling need not lead to problems if you know that in games of chance you have no control at all over the process that selects the outcome.

•

On the scale of control below, where would you place: a. Decision-making process b. Risky circumstances in which you find yourself c. Selection process of outcomes in games of chance? full control

•

lesser control

no control

If you do decide to gamble (based on an informed decision), you'll also need to know how to be a smart gambler, how to manage your gambling behaviour responsibly.




SHOULD I GAMBLE OR NOT? There are times when a person should not gamble at all: •

When an individual is under the legal gambling age, 18.

•

When using substances that impair decisions or alter moods, e.g. alcohol or drugs.

•

When other people or responsibilities are being neglected as a result of the gambling.

•

When the gambling activity is illegal.

People who after careful consideration still choose to gamble should keep the following guidelines in mind: •

Maintain balance.

•

Set limits.

•

Never borrow money to gamble.

•

Assess your reasons for gambling.

•

Know that gambling is not essential for having a good time.

•

Know that you cannot control the selection process of the outcome of a game of chance. Winning is a matter of luck.

•

Recognize that the longer you play, the more it will cost you. FREE HELPLINE: 0800 006 008

Consolidation: Are you now able to: •

Outline how to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour like gambling?

•

Assess your own risky circumstances?

•

Discuss the probability of winning (and losing!) in games of chance?

•

Distinguish between the different levels of control you have over decisionmaking processes, over risky circumstances in which you find yourself, and over the selection process of outcomes in games of chance?

•

Know where to seek help for a gambling problem?




Role Playing Scenarios - Managing gambling behaviour responsibly

With your partner or group, read through the following scenarios. Choose one of the scenarios, decide what characters each person will play, and plan how you will role play it for the class. (You may decide to change the scenario or to construct one of your own.) •

Perform it for your class.

•

Discuss with the class why you decided to handle the situation in the way you did in your role play.

Scenarios 1.

You have been saving for over a year to buy a mountain bike. A really good deal has come up, but you don't have enough money. You are frantic. You decide to take all your money to buy Lotto tickets and hope to win the money you need.

2.

You have been losing at dice, but you intend to ask your friend to lend you R50 to continue playing dice. You feel lucky and are sure you will be able to repay her with your winnings.

3.

Your grandmother is a sangoma. You want to ask her to interpret your dreams so that you can place all your saved money on a fafi bet.

4.

You are playing a slot machine and it hasn't paid out anything for the past hour. You borrow money to continue to play because you are convinced that the machine will pay out a large amount very soon.

5.

You failed your exam at school and your parents were very angry when they saw your report card. You are now so upset that you decide to go and play dice to make you feel better.

6.

A card game is going on in the schoolyard. You have been very lucky with winning during the past three weeks. You think that you are “lucky” at cards and so you are now planning on betting a whole lot of money.

7.

Describe your own possible scenario.


Grade 8 | Unit 8.5| Page 10

7/12/10

12:09 PM

Page 14

GRADE 9


Lesson Plan


Grade: SENIOR PHASE

1.


2.


3.


4.





5.


6.


7.


Analysis Reading





Grade 9 | Page 1




•


Learners will understand what risk-taking behaviour involves.

Learners will understand: • The probabilities of risk-taking behaviour; • That gambling is a form of entertainment;

Learners will understand what gambling is, how it

• That gambling costs money;

works and the risks involved.

• That gambling involves randomness; • That outcomes in gambling are independent events; • That players cannot control or determine the outcomes in games of chance. DEVELOP SKILLS

Learners will explore ways in which to manage risktaking behaviours.

Learners will be able to: • Investigate personal circumstances that contribute to high-risk behaviour; • Distinguish

Learners will practise determining and evaluating the risks involved in various gambling activities.

between

high-risk

and

low-risk

behaviour; • Identify the different levels of control they have over their decisions, circumstances and outcomes in games of chance. • Reflect on the various strategies that may be taken to reduce those risks; • Consider the best strategy to reduce the risks of gambling;

ADOPT CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDES AND VALUES Learners will participate in actions that reinforce decisions to reduce risks of gambling.

Learners will: • Participate in group discussions; • Perform role-play situations;

Learners learn to cooperate as a team.

Page 2 | Grade 9

• Take responsibility for their decisions.


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unit 9.1

UNIT 9.1



UNIT 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5

Levels of control of high-risk behaviour and risky circumstances The history of gambling Reasons for people gambling How gambling works – slot machine and roulette Probabilities and uncertainty The illusion of control: House advantage, cost per hour and superstitions Psychology of gambling and problem gambling How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Understand that risk-taking behaviour involves outcomes with different probabilities and consequences • Distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour • Make responsible decisions about high-risk behaviour • Explain some of the psychology of gambling • Explain why gamblers are unlikely to make money in the long-term through gambling • Outline how to manage gambling behaviour responsibly and describe strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know how to cope with someone who has a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem LEARNING OUTCOMES: • To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. • To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • Investigate personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problem - like problem gambling) and suggest appropriate responses and rehabilitation options. Critically evaluate resources on health information, health services (including gambling counseling) and a range of treatment options. • Analyze and reflect on positive personal qualities in range of contexts. Respond appropriately to emotions in challenging situations. Critically evaluate own application of problem-solving skills in challenging situation. BY THE END OF THIS UNIT, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Describe the probabilities associated with and consequences of certain forms of risk-taking behaviour • Distinguish between high and low-risk behaviour • Know how to make sensible decisions about high-risk behaviour • Explain what the various risky circumstances are that promote high-risk behaviour • Assess their levels of control over their risky behaviour MAIN CONCEPTS: • Probability • Consequences • High and low-risk behaviour • PRICE decision-making process • Risky circumstances in the community, family and peer group • Risk-prone character traits •

Levels of control



Unit 9.1 | Levels of control of high-risk behaviour and risky circumstances



•


•

Learning Activity Sheet 1 - pages i and ii

•

Learning Activity Sheet 2

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

orientating

STEP 1

Revisit the main points of the notion of youth at risk, risk-taking behaviour, probability and consequences. Introduce the distinction between high-risk and low-risk behaviour based on the calculation of probability of outcomes. Put up Transparency 1 pages i and ii with main points.

STEP 2

Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 1. Divide learners into pairs and ask each pair to complete the sheet. The aim of the exercise is to enable learners to distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour by looking at the likelihood of serious consequences the action might have.

enhancing

STEP 3

Revisit the PRICE decision-making process, as well as the main three groups of risky circumstances that are likely to increase an individual's risk levels. Stress the importance of knowing one's own risky circumstances when making sensible decisions about which activities to become involved in. Learners should be able to assess the different levels of control they have over making their own decisions, about their circumstances and about the actual high-risk action itself. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points.

synthesising

STEP 4


Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 2. Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 20 - 25 minutes for each group to discuss and complete the activity sheet. If there is time, invite groups to share their responses with the rest of the class. Take in the completed sheets for possible inclusion in the assessment portfolio. Responses that indicate that the various steps have been carefully and critically thought through earn good marks. Process rather than outcome (the final decision) is to be assessed.


orientating In Grades 7 and 8, learners were introduced to the notion of youth at risk, risk-taking behaviour, probability and consequences. Assess learners' understanding of the key points before introducing the distinction between high-risk and low-risk behaviour. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: The Senior Phase learner is exposed to a wider range of risky situations. The health and safety issues encountered by learners are located in their physical and socio-economic environments. Although the learner does not have much control over the circumstances in the broader environment, he or she is starting to have to make independent decisions about which activities to become involved with. The learner should acquire appropriate understanding, skills and values to make informed choices about the issues that affect personal health, safety and lifestyles. Lifestyle choices related to sexuality are crucial at this age and should be dealt with sensitively. Increasingly, the adolescent learner has to deal with a range of risky situations and therefore should acquire the skills to negotiate peer pressure and to make responsible decisions to cope with challenging situations.

Taking Risks Wisely is aimed at helping the learner acquire such skills. It is not so much a matter of what to decide, but rather how to go about making sensible decisions. If the learner is able to follow the process of responsible decisionmaking, and is able to assess the risky circumstances in which he or she is located, then the skill of making informed decisions can be applied to a whole range of risky situations. Youth are at risk because as they are initiated into the adult world, they are also being confronted with forms of adult lifestyles, e.g. smoking, drinking, sexual relationships and gambling. The adolescent learner therefore needs to develop an understanding of the risks involved in these activities in order to make sensible decisions about which activities to become involved with and how to spend leisure time. In the fast-paced and ever-changing social environment, there is an increasing range of entertainment options available. Different media offer a whole range of choices: films, TV, DVDs, internet, iPods, cell phones. Also, youth - especially in cities - are interacting with an increasing range of different groups of people, each one with different social conventions. For example, there are different levels of acceptance about drinking, the use of drugs, sexual relationships, and gambling. In some groups, drinking is regarded as morally wrong, whereas in other groups it is part of everyday life. Knowing how to make responsible choices about the overwhelming options is therefore an important skill for youth to learn. Studies have shown that youth are more at risk for addictive forms of behaviour than any other age group. Youth are particularly at risk because of their over-confidence combined with their lack of full life experiences. They are convinced that they will be able to handle the risks in certain situations, but since they don't yet have the experience of knowing exactly what those risks are, they are often unable to cope with the actual outcomes. It is the main aim of Taking Risks Wisely to help learners develop the understanding, appropriate skills and values that will enable them to make sensible and informed decisions about all the new risky behaviours with which they are being (or will be) confronted, and to prevent learners from becoming problem gamblers. STEP 1 Revisit the main points of the notion of youth at risk, risk-taking behaviour, probability and consequences. Introduce the distinction between high-risk and low-risk behaviour based on the calculation of probability of outcomes. Put up Transparency 1 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example:

“

In Grade 7 and 8, we looked at risky behaviour and how you can make wise decisions about the kinds of activities with which you want to get involved.

•

How will knowing about risk-taking behaviour and decision-making help you?

Ask:

(Prompt learners to recognize that as they get older, they are having to make more and more independent decisions about various kinds of risky behaviours, such as which friends to get involved with and about how to spend their leisure time. If they make irresponsible or uninformed decisions, it is likely that they may be faced with problems later on.) All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Ask:

• •

What are some examples of risk-taking behaviour? Why do these involve risk?

(Establish how much learners remember from Grade 7 and 8. Learners should be able to offer examples of risk-taking behaviour and to explain that what makes them risky is the likely chances, or high probability, of problematic consequences. Invite the class to give other examples of what they think may be forms of risky behaviour and their possible problematic consequences. For example, drug use leads to relationship breakdowns and possible addiction; unsafe sex leads to STDs or unwanted pregnancy; train surfing is likely to lead to accidents and injuries; and gambling to financial problems and possible addiction, etc.) Risky behaviour refers to those actions that are likely to be dangerous for health or emotional well-being in the longterm. In other words, risky behaviour is likely to have problematic consequences. Ask:

•

What makes some of these examples high-risk behaviour and others low-risk

(Remind learners that high-risk forms of behaviour, for example, reckless driving, have a high probability of leading to an accident, or too much drinking of alcohol is likely to lead to ill health, family upheavals and addiction). Ask: • Why do people engage in high-risk behaviour if they know that it is likely that an accident or problems may be the result?

•

Why do people try drugs like “tik”?

(Learners should be able to explain that people engage in risk-taking behaviour because they enjoy it, it makes them “feel good”. This is what we call the reward. So, even though someone may know that a drug like “tik” is highly addictive, makes them reckless, and most probably leads to an accident, the person gets a thrill out of doing so.) Let's look at the different levels of risks involved in different kinds of actions.

STEP 2

“

Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 1. Divide learners into pairs and ask each pair to complete the sheet. The aim of the exercise is to enable learners to distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour by looking at the likelihood of serious consequences the action might have.

enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of how to cope with risk. Revisit the PRICE decision-making process, as well as the three main groups of risky circumstances that tend to encourage highrisk behaviour. The learning exercise is aimed to educate learners about how to systematically think through a difficult choice that is likely to place them at risk, and to help learners assess the levels of control they can exercise over their decision-making, over their circumstances and over the actual risk-taking action. STEP 3 Revisit the PRICE decision-making process, as well as the main three groups of risky circumstances that are likely to increase an individual's risk levels. Stress the importance of knowing one's own risky circumstances when making sensible decisions about which activities to become involved in. Learners should be able to assess the different levels of control they have over making their own decisions, about their circumstances and about the actual high-risk action itself. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example: Page 4 | Unit 9.1 | Grade 9


“

Ask: •

How can you reduce the likelihood of bad consequences?

(Prompt learners to see that sensible decision-making will tend to reduce the likelihood of bad consequences. In Grades 7 and 8 learners looked at the PRICE decision-making process to help them make appropriate decisions when they're not sure whether they should take part in a certain risky behaviour. The PRICE process entails identifying the purposes for the action, the high or low risks involved, the quality of the information about possible consequences, the possibility of compromises or alternatives that may give them similar rewards without the risks, and the enjoyment of knowing that they have thought wisely through the decision.). Ask: • Why is knowing about your own character as well as the risky circumstances in your own community, family or peer group important for knowing how to make sensible decisions about risk-taking behaviour? • How can your community, family or own character contribute to the likelihood of your getting involved in highrisk behaviour? (Prompt learners to remember that there are various circumstances that are likely to increase their risk of developing a problem with a certain form of behaviour. These factors differ from person to person since every one has his or her own community, own family and own character. The risk factors are broadly the following: Risky circumstances in the community: The more available the drugs or alcohol or gambling opportunities are in a community, the higher the risk that abuse will occur. Also, when members of a community accept or don't really condemn substance abuse or violence, young people are at a higher risk of developing problem behaviours. This is especially true in communities where people move in and out of the neighbourhood a lot; here there are higher risks of criminal behaviour and social problems. In addition, young people who live in very poor communities are at much higher risk of teenage pregnancies, dropping out of school, violent behaviour and getting involved with crime. Risky circumstances in the family: Young people whose family members have an addiction problem, or whose families don't really monitor their children's whereabouts and behaviour, or within whose families there is serious conflict, are at high risk of developing a behaviour problem, e.g. addiction. When parents excuse their children for breaking the law, or when parents accept drug use, crime and violence as part of everyday life, it is likely that their children will develop violent behaviour. Personalities and character traits that put people at risk: Young people who are impulsive, or who constantly seek sensation, or who can't concentrate for long, or who have poor school performance or who don't feel committed to the school, are at high risk of developing substance abuse and violent behaviour problems. Young people whose friends are involved with drugs, or drinking or crime are likely to follow what their friends are doing. Ask:

•

If risk-taking behaviour responsibly depends on sensible decision-making and knowledge of your own risky circumstances, how much control do you have over these? a) Your own decision-making processes? b) The risky circumstances in your community, in your family, in your peer group, as well as own character traits that encourage you to take risks?

(a)

Learners are able to have a lot of control over their own decision-making processes: they can control how carefully they are willing to think through the various steps in the process.

(b)

At this stage of their lives, learners don't have much control of the circumstance in which they live: the community, the laws and social habits of residents in the neighbourhood, and their family. But even if they can't change their immediate circumstances right now, being aware of how these can influence the probability of risk and negative consequences of actions, will give them a powerful tool for personal decision making.

So, let's have a look at how much control you can have over high-risk behaviour. Again, knowing what you can control and how, will help you make sensible decisions about high-risk behaviour.

“



synthesising Consolidate learners’ understanding of how they can handle different kinds of risky behaviour responsibly. If they do decide to get involved in risky behaviour, they need to know how to think through the likely consequences and risky circumstances critically. STEP 4 Hand out Learning Activity Sheet 2. Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 20 - 25 minutes for each group to discuss and complete the activity sheet. If there is time, invite groups to share their responses with the rest of the class. Take in the completed sheets for possible inclusion in the assessment portfolio. Responses that demonstrate that the various steps have been carefully and critically thought through earn good marks. Process rather than outcome (the final decision) is assessed. If there is no time to complete this exercise in class, ask learners to complete it for homework.




Hi there… Remember me? My name is Joe. In Grades 7 and 8 you read in a really cool comic about the problems I ran into … I didn’t know how to make good decisions about how to spend my leisure time. When I first started to gamble and win money, it was exciting. I got a big thrill out of betting on dice and soccer games. However, the more I got involved in gambling, the more my problems grew and the more money I lost. I didn’t realize that I was getting deeper and deeper into a high-risk situation. Since then I have learnt from my uncle Enoch, who is a teacher, how to make sensible decisions about risky behaviour. He showed me that risky behaviour is likely to be dangerous because it has a high probability of bad consequences. Now I know all about the problems my gambling caused me and my mother. I’m young and I like taking chances, but I hope that in future I’ll be able take my chances more wisely! • How will knowing about risk-taking behaviour and decision-making help you?



Unit 9.1 Transparency 1 - page ii

High-risk behaviour and consequences I’m hoping that my nephew Joe has learnt how to make sensible decisions about risky behaviour in order to reduce the probabilities of something bad happening. • What are some examples of risk-taking behaviour? • Why do these involve risk? • What makes some of these examples high-risk behaviour and others low-risk? • Why do people get involved in high-risk behaviour if they know it is likely to lead to serious problems later on? Why did my nephew Joe get involved in gambling? As he says, he got a thrill from gambling in the beginning. People take the risk because they enjoy it; it makes them feel good. This is the reward. But as with all things, there is a cost to pay for this reward.




SO, HOW DO YOU REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF BAD CONSEQUENCES? Different risky behaviours have different probabilities depending on: • your choice (the PRICE decision-making process) • the risky circumstances in which you find yourself • your personality and character and • sometimes sheer luck • How much control do you have over these four areas? There’s nothing you can do about sheer luck (or bad luck). Although you have some control over your own personality or character, changing it is difficult. Also, often circumstances in your community or family or peer group are beyond your control, and you therefore have only limited control over these. But you do have lots of control over your own choice. YOUR CHOICE: Since you have lots of control over your decision-making process, you can reduce the risks of bad consequences by making sensible decisions… P - Identify the purpose of the action R - Identify the risks, consequences and probabilities I - Assess the reliability of your information C - Consider compromises, and create alternatives E - Enjoy the feeling of having made a good decision




YOUR HIGH-RISK CIRCUMSTANCES: You have only limited control over the circumstances in which you live, but being aware of how they can influence the probability of risk and bad consequences, will give you a powerful tool in your decision-making, and will help you reduce the likelihood of bad consequences. YOUR PERSONALITY OR CHARACTER: As you grow older, you are able to judge your own strengths and weaknesses better and so are able to have some control over them. Understanding yourself better is also an important part of being able to make good decisions and thereby reducing the likelihood of bad consequences. LUCK: You have no control over luck (good or bad luck). There is nothing you can do to change your luck. However, knowing that winning in games of chance (like Lotto, slot machines, coin tossing and dice throwing) depends on luck, you are able to avoid irresponsible behaviour like trying to win back your losses. Levels of control Lots of control

Limited control

No control

Decision-making

Circumstances, personality

Luck and games of chance



Unit 9.1 Learning Activity Sheet 1

Names of group members: For each of the activities, write down what you think are the likely positive consequences, the likely negative consequences, and then evaluate whether the activity is low, medium or high-risk. Activity

Likely positive consequences (if any)

Likely negative consequences (if any)

The degree of activity: risk involved in the activity: (Tick one box)

Playing soccer

Low Medium High

Skateboarding without a helmet

Low Medium High

Rock climbing

Low Medium High


Low Medium High

Buying a Lotto ticket

Low Medium High

Parachute jumping

Low Medium High

Train surfing

Low Medium High

Smiling at a stranger

Low Medium High

Gambling on the internet

Low Medium High

Stealing money

Low Medium High

Watching your favourite TV show


Low Medium High


Unit 9.1 Learning Activity Sheet 2 - page i

SO, WOULD YOU DO IT OR NOT? Write down the names of the group members:

Read through the various scenarios below. Choose one and then: • Discuss what some of the risky circumstances in the community or family or peer group may be that could influence the decision; • Discuss some of the risky character traits that may influence the decision; • Apply the PRICE decision-making process; • Discuss what role luck can play in the outcome. Scenarios: 1. Your boyfriend / girlfriend and you have been going out for a while. You both like each other. A weekend is coming up when your parents are away and you'll have the house to yourself. Your boyfriend / girlfriend wants to sleep over that night to have sex. 2. The older brother of your friend has got hold of a car. He invites you and your friend to come with him on a “joy ride” around town. You know that he has been drinking and that he will drive recklessly. 3. Your sick aunt gives you a R100 to go buy a Lotto ticket. She says that she has had a vivid dream of lucky numbers and that you must go bet on those numbers on her behalf. She promises to give you half her winnings. You know that she is gambling all her pension money on this one bet and if she loses won't have any money left for food. 4. You go to a party where some of your classmates are taking drugs. When they hear that you haven't tried drugs before, they offer to give you some and encourage you to try some. 5. Your neighbour is giving a big party and has asked you to help serve the food. One of the people serving drinks gives you a full bottle of brandy as a present. Your friend suggests that the two of you go to a quiet place and finish it. The group chooses scenario number:

Steps

Write your answers to the questions here:

1: Identify possible high-risk circumstances in the community, (e.g. availability of drugs or drink, acceptance of criminal behaviour, residents who don't stay for long, and poverty); family (e.g. addiction within family, lack of parental supervision, serious conflict, parental excuses for child's bad behaviour); or peer group (e.g. friends who are involved with drugs or high-risk behaviour) that are relevant to the decision.

Community:

Family:

Peer group:



Learning Activity Sheet 2 - page ii

Steps

Write your answers to the questions here:

2: Identify possible character traits that puts people at risk (e.g. impulsivity, sensation seeking, lack of concentration, poor school performance)

3: Apply the PRICE process: • Identify the purpose for wanting to do the action • Identify the risks (in 1 and 2) and their likely consequences • Assess the available information (about 1 and 2) • Consider compromises and alternatives

4: • Identify the role of luck in the possible consequences

ENJOY the feeling of having made a good decision.

Write down your final decision here:

HOW MUCH CONTROL DO YOU HAVE OVER THE FINAL DECISION? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


7/7/11

3:41 PM

Page 16

unit 9.2

UNIT 9.2



Unit 1


UNIT 2


Unit 3

How gambling works – slot machine and roulette Probabilities and uncertainty

Unit 4

The illusion of control: House advantage, cost per hour and superstitions

Unit 5

Psychology of gambling and problem gambling How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: •

Understand that risk-taking behaviour involves outcomes with different probabilities and consequences

•

Distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour

•

Make responsible decisions about high-risk behaviour

•

Explain some of the psychology of gambling

•

Explain why gamblers are unlikely to make money in the long-term through gambling

•

Outline how to manage gambling behaviour responsibly and describe strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling

•


•

Know how to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

•




•



Investigate personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problem like problem gambling) and suggest appropriate responses and rehabilitation options.

•

Critically evaluate resources on health information, health services (including gambling counseling) and a range of treatment options.

•

Analyze and reflect on positive personal qualities in range of contexts.

•

Respond appropriately to emotions in challenging situations.

•

Critically evaluate own application of problem-solving skills in challenging situation.


Describe where, when and how gambling practices originated

•

Outline the current situation with regards to gambling in South Africa

•

Discuss the various reasons for people gambling

•

Critically assess the appeal to gamble

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

History of gambling

•

Gambling as a universal cultural practice

•

Legal and illegal gambling in South Africa

•

Range of good to bad reasons for gambling



Unit 9.2 | The history of gambling and reasons for people gambling



•


•

Transparency 3

•

Learning Activity Sheet - pages i and ii

•

Learning Activity Sheet with Answers STEPS IN THE UNIT:

enhancing

orientating

STEP 1

Stress that gambling has been around for many centuries in many different cultures. Of course, there are modern forms of gambling (e.g. casinos and internet gambling), but the practice of betting is a deeply entrenched human practice. Being able to place gambling in its historical context will enable learners to make more informed decisions about the general practice. Put up Transparency 1 - pages i and ii with main points.

STEP 2

Introduce learners to the present situation regarding gambling in South Africa. Stress that although gambling was practised in Africa for many centuries, in South Africa under the Nationalist government it was banned. The newly elected government in 1994 saw the decision whether to legalise gambling as a serious one. It, therefore, followed a democratic decision-making process and in 1996 decided to allow certain forms of legal gambling. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points.

synthesising

STEP 3

Revisit the main reasons why people gamble. Ask learners to assess these reasons critically. In other words, ask learners to consider whether these are sensible reasons for gambling or not. Note that reasons are seldom clearly good or bad - very often there are “better” or “worse” reasons. In other words, stress that reasons, like high, middle and low-risk behaviour, also range from bad, not-so-bad, quite good and good reasons. Put up Transparency 3 with main points.

STEP 4

Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 15 - 20 minutes for each group to discuss and complete the activity sheet. Put up the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers and discuss each of the responses. Stress that even when it seems that a money prize is guaranteed, it is likely to cost the player more money to enter than the money prize he or she will win.



orientating Gambling is not a modern form of entertainment. In order to understand why gambling has been around for many centuries in many different cultures, learners need to be able to place modern gambling practices into a broader historical context and examine the reasons for gambling's ongoing attraction. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: Gambling is sometimes seen as a problem of “modern life”. However, evidence of gambling has been found in communities in ancient China, ancient Egypt and ancient Africa. Gambling is, therefore, not something new. In order to be able to assess the appeal of gambling, learners need to be able to place gambling in its broader historical context and examine the reasons why gambling has such a powerful attraction. In Grade 8 (unit 8.2) learners were introduced to the various reasons people have for gambling. Revisit those reasons, but add a critical component to them. In other words, learners should start to look at the various reasons critically. STEP 1 Stress that gambling has been around for many centuries in many different cultures. Of course, there are modern forms of gambling (e.g. casinos and internet gambling), but the practice of betting is a deeply entrenched human practice. Being able to place gambling in its historical context will enable learners to make more informed decisions about the general practice. Put up Transparency 1 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example:

“

Ask:

•

Where and when do you think gambling started?

The history of gambling According to historical records and archaeological findings, gambling has existed for centuries and in most cultures and civilizations. Anthropologists agree that data collected offer solid evidence that gambling dates back many centuries and took place in a large proportion of societies.

We have evidence of gambling in the ancient world There are records of gambling that took place in ancient China (2300 BC). A pair of ivory dice was found at Thebes (Egypt), and in the pyramid of Cheops, an engraving dated 1500 BC describes gambling. Sophocles, an ancient Greek playwright, claimed that the game of dice was taught to the soldiers at the siege of Troy in ancient Greece in about 1000 BC. Gambling in ancient Rome included the first large-scale lotteries, and with it came the wide-spread “disease” of problem gambling. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that their gods gambled, so it is not surprising that the practice was so prevalent. Greek mythology tells of how Zeus, Poseidon and Hades drew lots to divide the universe: Zeus got Olympus, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld. There is evidence of gambling in ancient religions and in the Bible In many ancient religions, dice and other game pieces were used as a method for determining the will of the gods from the allotment of land to the outcome of battle or the distribution of the spoils of war. The way the pieces landed, determined the gods' answers to questions or dilemmas, answers that were never disputed. In many ancient religious texts there are various references to gambling. In the Bible, for example, stone dice were cast to determine the allotment of land to be passed through the generations of a family, and lots were drawn for Jesus's clothes. Gambling was also used for settling disputes or making unbiased decisions Apart from determining the will of the gods, gambling has also played a role in determining political disputes, such as where to draw borders. An example of this is from around the year 1,000 AD, when King Olaf of Norway and King Olaf of Sweden were supposed to decide on the borders of their countries. Both kings claimed the district of Hising. Since the dispute could not be resolved diplomatically, the two kings agreed to roll the dice - the one with the highest number would claim the district. Norway won and the two kings reportedly departed on good terms. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Ask:

• Can you think of a modern-day practice where coin-tossing is used to make an unbiased decision? (Prompt the learners to think, for example, of a referee who tosses a coin before a match to determine which side plays first.) Ask:

• What are some of the instruments or objects people use in a gambling game? (Once learners have suggested some examples, discuss the origin of some of the most common instruments: dice, cards, roulette and slot machines.) The origin of different gambling instruments or devices Dice appear to be the oldest form of gambling. Members from cultures around the world have gambled with dice featuring unusual shapes and markings. Native Americans, Aztecs, Mayas, Polynesians, Eskimos, and sub-Saharan Africans used plum stones, peach pips, pebbles, seeds, bone, deer horn, pottery, walnut shells, beaver teeth and seashells to play dice. Many prehistoric dice were flat objects with just two sides, but the knucklebone, which has six sides, is apparently the direct ancestor of our modern dotted cubical die (one “die”, two “dice”). The knucklebone is still used as a gaming piece in some cultures. In Arabic, for example, the word for “knucklebones” is the same as the word for “dice”. Cards most probably originated in China around 900 AD. The Chinese had paper money and the practice of shuffling notes seems to have led to card dealing and eventual games such as poker and blackjack. Card playing was brought to Europe by the Islamic Mamalukes. Being followers of Islam, the Mamaluke people did not decorate their cards with human forms; instead they used intricate geometric designs. When the cards made their way to Italy and Spain, card makers introduced cards bearing the ranks of their royal leaders: Kings and Knaves. The Queen first appeared in a pack of card in the 1500s, when the French replaced one of their royal card figures with a Queen. This pack serves as the prototype of the 52 card deck we know today. It was also the French who invented the roulette, which means “small wheel” in French. Francois and Louis Blanc invented the “single 0” game (possibly based on versions brought in by Dominican monks from ancient China and amended by Blaise Pascal, the 17th century French mathematician). In 1861, when the small principality of Monaco in the south of France had been given its independence, King Charles III had to come up with a way to increase his country's revenue. As the rest of Europe was starting to outlaw gambling, the king of Monaco built casinos and made roulette gambling the main tourist attraction (which is true even to this day). The slot machine, invented in 1895, was first used in America. Whereas games of chance are played with cards and dice, the slot machine was the first mechanical gambling game, where a machine did all the work once the money had been dropped and the lever pulled.

“

enhancing

Deepen learners' understanding of the history and present set-up of gambling practices in their own country. STEP 2 Introduce learners to the present situation regarding gambling in South Africa. Stress that although gambling was practised in Africa for many centuries, in South Africa under the Nationalist government it was banned. The newly elected government in 1994 saw the decision whether to unban gambling as a serious one. It, therefore, followed a democratic decision-making process and in 1996 decided to allow certain forms of legal gambling. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example:

“

The history of gambling in South Africa

Ask:

•

How might we know whether the San gambled hundreds of years ago?



