Literature Review:

Should Schools Teach Daily Life Skills As Well As Academics?

Caroline Saunders

University of Colorado- Denver

LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of a Literature Review is to summarize what you have learned from an immersion in
the literature related to your Critical Issue. The written Literature Review is an organized
narrative that conveys to the readers of your action research project the relevance of published
research to your Critical Issue. Students may choose to write either a literature review or a
manuscript (PhD students). The lit review/manuscript should be centered around themes (3 to 5
themes are sufficient). The lit review/manuscript should be 8 to 10 pages (not including title
page) and written in APA format.

Introduction

Imagine being a 18 year old high school graduate. You have finally finished high school.

Congratulations! Now, you are expected to pay your own rent, health insurance, car insurance,

weekly grocery bills, monthly cell phone bills, and file your yearly taxes. What are you going to

do? You are also expected to participate in society by interviewing for and maintaining a job.

Hopefully you have found a job you like and that allows you to work towards earning a

promotion. Before you are able to do this, however, you need to have a resume that stands out

among your peers. If you are one of the lucky ones who scores an interview, you need to dress

appropriately and speak properly. How do you do this? Also, now that you’re done with high

school, you want to have an adult relationships with a special person. How do you meet a

potential match? What do you say first to get the conversation started? How do you handle

yourself when your mate is having a bad day? How do you break up amicably if things are not

working out? What do you say and do if your match breaks up with you? With all these decisions

and things to figure out what are you going to do? Wouldn’t it be helpful if there was a way to

learn some of these items before being faced with them in the real world?

It has often been argued that schools should teach life skills in addition to academics.

Young adults often complain that they do not feel prepared for real life after high school. Many

high school graduates do not feel prepared to file taxes, pay bills, budget money properly or

manage time. Other life skills could include mental health related traits like how to be
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empathetic, coping with emotions, being assertive, problem solving or decision making. Young

adults who move out of their parents’ house for the first time don’t have these skills to feel

successful.

If life skills were to be taught regularly at school, what should they be? Which academic

areas could be cut to accommodate time to teach life skills? What grade should life stills be

introduced into the school day? Some of these questions are answered in the articles discussed in

this literature review. Other questions are meant to be pondered and explored individually.

Upon research into this topic, it was discovered that this topic is widely reported on.

There is data on this topic spanning from preschool up to 12th grade. Some researchers report on

high school graduates’ feelings and desires for life skills training in schools. Additionally,

parents were interviewed as well. Many of resources were based in the United States, however, a

few come from other countries like Germany. Also, there is a wide range of life skills that are

explored. Life skills range from keeping a home or apartment to managing money to dealing

with emotions.

Researchers Bateman, Lloyd & Tankersley (2015) question, “whether there is room in the

school day of our elementary and secondary schools to emphasize both academic and functional

life skills” (p. 15) for students with disabilities and non-disabled students.

Theme 1
Elementary & Middle School

Teaching life skills to youngsters looks differently than teaching such skills to older

students simply because they aren’t going to set out into the real world for some time. Fahima

(2018) and her team conducted a study in with preschoolers learning life skills such as

responding appropriately when your name is called, requesting attention, and acknowledging or

complimenting others. Of course, these life skills look differently than life skills that are taught
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to older students. Fahima reported that these youngest students are expected to enter kindergarten

with a certain life skills to be successful. What’s more, this team discovered that these students

are more successful than students who didn’t receive these life skills lessons.

Theme 2
High School

Theme 3
Life After High School
An overwhelming amount of research has been conducted analyzing high school

graduates lack of life skills. What’s more, research has been conducted on students who have

received life skills while in high school. Anderson (2009) informed readers of the positive

attributes one Montessori school in Nebraska reaps because it teaches life skills constantly.

Reference to previous research

Cohesive themes

Gap in research

Reference to present research

Conclusion/next step

I believe the next step for me is to try to find ways to teach my students life skill.

Teachers may not be allotted time to teach life skills, however, I believe these skills need to be

taught. A way to teach life skills could be to work real life problems into the curriculum. For

example, during reading, an 8th grade teacher may have a unit on empathy and compassion for

others. By doing this, students would still be receiving reading instruction but they would also

learn valuable life lessons that could shape their behaviors and outlook. Another way teacher

could work life skills into their curriculum is to have math problems relating to money
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management. For example, Sam has $100 and needs to buy groceries for the week. The teacher

could give students coupon adds from the paper and have students find items Sam can purchase.

This would teach money management and planning. I believe that they are ways to teach life

skills without having a structured or designed time. Teachers can be mindful about teaching life

skills and work lessons into their teaching.

Reflection
I thought this project was very interesting. I liked being able to focus on one topic very

deeply and see it from different points of view. I feel as though I have a better understanding of

how teach life skills in the classroom.

I liked the freedom of writing a narrative paper that allowed us to share what we learned.

I liked that we didn’t have to argue a viewpoint or side, we simply were allowed to inform our

reader about a subject we care about.

