FREE Life Skills Activity Sessions

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The Life Skills E-Handbook contains 61 Life Skills Activity Sessions plus an introductory
section that includes definitions, tips for life skills learning and teaching and a
framework for training educators in Life Skills teaching . Find out more and view the
detailed contents list by clicking here.
Here are your three sample sessions...

Self Awareness: My Place on the Tree

Purpose of activity: To develop children's self-awareness about their present lives.
Life skills: Self-awareness, critical thinking, creative thinking
Important points: Try to ask the children to think deeply about their place on the tree
and to find reasons for their choices. If children find this difficult, do not worry but
note what the children feel or do not feel able to say. The activity can be repeated in
Part 3 when children have improved their communication skills. If some children do
not want to speak in the group, do not force them, but let them think about their
ideas and if possible talk about their ideas to one friend.
Materials
A copy of the tree picture on a large poster for all the children to see
Self Awarness: my place on the tree diagram

Steps
1. Show the children the picture and explain that the tree represents life. The people
on the tree are at different stages of their lives. They are doing different things for
different reasons.
2. Ask the children to think of a well-known character in your country, for example a
famous sports star, a character from a folktale or a famous person. Perhaps this
person feels like the person at the top of the tree because he looks sure of himself
and powerful. She is smiling at everyone below her. She is pleased with her position!
Ask the children which figure in the picture is like the famous person. (The children
will probably have different ideas and different reasons that's fine).
3. Show the children the figure(s) on the tree which show where you feel you are in
life today. Explain the reasons for your choice.
For example: I feel I am like the person doing a handstand halfway up the tree with
one hand off the branch. I feel like this because I am feeling full of energy and I feel I
am doing something a bit different today by starting this life skills work with you. I
am not sure if it will be fun or a bit risky!
4. Ask the children to choose one figure that is closest to themselves.

5. In pairs or small groups, children discuss why they identified with a particular
figure. For example
I feel like I am at the bottom of the tree waving and looking happy because I am just
beginning the life skills (so I am at the bottom of the tree). I am looking happy
because I hope the class will help me and I am waving at my friends who will be with
me.
Final discussion:
Do we feel like different people on the tree at different times of the day or week?
Were you happy to tell us about your figure? Why/Why not?

Communication: Negotiation
Purpose of activity: To identify negotiating skills and methods to bring about a
change.
Life skills: Communication & interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, critical
thinking.
Important points: Negotiations are more difficult when you are talking with someone
with more power. They can use that power to threaten or silence you or to ignore
you. It can be useful to look for go- betweens (an uncle, an older friend etc) who have
similar power.
Materials
A chart showing symbols for the six steps in negotiation
Communication: Negotiation diagram

Steps

1. Explain that negotiation involves putting yourself in the place of the other person
and understanding their point of view. This is good for several reasons:
It means you appreciate and respect the other persons point of view. This
reduces the risk that you will say something that causes conflict and hurt.

If you recognise the other persons point of view, they will become more
willing to recognise yours

Good negotiation should result in both people gaining something.

2. Explain there are six steps in negotiation:

Say what you feel using I statements

Listen to what the other person has to say to find out what they need or want

Tell the person what you understood, so you are sure you understood it.

Together, think of as many ideas as possible that may bring a solution to the
problem.

Agree on a solution

Try it. If it doesn't work, start again!

Remember that sometimes you have to compromise.

3. Divide children into pairs and ask them to practice negotiating using one of the
following situations. (Adapt these ideas to suit the experiences of your group but try
to include some more simple situations an done or two serious ones.)

Your friend plays music loudly when you are trying to do your homework. He
says it helps him concentrate.

A group of children tease you for attending life skills sessions. They call you
'the AIDS guy' and pay no attention when you want to share your ideas with
them.

Your partner wants to have sex but you don't think you are ready yet.

There is a new teacher who thinks that the only way to establish his authority
is to shout at the students as much as possible.

Your father is often drunk and then he shouts at your mother.

4. After the pairs have practised, they demonstrate their role-plays. Encourage the
group to make recommendations and act out different options. Encourage children to
be realistic: often the powerful person will not accept ideas even if the reasons are
good.
Final discussion:

How easy was it to negotiate in these situations? How do the negotiations

change when you are negotiating with someone in authority? Or with a group
of people?

Do negotiations always work? If they don't, what else can you do?

Behaviour that hurts: what makes me angry?

Purpose of activity: To help children understand how anger begins.