With gambling dating back to earliest times, the indigenous populations of southern Africa also seem to have had forms of gambling. Pre-colonial Bushman (San) paintings depict people engaged in a type of gambling activity. With gambling a fairly well-established human activity for pleasure and gain, it is not surprising to find gambling surfacing in various forms in various places. The settlement of the Dutch at the Cape during the 17th Century, saw the first ban on gambling in 1673. However, the Diamond and Gold Rush in the Witwatersrand area attracted gambling on a grand scale. Prior to 1996, all formal, commercial gambling in South Africa was illegal, except for betting on horse races and the hotel casinos established in the former “homelands” in the late 1970s. However, making things illegal often doesn't stop people from doing them, and this was so with gambling. The effect of banning gambling was that it drove the gambling business out of sight from the police, and made it an industry often managed by criminals and organized crime syndicates. Street gangs, such as the Msomi's, the “Spoilers” and the Sherif Khan Organization, were involved in managing illegal gambling. So, despite it being outlawed, there was much gambling in the form of illegal slot machines (often in shebeens), illegal casinos (an estimated 2,000), and street card and dice games. Ask:

•

Why do you think the new democratic government made gambling legal in 1996?

(Here learners can offer suggestions like: the new government wanted to bring in new rules and regulations; legal gambling is a way for the government to make money through taxing the gambling businesses; most people wanted gambling legalized.) When the democratically elected government came into power in 1994, it had to make a decision about whether to legalize gambling. Many people think that gambling is immoral because it is trying to get something for nothing. Therefore, the decision to legalize gambling or not had to be taken democratically. So, in 1996, certain forms of gambling were made legal, allowing adults to decide for themselves how and where to spend their money on things they enjoy, without harming others or society as a whole. Together with the government allowing certain forms of gambling, came the government commitment to make counselling services available for those people who gamble excessively or become addicted to gambling (in the same way that people can become addicted to alcohol and drugs). There are now 40 licensed casinos, including those re-integrated from the old “homeland” casinos, a national horse racing totalisator (“tote”), a few bingo halls and the national Lotto lottery. Both national and provincial governments require licensed gambling operators to address the problem of excessive gambling. However, outside these official structures, illegal gambling, “ukudlala ngemali” (Zulu for “gambling”) continues to spread on a nation-wide scale. In addition, although legal gambling has set the minimum age limit at 18, substantial numbers of children gamble - they play slot machines, gamble on the internet, engage in street card or dice games, play traditional games such as “itoti” and Finder-Finder (played with bottle tops and stones), or work for the “runners” of the Fafi games1.

synthesising

“

Consolidate learners' understanding of the deep attraction to gambling by many people over the centuries. Revisit the reasons for people gambling that were addressed in Grade 8 (unit 8.2), and critically evaluate the reasons, especially the main reason that people give for why they gamble, namely to win money. STEP 3 Revisit the main reasons why people gamble. Ask learners to assess these reasons critically. In other words, ask learners to consider whether these are sensible reasons for gambling or not. Note that reasons are seldom clearly good or bad - very often there are “better” or “worse” reasons. In other words, stress that reasons, like high, middle and low-risk behaviour, also range from bad, not-so-bad, quite good and good reasons. Put up Transparency 3 with main points. Say, for example: 1

P. Frankel, “Ukujuma: Illegal Gambling, Crime and Culture in a Post-Apartheid South Africa.” Unpublished paper, 2006, p. 22.



“

We looked at the various reasons why people gamble in unit 8.2 (in Grade 8). Here is a list of the main reasons:

•

In the comic book, Joe's reasons for carrying on gambling are different from the reasons why his friend Tiger gambles. Why are Joe's reasons “bad” and Tiger's reasons “good” or at least “better” than Joe's?

(Put up transparency 3.) Ask:

(To see whether something is a “good” or “bad” reason for getting involved in risky behaviour like gambling, prompt learners to look at the possible consequences the action may have.) “Bad” reasons are likely to have negative consequences and “good” reasons are likely to minimize the risks of those negative consequences happening. But reasons, like low, medium and high-risk behaviour, fall on a scale. On the one end we have “good” reasons - unlikely to lead to problems - and on the other end “bad” reasons - very likely to lead to problems. But in between, we often have reasons that are “better” or “not-so-bad” - they might lead to some mild problems. Joe continues to gamble because he hopes to win back his losses - this is a “bad” reason because it is very likely that he will lose more - and Tiger gambles for a bit of money and for fun - this is a “better” to “good” reason because it is unlikely to lead to serious problems. Good reasons

Quite good reasons

Not-so-bad reasons

Bad reasons

Little likelihood of

Some likelihood of

Higher likelihood

Very high

causing problems

causing problems

of causing problems

likelihood of causing problems

Critically assess the following reasons for gambling as “good” or “quite good” or “not-so-bad” or “bad” reasons: •

To win money Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? If you see playing as an opportunity to win “easy” money (like Joe), it would be a bad reason to gamble. Although some people do win some money, the cost of playing means that most people lose money (otherwise no gambling provider could stay in business!). If you gamble to win money but are able to set clear limits on how much time and money you spend gambling (like Tiger) it is a better or good reason.

•

For entertainment and recreation Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? Gamblers who see gambling merely as a chance to have fun and be in a bit of a fantasy world are likely to keep their spending under control. This would be a good reason for gambling.

•

To belong to a special group Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? The shared experience with other gamblers can be part of the fun. When the gambling group to which you want to belong is, however, illegal, problems are likely to result.

•

To alleviate boredom Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? To have some excitement is fine, but to gamble costs money. So the more you gamble, the more your costs will go up.

•

To support a charity Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? To buy a raffle ticket, for example, to raise money for the local soccer club will help the soccer players as well as give you some fun.

•

To escape problems or to get away from home Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? To gamble in order to escape from problems, depression or negative feelings is likely to increase these since you are likely to gamble irresponsibly and lose money.



•

For mood change Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? The action and excitement of gambling can be a form of fun, but it needs to be practised in moderation. Spending too much time or money trying to get a thrill is likely to cause problems.

•

To experience that winning feeling Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? For some gamblers, that exciting memory of how they felt when they won in the past is the motivation to carry on gambling. They are likely however to forget how much money they may have lost.

•

Since friends and family do Good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason? Many gamblers, especially adolescents, say that their parents or caretakers gamble, and learners who see their friends gamble are often keen to try gambling themselves. To do something just because others do it is a bad reason.

Of all the reasons, the most powerful one is that people want to win money. However, how likely is this? Even when you are “guaranteed” a prize, is it still sensible to gamble? Let's have a look.

“

STEP 4 Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members per group. Allow about 15 - 20 minutes for each group to discuss and complete the activity sheet. Put up the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers and discuss each of the responses.

Stress that even when it seems that a money prize is guaranteed, it is likely to cost the player more money to enter than the money prize he or she will win.




THE HISTORY OF GAMBLING •

Where and when do you think gambling started?

•

Gambling has existed for centuries and in most cultures and civilizations.

•

Ancient world: Gambling took place in ancient China (2300 BC), in ancient Egypt (1500 BC) and ancient Greece (1000 BC). Both the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that their gods gambled, so it is not surprising that many humans followed the practice.

•

Evidence of gambling in ancient religions and in the Bible: In many ancient religions, dice were used to determine the will of the gods. The way the pieces landed, revealed the gods' answers to questions. In many ancient religious texts there are references to gambling. In the Bible, for example, stone dice were cast to determine the division of land to be passed down through generations of a family, and lots were drawn for Jesus's clothes.

•

Gambling used to settle disputes or to make unbiased decisions: Gambling was also used to settle political disputes. For example, in 1000 AD, King Olaf of Norway and King Olaf of Sweden rolled dice in order to determine where their countries' borders would be.

•

Can you think of a modern-day practice where coin-tossing is used to make an unbiased decision?

•

What are some of the instruments or objects people use in a gambling game?

•

Dice appear to be the oldest form of gambling. Native Americans, Aztecs, Mayas, Polynesians, Eskimos, and sub-Saharan Africans used plum stones, peach pips, pebbles, seeds, bone, deer horn, pottery, walnut shells, beaver teeth and seashells to play dice. The knucklebone, which has six sides, is the direct ancestor of our modern dotted cubical die (one “die”, two “dice”). In Arabic, for example, the word for knucklebones is the same word as that for dice.




•

Cards originated in China around 900 AD. Card playing was brought to Europe by the Mamalukes who, being followers of Islam, did not decorate their cards with human forms; instead they used geometric designs. When the cards made their way to Europe, card makers introduced cards with pictures of their royal leaders: Kings, Queens and Knaves (Jacks).

•

In the 17th century, the French invented the modern roulette, which means “small wheel” in French.

•

The slot machine, the first mechanical gambling tool, was invented in 1895 and was first used in America.




THE HISTORY OF GAMBLING IN SOUTH AFRICA •

How might we know whether the San gambled hundreds of years ago?

•

Ancient populations of southern Africa also seem to have had gambling. Bushman paintings depict people engaged in a type of gambling activity.

•

The settlement of the Dutch at the Cape during the 17th Century saw the first ban on gambling in 1673.

•

The Diamond and Gold Rush in the Witwatersrand area attracted gambling on a grand scale.

•

Prior to 1996, all gambling in South Africa was illegal, except for betting on horse races and the hotel casinos established in the former “homelands” in the late 1970s.

•

The effect of banning gambling was that it drove the gambling business out of sight from the police, and made it an industry often managed by criminals and organized crime syndicates. Street gangs, such as the Msomi's, the “Spoilers” and the Sherif Khan Organization, were involved in managing illegal gambling.

•

Why do you think the new democratic government made gambling legal in 1996?

•

In 1994, the new government had to make a democratic decision whether or not to legalize gambling. In 1996, certain forms of gambling were made legal, allowing adults to decide for themselves how and where to spend their money on things they enjoy, without harming others or society as a whole.

•

The government also makes counselling services available for those people who gamble excessively or become addicted to gambling.

•

There are now 40 licensed casinos, a national horse racing totalisator (“tote”), a few bingo halls and the national Lotto lottery.




•

Outside these official structures, there is still lots of illegal gambling, e.g. “ukudlala ngemali” (Zulu for “gambling”), “itoti”, Finder-Finder (played with bottle tops and stones), and Fafi games.

•

The minimum legal gambling age is 18, but many children younger than 18 gamble or work for the “runners” of the Fafi games.

•

The South African law regards a “minor” as anyone under the age of 18.




I am Socrates, the famous ancient Greek philosopher. In order to live well, you need to know yourself. (That means, knowing the reasons why you choose to do certain things …)

WHY DO PEOPLE GAMBLE? For each reason why people gamble, discuss why you think this is a good, quite good, not-so-bad, or bad reason to gamble. (Hint: think about how likely or not it is going to lead to problems.) •

To win money

•

For entertainment and recreation

•

To belong to a special group

•

To alleviate boredom

•

To support a charity

•

To escape problems or to get away from home

•

For mood change

•

To experience that winning feeling

•

Since friends and family do




ABC INDEPENDENT SWEEPSTAKES ORGANIZATION Congratulations! Dear Your name was entered in our sweepstakes contest, and we are happy to announce that you have won a prize of up to R7,500.00 in cash! This is an important document regarding your cash prize. This is your Judging Organization Cash Cheque Disbursement Authorization. Do not misplace it. Read it carefully. I regret that the enclosed cheque has not yet been signed, because of our strict regulation that we must hear from you before your prize can be awarded. You must contact us with your personal Security Code:

I.D. Number: 128 047 387 Do not lose your Security Code I.D. Number, and DO NOT SHOW THIS NUMBER TO ANYONE UNTIL YOU HAVE REGISTERED IT WITH OUR OFFICE. Contact us as soon as possible by mail or phone to provide us with your Number and claim your prize. FOR IMMEDIATE CHEQUE PROCESSING CALL: 011-243-5678 (24 hr./day, 7 days/week, 19 years or older, cell phone rates apply, R4.99/min) Provide the correct answer to this skill-testing question, and we will promptly confirm the amount of your cash award. Your cheque will then be rushed to you, at your home address. 100 x 10 + 100 - 25 = Because of the large amount of money involved in this sweepstakes, you must correctly answer this skill-testing question within three minutes, without any assistance. To respond by mail, cut your name, Security Code I.D. Number, and the box containing the answer to your skilltesting question and attach it to a 10cm x 15 cm postcard. Do not use staples and do not place in an envelope. Mail to: ABC Disbursements, P.O. Box 5350, Johannesburg, 0003. Entries must be received before the deadline. Improper, incomplete and illegible entries are disqualified. We hope to hear from you soon. Joe Borat P.S. Remember we cannot act until we hear from you. Contact us without delay.

Consumer Disclosure: Awards and odds are: (1) R7,500 (1:2,949,679); (1) R2,500 (1:2929,679); (1) R1,000 (1:2,949,679); (1) R750 (1:2,949,679); (1) R175 (1:2,949,679); R1.37 (approximately 1:1). Not responsible for lost or late mail; or malfunctions in telephone transmissions.




SO WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING MONEY? WOULD YOU ENTER THE SWEEPSTAKES? Answer the following questions based on the “Congratulations Letter”. 1.

How does the letter try and make you feel important - like a winner?

2.

How does the letter try to impress you with the seriousness of the offer?

3.

What is the letter asking you to do?

4.

If the ABC organization gives away all these prizes, how does it make money to stay in business?

5.

What do you think will happen when you call the company?

6.

How does the letter try to discourage you from answering by mail?

7.

What are the chances of winning R7,500 in this “sweepstakes” lottery? What “prize” will you probably win? (See small print at bottom of letter.)

8.

Would you respond to this offer?

2

Taken from Gambling: Reducing the Risks, Grade 9, p. 111-115. Saskatchewan Health, 1999.



Unit 9.2 Learning Activity Sheet 9.2 with answers

1.

How does the letter try and make you feel important - like a winner? • By addressing you by name, by promising you “instant” cash, by giving you your own special code, and by testing your “skill” with an easy maths question.

2.

How does the letter try to impress you with the seriousness of the offer? • By using official-sounding language, like “Security Code I.D. Number”, “Judging Organization Cash Cheque Disbursement Authority”, by warning against showing your I.D. number to anyone else.

3.

What is the letter asking you to do? • Respond by email or phone.

4.

How does the organization make money? • It collects a certain amount from your phone call charges. Given that you'll most probably spend about R50 to collect your R1.37 prize ensures that the company makes enough profit to stay in business.

5.

What do you think will happen when you call the company? • The company will keep you on the line as long as possible. They will probably allow three minutes to answer the “skill-testing” question, they will allow time for reporting and processing the “Security Code” number, they may ask you to route your call using number codes, etc.

6.

How does the letter try to discourage you from answering by mail? • By making the phone option seem quick and easy; by making the mail option complicated (obtaining a stamp and postcard of the correct size, then cutting and pasting); and by warning that “improper, incomplete and illegible” mail entries will be disqualified.

7.

What are the chances of winning R7,500 in this “sweepstakes” lottery? What “prize” will you probably win? • See the “consumer disclosure” at the bottom of the letter, as required by law. The chances of winning the R7,500 prize are 1 in almost 3 million. They are the same for winning the prizes of R2,500, R1,000, R750 and R175. You are almost certain to win the prize of R1.37, but will probably have spent R50 or more on long distance charges.

8.

Would you respond to this offer? • Don't do it!



