Initial Primary Teacher Education

Life skills education

Module 1

Malawi Institute of Education

Initial Primary Teacher Education

Life skills education

Module 1

Malawi Institute of Education

Prepared and published by

Malawi Institute of Education

PO Box 50
Domasi Malawi

email: miedirector@sdnp.org.mw
website: www.mie.edu.mw

© Malawi Institute of Education 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the copyright
owner.

First edition 2017

 Foreword
Education is the lifeblood of the nation. It is a prerequisite for individual, community
and national development. Education prepares learners to play their roles effectively
to promote and sustain a country's socio-economic development. Parents or
guardians desire that their children develop into adults with sound minds and
healthy bodies through the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, skills and
desirable attitudes to enable them to live productive and happy lives.

Education should, therefore, help learners to develop high standards of conduct,

attitudes, judgment and a sense of responsibility. Student teachers have to be well
prepared in order to be able to take this responsibility of teaching children
effectively.

The provision of quality education is based on many factors and a good quality of
teachers is one of them. Teachers play a central role because they are the key source
of knowledge, responsible for facilitating the learning process and act as role models
for the learners.

The function of initial teacher education in Malawi is to prepare student teachers in

their aspiration of becoming teachers of high quality. This is achieved by helping the
student teachers to acquire the right knowledge, skills and competences to enable
them to effectively teach children. In view of this, the Initial Primary Teacher
Education curriculum has been reviewed to ensure that student teachers who
graduate from this programme are well trained and prepared for their profession.

The process and implementation of this review has been guided by the Teacher
Education Philosophy which states as follows:

‘To produce a reflective, autonomous, lifelong learning teacher, able to display moral
values and embrace learners’ diversity.’

It is therefore hoped that Teacher Training Colleges will find this curriculum
effective in helping the student teachers to build a solid foundation in their teaching
profession.

Executive Director
Malawi Institute of Education

v
 Acknowledgements
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Malawi Institute of
Education would like to thank all people who participated in various activities,
stages and levels in the development of this module.

Special thanks go to the Director of the Directorate of Inspection and Advisory

Services (DIAS), Mr Raphael Agabu and his staff, the Executive Director of Malawi
Institute of Education, Dr William Susuwele‐Banda and his staff, Coordinator of the
Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE) review process, Dr Ezekiel Kachisa and his
team (Mr Edward G Mtonga and Ms Catrin Anderer) for coordinating the process of
developing the module.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Institute would also like
to thank Joshua Y Munthali, Samuel MJ Mandauka and Feston K Shani for
reviewing the module.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology acknowledges technical and

financial support which was generously provided by German Technical
Cooperation (GIZ), United Nations Children’s’ Fund (UNICEF), Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Open Society Foundation (OSF).

Production team
Editing Authony Malunga
Graphic designer Thabu Mwenelupembe-Phiri
Editor-in-chief Max J Iphani

vi
 Writers
Flora Mombe Seyama - Domasi College of Education
Winston Nyirenda - Karonga Teachers’ College
Maxwell AL Sathula - St Joseph’s Teachers’ College
Joseph Sandamira - Kasungu Teachers’ College

vii
Contents
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………….……………….….. v

Introduction to the module …………………………………………………..…….…. viii

TOPIC 1 Teaching of essential life skills ………………………………………… 1

TOPIC 2 Teaching self-awareness, potentials and goals …………………… 11

TOPIC 3 Teaching of morals and values for personal development ………… 20

TOPIC 4 Teaching self-esteem and assertiveness ……………………………… 28

TOPIC 5 Teaching coping with emotions and stress …………………………. 32

TOPIC 6 Teaching problem-solving and decision-making skills ……………. 37

viii
Introduction
The purpose of primary teacher education is to produce and continually develop
competent and responsive teachers who effectively deliver quality education to all
learners under prevailing conditions and demands in primary schools and promote
their desire for life-long learning. IPTE endeavors to educate teachers in sufficient
numbers, continually develop their professionalism so that they are able to
effectively and efficiently deliver quality and relevant education to primary school
learners.

National goals for primary teacher education

The national goals of primary teacher education in Malawi are to produce teachers
who are:
 academically well-grounded and professionally competent
 flexible and capable of adapting to the changing needs and environment of the Malawian
society
 capable of adhering to and maintaining the ethics of the teaching profession imaginative
in adapting, creating and utilising locally available resources suitable for the needs of
their learners.

Teacher education philosophy

The following has been the guiding principle during the design, development and
implementation of the IPTE curriculum.

To produce a reflective, autonomous, lifelong learning teacher, able to display moral values
and embrace learners’ diversity has been designed.

ix
 IPTE programme structure
The duration of the teacher education is two years. The general outlook of the two
years is as follows:

Year 1 Year 2
Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 1 Term 2 Term 3
In college, In college, Out in teaching Out win In college, In college,
learning learning practice schools, teaching with special with special
subject subject practising practise schools, emphasis on emphasis on
content with a content with teaching mainly practising reflection, subject
special focus special focus in the lower teaching mainly inclusion and content,
on methods on methods classes in the upper further policies and
for lower for upper classes practice on frameworks
classes classes teaching
methods

Unique features
The features of the reviewed curriculum are as follows:
 The curriculum design is based on reflective and practice principles.
 Early grade teaching methodologies are distinct.
 The delivery of the subject content follows the modular approach.
 Student teachers will be allowed to practise teaching both in the lower classes
(Standards 1 to 4) as well as in upper classes (Standards 5-8).
 Cross cutting issues such as Assessment for Learning, Information
Communication Technology, Inclusive Education and Critical Thinking are
integrated.

IPTE subject matrix

The new curriculum has adopted the reflective practitioner model of teacher
education which connects practice and theory and integrates content and pedagogy
in teaching and learning. In this structure, student-teachers will be in college for two
terms of year 1 and be in primary schools for teaching practice in the third term of
first year and first term of the second year. Student teachers will be back to colleges
in terms 2 and 3 of year 2 to continue learning subject content, reflecting on their
experiences of teaching practice and then wind up their studies.

This curriculum is designed in a modular structure and contains eleven subjects.

These are Chichewa, English, Mathematics, Education Foundation Studies,
Agriculture, Social Studies, Life Skills, Science and Technology, Expressive Arts,
Religious Studies and Human Ecology. In this modular design, a set of topics forms
a module in a subject. A module consists of 40 hours contact time.

x
Summary of topics for the term and time allocation

Term 1
Topic Allocated time in Core element
hours
1 Teaching of essential life 4 hours The teaching of life skills for
skills personal development
2 Teaching self-awareness, 4 hours The teaching of life skills for
potentials and goals personal development
3 Teaching of morals and 3 hours The teaching of life skills for
values for personal personal development
development
4 Teaching self-esteem and 3 hours The teaching of life skills for
assertiveness personal development
5 Teaching coping with 3 hours The teaching of life skills for
emotions and stress personal development
6 Teaching problem solving 3 hours The teaching of life skills for
and decision making personal development
skills

xi
TOPIC 1 Teaching of essential life skills

Time 4 hours Success criteria

By the end of this topic, you must be
Introduction able to:
As human beings we face challenges  explain the importance of teaching
in all stages of life. Leading a life skills in schools
successful life therefore requires  examine ways of developing life
overcoming such challenges which is skills for different age groups
made possible with knowledge and  evaluate challenges teachers face
application of certain skills. Can you while teaching life skills
remember some of the challenges that  examine appropriate tools for
you faced during your childhood? assessing the development of
How did you overcome such essential life skills in lower and
challenges? In order to overcome the upper primary
challenges of life, you used different
life skills. How did you develop these Background information on
life skills? As a teacher you will be teaching essential life skills
expected to teach life skills in lower Everyone faces a number of demands
and upper primary so that learners are and challenges in everyday life. In
assisted to develop life skills and use order to effectively deal with these
them to deal with daily life’s demands demands and challenges, individuals
and challenges. This will help learners need to develop skills and be able to
in primary school to develop their full apply them in different situations.
potential and grow up as productive These skills are called essential life
citizens of Malawi. skills.

In this topic you will discuss essential Do you know what essential life skills
life skills and why you need to teach are? They are abilities for adoptive and
them in schools. You will also analyse positive behaviours that help an
different teaching, learning and individual to effectively deal with
assessment methods, activities, and demands and challenges in everyday
resources and their suitability to assist life. Some examples of essential life
in developing life skills in learners. skills include self-awareness, self-
You will as well explore challenges esteem, decision-making, critical
that teachers face in teaching life skills thinking and creative thinking. Can
in lower and upper primary school you suggest other examples of
and ways of dealing with such essential life skills? As a primary
challenges. Furthermore, you will school teacher, you will be required to
identify appropriate tools for assessing display these life skills and be a role
the development of life skills in model for your learners. This will help
learners. you to assist your learners to develop

1
these essential life skills so that they Discussing importance of teaching
are able to effectively deal with the life skills in schools
demands and challenges they meet in 1 Individually or in small groups,
life. discuss this statement: “Every child
develops life Skills automatically.
However, when teaching life skills to There is no need to make this a
learners in primary school you should subject in schools.”
take into account the learners’ 2 What suggestions do you have as to
developmental stage, their capabilities, why life skills should be taught in
gender, environment and their schools?
background. If this is neglected, 3 Research through internet or library
development of essential life skills in why life skills should be taught in
the learners can be difficult because schools
learners may not make an effort to 4 Share your research findings in
understand, or may consider the topic groups, and then present your
unimportant since it is carrying consolidated information to the
information that is not applicable to entire class for discussion
them. You will therefore be required to
Reflecting on the development of
develop teaching, learning and
essential life skills
assessment activities, methods and
resources that are appropriate to the
learners’ level of understanding and
their cultural and social background.
In addition, your activities must
provide accurate information about
essential life skills and give learners
ample opportunities for the
application of the skills.

