Independent Living Program - Florida's Center for Child Welfare

Chapter 4. Application of Life SkillsAs mentioned in Chapter One, in the Life Skills Learning Cycle, instruction and learning are followed by “application.” Too often, wesucceed in teaching about things, but fall short in teaching the skills of consistently doing things. For example, we might coverbalancing a checkbook in a class, but fail to follow through with the student until he/she shows that he/she can and does balance thecheckbook monthly. This level of practice is necessary in order for us to know that a person can respond to a skill statement on theACLSA by marking “Very Much Like Me” or “Very Much Like The Youth.” There are three aspects of Application to be discussednext: Goal Setting, Repetition, and Measurement. Following, are directions on how to create Mastery Standards (statements whichindicate that a skill or competency is mastered and applied over time) and sample Mastery Standards.Aspects of Life Skill ApplicationGoal SettingAfter assessment comes goal setting, an important part of life skill application. Both short and long term achievement goals areimportant. Spending time establishing long-term achievement goals prior to application helps learners maintain their motivation tolearn. The Guidebook Learning Goals help with goal setting as described in Chapter 2. Some Learning Goals listed in the Guidebookmay be achievement goals for a learner. Others need to be created specifically for the learner. The learner and teacher (if applicable)need to review the existing learning goals to see if they need to be altered when mastery and application over time is the long-termgoal.Most people are not motivated to learn for the sake of learning. They are motivated to learn what they need to learn in orderto achieve what they want to achieve. For example, once someone decides he/she wants to live in an apartment, or own a home, itbecomes attractive to learn about leases, mortgages, saving for deposits and so on. Then, questions arise about how to make the dreamLife Skills Guidebook 156©2004 by Casey Family Programs.