Language instructions require receptive skills for the emergence of productive skills where the former comprise listening and reading and the latter consist speaking and writing not to mention the relevant presence of viewing skills depending on how instructions are processed in classrooms. Among these four abilities exists the core of learning which is grammar. In a curriculum where grammar is integrated among the four skills, teachers should apply their initiatives based from what abounds in learners’ real world environment.

Every teacher has to be aware or even engage to what learners are interested with taking into consideration the advent of varied forms of social media in creating worthwhile instructional materials out of them without ignoring the principles of what makes a good instructional tool in language learning as well as the standards of utilizing authentic materials.

One of these that the writer was able to conceptualize as possible materials is poetry presented in forms of celluloid. It is called poetry in celluloid because poems are presented through film or video. Poems’ themes that are featured are interpreted in forms of sounds and images such as photos or clips and are emphasized by the passages written in every portion of the video. We can say, it is a movie poetry different from poems that were written traditionally.This video poetry can possibly bring out the principles behind authentic materials in the classrooms.

Poems in celluloid are perceived as possible instructional materials for language skills integration among 21st century learners for they embed criteria stated by Richards (2001) who claimed that authentic materials provide favorable results on learners’ motivation, offer authentic cultural information, expose learners to the language. At these contexts, we can say that contemporary materials and creative styles of instructions suit learners’ timely interests.

To establish proximity with this instructive concept to poetry in celluloid’s entirety, some digital, linguistic and literary features have been observed. The most important features of celluloid poetry in skills integration while learning grammar could be its digital and linguistic aspects.

Poetry in celluloid’s digital aspects allow the use of reading (subtitles/ poetry passages) and even listening (narrations/ dialogues or even the sound related to the poems’ themes) not to mention the advantageous brevity of length when they are viewed or employed in the classroom. When it comes to its linguistic aspects, grammar contents aid in the poems relay of thoughts or meanings. Out of the two receptive skills, productive skills:speaking and writing will be introduced. However, when we speak of skills integration in language learning, it is not necessary that all the four skills are present in the learning process. It may depend on the instructional materials as wells as learning objectives.

Teachers should also bear in mind the relevant existence of an additional skill which is viewing skill.Using poetry in celluloid as an instructional tool requires viewing skills to be able to manipulate receptive skills for productive skills’ stimulation and enhancement.

How does skills Integration work in Poetry in celluloid? Here is an example of an activity to illustrate.

Language foci: word modifiers (adjectives /adverbs)
Material: Poetry in celluloid:
Reference: YouTube Video: Episode 28- A Singer’s Crossover
Instruction: Watch the poetry movie (viewing). Recognize the words used in expressing the poem’s idea (reading).

Objectives:

At the end of this session, students are able to:
1.Cite (15) places where the character has crossed over and tell descriptions used in these places (speaking).
2.Identify the modifiers and the words being modified by completing the given table (reading & writing).
3.Write a caption that relates to the theme of the poetry using a phrase that contains a modifier (writing)

To be specific, poetry in celluloid as authentic instructional material can practically offer observable benefits for students’ engagement to language skills’ integration.

1.It can incorporate varied language skills as viewing skills sustain the
process.
2.It uses viewing skills as main support while enhancing language learning.
3.Language foci that were integrated in grammar lessons may be placed into practice through skills integration.
4.It may situate learners in a real-world material while they manipulate the language through their receptive and productive skills.
5.It could produce desirable language learning outcomes through purposeful activities or exercises conceptualized by teachers’ creativity.
6.It obviously contains numerous language foci where skills integration can be manipulated through Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) or even through Content-based Language Instructions (CBLI) depending on the material’s nature and nature.
7.Speed reading can also be enhanced due to the passages’ appearance onscreen alongside images in which teachers additionally apply varied dimensions of questions such as literal, inferential and critical.
8.While it is intended for entertainment, the language forms and structure that are embedded could be springboards to explore skills integration not to mention the presence of images and sounds that may stimulate language teachers’ innovation to create more stimulating and effective materials.