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3:41 PM

Page 17

unit 9.3

UNIT 9.3



Unit 1


Unit 2


UNIT 3 How gambling works – slot machine and roulette Probabilities and uncertainty Unit 4


Unit 5


BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Understand that risk-taking behaviour involves outcomes with different probabilities and consequences • Distinguish between high-risk and low-risk behaviour • Make responsible decisions about high-risk behaviour • Explain some of the psychology of gambling • Explain why gamblers are unlikely to make money in the long-term through gambling • Outline how to manage gambling behaviour responsibly and describe strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • Recognize the warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Know how to cope with someone who has a gambling problem • Know where to seek help for a gambling problem LEARNING OUTCOMES: • To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. • To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. ASSESSMENT STANDARDS: • Investigate personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problem - like problem gambling) and suggest appropriate responses and rehabilitation options. • Critically evaluate resources on health information, health services (including gambling counseling) and a range of treatment options. • Analyze and reflect on positive personal qualities in range of contexts. • Respond appropriately to emotions in challenging situations. • Critically evaluate own application of problem-solving skills in challenging situation. BY THE END OF THIS UNIT, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: • Recognize that the outcome in a game of chance is based on a random selection process • Explain why the outcome in a game of chance is always uncertain • Discuss why one cannot control the outcome in a game of chance • Give reasons why it is unlikely that one can make money in the long-term through gambling • Calculate the probability of winning and losing at slot machines and at roulette MAIN CONCEPTS: • Uncertainty • Random process • Independent events • Probability • Slot machines • Roulette All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Unit 9.3 | How gambling works – slot machines and roulette | Probabilities and uncertainty



•


•


•

Learning Activity Sheet with Answers

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

orientating

STEP 1

Revisit the notions of uncertainty, random processes and independent events in games of chance. Discuss how in games of chance, (like dice throwing, coin tossing and the Lotto) random processes determine the outcomes and how in games that involve some degree of skill (like in sporting events and poker) random processes as well as other factors affect the outcomes. However, in both types of games, the outcome is always uncertain. Put up Transparency 1 - pages i and ii. Read each question out loud and then ask learners to indicate which answer they think is right. Once the learners have indicated their choice, discuss the correct answer.

synthesising

enhancing

STEP 2

The main aim of Transparency 1 is to focus learners' attention on the constant element of uncertainty; the lack of a pattern in outcomes based on random processes, and the impossibility of predicting with certainty the outcome of a game, even if it is a game of skill and a number of factors that affect the outcome are known. Revisit the notion of probability (somewhere between impossible and certain). Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points.

STEP 3


Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Ask learners to work in pairs. Allow about 15 - 20 minutes for the exercise. Either take in the completed learning activity sheet for inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio, or put up the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers and take the learners through the responses.


orientating In Grades 7 and 8 learners were introduced to the notion of probability, and the notion of independent events. The main insights were that in games of chance - like coin tossing, dice throwing, and the Lotto - each outcome is uncertain because it is based on a random selection process. Also, stress that each outcome is independent of the previous outcomes and that the player cannot control the outcome of the game. Revisit the main points. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: When it comes to educating learners about responsible risk-taking in gambling, there are three main insights that need to be stressed constantly: 1.You can manage risky behaviour by knowing how to make sensible decisions. This involves being able to assess your own reasons for wanting to engage in the risky behaviour, to be able to identify the risky circumstances in which you find yourself, to be able to calculate the probability of problematic consequences, and to be able to recognize warning signals that participation in the high-risk behaviour is becoming a problem. 2. In games of chance, the outcomes are uncertain because the outcomes are based on random processes, i.e. processes that have no pattern. Players, therefore, cannot control the process in order to bring about a desired outcome. Players who think they can control the selection process have the illusion of control. In games of chance, the outcome cannot be known beforehand. So players who think they have “inside information” or who think they “know the system” are wrong. Gamblers at times predict the outcome of the game correctly (and win!), but they cannot predict the outcome of the game with certainty. 3. It is very unlikely that you will make money from gambling in the long run. Calculating the probability of winning shows that the more you gamble, the more it is expected to cost you. STEP 1 Revisit the notions of uncertainty, random processes and independent events in games of chance. Discuss how in games of chance, (like dice throwing, coin tossing and the Lotto) random processes determine the outcomes and how in games that involve some degree of skill (like sporting events and poker) random processes as well as other factors affect the outcomes. However, in both types of games, the outcome is always uncertain. Put up Transparency 1 - pages i and ii. Read each question out loud and then ask learners to indicate which answer they think is right. Once the learners have indicated their choice, discuss the correct answer. Say for example:

“ 1.

Ask:

When you throw a die (one die, two dice), there are six possible outcomes that have an equal chance of happening. In other words, if you throw the die fairly, your chance of getting number 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 is exactly the same; a or b? a.

True

In Grades 7 and 8 we saw that when we throw a die, there are six possible outcomes of equal chance {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}. Each time you throw the die there are still six possible outcomes of equal chance. Each outcome is as likely to come up now as in any time in the future.

2.

When you re-throw the die; a, b, or c? c. It makes no difference to the outcome - each outcome is as likely to come up again as it has at any time in the past and as at any time in the future. In Grades 7 and 8 we saw that no skill (like blowing on the dice or throwing them hard or softly), or “inside knowledge”, affects the outcomes. In random processes, the outcomes are independent of the previous ones - no matter what the previous outcomes of the die (or Lotto numbers) were, each time you throw the die or choose Lotto numbers, the probability of any of the outcomes remains the same. So, in the case of a fair die, the possible outcomes {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6} have the same probability of occurring each time the die is thrown.



3.

When Herschelle Gibbs, the cricketer, bats in a cricket match we can correctly predict his score if we know how fit he is, the state of the opposition team, the condition of the pitch, and his batting average in previous games; a or b? b.

False - because even though these factors may affect the outcome, we can never sure because there are too many complex factors and too much uncertainty. There are games, like sports events, where uncertainty as well as other factors affect the outcome of the match. For example, each time the cricketer Herschelle Gibbs bats in a cricket test match his score is uncertain. The score he gets is dependent on lots of factors, such as: the quality of the opposition team, the condition of the pitch, how Gibbs is feeling that day (such as whether he has a stomach cramp, is tired, or maybe well-rested). Other factors are, whether Gibbs has been practising and is fit, and whether he is “seeing the ball well”. If we know that he is in good form that day, that the pitch is in excellent condition, and that the opposition team is tired and unfit, we may expect Gibbs to make a good score, but we can never be absolutely sure. Makhaya Ntini's score is also uncertain and depends on the same factors. We may expect, however, that Gibbs's score will be better than Ntini's because Gibbs has maintained an average of about 45 in tests and Ntini has an average of less than 10. But we are never sure. It is possible (and has happened) that in a particular test match Gibbs's score is less than Ntini's. There are games, like sports events, where uncertainty as well as other factors affect the outcome of the match.For example, each time the cricketer Herschelle Gibbs bats in a cricket test match his score is uncertain. The score he gets is dependent on lots of factors, such as: the quality of the opposition team, the condition of the pitch, how Gibbs is feeling that day (such as whether he has a stomach cramp, is tired, or maybe well-rested). Other factors are, whether Gibbs has been practising and is fit, and whether he is “seeing the ball well”. If we know that he is in good form that day, that the pitch is in excellent condition, and that the opposition team is tired and unfit, we may expect Gibbs to make a good score, but we can never be absolutely sure. Makhaya Ntini's score is also uncertain and depends on the same factors. We may expect, however, that Gibbs's score will be better than Ntini's because Gibbs has maintained an average of about 45 in tests and Ntini has an average of less than 10. But we are never sure. It is possible (and has happened) that in a particular test match Gibbs's score is less than Ntini's.

4.

When Herschelle Gibbs comes out to bat a second time in the same cricket match, his chances of getting the same score as before remain identical; a or b? b. False - because when Gibbs comes out to bat for a second time, lots of things have changed, making it impossible to know beforehand what his score in the second innings will be. Gibbs may be tired because of the first innings, the sun may have shifted since the first time he batted and is now shining directly into his eyes, the opposition bowler may have warmed up and “found his mark” since the first innings, etc. There are too many constantly shifting factors to make an accurate prediction with certainty.

5.

If you know nothing about the six horses running in a particular horse race, the outcome is uncertain and your chances of picking the winning horse are 1 in 6; a or b? a. True - since you don't know anything about the factors that may affect the outcome (e.g. the condition of the horse, the jockey's previous performance, etc) your chance of picking the winner are 1 in 6. There is a difference in the chances of which horse may win (the fittest horse with the best jockey is likely to win) but your chances of picking the right horse (since you know nothing about which horse is the fittest or which jockey is the best) are 1 in 6.

6.

If you are told that 4 of the horses running in the race are lame, then the result is still uncertain, but you have a better chance of picking the winner (i.e. one of the 2 fit horses); a or b? a. True - You now know that 4 horses out of the 6 will definitely not win and you can place your bet on one of the 2 non-lame horses, increasing your chances of winning to 1 in 2. The chances of which horse may win remains the same (i.e. the fittest horse with the best jockey has the best chance of winning), but now your chances of picking the right winner have improved since you know for certain that 4 of the horses will not win. Of course, the actual result remains uncertain (even the fittest horse with the best jockey may lose because it accidentally stumbled, or the horse may be frightened by a bird that swooped down on it, or be startled by a car alarm that goes off suddenly, etc etc).


“


enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of chance, uncertainty and probability. STEP 2 The main aim of Transparency 1 is to focus learners' attention on the constant element of uncertainty; the lack of a pattern in outcomes based on random processes, and the impossibility of predicting with certainty the outcome of a game, even if it is a game of skill and a number of factors that affect the outcome are known. Revisit the notion of probability (somewhere between impossible and certain). Put up Transparency 2 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example:

“

•

Ask:

Why can't you know beforehand what the outcomes in games of chance, like coin tossing, dice throwing or the Lotto, will be?

(Encourage learners to remember that in games of chance the outcomes are uncertain because the games are based on random processes. Random processes mean that there is no pattern or system in the outcomes. That means that you cannot control the outcomes. To think that you can, is to have an illusion of control. You might, of course, guess correctly, but you can't predict with certainty what the outcome will be because you can't know beforehand what it will be.) Ask:

•

Do you think that the more you played the Lotto and studied the numbers, the better your chances of predicting the winning numbers?

(Remind learners that part of human nature is to look for patterns to help us learn about the world around us and to help us take greater control of our circumstances. Looking for “patterns” in outcomes that are based on random processes, however, is a futile exercise - there is no pattern. It may seem that there is a pattern, but there isn't. If one makes bets on the assumption that there is a pattern, then one would expect to lose money. We also saw that in games of chance the outcomes are independent events. That means that each Lotto number is as likely to come up now as in any time in the future.) Even though there is no pattern in gambling on which to base predictions, we saw that we can calculate the likelihood of a particular outcome and thus calculate the chances of winning. The number assigned to this likelihood is called a probability. Probability lies between impossibility and certainty, where 0 = impossible and 1 = certain. Probabilities may be represented by fractions, e.g.1⁄2 (a 1 in 2 chance that an event will occur - like heads or tails), 1/6 (a 1 in 6 chance that your chosen number will come up in a die throw), etc; or alternatively as decimal numbers between 0 and 1, e.g., 0.5, 0.25, 0.66666, etc. The general rule for calculating the probability of an event (like picking a particular type of card, or throwing a number) where the chance of each outcome is the same is: p = n/t (where p stands for probability, n for the number of favourable or desired outcomes that make up that event, and t for the total number of possible outcomes.) This is tricky, so let's go slowly … Ask:

•

Let's set up a game in which we win if we throw the number “4” with a die. What is the probability of winning?

Answer: 1 in 6. When you throw a die, there are six possible outcomes of equal chance. The chance (or probability) of throwing, say the number 4, are 1 in 6. What are the chances or probability of throwing a 1? 2? 3? 4? 5? 6? The probability of throwing each number remains 1 in 6. Your chances of winning, of getting the number “4”, are 1 in 6, and your chances of losing are 5 in 6. You are therefore five times more likely to lose than to win!



Ask:

•

What is the probability of winning the jackpot on a slot machine with 5 reels and 35 stop combinations on each reel?

(Learners, of course, will not know, but let them try and guess. Chances of winning are 1 in 52,500,000.) Let's see why it is very, very unlikely that you'll win the jackpot on a slot machine: A slot machine is a mechanical machine that's programmed to have only a limited number of combinations that will pay out money to the gambler. On a slot machine with five reels and 35 possible stops on each reel, there are 52 521 875 possible stop combinations! It is often the case that the grand jackpot prize is linked to only 1 possible combinations of all 5 reels, so there is only a 1 in 52 521 875 chance of hitting the jackpot in any one play! Let's see what the chances of winning at the game of roulette.: (It is likely that learners don't know what a roulette table or roulette wheel are. Describe the basic model.) A roulette table and a roulette wheel have 37 numbers, from 0 through to 36. 18 of these numbers are black; 18 of these numbers are red, and the “0” is green. Also, 18 of these numbers are even (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8 ....36), and 18 of these numbers are uneven or odd (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …35). “0” is neither even nor odd. Players put bets on the table and then the roulette wheel is spun. Whichever number the wheels stops on, is the number on the table that wins. The chances of guessing correctly that the roulette wheel will stop on, say, number “16” are 1 in 37. We calculate the probability of winning as 1/37. The chances of guessing correctly that the wheel will stop on, say, a red number are 18 in 37. Thus if you bet on “red”, the probability of winning is 18/37. Similarly, the chances of the wheel stopping on an even number are 18 in 37 and if you bet on “even”, you have a probability of 18/37 of winning. Ask:

•

How does being able to calculate the probability of the outcome and of winning help you make sensible decisions about getting involved in risky gambling? (This is a crucial question. Encourage learners to see that: •

Knowing how to calculate the probability of an outcome is to be able to make informed decisions about whether it is sensible to bet on a game when there is a very small probability of the desired outcome happening. It will enable learners to see that it is unlikely that they will make money from games like slot machines.

•

Knowing how to calculate the probability of winning is to be able to make a sensible decision about when it is appropriate to stop gambling. The probability of winning or losing remains the same each time a gambler plays or each time the gambler places a bet. The more you play doesn't increase your chances of winning at all!

•

Knowing how to calculate the probability of a particular outcome in a game of chance helps to keep a realistic perspective on the game as an opportunity for entertainment and not as a dependable way to make money.)

synthesising

“

Consolidate learners' understanding of how to calculate a probability. The main aim is for learners to see that the outcome of any game is always uncertain, but by calculating the probability of the outcome, the player can assign a number to the chance of winning and losing. Since the outcomes of games are based on random processes, no-one can ever determine beforehand what the outcome will be. STEP 3 Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Ask learners to work in pairs. Allow about 15 - 20 minutes for the exercise. Either take in the completed learning activity sheet for inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio, or put up the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers and take the learners through the response.




RANDOM PROCESSES AND UNCERTAIN OUTCOMES Choose the correct answer: 1. When you throw a die (one die, two dice), there are six possible outcomes that have an equal chance of happening. In other words, if you throw the die fairly, your chance of getting number 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 is exactly the same. a. True b. False 2. When you re-throw the die: a. The chances of throwing the same number as before are less (e.g. if you've thrown a 4 before, the chances of getting a 4 again are smaller). b. The chances of throwing the same number as before are greater (e.g. if you've thrown a 4 before, the chances are greater that you'll throw a 4 again). c. It makes no difference to the outcome - each outcome is as likely to come up again as it has at any time in the past and as at any time in the future. 3. When Herschelle Gibbs, the cricketer, bats in a cricket match we can correctly predict his score if we know how fit he is, the state of the opposition team, the condition of the pitch, and his batting average in previous games. a. True - because these factors determine the outcome. b. False - because even though these factors may affect the outcome, we can never be sure because there are too many complex factors and too much uncertainty. 4. When Herschelle Gibbs comes out to bat a second time in the same cricket match, his chances of getting the same score as before remain identical. a. True - because we can correctly predict his score, based on how he performed in the first innings. That is, we can now see how well he is feeling that day, we now know the state of the opposition team and now know the condition of the pitch. That is, we know all the factors that may affect the outcome. b. False - because when Gibbs comes out to bat for a second time, lots of things have changed, making it impossible to know beforehand what his score in the second innings will be. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme



5. If you know nothing about the six horses running in a particular horse race, the outcome is uncertain and your chances of picking the winning horse are 1 in 6. a. True - since you don't know anything about the factors that may affect the outcome (e.g. the condition of the horse, the jockey's previous performance, etc) your chance of picking the winner are 1 in 6. b. False - the outcome of the race is certain beforehand, even if you don't know what it will be. 6. If you are told that 4 of the horses running in the race are lame, then the result is still uncertain, but you have a better chance of picking the winner (i.e. one of the 2 fit horses): a. True - You now know that 4 horses out of the 6 will definitely not win and you can place your bet on one of the 2 non-lame horses, increasing your chances of winning to 1 in 2. b. False - there are six horses running and so the chances of any one of the six winning remain the same.