Importance of teaching essential life

skills in primary schools (1 hour)
Life skills are important for everyone Figure 1.1 Practicing essential life skills
including children or learners in
primary school. It is therefore 1 With reference to figure 1.1, identify
important to assist learners in primary essential life skills that are being
school to develop these skills and be used by the girl. Explain your
able to apply them in life. This will answer.
help them to deal with every day 2 Reflect on how you developed
demands and challenges and lead a essential life skills during your
successful life. childhood both at home and school.
Use the questions below to guide
your reflections:

2
 a. Which skills did you start Tip
developing before you started In this section, you may find the
school? Why? use of cell phones with internet
b. What role did your environment useful.
(eg. parents, siblings, neighbours
Teaching, learning and assessment
etc.) play in assisting you to
activities, methods and resources in
develop essential life skills? life skills education
c. What teaching, learning and Teaching essential life skills in lower and
assessment activities, methods upper primary school can be done using
and resources did your teachers various teaching, learning and
use to teach you essential life assessment activities, methods and
skills? resources. The materials should be
d. How helpful were the teaching, designed in such a way that they help to
learning and assessment engage learners in active participation
activities, methods and resources during the teaching and learning
your teachers used in assisting process. One method that can be used is
you to develop essential life case studies. Case studies encourage
skills? active participation and practice among
3 Share your reflections in groups, learners. Here is an example of how a
then with the whole class. case study can be used to teach essential
life skills in upper primary.
Analysing primary school life skills
syllabuses, teachers’ guides and
learners’ books The fate of Suzana
Suzana was a sixteen-year-old girl who
1 In groups, study the primary school
lived with her parents in Blantyre city. She
Life skills syllabus, learners’ books, had two younger brothers. Their parents
teachers’ guides for both lower and were well to do. One day her parents
upper classes. died in a car accident. All the property
2 Assess whether the teaching, was taken by the father’s relatives. Suzana
learning and assessment activities, and her young brothers went to live with
their grandmother in the village. Life was
methods and resources indicated in
hard in the village. Suzana thought of
the documents could really assist dropping out of school in order to
primary school learners to develop support her young brothers. Her teacher,
essential life skills. If so, how do Mrs Banda, noticed this. She engaged
they assist? If not, how could they Suzana in a fruitful discussion and
be improved? encouraged her to start an income
generating activity in order to support her
3 Examine how issues of different
brothers. Life to Suzana and her brothers
learner diversities such as gender, changed when she started making money
physical challenges and age from her sales of mandasi.
differences have been addressed in
the documents? When you teach in upper primary
using case studies like the one above,
you may guide your learners to

3
explore it by asking them the  picture stories
following questions: 2 Identify which activities, methods
1 How did Suzana respond to and resources you will focus on to
challenges after the death of her teach specific life skills such as
parents? decision-making and problem-
2 Can you think of essential life skills solving.
that assisted to improve the life of 3 Find out other activities, methods
Suzana and her brothers in the and resources, including ICT, you
village? could use to teach essential life
3 Have you heard of similar skills in lower and upper primary
situations in your community? Are school.
there orphans who are going to
school and make a living by selling Ways of developing life skills for
different products? different age groups
4 From the case study, can you There are different ways through
suggest why essential life skills are which life skills can be developed in a
important to every individual? learner. Since learners are of different
age groups the ways used to develop
Tips life skills in those learners must also be
 As you consolidate learners’ varied.
responses to the case study
questions, make sure you point Discussing appropriate activities,
methods and resources which can
to the learners’ need to develop
contribute to development of life
essential life skills. skills
 Make sure that learners
1 In groups, remind yourselves of the
understand why they have to
results of your reflections on your
develop essential life skills and,
own development of essential life
as much as possible, encourage
skills and how your teacher assisted
them to do so.
you.
Teaching and learning activities, 2 Refer back to your reflection on the
methods and resources (1 hour) development of essential life skills.
1 How would you teach essential life Compare prescribed methods,
skills in lower and upper primary activities and resources for lower
using the following activities, with those for upper primary. Are
methods and resources? they sufficiently different? Can you
 story telling say that they are age-appropriate? If
 trade a problem yes; why do you think the methods,
 poems activities and resources are age
 role play appropriate? If no; how could the
 singing methods, activities and resources be
 composing songs improved?
 video clips

4
3 Share your findings with the entire resources used do not exclude some of
class in a plenary. the learners on the basis of gender and
Tips diverse learning needs. Apart from the
 You may need to search from the knowledge about the essential skills,
internet on how children at learners must also be involved in
different stages of life behave and practising the skills. When planning
think. your lessons, you are required to take
 You may need primary school Life into account these issues so that the
skills teacher’s guides in order to lessons fully assist the learners to
have a wide range of the develop life skills.
suggested activities.
Discussing challenges teachers
Discussing gender sensitive and face in teaching life skills and
inclusive approaches for strategies for dealing with the
developing life skills at different age challenges (1 hour)
levels of the learners When teaching development of
1 In groups decide on one essential essential life skills in primary school,
life skill you want to develop in teachers may face challenges such as
your learners. Design various language, cultural and individual
teaching, learning and assessment beliefs, gender bias, different learner
activities, methods and resources needs, and large classes. For example,
which you can use to assist learners in trying to teach about skills relating
in primary school to develop this to sexual and reproductive health the
skill. teacher may be in conflict with cultural
2 Focus your attention on approaches beliefs that regard talking about such
that are suitable for assisting issues with children as a taboo. The
learners in lower primary to teacher may also lack resources for
develop essential life skills. large classes and find it difficult to
3 How will you include learners with organise activities that may require
hearing, visual and learning learners to work in groups.
difficulties? Resourceful teachers will aim at
overcoming the challenges by finding
4 How will you avoid gender
creative solutions, like improvising
stereotypes as you teach using the
and using TALULAR.
approaches you have developed?
5 Share your work with the class and Reflecting on challenges teachers
critique it for the suitability of the face when teaching life skills and
approaches in responding to gender their impact on the development of
and inclusive education, life skills in learners
particularly in lower classes. 1 Reflect on your early days of
Learners in primary schools will primary school when you were
develop life skills more easily if they learning about essential life skills.
actively participate in the activities
and when the methods, activities and

5
 a. What challenges did your teacher
face as he or she was teaching
essential life skills?
b. How did the challenges the Tips
teacher faced affect your  The table below may assist you in
development of life skills? identifying and analysing the
c. Which of the challenges had a challenges that teachers face when
huge negative impact on your teaching essential life skills.
development of life skills?
Challenge Strategies Your What
2 Share your reflections in groups, teachers rating of you
then with the whole class. use the impact would
of the recom-
strategies mend?
Researching, critiquing and (rate 1-5)
recommending strategies teachers Gender
use to deal with challenges issues
affecting the teaching of life skills Inclusive
education
1 In groups, list challenges teachers
Large
faced when teaching essential life classes
skills during your primary school. Language
Age
Analyse how teachers dealt with the
differences
challenges Time
2 Carry out a library or internet Cultural
research on how teachers deal with beliefs
Lack of
the challenges they face when resources
teaching life skills in primary schools  When searching for information on
3 Discuss various strategies that you the internet, consider information
would recommend for overcoming from countries in Africa which
specific challenges when teaching the mostly share similar challenges
development of essential life skills
4 Share your group responses with When planning and implementing
the entire class lessons for teaching essential life skills
in primary schools, you can use
different teaching, learning and
assessment activities, methods and
resources depending on the challenges
at hand. For example, if the challenge
is lack of resources, you may use
locally available resources such as
models. Below are examples of what
you can do to overcome the challenge
of resources.