Aside from celluloid poetry benefits in skills’ Integration, there are general advantages that it practically proffers to teachers and students’ engagement to language instructions.

Poetry in celluloid’s general benefits to students’ language learning process

1.It entertains while enhancing their order thinking skills out of contents and structures.
2. It caters to varied learning styles or situate them to manipulate multiple intelligence.
3.It brings them into 21st century language learning where digital knowledge is a form of entertainment and at the same time galvanize cognitive learning. This concept links and supports digital taxonomy of objectives’ principles.
4.It can also serve learners’ vocabulary development where brainstorming, affixes, word- structures, relationships and meanings are highlighted.
5.The sounds and images provide further clues to thoughts’ understanding for instance, vocabulary studies and thematic analyses.

Poetry in celluloid’s general benefits to teachers’ language instructions

1.To an innovative teachers’ perceptions, it is an instructional material disguised as vlog or form of entertainment.
2.It could allow language educators in curriculum planning and designing.
3.Teachers can find means to cater to varied learning styles or multiple intelligence of students.
4.They present conformity to teachers’ 21st century language teaching by the enhancement of digital awareness in strengthening learners’ socio-cognition and at the same time increases their learners’ order thinking skills.
5.Teachers have the opportunity to introduce Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) or even through Content-based Language Instructions (CBLI).
6.It can give Independent learning approaches.
7.It can aid teachers in providing interactive teaching environment.
8.Teachers apply theories/techniques in real- life materials.
9.It could motivate students’ awareness through visual and sound representations.
10.It may enable teachers to introduce organizing ideas such as sequencing.
11.Teachers can choose variety of materials suitable to learners.
12.Teachers can apply guided language learning technique by using questions and other possible creative techniques.
13.Teachers are immersed as digital natives where technology becomes a part of pedagogy.

“Know thyself” – Socrates

What are Life Skills?

The World Health Organization has defined life skills as, “the abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”.

UNICEF defines life skills as “a behaviour change or behaviour development approach designed to address a balance of three areas: knowledge, attitude and skills”. The UNICEF definition is based on research evidence that suggests that shifts in risk behaviour are unlikely if knowledge, attitudinal and skills based competency are not addressed.

What are the Core Life Skill Strategies and Techniques?

UNICEF, UNESCO and WHO list the ten core life skill strategies and techniques as: problem solving, critical thinking, effective communication skills, decision-making, creative thinking, interpersonal relationship skills, self-awareness building skills, empathy, and coping with stress and emotions.

Self-awareness, self-esteem and self-confidence are essential tools for understanding
one’s strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, the individual is able to discern available opportunities and prepare to face possible threats. This leads to the development of a social awareness of the concerns of one’s family and society.

Subsequently, it is possible to identify problems that arise within both the family and
Society. With life skills, one is able to explore alternatives, weigh pros and cons and make rational decisions in solving each problem or issue as it arises. It also entails being able to establish productive interpersonal relationships with others.

Life skills enable effective communication, for example, being able to differentiate
between hearing and listening and ensuring that messages are transmitted accurately
to avoid miscommunication and misinterpretations.

What are the main components of Life Skills?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) categorizes life skills into the following
three components:

a) Critical thinking skills/Decision-making skills – include decision-making/ problem solving skills and information gathering skills. The individual must also be skilled at evaluating the future consequences of their present actions and the actions of others. They need to be able to determine alternative solutions and to analyze the influence of their own values and the values of those around them.

b) Interpersonal/Communication skills – include verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, and the ability to express feelings and give feed back. Also in this category, are negotiation/refusal skills and assertiveness skills that
directly affect ones’ ability to manage conflict. Empathy, which is the ability to listen
and understand others’ needs, is also a key interpersonal skill. Teamwork and the ability to cooperate include expressing respect for those around us. Development of
this skill set enables the adolescent to be accepted in society. These skills result in the
acceptance of social norms that provide the foundation for adult social behaviour.

c) Coping and self-management skills refers to skills to increase the internal locus of control, so that the individual believes that they can make a difference in the world
and affect change. Self esteem, self-awareness, self-evaluation skills and the ability to
set goals are also part of the more general category of self-management skills. Anger,
grief and anxiety must all be dealt with, and the individual learns to cope loss or
trauma. Stress and time management are key, as are positive thinking and relaxation
techniques.