PROBABILITY •

Why can't you know beforehand what the outcomes in games of chance, like coin tossing, dice throwing or the Lotto, will be?

•

In games of chance the outcomes are uncertain because the games are based on random processes. Random processes mean that there is no pattern or system in the outcomes. That means that a player cannot control the outcome. To think that you can, is to have an illusion of control.

•

Do you think that the more you played the Lotto and studied the numbers, the better your chances of predicting the winning numbers?

•

In games of chance the outcomes are independent events. That means that each Lotto number is as likely to come up now as in any time in the future. Your chance of predicting the winning numbers stays exactly the same.

•

The general rule for calculating the probability of an event (like picking a card, or throwing a number) where the chance of each outcome is the same is: p = n/t (where p stands for probability, n for the number of favourable or desired outcomes making up the event, and t for the total number of possible outcomes.)

•

What is the probability of throwing the number “4” with a die?

•

What is the probability of winning the jackpot on a slot machine (assuming that only one unique combination constitutes the jackpot)?

There is only a 1 in 52 521 875 chance of hitting the jackpot in any one play!




Roulette tables and roulette wheels A roulette wheel has 37 numbers, from 0 through to 36.

Black and red numbers: 18 of these numbers are black; 18 of these numbers are red, and the “0” is green.

Even and odd numbers: Also, 18 of these numbers are even (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, ... ,36), and 18 of these numbers are uneven or odd (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, …,35). “0” is neither even nor odd. •

What is the probability that the roulette wheel will stop on an odd number? (Answer: There are 18 odd numbers and 37 numbers in total. Thus the probability of getting an odd number in roulette is 18/37.)

•

How does being able to calculate the probability of the outcome and of winning help you make sensible decisions about getting involved in risky gambling?



Unit 9.3 Learning Activity - page i

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES? Names: Calculate the probabilities of the following. Circle the correct answer. Remember: Probability

=

number of favourable outcomes total number of possible outcomes

Activity 1 - dice throwing 1. You bet that the die will land on a number higher than 4. What is the probability of getting a number higher than 4 when you roll a die? a. 1/6 b.

2/6 (or 1/3)

c.

4/6 (or 2/3)

(Hint: how many numbers are there on a die that are higher than 4? Divide this number by the total number of [equally likely] possible numbers one can throw with a die.) Activity 2: - simple slot machine 2. Sipho is going to spin the arrow on a four coloured wheel that has four equal area segments: blue, green, yellow and red. Sipho bets on the colour blue. What is the probability that Sipho will win and that the arrow will stop on blue? a. 1/4 b.

2/4 (or 1/2)

(Hint: How many blue coloured segments are there on the wheel? Divide this number by the total number of colours on the wheel.) Activity 3 - roulette wheel 3. A roulette wheel has 37 numbers: 18 black, 18 red and a green “0”. Of the 37 numbers, 18 are even and 18 are uneven (or odd), and then there's “0”.When the wheel is spun, all numbers are equally likely to appear. On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on your bet of a black number? a. 1/2 b.

1/18

c.

18/19

d.

18/37

(Hint: divide the number of black numbers by the total number of numbers on the wheel) 4.

On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on “0”? a. 1/18 b.

1/2

c.

1/37

(Hint: how many “0” numbers are there? Divide this by the total number of numbers on the roulette wheel.) 5.

And here is a tricky one: On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on an even number less than 9? a.

9/37

b.

36/37

c.

1/37

d.

4/37

(Hint: first of all determine how many even numbers there are less than 9. Then divide this number by the total number of numbers on the roulette wheel.) All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Unit 9.3 Learning Activity 9.3 with Answers

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES? Names: Calculate the probabilities of the following. Circle the correct answer. Remember: Probability

=

number of favourable outcomes total number of possible outcomes

Activity 1 - dice throwing 1. You bet that the die will land on a number higher than 4. What is the probability of getting a number higher than 4 when you roll a die? a. 1/6 b. 2/6 (or 1/3) c. 4/6 (or 2/3) (Hint: how many numbers are there on a die that are higher than 4? Divide this number by the total number of sides on a die). Answer: b: 2/6 (or 1/3) Hint: how many numbers are there on a die that are higher than 4? There are two numbers, namely 5 and 6. Divide this number (i.e. two) by the total number of sides on a die, i.e. six. Activity 2: - simple slot machine 2. Sipho is going to spin the arrow on a four coloured wheel that has four equal area segments: blue, green, yellow and red. Sipho bets on the colour blue. What is the probability that Sipho will win and that the arrow will stop on blue? a. 1/4 b. 2/4 ( or 1/2) (Hint: How many colour blues are there on the wheel? Divide this number by the total number of colours on the wheel.) Answer: a. 1 in 4 Hint: How many blue coloured segments are there on the wheel? There is only one blue coloured segment. Divide this number by the total number of coloured segments on the wheel. There are four coloured segments in all. The probability of Sipho guessing correctly is 1/4 (or 25%). Activity 3 - roulette wheel 3. A roulette wheel has 37 numbers: 18 black, 18 red and a green “0”. Of the 37 numbers, 18 are even and 18 are uneven (or odd), and then there's “0”.When the wheel is spun, all numbers are equally likely to appear. All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Learning Activity 9.3 with Answers

On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on your bet of a black number? a. 1/2 b. 1/18 c. 18/19 d. 18/37 (Hint: divide the number of black numbers by the total number of numbers on the wheel) Answer: d. 18 /37 Hint: divide the number of black numbers by the total numbers on the wheel. There are eighteen black numbers on the wheel and thirty-seven numbers in all. The probability is therefore 18/37 that the wheel will stop on a black number. 4.

On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on “0”? a. 1/18 b. 1/2 c. 1/37 (Hint: how many “0” numbers are there? Divide this by the total number of numbers on the roulette wheel.) Answer: c: 1/37 There is only one “0” and thirty-seven numbers in all. The probability that the wheel will stop on “0” is therefore 1/37

5.

And here is a tricky one: On a single spin of the wheel, what is the probability that the ball will land on an even number less than 9? a. 9/37 b. 36/37 c. 1/37 d. 4/37 (Hint: first of all determine how many even numbers less than 9 there are. Then divide this number by the total number of numbers on the roulette wheel.) Answer: d. 4/37 Hint: first of all determine how many even numbers less than 9 there are. There are four even numbers less than 9, namely {8, 6, 4, 2}. Then divide this number by the total number of numbers on the roulette wheel, i.e. thirty-seven numbers. The probability is therefore 4/37.)



7/7/11

3:41 PM

Page 18

unit 9.4

UNIT 9.4



Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


UNIT 4 The illusion of control: House advantage, cost per hour and superstitions Unit 5


BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: •


•


•


•


•


•


•


•


•




•



Investigate personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problem - like problem gambling) and suggest appropriate responses and rehabilitation options.

•


•


•


•



Explain how, in risky behaviour, one can decrease the risks by knowing what they are and how to manage them

•

Recognize that gambling is a form of entertainment for which the player needs to pay

•

Explain that house advantage ensures that part of the gambler's money always goes to the operator, so the longer gamblers play, the more they pay to the house

•

Outline gambling superstitions and myths that create the illusion of being able to control the outcome

•

Discuss how the risks in gambling can be managed sensibly

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

House advantage

•

Cost of playing

•

Illusion of control

•

Decreasing risks



Unit 9.4 | Illusion of control: house advantage, cost per hour and superstitions


Transparency 1

•

Transparency 2 - pages i, ii and iii

•


•


•

Learning Activity Sheet with Answers

STEPS IN THE UNIT:

orientating

STEP 1

Show learners that although they may not be able to control the outcomes of engaging in risky behaviour, they are able to decrease the risks involved. Risk can be managed sensibly. This is the same for gamblers: players can't control the outcome of a gambling game, but they are able to control their decision about the amount of risk they are willing to take on. Problem gamblers fail to manage their risks sensibly. Put up Transparency 1 pages - i and ii with main points.

enhancing

STEP 2

Introduce the notion of house advantage as having to pay for the opportunity to gamble. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i, ii and iii with main points.

STEP 3

synthesising

Make learners aware that although gambling has a constant element of uncertainty, has no pattern of outcomes (because it is based on a random process) and is a game whose outcome cannot be controlled, players can manage their risks sensibly and so decrease the likelihood of developing a gambling problem if they know how gambling works.

Revisit the main superstitions around gambling. Combined with an understanding of house advantage, learners need to see that gamblers cannot control the outcome of the game nor, on average, are they likely to win money. Every time players gamble, they have to pay. The more players gamble, the more they pay. Put up Transparency 3 - pages i and ii with main points.

STEP 4

Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Let learners complete the sheet on their own. If there is time, take the learners through the answers (See the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers). Take in the completed Learning Activity sheet for inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio.



orientating In Grades 7 and 8 learners developed skills for managing risky behaviour. Gambling is a form of risky behaviour. In order to make informed decisions about where, how and when to gamble (and when not to gamble), learners need to know how gambling works. In particular, learners need to understand that players cannot predict with certainty what the outcome will be. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: There are three main insights learners need to understand in order to manage risks, including risks associated with gambling, sensibly: 1) that by following the PRICE decision-making process, risks can be managed sensibly; 2) that players cannot determine or predict with certainty what the outcome may be; and 3) that given the cost of gambling, players are likely to lose more money than they will win. The previous units stressed that although gambling is about “luck”, simple mathematics can be applied to gambling games in order to calculate risks, probabilities and odds. Knowing how gambling works will help players make informed decisions about where, how and when to gamble (and when not to gamble). Learners must know how they can reduce the risks in risky behaviour, including gambling. STEP 1 Show learners that although they may not be able to control the outcomes of engaging in risky behaviour, they are able to decrease the risks involved. Risk can be managed sensibly. This is the same for gamblers: players can't control the outcome of a gambling game, but they are able to control their decision about the amount of risk they are willing to take on. Problem gamblers fail to manage their risks sensibly. Put up Transparency 1. Say, for example,

“

To better understand risk, and how to control risks, let's look at the following examples:

Safe vs reckless driving: Ask: • You need to get from point A to point B. The roads are full of dangers, so how do you manage the risks of driving or even of being a passenger? (Invite learners to make suggestions. For example: obey the rules of the road; or if you're a passenger, insist on the driver obeying the rules of the road.) So, the probability is good that you'll get to the place you want to get to unharmed. You can, however, improve the probability of arriving safely even more, if you: • • • • • •

stop at red traffic lights drive within the speed limit drive with caution and anticipate possible dangerous situations (e.g. pedestrians crossing the road) drive a safe car that has reliable brakes and is mechanically sound wear a seatbelt avoid driving after having drunk alcohol or taken drugs. Refuse to get in the car if the driver is drunk or high on drugs.

You are able to do these things and so you are able to decrease your risks by managing the risky circumstances sensibly. Ask: • How can you choose to increase your risks of getting hurt or causing an accident? (Encourage those responses that include, for example: • drive recklessly • speed • don't wear a seatbelt • drive an unroadworthy car • drive drunk • drive in an unknown area when it is dark and raining.) All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme


Unsafe vs safe sex: Sex can be highly risky. It can lead to HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies, as well as cause emotional distress. Ask: • (Wait • • • • •

How would you be able to decrease the risks of these things happening? for responses from the class. For example: use condoms know the HIV (or health) status of yourself and of your partner be faithful to your partner (be in a monogamous relationship) be emotionally prepared for an intimate relationship you could, of course, decide not to have sex with your partner)

Ask:

•

So, how can we manage the risks in gambling?

We'll have a look at how knowing about “house advantage” will help you manage the risks in gambling.

enhancing

“

Deepen learners' understanding of the fact that although gambling is a game of chance with uncertain results, players can decrease their risks in gambling by knowing that they cannot control the outcome of the game and that to gamble costs money. It's buying entertainment and fun. Introduce the notion of house advantage. STEP 2 Make learners aware that although gambling has a constant element of uncertainty, has no pattern of outcomes (because it is based on a random process) and is a game whose outcome cannot be controlled, players can manage their risks sensibly and so decrease the likelihood of developing a gambling problem if they know how gambling works. Introduce the notion of house advantage as having to pay for the opportunity to gamble. Put up Transparency 2 - pages i, ii and iii with main points. Say, for example:

“

Ask:

• What would happen to a business if it lost more money than it made?

(Learners should be able to recognize that such a business will soon go bankrupt. The next section stresses that a gambling business, just like any other business, has to ensure that it makes more money than it spends, otherwise it too will go bankrupt.) A gambling business, just like any other business, also has to ensure that it makes more money than it spends. How does it ensure this? Since gambling is a form of entertainment, many businesses have been established that sell people the opportunity to gamble and provide different kinds of entertainment. The way these businesses get paid and make a profit, however, is not in the same way as other businesses, like cinemas or shops do. In short, the gambling business has programmed its machines or established the rules for playing its games in such a way that, on average, the business wins more times than the player. This is called the “house advantage”. If the business did not win more times than the player, the business wouldn't be able to run. It would go bankrupt. •

House advantage does not mean that the operator of the business is cheating you.

•

It does not mean that no-one will ever win.

•

It's the cost of playing the game.



The player's “loss” is the price that the player pays for the entertainment or excitement got from gambling. So, just as it is important for buyers to know how much they are paying for something they buy, gamblers need to know how the price for their gambling entertainment is set. In this way, players are able to manage their gambling risks more sensibly. Any person or business that offers gambling opportunities wants to make a profit. That means, they need to collect more money than they have to pay out. How do they ensure that, on average, more money is taken in than paid out? Simple mathematics is applied to ensure that gamblers, on average, will lose to the house in the long run. This is because in all legalized gambling, the businesses have a built-in house advantage. It means that the house advantage ensures that the business will make profits over time. It also means that because of the house advantage, someone who gambles regularly is, on average, likely to spend more money than she will win in the long run! Just as in any other form of entertainment, players have to pay to gamble. It also means, that the more you play, the more you pay! Joe, therefore, who is trying to “win back his losses”, is caught in a cycle of eventual loss. Ask:

•

So, how does a gambling business make sure it makes more money on average than it pays out?

(Test to see whether learners have a general idea of what the notion of house advantage is.) It is the core business of gambling operators to make money. The gambling businesses, when structuring their games, mathematically calculate the costs gamblers are willing to pay for the excitement of the game. Gambling companies set the house advantage so as to maximize the excitement and entertainment a player gets from playing the game, while at the same time ensuring that the chances of winning are in the favour of the “house” (i.e. the operator or business). Although one player, of course, may win from time to time, the house always wins overall in the long run, because of the mathematical advantage the house enjoys over the players in general. A casino, or internet gambling operation, sets the chances of winning so that overall their customers will lose enough money to make the business profitable, but also so that the customers win on enough occasions to come back. Of course, the player's chances of winning in a gambling game and the rate at which he or she wins or loses money depends on the type of game, the rules in effect for that game and, in some games, the level of the player's skills. The easiest way to think of house advantage is to think of how much you would lose if you bet money on all possible (and equally likely) outcomes. This means that you will always win something, but the money you have lost, expressed as a percentage of all the money you bet, equals the house advantage. Let's see what the house advantage for coin tossing may be: Example 1: house advantage in coin tossing There is a 50-50 chance of the coin landing on heads or tails. This fact never changes, even if heads has appeared six times in a row. A casino or gambling operator might charge you R1 to bet on the outcome of the toss of a coin. The rules of the game are that if you bet correctly and win, the gambling operator will pay you the original R1 plus another 80c, i.e. you will get a total of R1.80. It sounds as though the player wins, but in fact the operator on average always takes some of the player's money. Let's look at the maths: Let's consider the case where you put a R1 bet on BOTH heads and tails. In all, you have bet R2 and you are guaranteed to win whatever happens, i.e. you are guaranteed to win R1.80. The house, however, takes 20c every time you make these bets. So, we can calculate that the house advantage is: HA = R0.20/R2.00 x 100 = 10% The house advantage is what it costs you to play on average. So, say you played the game 1000 times by putting your R1 on heads. On average you would win 500 times and win R900 (500 x R1.80) in total. But, it has cost you R1 000 to play 1 000 times. Thus the cost of playing has been R100 (R1 000 - R 900). This is the profit earned by the casino and represents the house advantage ; 10% of R 1000 is R100.



Example 2: house advantage in roulette Let's have a look at the house advantage in roulette. In a standard “single 0” roulette table there are 36 numbers plus 0, a total of 37 numbers. So, if you were to place a bet on a specific number, you can calculate the house advantage as follows: Say you place a R1 bet on all 37 possible numbers. At each spin, you are guaranteed to win and each time you win the operator pays you R36. So, you pay R37 each time to bet on every possible outcome but win back only R36. That is, the house takes R1 every time you play in this way. The house advantage can be calculated as follows: HA = R1/R37 x 100 = 2.7% Simply, it means that on average, the house keeps 2.7% of the value of each bet. Or to put it differently, the house advantage is the price the player must pay for playing the game, regardless of the outcome. And the longer the player gambles, the more it costs him. So, the major unit is that in games where there is a house advantage, the longer a player plays, the more he or she will have paid overall for the opportunity to gamble (and the longer a player plays, the more chance of the house taking more of your money). Through the house advantage, the operator is able to make a profit in the long run and to stay in business. It also, of course,means that in the long run, the player pays and pays and pays …

“

synthesising

Consolidate learners' understanding of how gambling works. Knowing about house advantage and about the illusion of control will enable players to decrease their risks of developing a gambling problem. STEP 3 Revisit the main superstitions around gambling. Combined with an understanding of house advantage, learners need to see that gamblers cannot control the outcome of the game nor, on average, are they likely to win money. Every time players gamble, they have to pay. The more players gamble, the more they pay. Put up Transparency 3 - pages i and ii with main points. Say, for example:

“

In summary, mathematics shows us that: •

In random processes, the probability of each of the outcomes remains the same.

•

In random events there is no “pattern” of outcomes. Each outcome is as likely to come up now as it is in any time in the future.

•

In games where there is a house advantage, the house will, over time, take in more money than it pays out.

•

The longer a player gambles, the more the player's total costs will rise.

•

Since there is no pattern in the outcomes of the games, and since the house advantage is against the player, there is no “control” a player can exercise over the outcome.

In Grade 8 we looked at the various superstitions gamblers have, fooling themselves into thinking that they are somehow influencing the outcome of the game. Ask:

•

Can you remember what some of those superstitions and myths are?

(Invite responses from the class). We know that: •

There is no hidden code or pattern you can learn in order to predict the outcome - it's a game based on random processes that no-one can determine.



•

No amount of concentration will influence the outcome. Since much of gambling is based on random processes, nothing you do will influence the outcome.

•

No ritual, or prayer or lucky numbers, or lucky seat, or “symbolic” dreams, or “lucky” slot machine will influence the outcome; in any way whatsoever.

•

No perseverance or continued play at a particular game will improve your chances of winning. Each outcome is an independent event, with each outcome as likely to occur now as in any time in the future.

•

The house advantage will, of course, ensure that in the long run, you pay to play.

•

There is no such thing as an “almost win”. An “almost win” is always a 100% loss. Even if someone takes over the slot machine that you've been playing and on the first pull wins a large amount of money, it doesn't mean that had you stayed at that machine you would've won that money! Slot machines are programmed to link reels at random, they are also sensitive to the speed and timing with which the player pulls the lever or pushes the button. To have won yourself, you would've had to press the button at exactly the same micro second that the other player did!

•

Each reel of a slot machine revolves independently of the others and even on mechanical machines (that still exist in many casinos), one has no control over the outcome. Most modern slot machines are videoslots (entirely digital).

•

Being good at video games doesn't mean that you'll be good at computer gambling games. The two machines are programmed very differently.

So: knowing the house advantage +

knowing that you're not able to control the outcome in any way

=

being able to increase your ability to manage risky behaviour and being able to decrease your risks of developing a gambling problem.

“

STEP 4 Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Let learners complete the sheet on their own.

If there is time, take the learners through the answers (See the Learning Activity Sheet with Answers). Take in the completed Learning Activity sheet for inclusion in the learner's assessment portfolio.




CAN YOU CONTROL THE RISKS IN RISKY BEHAVIOUR? Example 1 Safe vs reckless driving: You need to get from point A to point B. The roads are full of dangers, so how to you manage the risks of driving or of being a passenger? How can you decrease your risks and improve your chances of arriving safely and not causing an accident? • stop at red traffic lights • drive within the speed limit • drive with caution and anticipate possible dangerous situations (e.g. pedestrians crossing the road) • drive a safe car that has reliable brakes and is mechanically sound • wear a seatbelt • avoid driving after having drunk alcohol or taken drugs. Refuse to get in the car if the driver is drunk or high on drugs. You can also choose to increase your risks of getting hurt or causing an accident by doing some foolish things. What could you do to increase your risks and the probability of an accident? • drive recklessly • speed • don't wear a seatbelt • drive an unroadworthy car • drive drunk • drive in an unknown area when it is dark and raining. Example 2 Unsafe vs safe sex: Sex can be highly risky. It can lead to HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies, as well as emotional distress. How would you be able to decrease the risks of these things happening? • use condoms • know the HIV (or health) status of yourself and of your partner • be faithful to your partner (be in a monogamous relationship) • be emotionally prepared for an intimate relationship • you could, of course, decide not to have sex with the person. So, how can we manage the risks in gambling? All contents copyright © 2011 National Responsible Gambling Programme



HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GAMBLE? •

What would happen to a business if it lost more money than it made?

•

So, how does a gambling business make sure it makes more money on average than it pays out?

House advantage. •

Gambling businesses sell the chance to gamble and give different kinds of entertainment. Gambling businesses set the rules for playing games in such a way that, on average, the business wins more times than the player. This is called the “house advantage”. (The “house” is the gambling business or operator.) House advantage does not mean that the operator of the business is cheating you. It does not mean that no-one will ever win. It's the cost of playing the game.

Simple mathematics is applied to ensure that gamblers will always lose to the house in the long run. •

The player's “loss” is the price that the player pays for the entertainment or excitement got from gambling. Knowing when to stop, that is knowing how much they can afford to spend, enables players to manage their gambling risks more sensibly.

•

The house advantage means that the house (business) is guaranteed to make profits over time.

•

Just as with any other form of entertainment, it will cost you money to gamble.

•

It is the core business of gambling operators to make money. The business mathematically calculates the costs gamblers are willing to pay for the excitement of the game. Although a player, of course, wins from time to time, the house always wins in the long run.

•

The easiest way to think of house advantage is to think of how much you would lose if you bet money on all possible (and equally likely) outcomes. This means that you will always win something, but the money you have lost, expressed as a percentage of all the money you bet, equals the house advantage.




•

Example 1: house advantage in coin tossing There is a 50-50 chance of the coin landing on heads or tails. This fact never changes, even if heads has appeared six times in a row. A casino or gambling operator might charge you R1 to bet on the outcome of the toss of a coin. The rules of the game are that if you bet correctly and win, the gambling operator will pay you the original R1 plus another 80c, i.e. you will get a total of R1.80.

•

Are you likely to make money in the long run?

•

Example 2: house advantage in roulette In a standard “single 0” roulette table there are 36 numbers plus 0, a total of 37 options. Say you place a R1 bet on all 37 possible numbers. At each spin, you are guaranteed to win and each time you win the operator pays you R36. So, you pay R37 each time to bet on every possible outcome but win back only R36. That is, the house takes R1 every time you play in this way.

•

Are you likely to make money in the long run?

•

The house advantage ensures that the operator is able to make a profit in the long run and to stay in business. But it also means that in the long run, the gambler pays and pays and pays …

Increasing your ability to manage risky behaviour and decreasing the risks of developing a gambling problem Mathematics shows us that: •

In random processes, the probability of each of the outcomes remains the same.

•

In random events there is no “pattern” of outcomes. Each outcome is as likely to come up now as it is in any time in the future.

•

In games where there is a house advantage, the house will, over time, take in more money than it pays out.

•

The longer a player gambles, the more the player's total costs will rise.

•

Since there is no pattern in the outcomes of the games, and since the house advantage is against the player, there is no “control” a player can exercise over the outcome.



Transparency 3

Can you remember what some of the gambling superstitions and myths are? We know that in games of chance: •

There is no hidden code or pattern you can learn in order to predict the outcome - it's a game based on random processes that no-one can predict.

•

Since much of gambling is based on random processes, nothing you do will influence the outcome.

•

No perseverance or continued play at a particular game will improve your chances of winning. Each outcome is an independent event, with each outcome as likely to occur now as at any time in the future.

•

The house advantage will, of course, ensure that in the long run, you pay to play.

•

There is no such thing as an “almost win”.

•

Being good at video games doesn't mean that you'll be good at computer gambling games.

So, knowing the house advantage + knowing that you're not able to control the outcome in any way = being able to increase your ability to manage risky behaviour and being able to decrease your risks of developing a gambling problem.




LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET: TRUE OR FALSE? Name: Indicate for each statement whether it is True or False 1.

People who play dice or buy lottery tickets are eventually bound to win big.

2.

If you flipped a coin 9 times and if it came up heads each time, it's bound to be tails the 10th time.

3.

If you buy a Lotto ticket, your chances of winning the big prize are about 1 in a 1,000.

4.

You should gamble only when you feel lucky.

5.

Some gambling activities require skill.

6.

People who gamble generally spend more money than they win.

7.

If you know your sports team well, you're sure to win when you bet on them.

8.

Some types of gambling involve greater risks than others.

9.

If you know the pattern of the numbers, you can predict which number will come up in the next throw of the dice.

10.

Trying to pick a specific card, you stand to be wrong 51 out of 52 times.

11.

Gambling can be fun for some people.

12.

You have as much chance of winning the big Lotto prize as being struck by lightning twice in your lifetime.

13.

If you know the pattern of winning numbers, you will increase your chances of winning at dice.

14.

If someone in your family has a problem with gambling, it is best to keep it a secret and not tell anyone.

15.

The best way to avoid spending too much money when gambling is to decide how much you can afford to spend and stick to the amount.

16.

If you pick your own number for a fafi bet, you have a better chance of winning than if you rely on a dream for a number.

17.

Angela is going for her driving test. There are two possible outcomes. Either she will pass or she will fail. Therefore, the probability that she will pass is 1/2.

18.

In a form of Lotto, players choose 4 numbers 1 to 20. The set of numbers of 10, 11, 12, 13 is less likely to win than a set of 4 numbers that aren't in order.

19.

Traffic lights can be red, green or orange. The probability that a traffic light will be red as you approach it is 1 in 3.

1

True / False

Taken from Gambling: Reducing the Risks, Grade 9, p. 111-115. Saskatchewan Health, 1999.



Unit 9.4 Learning Activity Sheet with Answers

1.

People who play dice or buy lottery tickets are eventually bound to win big. False: Winning numbers or combinations are selected randomly and there is no specific time that anyone can predict a winner.

2.

If you flipped a coin 9 times and if it came up heads each time, it's bound to be tails the 10th time. False: Each time a coin is flipped, there is a 50/50 chance with heads or tails showing. How many times one or the other has appeared in the past has nothing to do with the outcomes occurring in the future. If a person flips a coin a thousand times, each side will appear about 50% of the time.

3.

If you buy a Lotto ticket, your chances of winning the big prize are about 1 in a 1,000. False: The chances of winning the big prize are about 1 in 14 million. However, the odds of winning something, however small, are better than 1 in 1,000

4.

You should gamble only when you feel lucky. False: How people feel has nothing to do with winning or losing. People should always keep in mind that in any gambling operation the odds always favour the house, which is in the business of making money.

5.

Some gambling activities require skill. True: Gambling in a poker or black jack game, or guessing how many chocolate smarties there are in a jar, does require some skill. (Learners will be able to name some other games of skill.) People should remember that when gambling against the “house” in activities like buying a Lotto ticket, or gambling in a casino, the element of skill is minimized because the odds always favour the “house”, which will always take in more than it pays out in prizes. That is what enables it to make a profit and stay in business.

6.

People who gamble generally spend more money than they win. True. The house advantage guarantees that the operator takes a share of each bet.

7.

If you know your sports team well, you're sure to win when you bet on them. False: It helps to know the teams, but the odds are against the gambler.

8.

Some types of gambling involve greater risks than others. True: Games that are played quickly or have high betting limits have greater risks than games that are slowpaced and have low betting limits. All gambling involves chance, but in games that involve some skill, like poker, luck will even out in the long run and therefore the better player will beat the worse player over time. It is because of the element of skill in poker that casinos charge a fee for organizing poker games, but don't for games of pure chance because the house can set the odds in their own favour.

9.

If you know the pattern of the numbers, you can predict which number will come up in the next throw of the dice. False: Dice, cards, slot machines and roulette wheels are random number generators. Each throw of the dice, or spin of the wheel is unconnected with the previous outcomes. There is no pattern. The outcome of the wager or bet is unknowable (can't be known by any means) to the participants at the time they make their bet. That is what makes it gambling and therefore risky behaviour.

10.

Trying to pick a specific card, you stand to be wrong 51 out of 52 times. True: There are 52 cards in a standard deck. The probability of picking a specific card is, therefore, 1 in 52.



11.

Gambling can be fun for people. True: Gambling is always linked to games which are played primarily for fun. Problem gamblers' sense of reward has been so distorted that no other activity can compete with the excitement and stimulation they derive from gambling.

12.

You have as much chance of winning the big Lotto prize as being struck by lightning twice in your lifetime. True: the chances of being struck by lighting twice in one's lifetime are about 1 in 14 million! However, it is unclear how exactly the probability of being struck by lightning has been worked out: For whom? Over how long a period? In which environment? It shows how difficult it may be in some cases to work out probabilities!

13.

If you know the pattern of winning numbers, you will increase your chances of winning at dice. False: dice are random number generators which means that there is no pattern to the sequence of numbers. Each throw starts afresh with the same odds and probabilities as each previous (and future) throw.

14.

If someone in your family has a problem with gambling, it is best to keep it a secret and not tell anyone. False: There are many people who have problems with gambling. The family member isn't the only one. Problem gambling is treatable. Contact the professional counsellors on the Responsible Gambling helpline who know how best to deal with the problem.

15.

The best way to avoid spending too much money when gambling is to decide how much you can afford to spend and stick to this amount. True: The important thing is to make a responsible decision ahead of time and then to stick to that decision. If the gambler decides beforehand what reasonable amount of money can be spent (given other priorities like household budgets, etc), the temptation of trying to win back losses when all the money is spent is avoided.

16.

If you pick your own number for a fafi bet, you have a better chance of winning than if you rely on a dream for a number. False; Fafi numbers are selected at random. That means that no amount of interpretation, no amount of “inside information”, or no person can predict the outcome. Each number has as much chance as another.

17.

Angela is going for her driving test. There are two possible outcomes. Either she will pass or she will fail. Therefore, the probability that she will pass is 1/2. False: Passing or failing your driver's test is based on skill. If you drive well, you will pass. If you drive recklessly or badly, you will fail. Of course, there may be an element of luck involved. For example, the instructor is called away for an emergency and decides to cut the test short and not require you to do that tricky parallel parking. Luck plays a small role however, if any - the outcome is based on your skills as a driver. That's something you can control through practice.

18.

In a form of Lotto, players choose 4 numbers 1 to 20. The set of numbers of 10, 11, 12, 13 is less likely to win than a set of 4 numbers that aren't in order. False: Every set of the same quantity of numbers has an equally small probability of winning.

19.

Traffic lights can be red, green or orange. The probability that a traffic light will be red as you approach it is 1 in 3. False: The green and red lights are programmed to shine for the same amount of time, whereas the orange light shines for a much shorter period. The orange light therefore does not have the same duration as the red and green lights. This changes the probability.



7/7/11

3:41 PM

Page 19

unit 9.5

UNIT 9.5



Unit 1


Unit 2


Unit 3


Unit 4


UNIT 5 Psychology of gambling and problem gambling How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem BY THE END OF THE 5 UNITS, LEARNERS WILL BE ABLE TO: •


•


•


•


•


•


•


•


•




•



Investigate personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problem - like problem gambling) and suggest appropriate responses and rehabilitation options.

•


•


•


•



Explain why some people develop a problem with gambling whereas many others don't

•

Give a definition of what problem gambling is

•

Identify the negative consequences of problem gambling

•

Apply useful strategies on to cope with a situation when a close family member or friend is a problem gambler

MAIN CONCEPTS: •

Psychology of gambling

•

Emotional payoffs or rewards

•

Entrapment

•

Problem gambling

•

Negative consequences

•

Coping strategies



Unit 9.5 | Psychology of gambling and problem gambling | How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem

RESOURCES: •

Transparency 1

•

Transparency 2

•

Transparency 3

•


STEPS IN THE UNIT:

orientating

STEP 1

In order to give learners an understanding of why some people gamble more than they can afford to whereas others don't, take a brief look at the psychology of gambling. Put up Transparency 1.

STEP 2

Make learners aware that although gambling for most people is a form of harmless entertainment, for some it leads to serious problems. Divide learners into pairs.

enhancing

Hand out the Comic book “Chances Are”. Allow learners about 5-10 minutes to read through the comic. Then put up Transparency 2 and ask the class to respond to the questions.

STEP 3

Often a young person is directly affected by the gambling problem (or some other high-risk behavioural problem) of someone close to them. Introduce learners to some helpful responses on how to cope with the situation. Stress that these responses can be applied to situations concerning other forms of problem behaviour, not just to problem gambling.

synthesising

Put up Transparency 3 and talk through each point. STEP 4

Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members. Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Since this is a role-play activity, allow about 10-15 minutes for preparation. Leave Transparency 3 up so that learners can refer to some of the noted responses when they are planning their role-play. Invite the groups to perform their role-play for the class. If there is not enough time for all the groups to perform, choose two or three groups who have chosen different scenarios.



orientating In Grade 7 learners discussed the warning signs displayed by someone who may be developing a problem with high-risk behaviour, and gambling. In Grade 8 learners examined strategies for staying in control while gambling. Drawing on these insights, learners in Grade 9 analyse the psychology of gambling and learn how to cope with someone (including themselves!) who has a gambling problem. NOTE FOR TEACHERS: The units dealing with gambling aimed at developing skills that will enable learners to cope sensibly with high-risk behaviour. Much has been written about problem gambling and addiction to gambling. In Grades 10-12, learners will delve deeper into the issue, but for now, it is important that learners in Grades 7-9 are able to recognize when gambling becomes “problem gambling”, understand what its possible consequences are and how to deal with it. Of course, it is illegal in South Africa for anyone under the age of 18 to gamble. Therefore, all gambling by minors is problematic to the extent that it is illegal and is likely to lead to problems with law enforcement agents. The more longterm concern is when youth gambling leads to addiction-like behaviour and self-damaging excesses. Often a young person is directly affected by the gambling problem of someone close to them. Young people who are exposed to problem gambling in the family are affected in various ways. They may learn that promises may be kept or broken, according to the gambler's wins and losses and time spent gambling. The gambler may feel guilty about this behaviour and try to “make it up” to the children. The children, meanwhile, have to live with inconsistent and confusing parenting. Children often think they are the cause of the family's problems and may: •

Feel abandoned, helpless, hurt, depressed or ashamed

•

Try to make things better, try to solve the problem, or try to make up for the neglect or financial difficulties

•

Feel angry at the gambler or resentful of the gambler's neglect or the family's lack of money

•

Develop problems of their own such as inappropriate behaviour, being withdrawn, and being at risk of making unhealthy choices themselves.

STEP 1 In order to give learners an understanding of why some people gamble more than they can afford to whereas others don't, take a brief look at the psychology of gambling. Put up Transparency 1. Say, for example,

“

Ask:

• Does everyone who gambles develop a gambling problem? (Learners should be able to recognize that most people who gamble don't develop a gambling problem. They may, from time to time, gamble too much or be irresponsible, but a few times of excessive gambling mishaps don't necessarily constitute a problem.) Most people who gamble don't experience a problem with it. Some people choose not to gamble at all, so they are nongamblers. Others again gamble once in a while. This is simply for fun or entertainment and doesn't cause problems for such individuals. Many people gamble regularly without there being any problems. They spend money that they can afford and see gambling as fun or entertainment. However, there are others who constantly gamble more than they can afford in terms of time or money, and for whom gambling becomes a problem. Ask:

•

When does gambling become a problem for the person?

(In grade 7 and 8 learners were introduced to the notion of problem gambling. Test to see whether they can remember the main points of the definition that was provided in unit 7.5: 1

Taken from How Gambling Works, the Addiction Foundation of Manitoba, Canada. www.afm.mb.ca/Learn%20More/gambling



Gambling becomes a problem when someone continues to gamble despite bad consequences. Problem gamblers on a repeated basis spend more time and money they can afford, and thereby neglect their other responsibilities (like school work or employment tasks), or damage the relationships that are important to them (e.g. with family or friends). Another way of putting it: A problem gambler is a person who, on a repeated basis, feels that he or she has lost more money than they could comfortably afford to. Problem gamblers are unable to place limits on the time and money spent on gambling. They cannot control or stick to their decisions about the amount of time or money they spend on gambling. Ask:

•

Why do you think some people develop a gambling problem whereas others don't?

The psychology of gambling To get a better understanding of why some people gamble whereas others don't, let's take a brief look at the psychology of gambling1. There are three main reasons why some people develop a problem with or get addicted to gambling whereas others don't. The thrill of uncertainty and the thrill of surprise The first reason is the thrill of uncertainty and of not being able to predict when or how much you will win. We have seen that the outcomes in almost all gambling games with dice, slot machines, roulette, and most table and card games, are uncertain because these games are based on random processes. People who gamble will occasionally win differing amounts of money. These wins, however, are scattered among many more losses. The fact that players cannot know when they will win or even how much they may win on certain games makes it difficult for them to stop playing. There is always the thrill of the unknown, or the excitement of the possibility of winning on the next round. Not knowing when they're going to win or how much they're going to win is the attraction for many players. Rewards or emotional payoffs The second key factor in playing games is the rewards or emotional payoffs of winning. In Grade 7 we saw that people get involved in high-risk behaviour because it gives them a thrill; it makes them “feel good” in different ways. We live in a very competitive culture, where winning - whether it is in sports, quiz games, schoolwork, etc - is seen as highly desirable. When winning is coupled with a money prize, which in itself is a highly valued item in today's world, the emotional reward becomes even more significant. So, the emotional payoffs of gambling, together with the thrill of uncertainty in the game itself, make gambling a powerful attraction for some people - one that is not easily ignored. Entrapment The third main factor why some people gamble too much is that they have fallen victim to entrapment. To be entrapped means you're caught and can't escape. Players who are “entrapped” become more and more determined to continue with an uncertain plan. Imagine waiting for a bus to go a short distance; if the bus doesn't come along after a while, how long should you continue to wait? Two competing thought patterns can develop. One is to leave the bus stop, accept the loss of time and energy, and walk to your destination. The other is to reason as follows: “If I wait long enough, the bus has to come. I've seen this bus before, so I'm sure it will come again. If I leave now, the bus is bound to arrive and I will feel foolish for leaving and wasting all that time waiting. I'll therefore wait until the bus comes and then I'll be proven right.” This entrapment at the bus stop has a direct parallel to gambling. Gamblers spend time, energy and money on their games. The gambler then starts to see this expense not as the cost of entertainment, but rather as an “investment”. The gambler, like the person waiting at the bus stop, may become increasingly reluctant to stop gambling to show that he is not a loser - that he can and will win. Just like the person who is convinced that the bus will turn up soon, “at any moment”, so the gambler continues to gamble because he thinks that he will win soon, “just the next round!”. This results in more gambling, mounting losses and a growing determination to gamble. So, we know that high-risk behaviour has certain rewards, but what are the consequences of repeatedly gambling too much and of being unable to control or stick to the decision of how much time and money will be spent on gambling?


“


enhancing Deepen learners' understanding of the fact that although most people who gamble don't develop a problem, there are some who on a repeated basis spend more money and time on gambling than they can afford and who cannot control or stick to the decision of how much time and money they will spend on gambling. People who repeatedly gamble too much and who repeatedly cannot adhere to limits create serious problems for themselves and others. STEP 2 Make learners aware that although gambling for most is a form of harmless entertainment, for some it leads to serious problems. Divide learners into pairs. Hand out the Comic book “Chances Are”. Allow learners about 5-10 minutes to read through the comic. Then put up Transparency 2 and ask the class to respond to the questions. Say, for example:

“

Ask:

•

When does gambling become a problem?

(Encourage learners to recognize that it is repeated gambling excesses and the lack of control to stick to the decision of setting limits for time and money spent on gambling. Remind learners that although they cannot control the outcome of games of chance, they can control their own decisions to set limits.) People who on a repeated basis feel that they spend more time or energy or money on gambling than they can afford and who are unable to control or stick to the decision of how much time and money they will spend on gambling are likely to develop a gambling problem. Joe [the character from the comic book], for example, instead of spending some of his own spare money, spends his mother's money on gambling and instead of being in school, spends the time gambling. Joe is therefore a problem gambler because he repeatedly spends more time and money than he can afford on gambling. Ask:

•

What are some of the consequences for a person who has a gambling problem?

(Remind learners of the character Joe whom they met in the comic book in Grades 7 and 8. And are about to meet again.) When gambling becomes a problem, it negatively affects a person's physical or psychological health, or impacts on significant areas of his or her life such as schooling, employment, family and peer relationships, financial stability, or contributes to a person's involvement in illegal activities in order to finance gambling. People may experience a range in the severity of the problems affecting them, ranging from minor difficulties to severe problems. Problems are often characterized by increasing the time spent gambling, and increasing the amounts of money gambled. Problem gamblers are unable to place limits on the time and money spent on gambling. Let's see how many of these possible bad consequences Joe's gambling have created: •

Financial problems and debts Although the gambler may be placing only small bets, these can mount up to a significant debt, especially if the desperate gambler tries to win back money to pay for the increasing debts. Instead of solving his money problems, Joe's gambling increases them. He is more in debt than ever before.

•

Family conflict Owing money to family invariably leads to tension and where the gambler is a major source of family income, serious conflict and even violence can result over the distribution of winnings. When Joe's mother discovers that he has been stealing from her, she will be both angry and immensely disappointed in her son who, in turn, is likely to feel both guilty and resentful.



•

Problems with friends Spending less time with friends as a result of gambling or borrowing money from them inevitably leads to friends feeling neglected or exploited. Fights over money and the ending of friendships are likely to follow. Tiger recognizes that Joe is developing a problem and tries to caution him. He drags Joe away from the game and refuses to lend him money.

•

Problems at school or work Taking time off from school or work to gamble can lead to poor work performance or loss of employment. Also, being depressed and anxious as a result of problem gambling hinders study and productivity, often with the outcome of dropping out of school altogether or being fired from the job. When the shop manager discovers that Joe has been stealing money from the till, he will certainly be fired or even arrested by the police on a charge of theft.

•

Medical or psychological problems Given the pressure under which many gamblers live, it is likely that anxiety, depression, and health problems will manifest themselves. In some cases the township money lenders, “mashonisas”, enforce payment of debts through brute physical force, or work with traditional healers, “sangomas”, who are able to curse people, cause terror and are believed to be able to cause various forms of illness. Joe at first is ecstatic with his winnings, but gradually becomes more and more anxious and depressed when his losses start mounting.

•

Addiction problems In order to escape the anxiety, depression and tension that come with problem gambling, many gamblers turn to substance abuse, like alcohol and drugs. Instead of solving their gambling problem, this usually makes it worse since alcohol and drugs tend to increase risky behaviour, including taking bigger gambling risks and thereby losing even more money. A vicious cycle makes it difficult to break out of the increasingly problematic situation.

•

Involvement with criminals and risky activities Studies indicate that adolescents who are involved in (illegal, underage) gambling often try and get the extra money they need for gambling by turning to petty crimes and sex work. In order to pay back debts, gamblers often turn to theft and more serious forms of crime. Joe's link with Sister Bucks brings him in contact with the shady business of stolen cell phones and drugs.

•

Problems with the police Anxiety about money and desperation to pay back the lenders, may encourage gamblers with money problems to seek “easy” solutions like theft, drug running and prostitution. These are illegal activities and chances are that the police will sooner or later be involved.

•

Reduced work ethic and productivity Problem gamblers are usually preoccupied with organizing games, finding ways to pay their debts, and are therefore constantly anxious or depressed. These are factors that reduce concentration and, therefore, productivity. Although we don't know, it seems likely that Joe's schoolwork is suffering as a result of his problem.

•

Depression and thoughts of suicide The anxiety about losses and poor performance is likely to show in physical problems such as sleep disorders, depression or headaches. In young people, gambling is often used as a form of escape from the realities of daily life. However, when the “realities” of repeated excessive gambling - such as debt, poor school achievement and tension with family and friends - can no longer be ignored, young gamblers report feeling suicidal and sometimes actually commit suicide.

“



synthesising Consolidate learners' understanding of how to cope with a family member or friend who may have a gambling problem. First introduce them to various responses and then invite them to explore how they can apply these to their own role-play scenario. STEP 3 Often a young person is directly affected by the gambling problem (or other high-risk behavioural problem) of someone close to them. Introduce learners to some helpful responses on how to cope with the situation. Stress that these responses can be applied to situations with other forms of problem behaviour as well, not just to problem gambling. Put up Transparency 3 and talk through each point. STEP 4 Divide the class into groups of about 4-5 members. Hand out the Learning Activity Sheet. Since this is a role-play activity, allow about 10-15 minutes for preparation. Leave Transparency 3 up so that learners can refer to some of the noted responses when they are planning their role-play. Invite the groups to perform their role-play for the class. If there is not enough time for all the groups to perform, choose two or three groups who have chosen different scenarios.




WHY DO SOME PEOPLE DEVELOP A PROBLEM WITH GAMBLING WHILE MANY OTHERS DON'T? Does every one who gambles develop a gambling problem? •

Most people who gamble don't experience a problem with it. They spend money that they can afford and see gambling as fun or entertainment.