6
 assess learners. Your assessment
should target the knowledge of the
skills and the ability of the learners to
In lower primary
apply these skills. Assessment of the
 You may use pictures or
development of essential life skills in
illustrations depicting someone
learners can be done using a variety of
going through a difficult situation
assessment tools.
and ask some questions on how the
depicted person could deal with the Discussing tools for assessing the
challenge. development of essential life skills
 You may also tell a story of in learners
someone going through a difficult 1 In groups do the following
situation and ask the learners what activities:
they would have done to effectively a. Search for various tools that are
deal with the situation. used for assessing the
performance of learners in
In upper primary primary school.
 You may use learners’ experiences
b. From your search list, identify
of dealing with challenges in their
tools that would be suitable for
life. You could ask learners to share
assessing the development of life
their experiences in pairs, then with
skills in learners.
the whole class.
c. Select up to three essential life
 You may also use case studies
skills and suggest tools that
depicting various difficult situations
would be appropriate for
some people may have gone
assessing the development of the
through and how they dealt with
selected life skills in learners.
these situations. You may ask some
d. Prepare some assessment items for
guiding questions like the ones
each of the tools you have suggested.
suggested below:
2 Share your group findings with the
- What skills did the individuals
class.
use to deal with the challenge?
- Can you suggest other skills that 3 Discuss the assessment items and
could have been used to deal tools as a class.
with the same challenge?
Tips
- What would you do if you were
 Remember that the tools you
in a similar situation? Why
select should allow for assessment
would you do this?
of both, knowledge of the skills
and application of the same.
Assessing the development of
essential life skills in learners  Searching for these tools in the
(1 hour) library or on the internet (using
Apart from facilitating the teaching computers or your cell phones)
and learning process, an important would be helpful in this exercise.
part of your role as a teacher is to

7
  The items you develop need to
accommodate both lower and
higher levels of thinking.
Standard : 5
Developing tools for assessing life
Subject : Life skills education
skills development in learners
Topic : Essential life skills
Assessment is the most important
Skill to be assessed : Decision-making
component of the teaching and
Learner’s name : Maria Matola
learning process particularly with the Questions Yes No
National Primary School Curriculum, 1 Can the learner define the
which is outcome-based and advocates term ‘decision-making’?
continuous assessment. With outcome- 2 Can the learner describe
based education, assessment needs to the process of decision-
be done regularly and should be used making?
to inform practice on part of both the 3 Can the learner explain the
teacher and the learner. For this to be importance of the
of benefit, feedback to learners needs skill of decision-making?
to be given frequently. The assessment 4 Can the learner make
rational decisions when
must also focus on both theory and
facing a situation that
practice with questions addressing
demands decision-
both lower and higher order thinking. making?
A number of tools and techniques may
be used to assess the development of b. You may also develop a scoring
essential life skills in learners. For rubric to evaluate every learner’s
example, if you want to assess the ability in understanding and
development of the skill of decision applying the skill of decision-
making in either lower or upper making. This is where you come up
primary; here are suggestions of what with levels describing the
you can do: attainment of a particular task or
a. You can develop an observation skill (for instance, 4-Excellent, 3-
checklist where you prepare Good, 2-Average, 1-Need support,
questions and objectively appraise and 0-Fail).
each and every learner’s
performance guided by a set of Practising assessment of life skills
development in learners
questions. Below is an example of
the observation checklist. 1 Using the tools, select two essential
life skills and design two
assessment tools that you would
use to assess the development of
each of the skills in learners.
2 Administer the assessment to
leaners in lower and upper primary.
3 Share your work in plenary.

8
4 Discuss the work as a class. 2 Explain the suitability of using any
two activities for teaching
development of essential life skills
in lower and upper primary school.
Tip 3 Justify the appropriateness of any
Consider assessment items that three tools that you can use for
reflect both lower and higher assessing the development of
order thinking skills. essential life skills in learners.
4 What do you think could have
Summary happened in Malawi if all primary
In this topic you learnt the following: school teachers used appropriate
 Teaching essential life skills to teaching, learning, and assessment
primary school learners in Malawi methods, activities and resources to
helps them to acquire knowledge teach essential life skills?
and skills for overcoming daily life
challenges and lead a successful life. Glossary
 Successful teaching of essential life Assessment : a process of
skills in lower and upper primary finding out
depends on the use of a variety of about the
participatory activities, methods, learner’s
and resources. progress or
 When teaching essential life skills in performance.
primary school, teachers may face essential life skills: important skills
challenges such as differences in age which everyone
and cultural background of the is supposed to
learners. These challenges can be possess in order
overcome using a variety of ways to deal with
such as planning work according to demands and
the age level of the learners. challenges of
 The development of essential life life.
skills in learners in primary school Gender : roles assigned
can be assessed using various tools to male or
such as rubric, rating scales and female in a
tests. particular
 Assessment items used to assess society.
development of life skills in learners inclusive education: education that
must be of lower and higher attempts to
thinking levels. remove barriers
to learning and
Topic reflection and participation of
assessment all children
1 Why should essential life skills be regardless of
taught in primary school? gender,

9
 disability,
ethnicity, sexual
orientation or Malawi Institute of Education (2013).
social Malawi primary, secondary and teacher
background. education: Critical thinking source book
life skills : abilities for for Malawi. Domasi: MIE.
adoptive and MoEST (2008). Assessment guidelines: A
positive handbook for primary teachers on
behaviours that assessment for the OBE curriculum.
enable an Lilongwe: DTED.
individual to Parry, CK & Nomikou, M (undated).
effectively deal Life skills: Developing active citizens.
with everyday London: British Council. Retrieved
demands and from http://www.britishcouncil.
challenges gr/sites/default/files/life-skills-
manual-english.pdf
References Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
Booth, T, Nes, K & Stromstad, M (Eds.) Malawi primary education: Life skills
(2003). Developing inclusive teacher teacher’s guide for standard 6. Domasi:
education. London: Routledge Malawi Institute of Education.
Falmer. MoEST (2010). Initial primary teacher
Briggs, M, Woodfield, Martin, C & education through open and distance
Swatton, P (2008). Assessment for learning (ODL): Orientation manual
teaching and learning in primary (1st Ed.). Lilongwe: DTED.
schools (2nd Ed.). 33 Southernhay
East: Learning Matters.
http://www.macmillanenglish.com
/life-skills/why-are-life-skills-
important
http://www.education.gov.za
http://www.leg.state.vt.us
Leask, M & Meadows, J (Eds.) (2000).
Teaching and learning with ICT in the
primary school. London: Routledge
Falmer.

10
TOPIC 2 Teaching self-awareness, potentials and goals
Background information on
Time 4 hours the teaching of self-awareness
Self-awareness is a thinking skill that
Introduction focuses on an individual’s ability to
In topic 1, you learnt various activities, accurately judge their performances
methods and resources that you can and behaviour and respond
use to help learners develop essential appropriately to different social
life skills. You also learnt how to situations. It helps individuals to have
assess the development of essential life knowledge of themselves by
skills in learners. In this topic, you will understanding their strengths and
learn how to teach and help to develop weaknesses and their abilities. It is an
self-awareness in primary school important skill that every person
learners. This is important because it needs to have. For example, self-
will help learners to know themselves, awareness helps people to discover
discover their potentials and talents, their values, potentials and talents.
see what values are important for Values are principles, ideas, standards
them and set realistic goals. People or qualities an individual considers
who are aware of themselves and their worthwhile or desirable. They are
potentials can contribute positively to qualities or aspects of life which an
national development. In learning how individual or society feels are
to teach self-awareness, you will important and influence their
discuss reasons why this skill should behaviour. Examples of values include
be taught to primary school learners, trust, honesty, truthfulness, and
and explore appropriate activities, respect. Potentials are hidden abilities
methods and resources for teaching in an individual. They are untapped
the skill in both lower and upper skills that a person has. Talents are
primary. exceptional skills a person may have
which enables him or her to do a
Success criteria particular task extra-ordinarily well.
By the end of this topic, you must be Knowledge of values, potentials and
able to: talents help people to set goals that
 explain importance of self- they are able to achieve in life. This
awareness enables them to lead a successful life.
 design resources and activities to Self-awareness also helps learners in
help learners identify their values, primary school to resist peer pressure
potentials and goals and avoid risky behaviours such as
drugs and substance abuse.

Your creativity as a teacher is very

critical for the effective development

11
of this skill in learners. You need to
design relevant and interactive
activities, and use appropriate
teaching, learning and assessment
methods and resources that address
issues of inclusive education, age
differences, gender and other learner
diversities.

The importance of self- a

awareness (1 hour)
Reflecting on importance of self-
awareness
1 Think about how self-awareness
has been beneficial to you as an
individual.
2 Reflect on how you developed
self-awareness skills during
childhood days, in school and at
home.
b
3 How did various factors Figure 2.1 Achievement of goals
influence your development of
self-awareness skills? a. How does the setting in each of
4 Share your reflections with a the case studies portray the
colleague, and then with the development of self-awareness in
entire class. individuals?
5 Discuss as a class. b. Explain the appropriateness of
each case study for teaching
Analysing case studies where learners of different age groups.
self-awareness is beneficial for c. From your analysis of the case
personal development and
studies, how does the
achieving goals.
development of self-awareness
1 In groups, get copies of primary
help individuals involved in the
school life skills learners’ books
case studies to set realistic goals?
from lower and upper primary and
analyse the appropriateness of the 2 Discuss how you would assess
various case studies in the books for learning while using case studies
teaching the development of self- for the development of self-
awareness in learners of varying awareness in learners.
age groups: 3 With reference to illustrations (a)
and (b) in figure 2.1, explain how
self-awareness helped the
individuals achieve their goals.

12
4 Share your ideas in plenary. Here is an example of how you can
5 Discuss the answers as a class. use the Johari’s window to help
learners in upper primary to develop
Tip their self-awareness:
Think of methods and resources that  Ensure that you understand the
are gender sensitive and inclusive Johari’s window in terms of its
that you can use for teaching the components of: The open self, The
development of self-awareness. blind self, The hidden self, and The
unknown self.
Relating awareness of
The open self The blind self
values, potentials and goals Things known to Things unknown
to dealing with demands and themselves and their to themselves but
challenges in life friends, and are free well known by
1 Using any critical thinking method, to speak about them others,
to their friends.
find out how awareness of one’s
The hidden self The unknown
values, potentials and goals can Things known to self
help one to effectively deal with themselves, unknown Things unknown
demands and challenges in life. to others, and are to themselves
and their friends
2 Role-play situations where one’s
unfree to speak about
them.
knowledge of their values,
potentials and goals helps them to
effectively deal with various
demands and challenges in life.
3 Share and critique your discussion Then you can:
results and role-plays at class level. i Ask learners individually to
think and do a Quick-write
Tip session on what they feel is their
Consider role-playing different understanding of the term self-
situations for varying age groups in awareness. Put a chair in front of
primary school. the classroom (Author’s chair)
and ask several learners to sit in
Use of interactive activities, methods the chair and present what they
and resources in the classrooms can have written about the meaning
reduce the challenges teachers face of self-awareness. Consolidate
when teaching the development of the answers.
self-awareness, potentials, values and ii Ask learners to be in pairs. Each
goals in primary school. For example, learner in the pair should write
you can use case studies, songs, role- what he or she knows about him
plays, video clips and illustrations or or herself (strengths, weaknesses,
pictures to motivate your learners in characteristics). Then ask each
lower and upper primary. learner in the pair to ask a
partner to write about how he or

13
 she perceives the friend goals either in upper or lower
(strengths, weaknesses, primary.
characteristics). Let the pairs 2 Use the lesson for peer teaching in
share and compare their insights, class.
and try to find out what their 3 As a class, critique the presented
friends perceived about them lessons in terms of appropriateness
that they themselves did not of the activities, methods and
know. resources used to promote
iii Ask the learners individually to development of the intended skills.
think about things they know
about themselves but have never Carrying out web searches for
disclosed and would like to keep activities, methods and resources
private. suitable for teaching development
of self-awareness (1 hour)
Tips 1 Individually, search on the internet
 You will need to create a different activities, methods and
conducive classroom environment resources that you can use for
that helps learners to freely share teaching the development of self-
their strengths and weaknesses. awareness in lower and upper
 Make sure that learners are not primary. Capture your findings on
forced to reveal their weaknesses a chart paper in form of a table like
or things that they want to keep the one below.
private.
Level Suitable Suitable Suitable
 When performing activity (iii), activities methods resources
make sure that learners do not Upper
primary
share their private issues with
anyone because they are private.
The activity is designed to just
remind the learner about private
Lower
things that they know about primary
themselves.
 Make sure that the case studies
you select do not exclude some
learners on the basis of their
gender, age, physical challenge, or
cultural background.
2 In groups, justify the
appropriateness of the activities,
Practising teaching a self-
awareness lesson methods and resources for teaching
1 In groups write a lesson plan that the development of self-awareness
you would use to teach self- skills in learners.
awareness, values, potentials and 3 Write group ideas on a chart.

14
4 Make a gallery walk to appreciate
what each group has come up with.
5 Critique each group’s findings of
the activities, methods and
resources in terms of their
Tip
suitability for promoting
In doing the task for lower primary,
development of self-awareness in
you may prepare in advance labels
learners in upper and lower
describing each characteristic. For
primary.
example, talkative, less talkative,
quiet, and place them at designated
Tip
places in the classroom. Then
Giving reasons for your
ask learners to go to the
(ranking) of the activities, methods
characteristic that describes them.
and resources would help you to
For the likes or dislikes you can
make the critiquing session more
focus on a number of things such as
meaningful.
hobbies and professions. Prepare
Practising developing self- cards or labels for each of the
awareness in learners hobbies or professions.
When selecting teaching, learning and
assessment activities, methods and In upper primary
resources to be used for developing 1 Ask learners to individually reflect
self-awareness, you need to consider and state what they feel are their
their relevance to the topic and their strengths and weaknesses
capacity to respond to various issues 2 Let them pair and share their
including age, large classes, gender strengths and weaknesses.
and physical challenge. 3 Then in pairs, let them ask each
other about the other’s strengths
In lower primary and weaknesses
 Ask learners to group and regroup
4 Let the pairs share their friend’s
several times basing on the
analysis in plenary
following:
- their talkativeness 5 Ask learners to role-play a situation
- their quietness in which they demonstrate their
- what they would like to become self-awareness.
in future 6 Consolidate the activity.
- things they like
Developing assessment tools for
- things they dislike
self-awareness, values, potentials
 Let learners share their experiences and goals
on how the activity helped them to In groups;
understand who they are and who 1 Design an observation checklist to
their friends are. assess your learners’ understanding

15
 of self-awareness, values, potentials identify their values, potentials and
and goals. goals.
2 Develop assessment items 2 For each activity you have planned,
(questions) you would use to check design the necessary resources that
the achievement of learning would be used.
outcomes on the topic ‘Self- 3 Present your work in class
awareness, potentials and goals. 4 Discuss the work as a class.
3 Exchange your checklists and items
with other groups for critiquing.
4 Discuss the checklists as a class. Tips
 You need to consider issues of
Tips gender, inclusive education,
 Consider lower and higher order class size, age differences and
thinking skills when developing other forms of diversity as you
the assessment items design and assess your activities
 You can search through library and resources.
or internet for information  Think about using the concept of
regarding the checklist and TALULAR as you design your
Bloom’s taxonomy (for levels teaching resources.
of thinking and associated  You may use the internet to
questions or items). assist you come up with
information that can help you to
Activities and resources suitable for design realistic activities and
teaching values, potentials and
resources for teaching and
goals (2 hours)
assessment.
Learners in primary school can be
 You may consider including
assisted to develop an awareness of
activities, methods and sources
their values, potentials and goals if
that require use of ICT.
teachers use appropriate resources and
activities to enable them realise their Assessing the designed activities
values, potentials and goals. These and resources for assisting learners
activities and resources should suit the to identify values, potentials and
learners’ needs in terms of their age, goals
physical challenges and other Using the activities and resources that
diversities. you have planned above:
1 Assess the planned activities and
Designing activities and resources resources for their ability to assist
that help learners to identify values, learners to:
potentials and goals
a. Develop the skill of self-
1 In groups, plan different activities
awareness.
that you would use to help learners
b. Identify values, potentials and
in upper and lower primary to
goals.

16
 c. Clarify their values and set upon a signal (eg. a hand clap or a
realistic goals. whistle) they find a partner and say
2 Discuss what you can do to make something they like about the other.
the activities and resources more After repeating the activity several
effective in helping learners in times, you ask learners to be in a
lower and upper primary to circle and share experiences on how
develop the skill of self-awareness easy or difficult it was to say
and identify values, and goals. something positive about a friend.
3 Share your group discussion results You may use the following
in plenary. questions:
Practising teaching a lesson on - How easy or difficult was it to
developing values, potentials and tell your friend something
goals positive about him or her?
It is important that you use a variety of - How did you feel when your
activities and resources to help learners friend told you about
in primary school to develop their something good or positive
values, potentials and goals. Selection of about yourself?
these activities and resources will - How do you feel when other
depend on a number of factors such as people tell you bad things about
age of the learners and availability of yourself?
the resources. Here are some of the
suggested activities and resources that Summary
you may use for either lower or upper In this topic, you have learnt about the
primary: following:
 You can ask children in pairs to tell  The importance of self-awareness to
each other about someone they you as student teachers such as
admire in life and the reason why helping you to set realistic goals.
they admire that person. Then ask  The justification for teaching the
the learners to stand in a circle. skill of self-awareness to primary
Throw a focus ball to any learner in school learners in Malawi, that is, it
the circle. Upon catching the ball, helps learners to discover their
the learner will tell the class the potentials and work hard to make
name of his or her partner’s special them a reality.
person in life and the reason why  How awareness of values,
they admire him or her. After potentials and goals helps one to
saying this, the learner then throws deal with demands and challenges
the ball to another learner who does in life. For example, awareness of
the same, until everyone in the one’s values, potentials and goals
circle has said their partner’s special assists them to resist negative peer
person and reason they admire him pressure and work hard to achieve
or her. their goals.
 You may also ask learners to walk  The different activities, methods
around freely in the classroom, and, and resources that could be used in

17
 teaching the development of self- References
awareness in learners in upper and Davis, J & Kourdi, J (2010). The truth
lower primary such as the Johari’s about talent: A guide to building a
Window. dynamic workforce, realizing potential
and helping leaders to succeed. West
Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
https://www.understood.org/en/friend
s-feelings-empowering-your-
child/self-awareness
Topic reflection and https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-
assessment pathways-metacognition-in-
1 Why do you think the skill of self- classroom
awareness is important to you as a Mandauka, SMJ (2014). Arise with Life
student teacher? Skills Student’s Book 4. Blantyre:
2 Explain the activities, methods and CLAIM
resources that you would use for MoEST (2010). Initial primary teacher
teaching the development of self- education through open and distance
awareness in upper and lower learning (ODL): Life skills module 1
primary. (1st Ed.). Lilongwe: DTED.
3 Can you justify why it is important MoES (undated). Life skills for primary
to assist learners in primary school schools in Uganda: A teacher’s
to clarify their values? handbook. MoES: Kampala.
4 What do you think would have MoEST (2010). Initial primary teacher
happened if every teacher in education through open and distance
Malawi had adequately assisted learning (ODL): Life skills module 3
their learners in knowing (1st Ed.). Lilongwe: DTED.
themselves and clarifying their Parry, CK & Nomikou, M (undated).
values? Life skills: Developing active citizens.
London: British Council. Retrieved
Glossary from http://www.britishcouncil.
goals: things one would like to gr/sites/default/files/life-skills-
achieve in life manual-english.pdf
potentials: the hidden ability in an https://www.warwik.ac.uk/servises/co
individual to perform a unselling/informationpages/selfawa
particular task reness
talents: the skills an individual https://www.canyons.edu/Offices/Cou
possesses in performing a nselling/Pages/Self-Awareness.aspx
particular task faculty.weber.edu/molpin/healthclasses
self-awareness: one’s knowledge of www.lifeskillshandook.com/2012/11/ac
the self tivity-1-self-awareness-special-me
values: things an individual Kirschenbaum, H (2013). Values
considers important in life clarification in counseling and
psychotherapy: Practical strategies for