Life skills approach can be successful, if the following are undertaken together:

a) The Skills -This involves a group of psychosocial and interpersonal skills (Critical thinking skills/Decision-making skills, Interpersonal/Communication skills, Coping and self-management skills) which are interlinked with each other. For example, decision-making is likely to involve creative and critical thinking components and values analysis.

b) Content – To effectively influence behaviour, skills must be utilized in a particular
content area. “What are we making decisions about?” Learning about decision-making will be more meaningful if the content is relevant and remains constant. Such content areas as described could be drug use, HIV/AIDS/STI prevention, suicide prevention or sexual abuse. Whatever the content area, a balance of three elements needs to be considered: knowledge, attitudes and skills.

c) Methods – Skills-based education cannot occur when there is no interaction among
participants. It relies on groups of people to be effective. Interpersonal and psychosocial skills cannot be learned from sitting alone and reading a book. If this
approach is to be successful, all three components, life skills, content and method
should be in place. This effectively means that life skills can be learnt through the use
of certain methods and tools.

Criteria for using Life Skills

UNICEF has identified the following criteria to ensure a successful life skills-based education:

* It should not only address knowledge and attitude change, but, more importantly, behaviour change.

* Traditional “information-based” approaches are generally not sufficient to yield changes in attitudes and behaviours. For example, a lecture on “safe behaviour” will not necessarily lead to the practice of safe behaviour. Therefore, the lecture should be substantiated with exercises and situations where participants can practice safe behaviour and experience its effects. The adult learning theory emphasizes that adults learn best that which they can associate with their experience and practice.

* It will work best when augmented or reinforced. If a message is given once, the brain remembers only 10 percent of it one day later, and when the same message is given six times a day, the brain remembers 90 percent of it. Hence the need to repeat, recaps, reinforce and review.

* It will work best if combined with policy development, access to appropriate health services, community development and media.

What does Research say about the Outcomes of Life Skills-Based Education?

Programmes aimed at developing life skills have produced these effects such as
Lessened violent behaviour; increased pro -social behaviour and decreased negative, self-destructive behaviour; increased the ability to plan ahead and choose effective solutions to problems; improved self-image, self-awareness, social and emotional adjustment; increased acquisition of knowledge; improved classroom behaviour; gains in self control and handling of interpersonal problems and coping with anxiety; and improved constructive conflict resolution with peers, impulse control and popularity.

We think and manage with our head. Resilience, keeping records, making wise use of resources, planning/organising and goal setting is ‘head’ related managerial functions. Service learning, Critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and learning to learn were related to our thinking processes, which we manage with our head.

Functions of the heart are relating to people and caring. How do we relate to people? We relate to people by accepting differences, conflict resolutions, social skills, cooperation and communication. The second function we do through our heart is caring. We care through nurturing relationships, sharing, empathy and concern for others.

We give and work through our hands. Community service, volunteering, leadership, responsible citizenship and contributions to group effort — are our way giving back to society. We work through our marketable skills, teamwork and self-motivation to get the things done.

Living and being comes under the functions of health. Healthy lifestyle choices, stress management, disease prevention and personal safety are our prime concerns for better living. Self-esteem, self-responsibility, character, managing feelings and self-discipline must be practiced without fail for our well-being. In a nutshell, the essence of life skills is to share well, care well and fare well.

Life skills are inevitable to become successful in professional life as well as personal life.

-Challa S.S.J.Ram Phani