Reflective Essay: Skills for Life

Posted on January 9, 2021 Updated on August 28, 2026

(1303 Words)

Embedding Skills for Life in ESOL Teaching: A Reflective Perspective

Skills for Life, particularly literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT), are increasingly recognised as essential components of education. These skills represent fundamental competencies that students require in order to participate effectively in learning, employment, and wider society. The importance of developing these skills was highlighted by the Moser Report, A Fresh Start (DfEE, 1999), which reported that approximately seven million adults in England had literacy skills below those expected of an 11-year-old. This concerning statistic emphasised the need for teachers to identify opportunities to embed literacy, numeracy, and ICT within their teaching rather than treating them as separate areas of learning.

This essay reflects on my experiences of embedding Skills for Life within my teaching practice. In particular, I consider how the principle of “learning by doing” can support learner engagement and motivation. Research has suggested that embedding key skills within vocational and subject-specific learning can contribute to increased learner motivation (Roberts et al., 2005). My own practice has been influenced by Gardner’s (1983) theory of Multiple Intelligences, which I explored through a research project examining the learning characteristics of students within an ESOL class. This experience encouraged me to consider how different teaching techniques could be used to accommodate learners’ individual characteristics while simultaneously developing their language and literacy skills.

Multiple Intelligences and Learner-Centred Practice

Gardner’s (1983) theory of Multiple Intelligences proposes that individuals possess different forms of intelligence and may demonstrate strengths in different areas. For example, some learners may respond particularly well to physical and practical activities associated with bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence, whereas others may benefit from visual materials associated with visual-spatial intelligence. Although the theory has been subject to academic debate, it provided a useful framework for me to reflect upon the diversity of learning preferences and approaches within my ESOL classroom.

In an ESOL context, language and literacy development are fundamental. However, I found that these skills could be developed more effectively when incorporated into learner-centred and active-learning activities. Such approaches encouraged students to remain engaged with the task while continuing to use English for meaningful communication.

For example, I provided each student with a picture of a famous person accompanied by a short piece of biographical information. Students were also given grammatically structured questions and answers which they used to interview one another about their assigned person. This activity incorporated verbal-linguistic skills while providing students with a meaningful opportunity to practise spoken English. In a higher-level class, I extended the activity by asking students to obtain their information independently from the internet, thereby incorporating ICT skills alongside literacy and language development.

Initially, students were required to read the information and identify answers to a series of questions. They then worked with other students to ask and answer questions about their famous person, including where the person was from, their age, and an interesting fact about them. I subsequently collected the pictures and divided the students into groups. Each group had to ask questions and use the available information to determine which famous person I was thinking of. The activity was structured as a game-show-style competition, with the group that identified the correct person first declared the winner.

Although the activity was designed to be enjoyable, it also provided a structured opportunity for language development. I guided students towards producing complete questions and answers and supported the discussions taking place within the groups. In this respect, the activity demonstrated how literacy and language development can be embedded within an engaging and collaborative learning environment. It also reflected the principles identified within LLUK Standard BS1, which emphasises the importance of maintaining “an inclusive, equitable and motivating learning environment”. The competitive element, combined with interest and challenge, encouraged participation while ensuring that the development of English language and literacy remained central to the lesson.

Embedding Numeracy within ESOL

My experience of embedding numeracy within ESOL teaching provided another opportunity to develop key skills through practical and contextualised learning. On one occasion, I was teaching a class about nouns. I initially organised an outdoor activity in which students worked in groups to identify and describe objects in their surroundings. The activity took the form of a treasure hunt and encouraged students to interact with their environment while developing their vocabulary. Following the activity, students wrote descriptions of the objects they had found and presented their findings to the class. This provided a progression from identifying concrete objects to using nouns in more meaningful linguistic contexts.

I subsequently developed this activity around the theme of shopping. I wanted students to become familiar with prices and the language associated with purchasing goods. I therefore collected newspapers, magazines, and door-to-door advertising flyers containing a combination of written information, images, and numerical data. Students were asked to examine the materials, read the information, and select eight objects. They then cut out the relevant images and attached them to a large sheet of paper. This incorporated a practical, bodily-kinaesthetic element into the activity while simultaneously requiring students to engage with written language.

The prices of the selected products were deliberately omitted. Students were required to write descriptions of their chosen objects in preparation for a subsequent selling activity. On some occasions, I adapted the activity by using computers and asking students to create their own catalogues. This variation also provided an opportunity to embed ICT skills while reducing the practical preparation and clearing-up associated with the paper-based activity.

Once the catalogues or displays had been completed, students worked in groups to estimate the prices of the products selected by other groups. The activity developed both spoken English and numeracy because students had to discuss possible prices, justify their estimates, and communicate their decisions to their peers. I structured the activity as a version of The Price Is Right, explaining that students could not guess above the actual price of the item. The student or group whose estimate was closest to the actual price was declared the winner.

This activity demonstrated how numeracy can be embedded naturally within an ESOL lesson rather than taught as an isolated skill. Students were required to interpret numerical information, estimate values, compare prices, and determine whether their answers were higher or lower than the actual price. At the same time, they were developing vocabulary, sentence construction, listening, speaking, and collaborative skills. The competitive and practical nature of the activity also appeared to increase student engagement, demonstrating the potential value of contextualising essential skills within meaningful activities.

Reflection and Continuing Professional Development

In conclusion, this reflective discussion has demonstrated how my exploration of Gardner’s (1983) theory of Multiple Intelligences contributed to my understanding of learner diversity and informed my approach to embedding key skills within ESOL teaching. This work formed part of my ongoing continuing professional development (CPD) and encouraged me to reflect critically on how different teaching approaches could respond to individual learners’ needs.

My experiences have reinforced my belief that literacy, numeracy, and ICT should not necessarily be treated as additional or separate components of an ESOL curriculum. Instead, they can be incorporated naturally into meaningful learning activities. Literacy can be developed through reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities, while numeracy can be embedded through practical contexts such as telling the time, handling money, comparing prices, and purchasing goods. Similarly, ICT can be incorporated through research activities, collaborative projects, and the creation of digital resources.

Embedding these skills within ESOL teaching can therefore provide learners with opportunities to develop several competencies simultaneously. It also enables learning to become more relevant to students’ everyday lives and encourages active participation. Most importantly, my experience has reinforced the importance of “discovering, respecting, and meeting individual needs” (FENTO, 1999). Through reflection and continuing professional development, I aim to ensure that my teaching remains inclusive, learner-centred, and responsive to the diverse needs of students.

References

Further Education National Training Organisation  (FENTO, 1999)

Moser, C. (1999), A Fresh Start. London: DfEE. Retrieved on 15 June 2008 from http://www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/mosergroup/

Roberts, C., Baynham, M., Shrubshall, P., Brittan, J., Cooper, B., Gidley, N., Windsor,

V., Eldred, J., Grief, S., Castillino, C. and Walsh, M. (2005), Embedded teaching and learning of adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL: Seven case studies. London: National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy.