Geographical skills

The following skills are essential to geographical inquiry. Students use geographical skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of geographical concepts within a specific context. Developing their geographical skills enables students to explore contemporary geographical issues and make recommendations. These skills are integrated into the learning and assessment requirements of Stage 1 Geography.

Students develop and use a range of geographical skills, including:

• collect and record fieldwork data, using techniques such as observation, measuring, counting, testing, sketching, photography, interviewing, mapping, and surveying
• interpret secondary sources of data and information
• use maps and spatial technologies (latitudes, longitudes, grid references, legends or keys, directions, and contours)
• interpret images, including aerial, oblique, and ground photographs, and satellite images
• understand scale (enlargement, reduction, area, and distance)
• analyse and interpret statistics, fieldwork data, maps, profiles, cross-sections, and transects
• identify and analyse patterns and trends, infer relationships, and make predictions
• communicate geographical information, using visual representations such as tables, graphs, diagrams, sketches, photographs, and maps
• make recommendations, form conclusions, and solve problems
• use subject-specific terminology
• acknowledge sources appropriately.