(Anderson) (Life after high school)

Parents were interviewed about the success and mindset of their children after attending
Lincoln Montessori School in Nebraska as former students gathered for a reunion at their
elementary school. This source explains the philosophy of Montessori which gives students the
opportunity to teach themselves academics, social and life skills. The students from the early
Montessori classes were described as, “energetic, challenging and always into something,” from
their parents. Computers and other electronic gadgets are not seen in Montessori schools because
they believe in learning information first- hand. Here, students learn the following life skills: “
planting a garden, building puzzles, peeling carrots, washing tables, taking turns and interacting
respectfully.” (Andersen 2009). This source argues that students who attended Montessori
schools turn out to be well adjusted members of the society because of the life and social skills
taught.

(Bouck) Life after high school

This source argues life skills taught to individuals with intellectual disabilities is critical
for success in life after school. Research from this study found, however, that life skills are not
being taught as often as they should be. If life skills aren’t being taught at school, where and
when are the skills being taught? The study presented here was a follow up study to the National
Longitudinal Transition Study-2 because researchers wanted to understand the study deeper.
Lessons in life skills were measured using the following tools: frequency distribution, significant
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tests and a t-test. The research analyzed the results and found, “low-reported receipt of life skills
instruction/training in schools and preschools for individuals with mild ID, few students with
moderate/severe ID reported receiving life skills training out of school (Bouck, 2010).
Furthermore, when students with mild ID or moderate/severe ID receive instruction in life skills
at school, those skills aren’t actually related to life skills training after school. Teachers who
want to be advocates for life skills training should be prepared to find innovative ways and times
to teach such skills. In other words, teacher should find real life scenarios to teach life skills they
want to focus on.

(Burdick) Life after HS

Young adults often feel unprepared for life after high school. This source is from the
perspective of a college student who left her home state to attend college. The author felt
unprepared and tackled tough, yet real life questions like, “How do I do taxes? How do I get a
good job and write a good resume? How long would my groceries stay fresh?” (Burdick, 2016).
Burdick craved high school courses in finance, job skills, time management, stress and cooking.
High school graduates do not go to college with important life skills that they will inevitably face
once in the real world. If Burdick would have had training or education in these skills, she feels
as though she would have been more prepared for life after high school.

(Fahima) Elementary
This is a follow up study to research completed in 2007 that introduce the preschool life
skills (PLS) program. The study conducted by Fahmia in 2018 identified 13 skills in 4 unites that
preschools are expected to have as they enter kindergarten. Teaching these preschoolers was
presented in the following ways: “description of skills, modeling correct skills, rehearsing,
arranging authentic learning opportunities throughout the day, and delivering differential
consequences” (Fahmia & Luczyniski 2018). Not only were these skills adopted by the
preschoolers, but problem behaviors decreased for most children. Skills included: (Unit 1)
responding appropriately to name, complying with simple instructions and complying with
multi-step instructions, (Unit 2) Requesting assistance, requesting attention, framed requesting to
adults, framed requesting to peers, (Unit 3) Tolerating delays imposed by adults and tolerating
delays imposed by peers, (Unit 4) Saying “Thank you,” acknowledging or complimenting others,
offering or sharing and comforting others in distress. Sometimes tokens were used as rewards to
help children. More than 70 youngsters (3.2-5.4 years old) have participated in PLS programs
and almost all have shown, “an increase in skills and a decrease in problem behavior following
teaching.” After completing of this curriculum, these youngsters were better prepared for
kindergarten.

(Hanley) Preschool
Hanley, Fahmie & Heal (2014) found youngsters that attended Head Start preschool who
also participated in preschool life skills (PLS) program decrease problem behavior. Conducted at
two separate locations, the evaluators saw the same results. Before the study took place, these
researchers found that these the more time these youngsters spent with nonfamilial caretakers the
higher probability of problem behaviors- such as aggression, or not following the rules. The team
introduced a program to teach social skills. The skills had to follow two guidelines: skills had “to
be functionally equivalent to problem behavior in that they were evoked by the same situations
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and were maintained by the same reinforcers that often maintained problem behavior.” Also,
early elementary teachers needed to report which skills were important for success in schools.

(Hansen) Elementary & Middle

‘Eigenstandig werden 5+6’ (German for becoming independent 5+6) is a school based
curriculum for students in grades 5-6 to prevent drug usage. This program includes, “14 teaching
units evenly distributed over grades 5 and 6 which are interactively delivered, and a parent
component” (Hansen, Hanewinkel, Maruska & Isensee 2011). Forty-five schools in Germany
participated in this study. This team of researchers believed that students that participated in this
study would increase, “general life skills, refusal skills and knowledge about substance use.
These enhancements should be accompanied by a lower likelihood of smoking onset and alcohol
consumption” (Hansen et al. 2011). Authors note since long-term effects of programs similar to
this curriculum are not known more research needed to be conducted, thus, this program was
created. Questionnaires were developed to evaluate outcomes of drug usage among participants.
In conclusion researchers believe, “the intervention will lead to an increase of general life skills,
refusal skills, and knowledge about substance use.” This curriculum taught students strategies to
refuse drugs and make better choices.

