Life Skills Education

Presentation on life skills to be inculcated in today\'s youth and school children

1. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
IVE
Rao Mohar Singh College of Education
LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION
An Introduction
Presented by-
Rajni Kotnala

2. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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Today’s Youth Tomorrow's Wealth

3. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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What is ‘Life Skills’?
« WHO (1997)
–“the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior
that enables individuals to deal effectively with the
demands and challenges of everyday life”
UNICEF (2001)
«“life-skills based education is
-behavior change or behavior development
approach
-designed to address a balance of three areas:
 knowledge, attitude, and skills.

4. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
IVE
Why Life-Skills Education?
 Early identification of problems, early
intervention and support at key moments in
lives of young people is vital
 Development needs & aspirations of the
individuals
 Development of psychosocial abilities
 To enhance capabilities and enlarge
choices
 To build different dimensions of well-being,
by building self-image & self-worth, which in
turn help individuals to be less vulnerable to
the variations within a given context

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Education To Fight Poverty And Vulnerability
“Vulnerability” is the probability of having
one’s situation worsen when facing a dramatic
event.
MONETARY POVERTY
POVERTY IN
LIVING
CONDITIONS
POVERTY IN
POTENTIALITY

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World Education Forum, 2000
Dakar Framework For Action
“the human right to benefit from an education that will
meet their(youth’s) basic learning needs in the best
and fullest sense of the term, an education that
includes learning to know, to do, to live together and
to be”
Life Skills Approach strengthens the ability of an
individual to evolve, developing self-confidence
and power to act, without being restricted to a
single hands on skill

7. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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What are the “Life Skills” ?
•Problem-Solving
•Decision Making
•Critical Thinking
•Creative Thinking
•Communication
Skills
•Self-Awareness
•Stress Management
•Empathy
•Interpersonal
Relationship

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The Four Pillars of Education
Learning to Know: Developing Reasoning
It relates to cognitive life skills such as critical thinking,
problem solving and decision making skills. It thus refers
to both the acquisition of knowledge as well as the use
of knowledge.
Learning to Be: Enhancing Agency
It relates to self-management life skills related to self
awareness, self esteem & self confidence, and
coping skills
Learning to Live Together: Building Potential Through Social Capital
It relates to communication skills, Negotiation skills, Refusal skills,
Assertiveness skills, Interpersonal skills, Co-operation skills &
Empathy skills
Learning to Do: Functioning and Capabilities
It refers to central human functional capabilities of “Life”, “Bodily
Health”, “Bodily Integrity” and “Control over one’s Environment”

9. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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Significance of learning Life Skills
•To be able to explore alternatives
•Weigh pros and cons
•Make rational decisions
•Communicate effectively
•To say “No”
•Be assertive

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How ‘Life Skills’ lead to primary
prevention of health problems?
«Knowledge
«Attitudes
«Values
«Life Skills
«Behavior reinforcement or change
«Positive Health Behavior
«Prevention of Health Problems

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PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILL
Allows to solve an issue, problem or conflict
without anger, intimidation, insubordination,
aggressive force or behavior
Devising a plan in order to solve a problem
Examining a related problem
Adjustment to a situation
PROBLEMS if left unresolved Þ MENTAL &
PHYSICAL STRESS

12. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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What is Decision Making ?
•Abilities to assess available options
•Relating current situation to past similar situation
•To foresee the consequences of different
decisions (actions/non-actions)
• No decision is also a decision

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Responsible Decision Making
Making decision after
examining the choices &
consequences in view of
one’s values and
goals is Responsible
Decision Making

14. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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Steps for
Responsible Decision Making
•Identify/Define the problem
•Consider the consequences or outcomes
•Consider family and personal values
•Choose one alternative
•Implement the decision

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Critical Thinking
•Ability to analyze information and experiences in
an objective manner
• Helps adolescents to recognize and to assess
the factors influencing attitude & behavior -
values, pressures (peer,family)
• Key to form right attitudes towards life
• Assists in developing responsible behavior.

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Creative Thinking
•Enables to explore available alternatives and
consequences of actions or non-actions
•Openness to experience
•Helps adolescents to respond adaptively and
with flexibility to the daily life situations

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SELF-AWARENESS
•Body movement and gestures
•Taking responsibility for own behavior
•Being able to stand up for one’s own
values and needs
•Awareness of mental process
•Knowing one’s thought, feelings and
actions

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Coping with emotions & stress
•Recognizing effects of emotions on others and
ourselves
•Being aware of how emotions influence
behaviors
•Able to respond to emotions appropriately

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How to Cope with Stress
•Recognize sources of stress in our life
•Recognizing how these affect us
•Identifying ways that help to control our levels of stress
•Learning how to relax to minimize tensions

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Empathy
•Ability to understand and accept others
•To put oneself in other person’s shoes
•Being nurturing and tolerant
•Encourages a positive behavior towards
people in need or difficulty

21. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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Interpersonal Skills
•To be able to develop & nurture supportive
networks
•To be able to end relationships constructively
•Helps adolescents to relate
with people in positive ways

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Effective Communication
•To express ourselves verbally & non-verbally
•To express opinions, desires, needs & fears
also
•To ask for advice and help

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Take Pleasure & Pride in saying NO
when one wants to say “no”
•Ways to say NO
–Polite refusal
–Give reason
–Repeat refusal
–Walk away
–Ignore the person
–Avoid the situation
–Find others’ support
–Talk about your own feelings

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Life Skills Education
•Dynamic teaching & Dynamic learning
•Working in small groups & pairs
•Brainstorming
•Role-plays
•Experiential learning
•Games & debates
•Home assignments, to further discuss and
practice skills with family & friends.

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Thus, the ‘Life skills’ ….
•are applied
–in various aspects of life
–in human relationships, learning about rights &
responsibilities
–in health issues:
•Mental Health-Stresses
•HIV-AIDS /STD Prevention
•Drug abuse,
•Sexual violence
•Teenage pregnancy
•Suicide Prevention

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Therefore, the Adolescents should know
about ‘Life skills’ because
•Empowers them to take positive actions to protect
themselves and to promote health and positive
social relationships.
•Utility in Other areas
–Environment Education
–Consumer Education
–Peace Education
–Social cultural Issues

27. RAO MOHAR SINGH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
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