If you're unfamiliar with the CASEL framework, we highly recommend reading this article first, as it will greatly enhance your understanding of soft skills.
Check it out here.
Introduction to Self-efficacy:
Self-efficacy refers to the belief in one's ability to accomplish tasks and achieve desired outcomes. Whether it's tackling challenging academic assignments, pursuing personal goals, or facing obstacles in the workplace, self-efficacy empowers individuals of all ages to overcome adversity, persevere in the face of setbacks, and strive for excellence. Cultivating self-efficacy involves fostering a growth mindset, setting realistic goals, and providing opportunities for mastery experiences and positive reinforcement. By nurturing self-efficacy, individuals develop resilience, confidence, and a sense of agency, enabling them to navigate life's challenges with optimism and determination.
Core Area of Competence:
Self-efficacy is found in the following core areas of competence, and more specifically under a core behavior of each area:
Social-Awareness: Awareness of external supports and when supports are needed.
Self-Awareness: Awareness of personal strengths, challenges, and goals.
Core Behaviors that require Self-efficacy:
Self-efficacy is manifested differently in each age group:
6-8 Years:
Social-Awareness:
Recognizing External Supports: Identifying when they need help from adults or peers to accomplish tasks or overcome challenges.
Example: A 6-year-old asks their teacher for assistance with a difficult puzzle, recognizing the need for external support to complete the task.
Self-Awareness:
Awareness of Personal Strengths and Challenges: Recognizing areas where they excel and areas where they may need assistance or improvement.
Example: A 7-year-old understands that they are skilled at drawing but may need help tying their shoelaces.
9-11 Years:
Social-Awareness:
Seeking External Supports: Knowing when to seek help or guidance from teachers, parents, or mentors to overcome obstacles or achieve goals.
Example: An 11-year-old asks their coach for advice on improving their basketball technique, recognizing the value of external support in skill development.
Self-Awareness:
Recognizing Personal Growth Opportunities: Identifying areas for improvement based on individual interests and strengths, displaying an understanding of personal development.
Example: A 10-year-old acknowledges the need to enhance their soccer abilities by committing to daily after-school practice sessions focused on dribbling and shooting, highlighting a keen awareness of their own growth objectives.
12-14 Years:
Social-Awareness:
Utilizing External Resources: Taking advantage of available resources, such as tutoring services or study groups, to enhance learning and academic performance.
Example: A 12-year-old participates in a peer tutoring program to improve their math skills, recognizing the benefit of external supports in academic success.
Self-Awareness:
Reflecting on Personal Progress: Evaluating their own growth and development over time, acknowledging areas of improvement and areas for further growth.
Example: A 13-year-old reflects on their academic achievements and identifies strategies for improving time management skills to balance schoolwork and extracurricular activities.
15-17 Years:
Social-Awareness:
Building Support Networks: Cultivating relationships with mentors, peers, and community members who can provide guidance, encouragement, and support.
Example: A 17-year-old seeks advice from alumni and professionals in their desired field to gain insights and networking opportunities, recognizing the importance of external supports in career planning and development.
Self-Awareness:
Adapting Goals Based on Feedback: Revising personal goals and strategies in response to feedback and changing circumstances, demonstrating flexibility and resilience.
Example: A 16-year-old adjusts their college application strategy based on feedback from college counselors and updates their resume to highlight relevant experiences and achievements.
Promoting the Soft Skill:
For Parents and Care Givers:
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Provide Autonomy: Allow children to make choices and decisions within age-appropriate boundaries. Empower them to take ownership of their actions and outcomes, fostering a sense of autonomy and self-responsibility.
Set Realistic Expectations: Help children set realistic and achievable goals that align with their interests and abilities. Break larger goals into smaller, manageable steps, and encourage them to track their progress over time.
Model Self-Efficacy: Lead by example and demonstrate self-efficacy in your own actions and attitudes. Share stories of your own challenges and successes, and emphasize the importance of self-belief, resilience, and perseverance.
For Tutors:
Challenge-Based Learning Tasks: Design challenge-based learning tasks that gradually increase in complexity, allowing students to build confidence as they successfully tackle each challenge.
Success Stories Sharing: Facilitate discussions on how students can apply the strategies and tactics used by successful individuals to their own academic and personal endeavors.
Role-Playing Scenarios: Incorporate role-playing scenarios that specifically focus on building students' confidence and problem-solving skills in challenging or unfamiliar situations.
Feedback and Reflection:
Plan self-assessment activities to help learners reflect on their progress, achievements, and areas of improvement. Encourage learners to set realistic goals not only for academic goals but also for self-improvement based on their self-assessments and track their progress over time. Encourage them to reflect on past achievements and successes when setting new goals, reinforcing their belief in their ability to succeed.
Frame failure reflections as opportunities for learners to identify areas for growth and improvement, rather than viewing failures as indicators of inadequacy. Encourage learners to develop resilience by discussing strategies for bouncing back from setbacks and using failures as learning experiences.
Create support networks amongst learners, by allocating time for support networks to meet and discuss at the end of each day. Foster a supportive peer environment where learners feel empowered to seek help and support from their peers. Encourage learners to provide encouragement and validation to each other, reinforcing learners' belief in their ability to succeed academically.
Promote positive self-talk and affirmations that reinforce learners' belief in their abilities and potential for success. Encourage them to challenge self-doubt and negative thoughts by replacing them with affirmations of competence, resilience, and self-worth.
Additional Resources:
Read “Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory Of Motivation In Psychology” on Simply Psychology.
Read “Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters” on verywellmind.
Check out “Applying Self-Efficacy Theory: 15 Questionnaires & Surveys” on Positive Psychology.com.
Read “Self-Efficacy: Helping Students Believe in Themselves” from Carleton College.
Check out “Strategies for promoting self-efficacy in students” on the education hub.
Watch “Why Self-Efficacy Matters” on TEDx Talks where Mamie Morrow talks about how can self-efficacy be taught once it’s broken down into its constituent parts.
Watch “The Power of Believing That You Can Improve" by Carol Dweck on TED.
Conclusion:
Nurturing self-efficacy is essential for empowering individuals to overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and thrive in various aspects of life. By promoting a growth mindset, setting realistic goals, and providing opportunities for mastery and positive reinforcement, we can cultivate resilience, confidence, and a sense of agency in individuals of all ages. Encouraging self-efficacy not only enhances individual well-being and success but also fosters a culture of perseverance and optimism in our communities and society at large.
References:
Frye, K. E., Boss, D. L., Anthony, C. J., Du, H., & Xing, W. (2022). Content analysis of the Casel framework using K–12 state SEL Standards. School Psychology Review, 1–15. doi:10.1080/2372966x.2022.2030193
Määttä, E., & Järvelä, S. (2013). Involving children in reflective discussions about their perceived self-efficacy and learning experiences. International Journal of Early Years Education, 21(4), 309-324.
Maddux, J. E. (2016). Self-efficacy. In Interpersonal and intrapersonal expectancies (pp. 41-46). Routledge.
Schunk, D. H., & Ertmer, P. A. (2000). Self-regulation and academic learning: Self-efficacy enhancing interventions. In Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 631-649). Academic Press.