Understanding Key Competences and Educational Tasks
Exercises, Activities, and Social Tasks in Education
Exercises
Exercises are actions oriented to check the management of a particular knowledge:
- They don’t contribute to the acquisition of the Key Competences.
- Although they can be boring, they are necessary.
Example (First and Second Year): Order the letters and write (eggs, chips, fish, meat, chicken). [Image] – Disordered word and gap.
Activities
Activities are actions oriented to gain new knowledge or to use existing knowledge in a different way:
- They contribute to the acquisition of the Key Competences.
- They are contextualized.
Example (5th and 6th Year): “Who I Am”: Guess the food you are. For this, your classmates have to help you with clues.
Borderlines
Borderlines is when you work on the exercise and activity at the same time. Example: Do the crossword.
Social Task: A Didactic Proposal
A Social Task is a didactic proposal to develop the Key Competences. Social tasks are based on experience, combining knowledge, knowing how to be, and doing, integrating school, family, and community. They aim to give resources and teach how to use them.
Approach
- Indirectly working with competences.
- Functional and meaningful teaching.
- Learning through experience.
Evaluation
The evaluation consists of valuing the development of key competences with rubrics.
Structure
The social task is based on a project comprising the following sections:
- Introduction
- Description of the task
- Objectives
- Content
- Context
- Key Competences
- Resources
- Products
Key Competences
Key Competences represent a transferable, multifunctional package of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that all individuals need for personal fulfillment and development, inclusion, and employment.
Key Competences at School
- Interaction of body, mind, emotions, and reasoning.
- The social and emotional construction of knowledge.
- Interaction of perception and action.
- Learning as a continuous construction process in a social context.
Linguistic Competence
It deals with the functional control of a foreign language.
- Awareness: Language in use and reflection about the language, depending on the age.
- Ability: Understanding and being understood both orally and in writing.
- Attitude: Development of a positive attitude towards languages.
Digital Competence
It deals with the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies).
- Awareness: To be conscious that the use of ICT contributes to learning English.
- Ability: To look for and get electronic information.
- Attitude: Responsible use of ICT.
Learning Competence
It deals with the awareness of the learning progress, whether independently or with others. It involves being aware of how to learn and reflecting on it.
- Ability to dedicate time and effort to learn and reflect on what you have learned.
- Attitude: To be positive towards self-motivation.
Social Competence
It deals with the development of social relationships and, at the same time, the gradual growth of a supportive and responsible citizenship.
- Awareness of the different cultures that surround us.
- Ability for multicultural dialogue.
- Positive attitude towards other cultures and countries (emigration and immigration).
Initiative Competence
It deals with the acquisition of autonomy in the learning process and the development of taking initiatives.
- Awareness of the need for autonomous study.
- Ability to work alone and in cooperation.
- Attitude: To be positive towards taking decisions and working with others.
Artistic Competence
It deals with the development of creativity and the liking and enjoyment of music and art.
- Awareness of different cultural elements: music, art, literature.
- Ability for artistic expression.
- Attitude: To be positive towards cultural diversity.