Soft Skill DevelopmentDevelopment of soft skills is essential in young learners. This development helps to foster the ideas of collaboration at an early stage.
An important and advancing theory that must be considered in the development of soft skills and collaborative learning is theory-of-mind. Simply put, this theory surmises that humans understand that others have different perspectives from their own (Frith & Frith, 2005). All humans are born with this potential and the appreciation of others’ thoughts and behaviours begins to develop with socialization and experience. This insight allows people to explain and predict behaviours and thoughts of others. It is inherent in the development of empathy, communication and trust. Current research on theory-of-mind development suggests that children around the age of 4 begin to differentiate truth from intentional misinformation and effective utilization of this is essential for social-cognitive development (Carlson, Koenig & Harms, 2013) . Further to this, a critical aspect of learning from others implies the development of trust amongst participants. Thus, assessment of theory-of-mind development in the early-learner is critical for teachers to effectively incorporate collaborative activities. |
“We define soft skills as intra- and inter-personal (socio-emotional) skills, essential for personal development, social participation and workplace success. They include skills such as communication, ability to work on multidisciplinary teams, adaptability etc. These skills should be distinguished from technical, or “hard skills”. We characterized them as “skills” in order to emphasize the fact that they can be learned/developed by suitable training efforts, and they can also be combined, towards the achievement of complex outcomes.” (Kechagias et al, 2011, p.33) |
Active Listening• the act of mindfully hearing and attempting to comprehend the meaning of words spoken by another in a conversation or speech.
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Cooperating• an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit.
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Sharing• to work with others towards a common goal
•to contribute to a group |
Contributing• to give information and provide resources
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