(Lindsay) High school

A group of African American freshmen males took a course on black experiences. This
lead to higher self-concepts and performance at school. This source starts off with a quote from
Asa Hillard teaching the reader to treat students as human beings and to love them. Across the
country, young black males struggle to receive the same education as non black peers.
Socioeconomic marginalization is partly to blame. Even though this study was written in 2012,
the research was conducted in the 2008-2009 school year when fifty-three students enrolled as
freshmen. The program took a break when one of the participants was gunned down. After some
time, the program started up again. The program focused on 4 supports: “establishing inclusion,
building security, enhancing meaning, and engendering competence” from the Motivational
Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching program. (Lindsey & Mabie 2012). As a result,
students, “established an equitable, inclusive and academic space for young black males to
transcend the limitations of our pedagogic apartheid.” After participating in this study, graduates’
reading scores grew the most of any demographic from the school. Students were more confident
about sharing experiences, feelings and thoughts. Finally, all this happened despite minimal
funding.

(Mekeel) Elementary, Middle and High

New Story, a school in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, is a privately run school that educates
students with autism. New Story is special because teachers are able to give attention and
resources to students that public schools do not have time or funding for. New Story is able to
provide, “behaviors support, crisis intervention, counseling and occupational, physical and
speech therapies (Mekeel 2010). A mother of a 7 year old who struggled to succeed in a typical
kindergarten setting is thriving due to the structure and attention he receives at New Story. In
addition to the the aforementioned supports, the school teaches math, reading and life skills.
“The school has a mock bedroom and kitchen and even touches on basic job skill such as
stocking shelve.” New Story’s goal is to prepare students to return to their neighborhood schools.
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(MORGAN) Life after

Morgan (2016) asks the reader, if anyone was ever taught communication skills, how to
be a good listener or how to express empathy. She asks because good communication skills are
the number one thing employers look for when hiring. Being a communications professor,
Morgan wonders why it isn’t until college that people are finally taught important life skills, such
as communicating. Many people despise conflict and some avoid it at all costs. Morgan
encourages the reader to use a collaboration strategy which allows both parties involved to work
together to arrive at a, “mutually satisfying solution” (Morgan, 2016). If we were taught healthy
communication skills at a young age, Morgan believes, the world would be a happier, more
peaceful place. Playing an instrument, learning another language, using technology are all skills
that should be taught early on in the school career. Next, financial skills, investment strategies,
balancing a budget and saving for retirement could all be taught to elementary age students to
help them in life after school. If students have poor examples at home teaching them skills, how
will they learn?

(Wurdinger) life after

Researchers from Minnesota State University sent online surveys to graduates, students,
teachers and parents of students who attend a nearby charter school who focuses on project based
learning programs and life skills. This survey’s purpose was to, “explore definitions of success
and determine if this school teaches life skills” (Wurdinger & Rudolph, 2009). One hundred
forty-seven responses from the four groups responding with creativity and ability to gather
information skills, “were ranked much higher than academic skills such as test taking and note
taking.” Authors here argue schools should focus on life skills like note taking and test taking to
better prepare students for college rather than strictly academics. Results of the survey indicate
overwhelming evidence that the charter school prepares students with skills- academic and life-
necessary for college and beyond.
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Andersen, E. (2009, September 15). Passion for learning - Forty years later, Lincoln Montessori
School celebrates encouraging children to teach themselves academic, social and life skills.
Retrieved from
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/resources/doc/nb/news/12ABFA3D2C
229D50?p=AMNEWS
Bouck, E. (2010, November 25) Reports of life skills trainings for students with intellectual
disabilities in and out of school. Retrieved from http://rdcu.be/HiHX/

Burdick, A., (2016, April 19) Why High Schools Should Require Life Skills Courses. Retrieved
from theodysseyonline.com/why-schools-should-require-life-skills-courses

Fahmia, T., & Luczynski K. (2018, January 8) Preschool life skills: Recent advancements and
future directions. Retrieved from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/doi/10.1002/jaba.434/abstract

Hanley, G., Fahmie, T., & Heal, N. (2014, May 11) Evaluations of the preschool life skills
program in Head Start classrooms: A systematic replication. Retrieved from
http://rdcu.be/HiHe/

Hansen, J., Hanewinkel, R., Maruska, K., & Isensee, B. (2011, August 26) The ‘Eigenstandig
werden’ prevention trial: a cluster of randomized controlled study on school-based life skills
programme to prevent substance use onset. Retrieved from
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/1/2/e000352

Lindsey, T. & Mabie, B. (2012, February 1). Life Skills Yield Stronger Academic Performance.
Retrieved from
http://journals.sagepub.com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1177/003172171209300508

Mekeel, D. (2010, June 19). Just a typical school, but different: New Story teaching autistic
children academics, life skills. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=auraria_main&id=GAL
E|A229292368&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&authCount=1#

Morgan, C., (2016, April 12) Why Don’t We Teach Life Skills in Schools? Retrieved from
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-carol-morgan/why-dont-we-teach-life-sk_b_9662958.html
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Wurdinger, S. & Rudolph, J. (2009, June 23). A different type of success: teaching important life
skills through project based learning. Retrieved from
http://journals.sagepub.com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/doi/abs/10.1177/1365480209105576