18
 individual and group settings. 198
Madison Avenue: Oxford
University Press.
Malawi Institute of Education (2015).
Malawi primary, secondary and teacher
education: Critical thinking manual for
Malawi. Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
Mandauka, SMJ (2013). Arise with Life
Skills Student’s Book 1. Blantyre:
CLAIM
Mhlanga, AS, Chiziwa, SE & Maluwa-
Banda, D (2007). Junior secondary life
skills education: Student’s book 1 and
2. Blantyre: Macmillan Malawi Ltd.

19
TOPIC 3 Teaching of morals and values for personal
development
Time 3 hours  develop lesson plans, resources and
activities which support children in
Introduction understanding and developing
In topic 2, you learnt about designing values and morals
activities, methods and resources
appropriate for promoting the Background information
development of self-awareness, Every society has a set of morals and
potentials and goals in primary school values, which must be understood and
learners. You also explored the practised by everyone in that society.
importance of the skill of self- Morals are a set of rules that guide
awareness to you as a student teacher people’s behaviour. Examples of
and to the learners in primary school, morals include honesty, hard work,
and your role in assisting the learners cooperation, and patriotism. Values are
to develop this skill. In this unit you things, which an individual or the
will learn how to assist learners in society considers important. For
primary school to become aware of example, an individual may value
morals and values accepted in the education, money, work and the
society, and how this can help them to family. Morals and values help to unite
develop their personalities. Awareness people in a society. They promote
of morals and values promotes unity peace and harmony among members of
and peaceful co-existence among the society, thereby creating a
members of the society and between conducive environment for the
people and the environment. These promotion of personal development.
qualities help to enhance sustainable The development of morals and values
development of the society. Your is a life-long process. Children start
knowledge and understanding of how learning about morals and values in
to promote development of morals their respective families. However,
and values in primary school learners schools provide a stable foundation for
is of great importance. the development of morals and values
in learners through different activities.
Success criteria For example, when they come to school,
By the end of this topic, you must be learners are exposed to certain rules of
able to: behaviour such as truthfulness,
 examine own prior knowledge and generosity, honesty, punctuality and
experience of morals and values in respect. Apart from exposure to these
your communities rules of behaviour, learners need to be
 analyse activities to develop in assisted to explore, understand and
learners awareness of their morals develop morals and values acceptable in
and values their society. Teachers must therefore

20
first of all role-model the respective 2 Share your individual reflections in
behaviours and also develop a clear groups and then critique them in
understanding of how they can plenary.
accomplish the task of assisting learners
to develop morals and values that are Tips
acceptable in the Malawian society. This  You may need to assess the impact
will enable the learners to grow into of morals and values from
responsible citizens, and be able to different sources to appreciate
understand how morals and values how morals and values from each
affect their behaviour and those of source impact peoples’ behaviour.
others. Such skills could also help the  Searching for other sources of
learners to avoid risky behaviours. morals and values from the
internet could be helpful.
Examining own prior knowledge
and experience of morals and Examining morals and values that
values in the community (1 hour) promote or hinder personal growth
Every community has morals and and development of a society
values that people observe. Different 1 In groups, discuss how the morals
institutions in a society such as the and values people learn from
family and the school teach and different sources shape their
encourage its people to observe morals behaviour.
and values as rules of behaviour. The 2 Focus your discussions on how
school is an institution, which morals and values from different
reinforces and perfects morals and sources impact societies in terms of:
values learners have acquired in their a. Promoting personal development
families. b. Hindering personal development
3 Report in plenary
Exploring sources of morals and
values Developing activities for developing
1 Reflect on your own morals and morals and values
values. As a life skills teacher, one of your
a. How did you learn about these tasks is assisting your learners to
morals and values? develop an understanding of morals
b. How have the morals and values and values acceptable to the Malawian
affected you as an individual society. You will need to design a
over the years? variety of activities that suit the
c. What morals and values do children’s way of developing an
people in your community understanding of morals and values.
observe? This can vary according to the age and
d. How do people in your competency level of the learners.
community learn about the Below is a suggestion of the activities,
morals and values they observe? which you may use.

21
In lower primary
Since many learners in lower primary
may not read a story on their own, you
can use illustrations, or posters of
children depicting some kind of lack of
morals and values. For example,
children stealing mangoes. You can
then lead your learners in discussing
the illustration through asking them Figure 3.1 Abuse of alcohol
guiding questions such as:
 What do you think is happening in  Ask learners to study the
the illustration? illustration in figure 3.1.
 How are the children in the  Let them analyse the kind of
illustration behaving? Is the morals and values that are lacking
behaviour displayed by these in youths depicted in the
children right or wrong? Why? illustration.
 What do you think will happen  Let them discuss the effects of such
next? What will the parents or chief lack of morals and values to these
say if they find out? people and their communities.
 What would you have done in this  Ask the learners to discuss what
situation? Why? the community could do to ensure
that community members practice
In upper primary
positive morals and values.
Learners in upper primary are old
Tips
enough to explain their own life
 Use posters/illustrations
experiences. Therefore, you may use
depicting a variety of behaviour
their own experiences to discuss the
to enable learners have a
importance of having good morals and
thorough exploration of the
values that have a positive impact on
various morals and values.
their families, school and
 You may use a variety of stories
communities. They can do this
so that learners should learn
individually, or they can discuss it in
positive morals and values from
pairs or in groups. You can also collect
multiple sources.
newspaper articles or pictures Exploring how children develop an
depicting stories of lack of morals and understanding of morals and values
values by some people and their effect (1 hour)
on the society and do the following: 1 Be in groups and discuss the
following:
a. How do you think children
develop an understanding of
morals and values?
b. Do boys and girls have different
morals and values? Are they

22
 really supposed to have and values in children of various
different morals and values? ages and with individual learning
Why? needs.
c. What do you think is the role of 3 Share your group findings in
teachers to support the plenary. Critique your results in
children’s ways of developing terms of suitability of the methods
an understanding of morals and and activities to develop life skills
values? in learners that help to promote
2 Share your group findings with the awareness of their morals and
class through gallery walk. values.
Analysing activities and methods Tip
suitable for developing in learners Internet and library search could be
life skills required for promoting best done in advance so that when
awareness of their morals and
you meet in groups you are ready
values
to share your findings.
1 In groups get primary school Life Organising activities to engage
skills teachers’ guide and learners’ learners in critical thinking
books and do the following: You can organise different activities to
a. Examine how activities and engage your learners in critical
methods in these documents thinking in order for them to develop
help promoting awareness of an awareness of morals and values.
morals and values in children of
various ages. Here are some of the activities,
b. Analyse the methods and methods and resources that you may
activities in terms of their use for this purpose:
suitability to develop life skills In lower primary
in learners for promoting  Let learners tell their own stories of
awareness of their morals and “good” and “bad” behaviour and
values. get comments from class.
c. Determine if there are any other  Telling stories of some people
methods and activities that practising some good or bad
could help to develop an behaviours and the consequences
awareness of morals and values of their behaviours.
in learners.
d. Discuss essential life skills that
could be suitable for helping
In upper primary
learners to develop an
 You can engage your learners in
understanding of morals and
analysing case studies that depict
values.
acceptable and unacceptable
behaviours as follows:
2 Research on the internet and in the - You prepare the case studies
library other methods and activities with guiding questions that
for promoting awareness of morals

23
 would help learners analyse the and values in lower or upper
behaviours in the cases studies. primary.
- Let the learners read and
analyse the case studies using Tips
the guiding questions.  You can use the internet and
- Let the learners share their library to explore more case
group responses with the entire studies which you can use for
class in plenary. teaching this topic.
- You consolidate the activity by  Ensure that the case studies do
highlighting main ideas. not discriminate other learners
 You may use a role-play to engage based on their gender, culture,
your learners in exploring morals religion or physical challenges.
and values.  Consider preparing assessment
- In groups let learners design a activities that demand lower and
role-play depicting situations higher order thinking skills.
where some children
Evaluating lesson plans, materials,
demonstrate acceptable and
activities, which support children in
unacceptable behaviours. understanding and developing
- Let some groups act their role- values and morals (1 hour)
plays. Planning to teach the development of
- Help the learners analyse the morals and values in learners requires
role-plays through some a selection of appropriate activities,
guiding questions of lower and methods and resources. These should
higher order. match the learners’ competence and
age levels and must not be biased
Designing case studies for towards one gender or group of
developing morals and values in
learners learners.
1 In groups, design case studies
Writing a lesson plan for teaching
where effective communication morals and values
and problem solving skills would
1 In groups, develop a lesson plan
be used to develop an awareness of
that you would use to teach and
morals and values in learners in
help learners to develop an
primary school.
awareness of morals and values in:
2 Develop assessment activities that a. lower primary
you would use to assess the b. upper primary
development of morals and values
2 Exchange the lesson plans that you
in learners in lower and upper
have prepared with another group.
primary.
3 Evaluate your colleagues’ lesson
3 Exchange your case studies and
plans based on the suitability of the
assessment activities for critiquing
planned activities to promote
their suitability for promoting and
development of awareness of
assessing understanding of morals