When does gambling become a problem for the person? •

A problem gambler is a person who, on a repeated basis, feels that he or she has lost more money than they could comfortably afford to. A problem gambler is unable to place limits on the time and money spent on gambling. The person cannot control or stick to his or her decision about the amount of time or money spend on gambling.

Why do you think some people develop a gambling problem whereas others don't? •

The thrill of uncertainty, of anticipated surprise, and of not being able to predict when or how much they will win drives some people to keep on gambling. Not knowing when they're going to win or how much they're going to win is the attraction for many players.

•

The rewards or emotional payoffs of winning drives many players to keep on gambling. People get involved in high-risk behaviour because it gives them a thrill; it makes them “feel good”. Our society likes “winners” and so the chance to win at gambling is a powerful attraction.

•

Entrapment drives many players to keep on gambling. To be entrapped means you're caught and can't escape. Players who are “entrapped” become more and more determined to continue with an uncertain plan. The gambler continues to gamble because he thinks that he has “invested” so much already and thinks that he will win soon, “just the next round!” This results in more gambling, mounting losses and a growing determination to gamble.




WHAT ARE THE BAD CONSEQUENCES OF PROBLEM GAMBLING? Problem gamblers, on a repeated basis, feel that they have lost more money than they could comfortably afford to. They are unable to place limits on the time and money spent on gambling. They cannot control or stick to their decision about the amount of time or money spend on gambling. Joe, for example, instead of spending some of his own spare money he has, spends his mother's money on gambling and instead of being in school, spends the time gambling. Which of the following problems and negative consequences has Joe's gambling created? •

Financial problems and debts?

•

Family conflict?

•

Problems with friends?

•

Problems at school or work?

•

Medical or psychological problems?

•

Addiction problems?

•

Involvement with criminals and risky activities?

•

Problems with the police?

•

Reduced work ethic and productivity?

•

Depression and thoughts of suicide?




HOW DO I COPE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM? •

Don't lend the gambler money; the person will be tempted to use the money for gambling instead for paying debts.

•

Put your energies into protecting yourself financially, physically and emotionally.

•

It is normal to feel betrayed and angry. Acknowledge your feelings and learn appropriate ways to express them.

•

Be honest.

•

Talk to people you trust about your situation.

•

Solve your own problems - you can't solve someone else's problems for them.

•

Allow the problem gambler to face the consequences of their actions; don't protect them.

•

Allow the person to take responsibility for his or her own behaviour.

•

Understand that you are not to blame for the problem and that you cannot force the person to stop gambling.

•

Encourage the gambler to seek professional help.

•

Offer to assist the person to get therapy.

•

Help them get involved in non-gambling activities.

•

Seek professional support and advice to help yourself.

•

Start living your own life and doing things you enjoy.

•

Be clear about your boundaries - make up your mind what you are and are not willing to accept.

•

Treat excessive gamblers in the same way as you would treat other addicts - with detachment and kindness.




ROLE PLAY SCENARIOS - HOW TO COPE WHEN A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM

With the group, read through the following scenarios.

Choose one, decide what characters each person will play and plan how you will role-play your coping responses to the class.

Scenarios:

1.

Your older sister is feeling very depressed about all the money she's lost on gambling. When you visit her, she starts to cry and says, “I live alone and am often lonely. When I go out and gamble, I forget about that.”

2.

Your father has been losing a lot of money on gambling. When the family confronts him about the increasing debts, he says, “I don't have a job and so need to gamble to get money for household expenses and clothes.”

3.

Your friend has been gambling and losing a lot of money. He's asked you for a loan and says, “I know how the system works. I'll now be able to win a lot of money. If you don't lend me the money, I will never speak to you again!”



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12:09 PM

Page 20

REFS


References

Department of Education, Manitoba, Canada. The Manitoba Gambling Education Program. http://www.luckyday.ca Department of Education, Queensland. 2006. Responsible Gambling Education: Principles and Guidelines. The Queensland Responsible Gambling Strategy. http://www.responsiblegambling.qld.gov.au Department of Human Services, South Australia. 2002. Gambling Education: Some Strategies for South Australian Schools. https://www.library.health.sa.gov.au/Portals/0/gambling-education-some-strategies-for-south-australianschools.pdf Frankel, P. 2006. Ukujuma: Illegal Gambling, Crime and Culture in a Post-apartheid South Africa. Unpublished paper commissioned for the South African National Responsible Gambling Programme. Frankel, P., and Louw, S. 2004. A Profile of Youth Gambling in South Africa. Unpublished paper commissioned by the South African National Gambling Board. G-Line, New South Wales, Australia. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/gambling Gupta, R., and Derevensky, J. 1998. Adolescent Gambling Behaviour: A Prevalence Study and Examination of the Correlates Associated with Problem Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies 14: 319-345. Jacobs, D.F. 2000. Juvenile Gambling in North America: An Analysis of Long-Term Trends and Future Prospects. Journal of Gambling Studies 16: 119-152. Saskatchewan Health, Canada. 1999. Gambling: Reducing the Risks - A Problem Gambling Prevention Teaching Resource to Support Middle Level Health Education Grades 6, 7, 8 and 9. Saskatchewan Health, Canada. Undated. Reality Check. Tacade, 2007. You bet! Nottingham Trent University, UK. Volberg, R., and Lamar Moore, W. 1999. Gambling and Problem Gambling Among Adolescents in Washington State: A Replication Study, 1993 to 1999. Northampton, MA: Report to the Washington State Lottery. Gambling Help Line: 0800 006 008


References | Page 1

Additional Resources

Gambling Helpline telephone number: 0800 006 008 Web sites: www.nrgp.org.za (South African National Responsible Gambling Programme) www.responsiblegambling.qld.gov.au (Extensive curriculum material developed by the Office of the Queensland School Curriculum Council, 2000, Australia) www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/cpse/gambling-patternssa.pdf (South Australian Health) www.problemgambling.vic.gov.au (Victorian Government, Australia.) www.gaming.gov.ab.ca (Canadian Government site on gambling) www.aigr.uws-edu.au (Australian Institute for Gambling Research) www.easg.org (European Association for the study of gambling) www.reachout.com.au (Reach Out) www.gamblingphd.com/historical-information.htm (The history of gambling) www.birthofgaming.com (Origins of gambling) www.youthbet.net (a site created on the subject of youth gambling with games and surprising gambling statistics) www.zoot2.com (a forum for teens developed by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission) www.afm..mb.ca/Learn%20More/gambling (a site on how gambling works, created by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, Canada)

Texts: Hall, M., and Vanderbilt, J. 1996. Probability, Statistics and Number Sense in Gambling and Everyday Life: A Contemporary Mathematics Curriculum. Harvard BASE Project. Jacobs, Rayda. 2003. Confessions of a Gambler. Cape Town: Kwela Books (a gripping novel set in Cape Town. Also highly recommended for senior students.)

Page 2 | Appendices


Grades 7 – 9: Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

LO1 - HEALTH PROMOTION The learner will be able to make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. Approximately 5 weeks The Senior Phase learner is exposed to a wider range of risky situations. The health and safety issues encountered are still affected by the physical and socio- economic environment. The learner should acquire the skills to make informed choices. The learner needs to develop a healthy lifestyle, informed by environmental awareness and by other health and safety aspects. Lifestyle choices related to sexuality are crucial at this age and should be dealt with sensitively. Assessment Standards

Assessment Standards


We know this when the learner:



7.1.1 Proposes ways to improve the nutritional value of own personal diet.

8.1.1 Plans an action in which laws and/or policies for protecting environmental health are applied to address an environmental health issue.

7.1.2 Evaluates actions to address an environmental health problem. 7.1.3 Describes strategies for living with diseases, including HIV/AIDS. 7.1.4 Discusses the personal feelings, community norms, values and social pressures associated with sexuality.

8.1.2 Critically analyses the causes of common diseases in relation to socioeconomic and environmental factors. 8.1.3 Describes what a healthy lifestyle is in own personal situation, as a way to prevent disease. 8.1.4 Demonstrates informed, responsible decision making about health and safety. 8.1.5 Examines a health and safety issue related to violence, and proposes alternatives to violence as well as counter-strategies.


9.1.1 Illustrates and evaluates the influence of ecological, social, economic, cultural and political factors on own personal choice of diet. 9.1.2 Develops and implements an environmental health programme. 9.1.3 Investigates personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse and suggests appropriate responses and rehabilitation options. 9.1.4 Critically evaluates resources on health information, health services and a range of treatment options, including HIV/AIDS. 9.1.5 Discusses ways to apply insights gained from participating in an activity related to national health or a safety promotion programme, as well as counterstrategies.

Overview | Page 3

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

LO3 - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT The learner is able to use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world. Approximately 7 weeks Adolescence is marked by emotional and physical changes. The learner needs to continue the formation of a positive self-concept. Acceptance by the peer group is still very important. The learner needs opportunities to develop further life skills. It is necessary to develop emotional intelligence, to empower the learner in order to cope with challenges.




We know this: when the learner

We know this when the learner

We know this when the learner

7.3.1 Reports on the implementation of strategies to enhance own and others' self-image through positive actions. 7.3.2 Evaluates media and other influences on personal lifestyle choices and proposes appropriate responses. 7.3.3 Explains and evaluates own coping with emotions and own response to change. 7.3.4 Shows evidence of respect for others and the ability to disagree in constructive ways. 7.3.5 Demonstrates and reflects on decision-making skills. 7.3.7 Critically evaluates own study skill strategies.

Page 4 | Overview

8.3.1 Analyses and discusses factors which influence self-concept formation and self-motivation.

9.3.1 Analyses and reflects on positive personal qualities in a range of contexts.

8.3.2 Reflects on appropriate behaviour in different kinds of interpersonal relationships.

9.3.2 Critically discusses own rights and responsibilities in interpersonal relationships.

8.3.3 Explains how self will cope with depression, crisis or trauma.

9.3.3 Responds appropriately to emotions in challenging situations.

8.3.4 Discusses appropriate ways to initiate, sustain and end relationships. 8.3.5 Designs and implements a personal plan for preventing and managing stress. 8.3.6 Draws up an action plan to apply problem- solving skills in a personal context.

9.3.4 Explains what has been learned from a challenging personal interaction by critically reflecting on own behaviour. 9.3.5 Applies goal-setting and decision-making strategies. 9.3.6 Critically evaluates own application of problem-solving skills in a challenging situation.


In summary, the specific Learning Outcomes and Assessment Standards for Taking Risks Wisely are as follows: *Blue indicates a deepening of understanding of issues addressed in preceding lessons

Grade 8

Grade 7

Health promotion LO1: To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health. AS2: Evaluate actions to address an environmental health problem (like problem gambling). AS3: Describe strategies for living with diseases, including HIV/AIDS (and other consequences of high-risk behaviour).

Health promotion LO1: To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health

Health promotion LO1: To make informed decisions regarding personal, community and environmental health

AS2: Critically analyse the causes of common diseases (like problem gambling) in relation to socioeconomic and environmental factors.

AS3: Investigates personal and social factors that contribute to substance abuse (and other behavioral problems) and suggests appropriate responses and rehabilitation options.

AS3: Describe what a healthy lifestyle is in own personal situation, as a way to prevent diseases (like problem gambling). AS4: Demonstrate informed, responsible decision making about health and safety.

Students will understand: • Risky behaviour as an environmental health problem • Different kinds of risk-taking behaviours • That risk-taking behaviour involves consequences • Gambling as a form of risktaking behaviour • Strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • That the longer a player gambles, the more the player's total costs will rise

Grade 9

Students will understand: • What risky behaviour is • That risky behaviour involves probabilities and consequences • The social, environmental and individual factors that promote risky behaviour • Gambling as a form of risky behaviour • The reasons why people gamble • That the longer a player gambles, the more the player's total costs will rise • The myths and superstitions around gambling


AS4: Critically evaluates resources on health information, health services and a range of treatment options, including HIV/AIDS (and problem gambling).

Students will understand: • That risky behaviour involves probabilities and consequences • Strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • The myths and superstitions around gambling • That the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Their own personal risky circumstances • The history of gambling

Overview | Page 5

Personal development: LO3: To use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world



AS2: Evaluates media and other influences on personal lifestyle choices and proposes appropriate responses.

AS1: Analyses and discusses factors which influence selfconcept formation and selfmotivation (including selfdiscipline).

AS1: Analyses and reflects on positive personal qualities in a range of contexts.

AS5: Demonstrates and reflects on decision-making skills.

AS2: Reflects on appropriate behaviour in different kinds of interpersonal relationships (including how to cope with a problem gambler).

AS3: Responds appropriately to emotions in challenging situations. AS6: Critically evaluates own application of problem-solving skills in a challenging situation.

AS3: Explains how self will cope with depression, crisis or trauma (like problem gambling).

Students will understand: • How to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • That the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • The warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Where to seek help for a gambling problem

Page 6 | Overview

Students will understand: • How to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • Probabilities of consequences of risky behaviour • Probabilities in gambling • Strategies for minimizing the risks that lead to problem gambling • How to assess their own vulnerability to risk • That the outcome of a gambling game cannot be predicted or controlled • Consequences of problem gambling • The warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Where to seek help for a gambling problem

Students will understand: • How to make responsible decisions about risky behaviour • The psychology of gambling • How to stay in control of risktaking behaviour • How to cope with someone who has a gambling problem • The warning signals of someone developing a gambling problem • Where to seek help for a gambling problem


Pre-lesson survey

1. I am in:

Grade 7

Grade 8

2. I have gambled before:

Often

Sometimes

Grade 9 Never

3. I have a friend / family member / someone close to me who has a gambling problem Yes

No

Read the following statements and then answer “yes”, if you agree with the statement, “no” if you disagree, or “not sure”. Tick the appropriate box. What I have learned about high-risk behaviour and gambling: 4. 5.

High-risk behaviour can lead to bad consequences. In a game like throwing dice, I can control the outcome.

6.

I have become aware of the risks I may encounter when gambling.

7.

I feel better able to make responsible choices and manage my risk-taking behaviour. The more I gamble, the more my costs will rise.

8. 9.

Yes

No

Not sure

There are certain things I can do that will enable me to predict the outcome of a bet.

10. Although some people develop gambling problems, many manage to gamble responsibly. 11. I know where to go for help for either my own or someone else's gambling problem. Complete the following sentences: 12. I am interested to know more about

13. I am not sure what is meant by

14. I was surprised to learn that

15. I do not believe that

16. I want to add that


Pre-learning Survey | Page 7

Post-lesson survey / evaluation sheet

1. I am in:

Grade 7

Grade 8

2. I have gambled before:

Often

Sometimes

Grade 9 Never

3. I have a friend / family member / someone close to me who has a gambling problem Yes

No

Read the following statements and then answer “yes”, if you agree with the statement, “no” if you disagree, or “not sure”. Tick the appropriate box. What I have learned about high-risk behaviour and gambling:

Yes

4. 5.

High-risk behaviour can lead to bad consequences. In a game like throwing dice, I can control the outcome.

6.

I have become aware of the risks I may encounter when gambling.

7.

I feel better able to make responsible choices and manage my risk-taking behaviour. The more I gamble, the more my costs will rise.

8. 9.

No

Not sure

There are certain things I can do that will enable me to predict the outcome of a bet.

10. Although some people develop gambling problems, many manage to gamble responsibly. 11. I know where to go for help for either my own or someone else's gambling problem. Complete the following sentences: 12. I am interested to know more about

13. I am not sure what is meant by

14. I was surprised to learn that

15. I do not believe that

16. I want to add that

Page 8 | Post-learning Survey
