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Block 2 Interventions

Unit 5 Life Skills Training

1. Define life skills. Discuss the use of life skills in school going adolescents.

Life skills are abilities that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. They are not innate but develop over time, encompassing knowledge, attitudes, and skills. 

For school-going adolescents, life skills are crucial for navigating the complexities of adolescence, including academic pressures, peer relationships, and identity formation. These skills promote mental well-being and competence, enabling adolescents to cope with stress, make informed decisions, build positive relationships, and achieve their goals. Specifically, life skills help adolescents manage:

• Experimental and risk-taking behaviours
• Emotional sensitivity and the desire for independence
• Identity formation
• The impact of media on perceptions and values
• The breakdown of traditional family support systems
• Building self-esteem and setting goals

2. With help of an example, describe the use of life skills to help an academically low scorer student of class VII.

Consider a Class VII student struggling academically (let's call him Rohan). Using life skills, a teacher could intervene as follows:

• Problem-solving: The teacher would help Rohan identify the root cause of his low scores – is it difficulty understanding concepts, poor study habits, lack of confidence, or something else? This process would involve open discussion, collaborative problem identification, and setting achievable goals.
• Goal-setting: Instead of aiming for top marks immediately (an unrealistic goal), Rohan and the teacher would set smaller, more manageable goals, such as improving his understanding of a specific topic or completing his homework consistently. These goals should follow the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound).
• Time management: The teacher would guide Rohan in developing effective time management skills, helping him create a study schedule that integrates schoolwork with other activities.
• Self-awareness and self-esteem: The teacher would help Rohan identify his strengths and work on building his confidence. Positive reinforcement and praise for his efforts, even small achievements, are critical. The teacher would also teach assertiveness skills to handle peer pressure related to studies.
• Interpersonal skills: Rohan would learn how to effectively communicate with the teacher and seek clarification on concepts he finds challenging. The teacher could foster his interpersonal skills by encouraging peer study groups or tutoring.

By applying these life skills, the teacher helps Rohan build confidence, address his academic challenges strategically, and develop self-reliance rather than simply focusing on test scores.

3. What is the meaning of life skills?

The World Health Organization has defined life skills as, “the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.” Life skills are not some ability that we are essentially born with, but can develop and enhance in the course of our life so as to achieve a balance between knowledge, attitude and skill. Life skills are essentially those abilities that help promote mental well-being and competency. Life skills allow us to match our potential with difficult or apparently unsolvable complex tasks.

4. Why do adolescents need life skills?

Life skills enable the adolescent to effectively deal with challenges associated with their developmental stage and also pave the way for development of a sound adult personality. Life skills empower the individual to gain mastery over the environment, gain sense of identity and self concept, to make wise and timely decisions, become capable to solve their own problems, managing stress effectively and to engage in purposeful communication. In addition life skills also empower individuals to have meaningful relationships, from making new friends, to sustaining relationships and withstanding peer pressure.

5. What are the different types of core life skills?

The core life skills are critical thinking, creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, interpersonal relationship skills, effective communication skills, skills to cope with emotions, skills to cope with stress, self awareness and empathy.

Important Points

1. Problem solving is part of Thinking Skills

2. Coping with stress is part of Negotiation Skills

3. Empathy is part of Social Skills