Life skills are defined as “a group of psychosocial competencies and interpersonal skills that help people make informed decisions, solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, and cope with and manage their lives in a healthy and productive manner. Life skills may be directed toward personal actions or actions toward others, as well as toward actions to change the surrounding environment to make it conducive to health.” - World Health Organization (WHO).
UNESCO & UNICEF life skills classification considers the 4 Dimensions of Learning:
1. ‘Learning to Know’/the Cognitive Dimension: Relates to the cognitive and meta-cognitive tools required to better comprehend the world and its complexities as well as an appropriate and adequate foundation for future learning.
2. ‘Learning to Do’/the Instrumental Dimension: Relates to the skills enabling individuals to participate effectively in the economy and society.
3. ‘Learning to Be’/the Individual Dimension: Relates to the personal and social skills to enable individuals develop to their fullest potential in order for them to become all-round complete persons.
4. ‘Learning to Live Together’/the Social Dimension: Relates to the values implicit within human rights, democratic principles, intercultural understanding and respect, and the promotion of peace at all levels of society, that an individual is exposed to and develop.
Source: UNESCO, 1996
There are 12 Life skills in 4 clusters coresponding to the 4 dimensions of learning:
1. Life skills cluster of the Cognitive Dimension:
UNESCO & UNICEF life skills classification considers the 4 Dimensions of Learning:
1. ‘Learning to Know’/the Cognitive Dimension: Relates to the cognitive and meta-cognitive tools required to better comprehend the world and its complexities as well as an appropriate and adequate foundation for future learning.
2. ‘Learning to Do’/the Instrumental Dimension: Relates to the skills enabling individuals to participate effectively in the economy and society.
3. ‘Learning to Be’/the Individual Dimension: Relates to the personal and social skills to enable individuals develop to their fullest potential in order for them to become all-round complete persons.
4. ‘Learning to Live Together’/the Social Dimension: Relates to the values implicit within human rights, democratic principles, intercultural understanding and respect, and the promotion of peace at all levels of society, that an individual is exposed to and develop.
Source: UNESCO, 1996
There are 12 Life skills in 4 clusters coresponding to the 4 dimensions of learning:
1. Life skills cluster of the Cognitive Dimension:
- Creativity: Innovative thinking, divergent thinking, articulating ideas, analysis and synthesis; agency
- Critical thinking: Meta-cognitive skills (thinking about thinking), questioning, interpreting information and synthesizing, listening; self-protection, social responsibility
- Problem-solving: Curiosity, attentiveness, analytical thinking, active engagement
- Cooperation: Teamwork to achieve common goals, collaboration in the workplace; respect for others
- Negotiation: Influencing and leadership, cooperation, customer relationship, career planning, effective communication
- Decision-making: Action planning, goal setting, leadership skills, risk taking, safety skills, ethical reasoning
- Self-management: Self-efficacy, goal setting, life planning, autonomy, agency, self-help, motivation
- Resilience: Grit, steadfastness, stress control, adaptability, self-efficacy, self-development, agency, emotional and behavioural regulation, adaptation to adversity, emergency preparedness
- Communication: Relationship management, self-realization, self-presentation, active listening, two-way empathic communication, appropriate assertiveness
- Respect for diversity: Active tolerance social interaction, self-esteem, self-control, analytical thinking, active listening
- Empathy: Understanding others, caring for others, identifying abusive and non-abusive behaviours, altruistic behaviour, conflict management, conflict resolution, understanding and managing emotions
- Participation: Dialogue, active listening, analytical and critical thinking, self-confidence, agency.
The 12 core life skills
Source: unicef.org
Relevance of Life Skills & Related Skills by Dimensions of Learning:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