Life skills: Self-awareness, critical thinking, creative thinking, coping with stress and
emotion, communication and inter-personal relationships.
Important points: What makes people angry differs from person to person. People
need to understand what makes them angry and can learn to control their anger.
Materials
Large sheets of paper, Marker pens or crayons

Steps
1. Divide group into groups of five or six.
2. Ask each group to sit in a circle. Begin the activity by saying the phrase'Mr Nje
gets angry when someone calls him stupid names'. Ask one child in the circle to repeat
this phrase and add another reason why Mr Nje asks angry. The next child in the circle
repeats these two and adds another and so on until all the children in the circle have
added a reason. (This is an adaptation of a memory game!).
Other 'anger' ideas are:

when someone shouts at him

when someone steals something from him

when people ignore him

when someone pushes into him on the

3. Ask children to think back to the last time they got angry. In pairs, ask them to
describe this to a friend without saying names and without saying what happened
when they got angry, like this: I got angry yesterday when someone pointed at me and
laughed at my clothes.
4. Ask each child to describe their partners reason for getting angry. Write these on a
flip chart. If an idea is repeated, do not write it twice but put a tick next to the first
reason.
5. Ask children to think of the two reasons that that mad them the angriest. Each
child comes up to the list and (with the help of the educator if necessary), places a
tick beside each of their two top reasons.
What Makes me angry?
Examples from a group of working children in Delhi

When I cannot sell my coconuts

When my mum hits me

When I dont have time to play, as I have to spend all my time working

When I have too much work

When someone harasses us while we are working

When someone teases you or uses bad language

When someone beats you

When I dont want to work but I have too

When someone steals the materials we have collected for selling

Final discussion:
Is there anyone that does not ask angry? Can you solve problems well when you are
angry? What is good about being angry? What is bad about it?
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Special Education Life Skills

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By Joan Goodship Educational Resource Information Center (U.S. Department of Education)
Updated on Dec 8, 2010

Life skills are essential to job functioning, and they must be included in instruction for
students with special needs. Several million individuals with learning problems are still
denied the opportunity to engage in meaningful employment in the United States. Large
numbers of students with disabilities, both high school graduates and dropouts, earn
very low salaries (Edgar, 1988). These students do possess the potential to live and
work in the community if they receive appropriate life skills instruction (Rusch & Phelps,
1987). However, without this instruction they often fail to hold their jobs. A life skills
curriculum approach blends academic, daily living, personal/social, and occupational
skills into integrated lessons designed to help students learn to function independently
in society.

What are Life Skills?

Life skills include a wide range of knowledge and skill interactions believed to be
essential for adult independent living (Brolin, 1989). At present, many students with
handicaps have special needs that are not being met. These students require education
and support to learn these necessary behaviors. They must be able to dress and groom
properly, use appropriate table manners, make decisions about money, and use
transportation to get to work. The three major skill areas that need to be addressed are
daily living, personal/social, and occupational skills.

What are Daily Living Skills?

Many students with disabilities will marry and raise families. The majority will probably
earn modest salaries; therefore, it is crucial that they learn how to manage a home,

family, and finances as effectively as possible. Some states require that these skills be
taught to students with special needs. Instructional responsibility lies with special
educators, regular educators, parents, and peers. The following skills are some that
have been identified as essential for independent adult living (Brolin, 1989):

Managing Personal Finances

Count money and make correct change.

Manage a savings and checking account.

Maintain a personal budget and keep records.

Demonstrate personal finance decision-making skills.

Make responsible expenditures.

Calculate and pay taxes.

Use credit responsibly.

Pay bills.

Deal with renting or leasing.

Selecting and Managing a Household

Perform or arrange for home maintenance.

Perform housekeeping tasks.

Plan and prepare meals.

Fill out warranty cards for new appliances and mail them.

Caring for Personal Needs

Exhibit proper grooming and hygiene.

Dress appropriately.

Obtain health care.

Avoid substance abuse.

Demonstrate knowledge of common illnesses, prevention and treatment.

Maintain physical fitness, nutrition and weight.

Safety Awareness

Identify safety signs.

Identify unfamiliar odors.

Identify unfamiliar sounds.

Demonstrate knowledge and ability to evacuate a building in an emergency.

Read and understand basic safety procedures. Obey safety rules when walking
during the day or at night.

Raising, Preparing, and Consuming Food

Purchase food and plan meals.

Clean food preparation areas.

Store food properly.

Prepare meals, read labels, and follow recipes.

Demonstrate appropriate eating habits.

Plan and eat balanced meals.

Buying and Caring for Clothing

Wash clothing.

Purchase clothing: Demonstrate knowledge of prices and sales.

Iron, mend, and store clothing.

Demonstrate use of dry cleaners and laundromat.

Exhibiting Responsible Citizenship

Demonstrate knowledge of civil rights and responsibilities.

Get legal aid.

Report a crime.

Register with Selective Service at age 18.

Demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and federal governments.

Demonstrate knowledge of the law and ability to follow the law.

Demonstrate knowledge of citizen rights and responsibilities.

Vote.

Using Recreational Facilities and Engaging in Leisure Activities

Demonstrate knowledge of available community resources.

Choose and plan activities.

Demonstrate knowledge of the value of recreation.

Engage in group and individual activities.

Plan vacation time.

Plan a social event.

Engage in hobbies, sports, music, arts and crafts.

Getting Around the Community

Differentiate between right side and left side, front and back, to demonstrate location.
Demonstrate knowledge of traffic rules and safety. Demonstrate knowledge and use of
many means of transportation including carpools. Understand and use a map. Drive a
car; obtain a learner's permit, then a driver's license. Obtain car insurance.

What are Personal/Social Skills?

Personal and social skills are critical in keeping a job and maintaining friendships.
Learning to get along with others is a challenge for everyone. Lack of appropriate
personal and social skills is one of the most frequently cited causes of termination of
employment. Students with learning problems often do not learn by observing. Skill
instruction in this area should include the following:

Achieving Self-Awareness

Identify physical and psychological needs.

Identify interests and abilities.

Identify emotions.

Demonstrate knowledge of physical self.

Demonstrate proper care, use, and maintenance of prosthetic devices or sensory
aids required. Use appropriate methods to cope with stress.

Acquiring Self-Confidence

Express feelings of self-worth.

Describe others' perception of self.

Accept and give praise.

Accept and give criticism.

Develop confidence in self.

Identify and distinguish the proper way to answer and use the telephone. Wear
appropriate apparel, using clothes or uniforms to fit social and work situations.

Achieving Sociallly Responsible Behavior

Develop respect for the rights and properties of others.

Recognize authority and follow instructions.

Demonstrate appropriate behavior and social etiquette in public places and when
dating or eating out. Demonstrate knowledge of important character traits.
Recognize personal roles.

Maintaining Good Interpersonal Skills

Demonstrate listening and responding skills.

Establish and keep close relationships.

Make and keep friendships.

Achieving Independence

Do things without help.

Accept responsibility for actions.

Get around the community and be able to travel.

Cope with changes in travel schedule.

Cope with being lost.

Follow travel safety procedures.

Choose friends.

Get to school on time.

Decide what to wear.

Achieving Problem-Solving Skills

Seek assistance when needed.

Recognize problems.

Anticipate consequences.

Develop and evaluate alternatives.

Develop goals, solutions, and plans.

Communicating WIth Others

Recognize and respond to emergency situations.

Communicate with understanding.

Demonstrate knowledge of social cues and the subtleties of conversation, both

verbal and nonverbal. Listen to others.

What are Occupational Skills?

Between 70% and 80% of students with disabilities are unemployed and underemployed
following graduation. Educators and parents still have much to do in this area. Early
educational efforts need to be directed toward the following skill areas:

Knowing and Exploring Occupational Options

Explore occupational possibilities.

Identify the rewards of work.

Locate sources of occupational and instructional information.

Identify personal values met through work.

Identify societal values met through work.

Classify jobs into categories.

Investigate local occupational and instructional opportunities in the community;

make site visitations.

Selecting and Planning Occupational Choices

Make realistic occupational choices.

Identify requirements of appropriate and available jobs.

Identify occupational aptitudes.

Identify main occupational interests.

Identify major occupational needs.

Exhibiting Appropriate Work Habits and Behavior

Follow directions and observe regulations.

Recognize the importance of attendance and punctuality.

Recognize the importance of supervision.

Demonstrate knowledge of safety.

Work with others.

Meet demands for high-quality work.

Work at a satisfactory rate.

Seeking, Securing, and Maintaining Employment

Search for a job.

Apply for a job.

Interview for a job.

Maintain postschool occupational adjustment.

Demonstrate knowledge of competitive standards.

Know how to adjust to changes in employment.

Exhibiting Sufficient Physical and Manual Skills

Demonstrate stamina and endurance.

Demonstrate satisfactory balance and coordination.

Demonstrate manual dexterity.

Demonstrate sensory discrimination.

Obtaining Specific Occupational Skills

Attend prevocational learning stations or centers.

Take advantage of in-school work experiences.

Take advantage of volunteer experiences.

Serve in community rotations.

Take advantage of work/study services.

Take advantage of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

Attend vocational classrooms.

Obtain special vocational education.

Obtain on-the-job training.

What can the Schools do?

Schools can require an entry and exit plan for every student with learning problems
wherein the life skills listed here are completed prior to graduation. At present, too
many educators continue to use the same old approaches with a nonfunctional
curriculum. Educators must become advocates for each child with special needs and
stress "hands-on" life skill mastery.

References
Brolin, D. E. (1989). Life Centered Career Education: A Competency Based Approach
(3rd ed.). Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children.
Edgar. G. (1988). Employment as an outcome for mildly handicapped students: Current
status and future direction. FOCUS ON EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, 21(1), 1-8 (EJ380199).
Rusch, F., & Phelps, L. A. (1987). Secondary special education and transition from school
to work: A national priority. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, 53, 487-92.

Further Reading
Dever, R. B. (1989). A taxonomy of community living skills. EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN, 55,
395-404 (EJ387194).
Edgar, G. (1990). Quality of life: Is it time to change our view of the world? BEYOND
BEHAVIOR, 1(1), 9-13.
Elder, J. (1986). Transitional services needed to help disabled enter work forces.
EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED, 12(19), 5.

Heal, L., Copher, J., Stefano, L., & Rusch, F. (1989). A comparison of successful and
unsuccessful placements of secondary students with mental handicaps into competitive
employment. CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS, 12(2), 167-77.
Wircenski, J. L. (1982). Employability Skills for the Special Needs Learner. Rockville, MD:
Aspen. (ED223839).