EDT 102H
Study Unit 4: Life skills
The development of life skills – and holistic approach
Life skills education
Life skills do the following
1) develop self-knowledge – basis for self-confidence & decision making
2) Develop attitudes and values – promotes self-reliance, responsible decision making & setting of goals.
3) Teaches skills for life – communication, personal relationships and decision making skills.
Life skills should be an integral part of the curriculum at all levels of education, should be presented by all educators involved in
education process.
Purpose of life skills
· Need to equip learners with academic knowledge and with skills to help them cope under changing conditions.
· Need competence and coping skills to adapt to life and to deal with everyday problems, needs and obligations.
· Prinsloo: challenge facing counsellors and educators is to shift focus from helping school leavers to make a career
choice to helping them overcome the barriers which may prevent them from reaching their goals.
· Young people often lack skills to negotiate developmental hurdles and solve predictable life problems.
The origin of life skills education
· Movement in 1960s with the 3rd revolution in mental health – move from clinical to public health
· Life skills movement began in the 60s.
Different like skills programmes or models
· 2 courses we could use – INO course and the Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescence.
Acquiring and maintaining life skills
Life skills cannot be taught or learned in a vacuum by using traditional teaching methods.
The learner
· Is the centre
· Needs to realize they can change.
· Must be made sensitive to where and when it is appropriate to apply a skill – e.g. being assertive.
· “people who avoid rather than assume responsibility for their lives are poor candidates for initiating desirable
behaviour change”
· Need social, emotional. Cognitive and moral skills.
The teacher (facilitator)
· Facilitators – people who make things happen, they help or facilitate activities, and they do not direct them.
· Instructor must share openly the issues of the course.
· Shed the mantle of superiority to develop respect.
· Willing to listen and not judge.
· Have to come out of shell of privacy or authority and reveal herself appropriately.
Practical experience is the most NB means of achieving positive results in education.
Learners retain:
10% of what they hear
20% of what they see
40% of what is discussed
90% of what they actively practice.
Teaching methods in the classroom
Teaching methods closely associated with reality – L’s are given opportunity to acquire directly relevant knowledge of life skills.
Life skills learning should take place through discovery.
1) Group discussions
· Divided into groups of 5 or 6 to discuss problems or themes – often called a Koki.
· L learn to work together.
· Timid become more confident and assertive while discussing and issue.
· Dominant L learns to listen.
1
Study Unit 4: Life skills
The development of life skills – and holistic approach
Life skills education
Life skills do the following
1) develop self-knowledge – basis for self-confidence & decision making
2) Develop attitudes and values – promotes self-reliance, responsible decision making & setting of goals.
3) Teaches skills for life – communication, personal relationships and decision making skills.
Life skills should be an integral part of the curriculum at all levels of education, should be presented by all educators involved in
education process.
Purpose of life skills
· Need to equip learners with academic knowledge and with skills to help them cope under changing conditions.
· Need competence and coping skills to adapt to life and to deal with everyday problems, needs and obligations.
· Prinsloo: challenge facing counsellors and educators is to shift focus from helping school leavers to make a career
choice to helping them overcome the barriers which may prevent them from reaching their goals.
· Young people often lack skills to negotiate developmental hurdles and solve predictable life problems.
The origin of life skills education
· Movement in 1960s with the 3rd revolution in mental health – move from clinical to public health
· Life skills movement began in the 60s.
Different like skills programmes or models
· 2 courses we could use – INO course and the Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescence.
Acquiring and maintaining life skills
Life skills cannot be taught or learned in a vacuum by using traditional teaching methods.
The learner
· Is the centre
· Needs to realize they can change.
· Must be made sensitive to where and when it is appropriate to apply a skill – e.g. being assertive.
· “people who avoid rather than assume responsibility for their lives are poor candidates for initiating desirable
behaviour change”
· Need social, emotional. Cognitive and moral skills.
The teacher (facilitator)
· Facilitators – people who make things happen, they help or facilitate activities, and they do not direct them.
· Instructor must share openly the issues of the course.
· Shed the mantle of superiority to develop respect.
· Willing to listen and not judge.
· Have to come out of shell of privacy or authority and reveal herself appropriately.
Practical experience is the most NB means of achieving positive results in education.
Learners retain:
10% of what they hear
20% of what they see
40% of what is discussed
90% of what they actively practice.
Teaching methods in the classroom
Teaching methods closely associated with reality – L’s are given opportunity to acquire directly relevant knowledge of life skills.
Life skills learning should take place through discovery.
1) Group discussions
· Divided into groups of 5 or 6 to discuss problems or themes – often called a Koki.
· L learn to work together.
· Timid become more confident and assertive while discussing and issue.
· Dominant L learns to listen.
1