24
 morals and values in learners in that help learners to develop an
lower and upper primary. awareness of morals and values.
4 Share your evaluation work with
other groups and learn from each Topic reflection and
other. assessment
1 How do different sources impact
Tips on the development of morals and
 You may search in the library or on values in individuals?
the internet for activities that would 2 Why are morals and values
be suitable for promoting awareness important in a society?
of morals and values in learners in 3 How can learners in primary
lower and upper primary. school be assisted to develop an
 During peer-evaluation and awareness of morals and values?
critiquing, you may also need to 4 Choose any four essential life skills
consider the appropriateness of the and explain how each of the skills
selected activities to address issues can be used to develop an
of large classes, gender, physical awareness of morals and values in
challenges and other forms of learners in
learner diversity. a. Lower primary
b. Upper primary
Summary
In this topic, you have learnt the Glossary
following: Morals : A set of rules that guide
 Different sources of morals and peoples’ behaviour in a
values including the family, school society.
and community. Values : Things that an individual
 Morals and values that support or or a society considers
hinder personal development of important.
the community such as
cooperation, hard work, and References
honesty and how they support or https://www.hubpages.com/politics/
hinder personal development and How-to_Teach_Moral_values_in_
the development of the Schools
community. Kadyoma, F, Mumbi, M & Mukachi, R
 A variety of ways through which (2012). Junior secondary life skills:
learners develop an awareness of Form 1. Lilongwe: Grey Matter
morals and values, for instance, Ltd.
through reflection of own Malawi Institute of Education (2013).
experience, analysis of case Malawi primary, secondary and
studies, stories and illustrations. teacher education: Critical thinking
 Practised designing different source book for Malawi. Domasi:
activities, methods and resources MIE.

25
Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
Malawi primary education: life skills
teacher’s guide for standard 3.
Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
Mandauka, SMJ (2014) Arise with life
skills student’s book 3. Blantyre:
CLAIM.
Mhlanga, AS, Maluwa-Banda, D,
Chiziwa, SE & Mphande, DK
(2002). Senior secondary life skills
education: student’s book 3 and 4.
Blantyre: Macmillan Malawi Ltd.
MoEST (2010). Initial primary teacher
education through open and distance
learning (ODL): life skills module 3
(1st Ed.). Lilongwe: DTED.
Malawi Institute of Education (2013).
Malawi primary, secondary and
teacher education: critical thinking
source book for Malawi. Domasi:
Malawi Institute of Education.
Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
Malawi primary education: Life skills
teacher’s guide for standard 5.
Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
Malawi primary education: life
skills teacher’s guide for standard
6. Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
Mandauka, SMJ. (2013) Arise with life
skills student’s book 1. Blantyre:
CLAIM

26
TOPIC 4 Teaching self- esteem and assertiveness
self-esteem and assertiveness in
Time 3 hours learners’
 design appropriate teaching and
Introduction learning materials and assessment
In the previous topic, you explored the activities for developing self-esteem
importance of morals and values for and assertiveness in learners of
personal development. A person different age groups
cannot fully develop with morals and
values alone but by having high self- Background information on
esteem and assertiveness. Self-esteem teaching self-esteem and
and assertiveness are important skills assertiveness
for individuals to live in harmony. Have you ever encountered
Self-esteem is influenced by one’s individuals that regard themselves
performance. Therefore, you will be lowly? Many people have a tendency
expected to teach and help your of saying they are less worthy than
learners in lower and upper primary they really are. This is a result of
to develop self-esteem and lacking some essential life skills. Self-
assertiveness for dealing with esteem and assertiveness as life skills
demands and challenges in everyday empower individuals to take control of
life. their lives in that they become
enthusiastic, optimistic, ambitious,
In this topic you will discuss the respectful and responsible and with a
importance of self- esteem and high sense of humor. Simply put, self-
assertiveness by reflecting on your esteem is how we value ourselves; it is
own experiences as well as appraising how we perceive our value to the
how self-esteem and assertiveness are world and how valuable we think we
related to class, gender roles and are to others.
status. You will also design teaching,
learning and assessment methods and It is, therefore, important that teachers
resources for developing self-esteem develop appropriate teaching, learning
and assertiveness in learners of and assessment activities, methods
different age groups in primary and resources to facilitate the
school. development of self-esteem and
assertiveness in learners of different
Success criteria ages. As a primary school teacher, you
By the end of this topic, you must be will need to design activities which
able to: will involve learners in analyzing real
 explain importance of self-esteem life situations which will enable them
and assertiveness to develop self-esteem and
 evaluate approaches, methods and assertiveness.
activities for the development of

27
Importance of self-esteem and
assertiveness (1 hour) Researching in the teachers’ and
Self esteem and assertiveness are learners’ books of primary school
essential life skills. They enable one to on the development of self-esteem
and assertiveness
be objective and rational in setting
realistic goals and achieving them. 1 Analyse the sufficiency of content of
In groups: self-esteem and assertiveness.
1 examine how self esteem and 2 Discuss the appropriateness of
assertiveness are important in one’s teaching, learning and assessment
life. activities, methods, and assessment
used.
2 present your work using gallery tour.
3 Reflect on how issues of age and
Analysing case studies where lack gender have been included in
of self-esteem and assertiveness books.
affects development and application
of other life skills Tip
1 Analyse case studies of self-esteem Phones can be used to search on the
and assertiveness in the primary internet about the importance of self-
school Life skills learner’s books for esteem and assertiveness for the
lower and upper primary. development and application of life
2 Using think-ink-pair-share method, skills.
discuss how self-esteem and
assertiveness in the case studies Practising teaching a lesson on
self-esteem and assertiveness
affect the development and
Teaching self-esteem and assertiveness
application of other essential life
can be done using various teaching,
skills.
learning and assessment activities,
3 Develop other case studies that can
methods and resources that are
be used to teach the development of
appropriate for different ages. For
self-esteem and assertiveness in
example, when using illustrations, you
learners in both lower and upper
may do the following:
primary.

Discussing how own self-esteem

and assertiveness has developed
and which factors contributed to the
development
1 Reflect individually how you
developed self-esteem and
assertiveness in your childhood
both at home and school.
2 Think about the factors that
contributed to your development of Figure 4.1 An assertive girl
own self-esteem and assertiveness.

28
1 Ask the learners to study the 2 In groups share the findings and
illustration in figure 4.1. consolidate how the various
2 Ask learners to reflect on approaches, methods, activities and
assertiveness displayed by assessment can be used for the
individuals in the illustration. development of self-esteem and
3 Ask learners to imagine what they assertiveness in learners.
could do if they were in a similar
situation. Tips
 You may arrange to observe a
Tip lesson at Demonstration Primary
You may need to research on the school to find out how teachers
internet on the coverage of teach the development of self-
self-esteem and assertiveness for esteem and assertiveness in
effective teaching of the topic. learners
 Check on the internet, other
Evaluation of approaches, methods approaches and methods that can
and activities for the development help in the development of self-
of self- esteem and assertiveness in esteem and assertiveness.
learners in lower and upper primary
(2 hours)
Designing appropriate teaching,
Different teaching, learning and
learning and assessment activities,
assessment activities, methods and methods and resources for
resources can be used to teach the developing self-esteem and
development of self-esteem and assertiveness in learners of
assertiveness in lower and upper different age groups
primary. To develop self-esteem and
assertiveness in children, the teacher
Exploring approaches, methods and must be creative in designing teaching,
activities on developing self-esteem learning and assessment activities,
and assertiveness methods and resources that are
1 In pairs visit the library, different appropriate for different ages in the
web sites and other sourcebooks to primary school.
evaluate the following:
a. methods and activities used for Selecting gender-sensitive and
developing self-esteem and inclusive methods and activities
assertiveness in learners you can use for developing self-
esteem and assertiveness for lower
b. various types of resources used
and upper primary
for teaching the development of
1 Think of appropriate teaching,
self-esteem and assertiveness in
learning and assessment materials
learners
that you can use to help learners
c. assessment activities used for
develop self-esteem and
checking the development of self-
assertiveness
esteem and assertiveness in
learners,

