Embedding 21st-century life skills in the curriculum: Analysis of elementary level curriculum for the teaching of life skills

Abstract

Life skills refer to a wide range of capabilities that enable individuals to traverse the difficulties of daily life effectively. These include effective communication, leadership, initiative, productivity, cooperation, conflict management, emotional intelligence, resilience, self-awareness, and empathy.  The current study aimed to find evidence of the integration of life skills in the Elementary Level Curriculum and seek Elementary School Teachers’ views regarding the reflection of life on these skills in real life. For this, the researcher employed a qualitative research approach. At first, a document analysis was adopted to seek evidence of life skills in the elementary-level curriculum. After that, interviews were conducted to find elementary school teachers' (ESTs) views on the reflection of life skills in everyday life. The study sample consisted of 25 ESTs.  The study was delimited to the ESTs of district Kasur and the subject of English for grades VI, VII, and VIII. Findings revealed plenty of evidence of the integration of life skills in the Elementary Level Curriculum. However, its reflection is not seen in our everyday life. The reasons behind this non-practicability of life skills include lack of training and guidance, lack of role of family and community, pedagogical errors, the non-professional attitude of the teachers, poor and rigid examination system, the gaps between theory and practice, lack of teacher-student interaction, contextual factors, focus on academics only, lack of knowledge and lengthy syllabus, etc. Based on the study's findings, it was recommended that teachers be trained to make them pedagogically strong. The examination system may also be revised. The number --race may be converted with certificated achieved through extra-curricular activities.