1. EDHF 4001 Life Skills Education
Course Review

2. INTRODUCTION
We embarked on this journey just about twelve weeks ago. It
was long and required us to dig deep within ourselves to keep
at it at meet the demands of the course.
I wish to commend those of you who have come this far. I
applaud you for this journey was not for the faint at heart. It
required you to utilize many of your life skills including effective
communication, problem solving, critical and creative thinking,
time management, coping with emotions and healthy selfmanagement among others. You were able to network and
forge relationships which I am sure will go beyond the course.

3. INTRODUCTION
It is now time to pause and reflect on your learning. I know that
in addition to the content you were exposed to many of you
have become more competent in the use of the computer and
related technology. You comfort level should have increased as
it relates to the use of ICT in education. Take this back to the
classroom with you. As we embark on this review take the
opportunity to revisit concepts you learnt, to identify those you
may have missed and to secure your collection of resources so
that they will be available to you long after the course is
completed.

4. UNIT ONE
In week one we looked at an introduction of the concept of
lifeskills and tried to operationalize a working definition. The
following was widely accepted.
"Life skills" are defined as psychosocial abilities for adaptive
and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal
effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.”
They are loosely grouped into three broad categories of skills:
cognitive skills for analyzing and using information, personal
skills for developing personal agency and managing oneself,
and inter-personal skills for communicating and interacting
effectively with others.

5. Life Skills
Social Skills
Cognitive Skills
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Decision making
Refusal skills
Critical Thinking
Negotiation skills
Creative thinking
Empathy skills
Problem Solving
Advocacy skills
Emotional Coping Skills
Healthy Self- management skills
Self- monitoring skills
Self-awareness skills
Coping with emotions (anger, selfesteem, grief loss)
For the purposes of HFLE Life Skills are grouped into three broad categories

6. Life Skills
It is clear that there are many different life skills and
psychosocial skills. Some are more significant than other
depending of the field of study.
The following link may be useful in further clarifying the
concept.
http://www.unicef.org/teachers/teacher/lifeskil.htm

7. Significance of life skills
Life skills education is significant in four critical areas of
development.
Promotes the
development
of emotional
intelligence
Promotes the
development
of an ethical
value system
Life
Skills
Foundation for
holistic
development
Empowerment
of young
people

8. Psychosocial Skills
Generally refer to skills which should be acquired as one goes
through the various stages of development. These include but
are not limited to :
• Motor and physical skills e.g balance, movement
• Self expression skills
• Language skills
• Social Skills

9. Child and Adolescent Development
Psycho social skills are developed as one goes through the
various stages of development.
Many
theorists have presented diverse theories of
development. Several of these theories support the teaching of
life skills. In this course we focused on the following:
• Piaget – cognitive Development
• Erickson- psychosocial development

10. Emotional Intelligence
Another theory which is quite relevant to the teaching of life
skills is that of emotional intelligence. This refers to being able
to recognise our feeling and that of others for motivating
others, and for managing our emotions well in ourselves and in
our relationships.
(video.about.com/psychology/Overview-of-EmotionalIntelligence.htm)

11. Emotional intelligence

12. UNIT 2
In Unit 2 we turned our attention to three key concepts:
1. Learner centered Strategies
2. Effective classroom management strategies
3. Effective Assessment Strategies

13. Leaner Centered Strategies
In a learner centered classroom the teacher functions as a
facilitator in the learning process and students become more
involved in their learning. (Weimer 2000) identified five
principles of learner centered classrooms.
• We need to give students power to choose and influence
what and how they are learning.
• Students should have a choice in how they are assessed.
• The learning environment should cater to their needs and
learning styles.
• They should be exposed to a diversity of learning
experiences

14. Assessment
Like the learning experience, assessment should meet the
needs of students and cater to their learning styles.
Students should know how they are going to be assessed on
any given task before they begin working on the task.
There needs to be a paradigm shift from the traditional paper
and pencil test to more authentic assessment.

15. Assessment
Some of the ways students can be assessed in a life skills
classroom include;
• Journal writing
• Portfolios
• Projects
• Simulations
• Role plays
• presentations

16. Assessment
The teacher can use a number of different tools in assessment
including:
• A checklist
• Questionnaire
• Rubric couple with a perfomance task

17. Class Room Management
Effective classroom management is critical to the success of life
skills education.
• When a class is poorly managed there is inadvertently
discipline problems among the students.
• There are many strategies one can employ throughout the
day to keep students focused and on task.

18. Class Room Management
.Morning Meetings
• Managing transitions through out the day
• Developing a postive rapport with students
• Building competence through professional development
• Arranging the physical space to facilitate the various learning
activities
• Setting classroom rules and teacher expectations

19. Class Room Management
.Morning Meetings
• Managing transitions through out the day
• Developing a postive rapport with students
• Building competence through professional development
• Arranging the physical space to facilitate the various learning
activities
• Setting classroom rules and teacher expectations

20. Thanks!