29
2 Design teaching resources that  Ask a few learners to explain in
reflect gender-sensitiveness, brief what the story is about.
inclusivity and use of modern  Ask the learners to explain the
technology in searching information, attributes of individuals in the story
ie use of the internet, pictures, and that show lack of self-esteem and
video clips. assertiveness.
 Ask learners to imagine what they
Peer teaching on how to develop could do if they were in similar
self-esteem and assertiveness situation as depicted in the story.
1 Develop a lesson plan and relevant
teaching and assessment resources Tips
to use when teaching the  You may design the resources and
development of self-esteem and write a lesson plan in advance to
assertiveness in learners manage time effectively.
 There is need to explore at the
2 Use the lesson plan for peer
college, school or community if
teaching on how to develop self-
there are TV sets and video
esteem and assertiveness in learners
projectors which you can use for
in lower and upper primary school.
showing video clips.
3 Using a lesson observation
 Adapt the activities to suit all
checklist, evaluate the peer lessons
students/learners including those
by highlighting important areas
with special education needs
where the teacher can assist in
when using any of the selected
development of self-esteem and
resources.
assertiveness in learners for lower
 Consider the relevance of the
and upper primary.
suggested methods for teaching
self-esteem and assertiveness to
Practising teaching using inclusive
approaches primary school learners.
You should make sure that the  Think of more and appropriate
methods, activities, and materials you methods, resources and activities
use for developing self-esteem and for learners to develop self-
assertiveness in learners are gender- esteem and assertiveness.
sensitive, inclusive and appropriate for
teaching large classes in both lower Summary
and upper primary. For example, In this topic, you have learnt the
storytelling, using a series of pictures following:
displayed on the wall can be used for  The importance of self-esteem and
teaching a large class in lower primary assertiveness in developing other
as follows: life skills in children of different age
 Narrate the story to the learners groups in the primary school by
with the help of pictures and ensure way of focusing on the way learners
that all learners are following the can apply the skills in real life
story. situations. Parents, siblings, peers,

30
 leaders and religion also influence self-esteem: is the awareness of the
what you think about yourself. Self- good in oneself.
esteem is about what you feel about References
yourself. Kadyoma F (2017). Senior secondary life
 Examining teaching, learning and skills Form 3, Lilongwe: Grey
assessment activities and methods Matter Ltd.
that are appropriate for developing Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
self-esteem and assertiveness in life skills teachers guide for Standard
learners in the upper and lower 7. Domasi: MIE
primary school of which some have https://cmhc.utexas.edu last accessed
been suggested for your 17-04-17
consideration. http://www.psychologytoday.com last
 Designing teaching, learning and accessed 17-04-17
assessment activities, methods and https://revelle.ucsd.edu>res-life last
resources for the development of accessed 17-04-17
self-esteem and assertiveness in Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
children at different age groups. life skills teachers guide for Standard
3. Domasi: MIE
Topic reflection and Mandauka, SMJ. (2014) Arise with life
assessment skills student’s book 4. Blantyre:
1 Define self-esteem. CLAIM
2 Develop case studies you would use
to teach self-esteem and
assertiveness in:
a. Lower primary
b. Upper primary
3 Imagine how proper development
of self-esteem and assertiveness in
learners would help them in their
everyday life.

Glossary
assertiveness: refers to freely express
one’s opinions in the
most objective manner
without hurting
anybody.

31
Topic 5 Teaching coping with emotions and stress
you remember some of the situations
Time 3 hours when you were stressed out? What
caused the stress and how did you
Introduction manage such situations? Stress and
It is natural that individuals go emotions can come in some ordinary
through situations that are stressful ways to children. Stressful situations
which causes emotions. Such emotions can be a result of positive or negative
and stressful situations cannot be factors. Sometimes, people develop
avoided. As a teacher you will be stress because of passing examinations
expected to equip learners with skills or being promoted at work. Negative
for them to deal with emotional and factors such as death of loved ones,
stressful situations at home and child labor, being raped, academic
school. failure, illness, unplanned pregnancy
and disasters may cause stress. As a
Therefore, you need to use appropriate teacher you need to develop
teaching, learning and assessment appropriate teaching, learning and
activities, methods and resources that assessment activities, methods and
would help learners develop skills for resources to facilitate the development
managing emotional and stressful of skills in coping with emotions and
situations. stressful situations. You will also need
to design activities which will involve
Success criteria learners in analysing situations that
By the end of this topic, you must be will help them develop abilities in
able to: coping up with emotions and stressful
 describe emotions and stressful situations.
situations children have to deal
with Reflecting on emotions which are
 develop methods, activities for difficult to handle and stressful for
teaching how to develop skills for children of different age groups
(1 hour)
coping with emotions and stressful
The following activity will help you
situations in lower and upper
reflect on some situations you have
primary school
gone through previously and develop
means to cope with such emotions and
Background information on
stress in future.
teaching coping with emotions
and stress
Individuals develop stress when the
body’s physical and mental response
fails to cope with challenging
situations in life as a result of pressure,
excitement, tension or anxiety. Can

32
 2 Research on the internet and library
how people cope with various
emotions and stressful situations.
3 Discuss how parents and teachers
can help children learn dealing with
stressful situations.
4 Discuss what an individual can do
in order to deal with a particular
emotion or stressful situation.
5 Point out when an individual
should seek help to deal with
Figure 5.1 Coping with a stressful situation emotions and stress and which help
is available.
1 With reference to figure 5.1, what 6 Think about what should be
do you think can be the impact of avoided when an individual is
failing to cope with the stressful handling an emotional or stressful
situation depicted? situation.
2 Reflect individually on emotions
and stressful situations you faced as Tip
you were growing up. How did Some radio programs and youth
such situations affect your magazines could be used to learn
emotions? how the youth today are dealing
3 Research on the internet and library with stressful situations.
how various situations such as the
following cause emotions and stress Teaching coping with emotions and
in children: stress
 child labor Teaching how children cope with
 puberty various emotional and stressful
 being raped situations can in itself cause even more
 academic failure emotions and stress if not well
 illness handled in the classroom. As a teacher
 pregnancy make sure the topic is introduced
 peer pressure carefully. You can, for instance, start
 smoking with positive emotions.
 taking alcohol 1 Ask the learners to remember a time
 disasters when they were happy. Why were
 watching pornographic films you happy? How did that feel?
2 Now remember a situation when
Discussing how people learn to you were angry. Why were you
cope with emotions, stress, angry? How did that feel. Did you
disasters and trauma do anything to feel less angry? If so,
1 Recall how you coped with what did you do? If not, do you
emotions and stressful situations in
your life.

33
 have any idea what you could have Methods, activities, for teaching
done? how to develop skills for coping
with emotions and stressful
3 You can also make a table of
situations in lower and upper
positive and negative emotions primary school (2 hours)
with learners and ask them give Teaching coping with emotions and
more examples of the emotions. stress requires being skilful to avoid
causing further harm in children who
Positive emotions Negative emotions
are or were once involved in very
I am excited I am sad
emotional and stressful situations. You
when………… when……….
will need to use the right approaches,
methods, activities and resources that
help in developing skills in learners for
4 You can also use case studies from
coping with emotions and stressful
Life skills learners’ books; let
situations.
learners analyze how various
individuals involved in the case Researching approaches, methods,
studies coped with emotional and activities and case studies to
stressful situations. support children deal with emotions
5 Let the learners reflect on what and stress
they would have done if they were 1 Research on the internet and library
involved in similar situations. other methods, activities and
6 Ask learners to discuss what they resources that can be used to teach
think should be considered when coping with emotions and stress.
handling emotional issues and 2 How are issues of gender, inclusive
stressful events. education, learners’ diversity, ICT
7 Let the learners discuss things that been addressed in the methods,
must be avoided when dealing activities and resources you have
with emotional issues or stressful researched?
situations.
3 Using the primary school Life skills
Tips teachers’ guide and learners’ books,
 Think about other methods and analyse the appropriateness of the
resources you can use to teach this methods, activities and resources
topic such as storytelling, video for teaching coping with emotions
clips and using an individual who and stress.
was once traumatized as a child
but is now doing well after Developing methods, activities for
teaching how to develop skills for
managing emotions.
coping with emotions and stressful
 You will need to begin by finding situations in lower and upper
the learners who were once primary
traumatized in their lives to avoid 1 Develop case studies that can be
causing them to have emotions used to teach the development of
about their past. ability to cope with emotions and

34
 stress in learners in both lower and
upper primary. Discussing approaches, methods,
2 In groups, discuss how you would activities and case studies to
support the development of skills in
use the case study approach to
coping with emotions and stress
develop in learners the skills for
1 Let individual students explain a
dealing with emotions and stressful
situation which affected them
situations.
emotionally.
2 In pairs let them share their
Planning a micro-lesson on how to
develop skills for coping with experiences and how they dealt
emotions and stressful situations in with the situations.
lower and upper primary school 3 In groups, let them share other
1 Develop lesson plans for teaching emotional and stressful situations
coping with emotions and stressful that affected other people they
situations in lower and upper know.
primary 4 Let them analyse how the
2 Conduct peer teaching using the individuals involved in such
lesson plans. situations reacted to the situations
and the impact of their decisions.
Evaluating the micro lessons 5 Let them justify the mechanisms of
1 Evaluate the lessons in terms of coping strategies they would have
their effectiveness in developing in taken if they were involved in
learners the skills for coping with similar situations.
emotional and stressful situations.
2 Analyse your findings in terms of Summary
what you could do to improve on In this topic you learnt the following;
the planning and teaching of the  Important concepts related to
topic. coping with emotions and stress.
 Various methods, resources and
Tip activities for coping with emotions
On micro-lessons some groups may and stress.
concentrate on lower primary while  Designing appropriate activities for
others on upper primary. learners in the primary school
where they can develop abilities for
You will do well to expose learners to coping with emotions and stress.
various emotional and stressful
situation. Situations which they are Topic reflection and
likely to meet in life and what they assessment
should do to cope with such 1 Develop a case study you would
situations. The aim should be to help use to teach emotions and stressful
the learners to reflect and think situations in:
critically about the situations and how a Lower primary
to cope with them. b Upper primary

35
2 What do you think is the Domasi: Malawi Institute of
importance of helping learners to Education.
cope with emotions and stressful
situations in the school?

References
http://www.mentalhelp.net last
accessed 17-04-17
Malawi Institute of Education (2007)
Life skills teachers guide for standard 6,
Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
http://www.ei-ie.org/efaids last accessed
17-04-17
Mandauka, SMJ (2013) Arise with Life
skills student’s book 1. Blantyre:
CLAIM
http://www.brainpickings.org last
accessed on 17-04-17
Malawi Institute of Education (2008)
Life skills teachers guide for standard 7,
Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.
Malawi Institute of Education (2009)
Life skills teachers guide for standard 8,

36
Topic 6 Teaching problem-solving and decision-making
skills
challenges in upper and lower
Time 3 hours primary
 assess a demonstration lesson on
Introduction the topic
In the previous topic you learnt about
coping with emotions and stress Background information on
where emphasis was on designing teaching problem-solving and
activities which would help learners decision-making skills
analyze situations that will help them We all face problems on a daily basis.
develop abilities in coping with Children, whether at home or school
emotions and stressful situations. In experience situations, which require
this topic, you will learn about sound decision making and problem
problem solving and decision-making solving skills. They have to learn that
skills which every person is supposed in each situation where a problem
to have in order to be able to deal with arises, it is important to realize what
demands and challenges in life. exactly the problem is and how it can
As a teacher, you will have to make be tackled. Only then will one be able
sure that you know what problem- to proceed to examine available
solving and decision- making skills are options and come to a decision on
in order to be able to develop what to do. Children need someone to
appropriate teaching, learning and assist them in problem solving and
assessment activities, methods and decision making. This someone could
resources for upper and lower be a parent, guardian or a teacher.
primary, which are not only gender However, it is the responsibility of the
sensitive but also inclusive to help teacher to help children more in
learners solve their problems and developing problem-solving skills
make informed decisions. In all which can lead to sound and more
activities consider how issues of ICT independent decision-making.
can be used to enhance the Teachers must therefore design
development of problem solving and teaching, learning and assessment
decision making skills. activities, methods and resources that
are age appropriate, gender sensitive
Success criteria and inclusive to support learners in
By the end of this topic, you must be developing the necessary skills for
able to; problem solving and decision making.
 compare demands and challenges
of learners of different age groups. Comparing demands and
 develop methods, resources and challenges of learners (1 hour)
activities for teaching problem Comparing demands and challenges
solving and decision making skills of learners requires you as a teacher to
in addressing demands and properly think of relevant teaching,

37
learning and assessment activities, Examining life skills that would help
methods, and resources that are to deal with demands and
challenges in everyday life.
appropriate for different age groups
and gender orientation of learners. 1 Use your own experience and
knowledge to examine life skills
Analysing situations at home, in the that help to deal with demands and
community and at school that challenges in everyday life
create demands and challenges 2 How can you use problem solving
1 Remember your own childhood and and decision making skills to
discuss different demands and prevent the situation depicted in the
challenges you faced at home and at figure 6.1?
school. How were the demands and
challenges addressed?
2 Analyze case studies on demands
and challenges for learners with
diverse needs and of different age
groups
3 Identify demands and challenges
children face as depicted in
magazines, newspaper articles,
journals and life skills books
4 Categorise the typical demands and
challenges for learners in lower and Figure 6.1 A married man enticing a school
upper primary. girl

Assessing differences in challenges Tips

and demands for boys and girls  Provide learners’ books where
including those with disabilities
case studies on demands and
1 How are demands and challenges challenges for different age
for boys and girls different? Carry groups are found
out an independent research.  Let student teachers analyze
2 For learners with disabilities, assess articles in newspapers on
different challenges they face. demands and challenges and
3 Design different methods, resources how they were dealt with
and activities to help boys and girls  Let them do a research in the
including those with disabilities library on demands and
develop problem solving and challenges for different age
decision making skills to overcome groups
the challenges they face.
There are several ways of helping
learners develop and apply decision
making and problem solving skills in
order to address the demands and

38
challenges at home and school. For Developing teaching, learning and
instance, you can take learners assessment activities, methods and
resources for teaching problem
through the following activity:
solving and decision making
1 Let learners analyse demands and (1 hour)
challenges at home and school for For effective teaching of problem
learners with diverse needs solving and decision making, you
2 You can ask learners to analyse must select appropriate teaching,
case studies from learners’ books learning and assessment methods,
and newspapers and explain how activities and resources.
demands and challenges were dealt
with for different age groups Researching approaches, methods,
activities and case studies to
support children deal with problems
Tips
by using informed decisions
 You may consider other activities,
1 Using the primary school Life skills
methods and resources to teach the
teachers’ guide and learners’ books,
development of problem solving
analyse the appropriateness of the
and decision making skills
methods, activities and resources
 Find out the suitability of the
for teaching problem solving and
illustrations/pictures in life skills
decision making skills
learner’s books for upper and
lower primary and for learners 2 Research on the internet and library
with disabilities other methods, activities and
resources that can be used to teach
Steps in problem solving and problem solving and decision
decision making making
First step in problem solving and 3 How are issues of gender, inclusive
decision making is to identify the education, learners’ diversity, ICT
problem then think of several options being addressed in the methods,
to deal with that problem. Finally, activities and resources you have
choose the best option that solves the researched?
problem. This is illustrated in the 4 Which additional steps can you take
following process: to ensure your teaching takes care of
Step 1: Identification of the problem the issues above?
Step 2: Definition of the problem
Step 3: Exploration of possible Discussing strengths and
solutions weaknesses of methods, activities
Step 4: Exploration of possible and resources for teaching problem
outcomes for each solution solving and decision making
Step 5: Choice of the best solution 1 Develop tools that can be used to
Step 6: Implementation of the analyse the strengths and
decision weaknesses of the methods and
Step 7: Evaluation of the process resources used to teach problem
solving and decision making.

39
2 In groups, discuss how you would
Assessing demonstration lessons
use games to develop in learners the
on problem solving and decision
skills for dealing with problem making (1 hour)
solving and decision making
1 Planning micro-lessons on how
to develop problem solving and
Reflecting on approaches, methods, decision making skills in lower
activities and case studies to and upper primary
support the development of
 Develop a lesson plan with
problem solving and decision
making skills relevant content, activities,
methods and resources for the
teaching of problem-solving and
decision-making in lower and
upper primary for inclusive
classes
 Conduct peer teaching using the
lesson plan

2 Evaluating the micro lessons

 Evaluate the lessons in terms of
Figure 6.2 A boy slaps a classmate their effectiveness in developing
1 Let individual learners explain a problem solving and decision
problematic situation which making skills in learners with
affected them. diverse needs
2 In pairs, let them share their  Analyse your findings in terms of
experiences and how they dealt what you could do to improve on
with the challenging situations. the planning and teaching of the
3 In groups, let them share other topic.
problematic situations that affected
other people they know. Summary
4 Let them analyse how the In this topic you have learnt the
individuals involved in such following:
situations reacted to the situations  Analysed different situations that
and the impact of their decisions require decision making and
problem solving using a variety of
5 Ask them to study the illustration in
methods and resources
figure 6.2 and explain how the issue
 Explored various methods, skills,
could have been solved.
activities and resources for effective
6 Let them imagine being in the shoes
delivery of the teaching of problem
of the boy slapping a classmate;
solving and decision making
how differently would they have
 Conducted micro lessons on
dealt with the situation by applying
teaching problem solving and
problem solving and decision
decision making
making skills?

40
Topic reflection and Malawi Institute of Education (2009)
assessment Life Skills Teachers guide for standard
1 Develop a case study you would 8, Domasi: Malawi Institute of
use to teach problem solving and Education.
decision making in: Mandauka, SMJ (2014) Arise with Life
a lower primary Skills Student’s Book 3. Blantyre:
b upper primary CLAIM
2 Identify a problem you encountered Chirwa. A (2015) MSCE Life Skills,
and explain how you solved it using Success criteria, revision notes and
the process of problem solving and practical work. Blantyre: Bookmate
decision making skills. Publishers.
https://ccmit.mit.int.edu last accessed
References 04-05-17
Kadyoma F (2015). Senior Secondary Malawi Institute of Education (2007)
Life Skills for form 4. Lilongwe: Grey Life Skills Teachers guide for standard
matter Ltd. 6, Domasi, MIE
Kalinde, N etal (2016). Achievers Senior https://www.kent.ac.uk, last accessed
Secondary Life Skills student book 3. 04-05-17
Nairobi: East African Educational https://nzmaths.co.nz last accessed
Publishers Ltd. 04-05-17
Malawi Institute of Education (2008).
Life Skills Teachers guide for standard
7, Domasi: Malawi Institute of
Education.

41