Complex problem solving
This is probably by far the most important skill. Students need to learn how to solve problems,
how to think about problems from different angles, and how to come up with their own
solutions. Regardless of the field they choose to enter and their career, the ability to think and
act quickly is an indispensable skill.
It’s also important for students to learn that a problem can have multiple solutions. We don’t
want students thinking that there is only one answer available.
To practice this, teachers can present students with real life situations in which they need to
figure things out for themselves. Encouraging students to be self-directed and take
responsibility for their own learning through individual study and collaboration can help them
to develop this skill.
Agility and adaptability
There is a saying by a Greek philosopher “Change is the only constant in life”. And it’s true. We
can’t escape change so it’s important for our students to become comfortable with the idea of
change from an early stage. They need to be willing to adapt to the changes around them and
understand that change is not necessarily a bad thing. Equipping students with a resilient
attitude will mean they react to change with a growth mindset.
Teachers can help students embrace change by creating a more dynamic environment within
the classroom. You can switch up the teaching strategy, how the classroom is set up, how
teamwork and homework is done, and more. They can be small changes but it will help
students learn to adapt to the unknown.
Digital literacy
Today’s students are digital natives, and in some cases they are more comfortable adapting to
new technologies than their teachers. Nowadays, digital skills are required in the majority of
jobs and companies want to hire graduates that have knowledge of digital technologies.
Students need to be supported to develop skills in relation to their use of digital tools, to
differentiate between reliable internet sources, to assess risks in sharing information online and
to develop what educators like to call a “strong digital citizenship”.
Initiative and entrepreneurship
Students need to be able to take initiative and contribute to the world. We want to encourage
students to develop their entrepreneurial spirit.
An easy way to do this in the classroom is by setting up a learning environment that encourages
creative work and allows students to present ideas and work on them. Teachers can help
students organize their ideas and put them into practice – even if an idea may fail. It can be a
valuable lesson for students to learn what went wrong and how they can improve next time.
Students should never be afraid of trying because they are afraid of failure.
Using new and emerging technologies
It’s important to give students hands-on experience with technology and interactive learning
tools such as Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence and encourage them to imagine what the
world will be like in the future.
Students should be given the chance to see how technology can be applied to the real world
and what impact it could have. Even though technology seems to be taking over the world and
there are some negative implications, there are also very good examples of positive
applications.
And this doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of free resources online, affordable VR
sets, and mobile apps that use Augmented Reality in a fun way. You can even go beyond this,
and maybe plan a visit for students at a robotics lab or at a local technology company. Or you
can start by creating a presentation for your students once in a while where you talk about
what jobs will exist in the future. You never know what might peak their interest.
Soft Skills
Professionalism/work ethic
These skills include timeliness, dress, courtesy, teamwork, commitment, responsibility, and
integrity.
Provide checklists so that students monitor their own progress by keeping track of their test
scores. This encourages responsibility. When students are given an opportunity to keep track of
their progress, they are more motivated and committed to coming to class.
Conclude every lesson by calling attention to the relevance of the lesson and the classroom
activities to students’ lives. At the end of class for two to three minutes, focus students’
attention on what they have learned that day and how what they learned will transfer to their
lives. Students will come back to class if they see that what they are learning will help them
achieve their goals.
Provide opportunities for students to cooperate, collaborate, and work in teams. One activity
that encourages teamwork is having students interview each other and make a bar graph of the
results. It’s important for students to be able to tell potential employers that they can work in a
team with people from other countries and get along with each other.
Oral communication
Give students the opportunity to communicate orally. This is one of the soft skills that is most
commonly cited by employers. Even at the beginning level, students can practice
communicating orally.
Have students talk to different classmates to acquire information in order to fill out a chart.
Have students work together to practice the new vocabulary from a unit.
Use conversation cards. Students are given conversation cards and they mingle with each other
to get answers from their classmates. Students are encouraged not to show their cards to their
classmates, which forces them to listen to each other rather than read.
Teach and have students practice useful language functions. For example, after a short
conversation, have students use phrases for leave taking, such as, “It was nice talking to you,”
“Thank you for your time,” or “Let’s talk more later.”
Written communication
Give students opportunities to write in different genres, such as e-mails, letters, paragraphs,
and summaries.
Encourage peer revision whenever possible in writing.
Teach useful phrases for giving advice or suggestions in writing, for example, “I think you
should…” “Why don’t you…,” “If I were you, I’d…”.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking includes the following skills: organizing, categorizing, predicting, interpreting,
analyzing and evaluating, summarizing, and decision making.
What can we do in our classes to promote critical thinking without changing what we teach?
Teachers can model organizational skills by starting each class with an agenda on the board.
Writing a basic agenda or schedule of what is going to be done in class is a simple thing that has
very positive results. To write an agenda, the teacher must be organized, with goals and
outcomes in mind. Students see as soon as they walk in that their teacher has a plan. They see
what they are going to learn that day.
Encourage students to come to class every day with a binder and teach them how to organize
learning materials. If a student is asked at a job interview, “Why should I hire you?” or “What
can you offer us that the other 40 applicants can’t?” our students will be ready for the answer:
“I’m organized. I’m efficient. I can find what I need quickly.”
Problem solving:
Use illustrations that show a problem to provide students with problem solving activities. A
problem solving template can be used for students to write the problem, discuss solutions and
consequences, and then negotiate and make a group decision on the best solution. The
template keeps students on task.
Practice good nonverbal communication
It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with
a firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning—or quick ending—
to your interview.
Dress for the job or company
Today's casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as "they" do when you
interview. It is important to know what to wear to an interview and to be well-groomed.
Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the
position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the
interview.
Listen
One of the most crucial interview tips: Listen. From the very beginning of the interview, your
interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you
are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the
person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and
pace.
Don't talk too much
Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have
not prepared ahead of time, you may ramble when answering interview questions, sometimes
talking yourself right out of the job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job
posting, matching your skills with the position's requirements and relating only that
information.
Don't be too familiar
The interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend.
Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer's demeanor. It is important to bring
energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as
a candidate looking for a job.
Use appropriate language
It's a given that you should use professional language during the interview. Be aware of any
inappropriate slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics, or sexual orientation—
these topics could send you out the door very quickly.
Don't be cocky
Attitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence,
professionalism, and modesty. Even if you're putting on a performance to demonstrate your
ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved. All the interview tips in the
world won't save you if you come off as unpleasant to work with.
Take care to answer the questions
When interviewers ask for an example of a time when you did something, they are asking
behavioral interview questions, which are designed to elicit a sample of your past behavior. If
you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don't answer the question, but you also miss
an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.
Ask questions
When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, "No." Wrong answer. Part of
knowing how to interview is being ready to ask questions that demonstrate an interest in what
goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the
right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what you're asked during the
interview and asking for additional information
Don't appear desperate
When you interview with the "please, please hire me" approach, you appear desperate and less
confident. Reflect the three Cs during the interview: cool, calm, and confident.
Bonus tip: Work on your answers
You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too. One way to do
this is by preparing well-thought-out answers to questions they're most likely to ask. Need
some help with that? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you'll get interview tips, career
advice, and job search insights sent directly to your inbox so you can come across as a strong,
viable candidate. From ice breakers ("Tell me about yourself") to the nitty-gritty ("What's your
biggest weakness?"), Monster's expert advice can help you craft answers that highlight your
skills and eagerness to get the job.
