Question

With suitable example discuss the role of drama, theater and play in developing students core skill in language.1000 words

Answer 1

So, that’s what it finally boils down to - an awareness of others (their feelings, perceptions, etc.) and what we do with that awareness. For, social intelligence aka people skill or interpersonal skill is an essential life skill for communication and interaction with those around us. In an age of technology, children hardly interact with others. We should, therefore, provide them with enough opportunities for interaction. Only then will they learn to make friends, resolve conflicts, tolerate differences, work together as a team, respect and cherish relationships.

As parents, are we making efforts to create this awareness in our children so that they are prepared to skillfully handle their relationships in life? Here’s what we need to focus on to ensure that our children possess effective people skills and grow up into socially intelligent individuals.

Top ten people skills to be developed in children

Listening: This is the most important interpersonal skill. Teach your child to be an ‘active listener’. Only then will your child fully participate in conversations. Tending to get distracted, pretending to listen, and composing replies while the other person is speaking – all these do not contribute to good people skills.

Communication: Today’s children are glued to gadgets. Encourage them to speak, especially in real-life situations. Let them interact with the extended family, service providers, counter-attendants and neighbours. Teach them to use appropriate forms of greetings and make polite requests. Effective communication forms the core of interpersonal skills.

Body language: Verbal communication alone wouldn’t suffice. We should teach children to pay attention to gestures and eye contact. They should make sure that their overall body language is neither aggressive nor passive. Both will hinder interpersonal skills. They should also maintain eye contact with the speaker. Only then would they be able to establish a rapport with the other person.

Tolerance: Teach your children that each individual is important in her own right. Each person is entitled to her attitudes and opinions. Therefore, we should be tolerant towards others. Teach them to accept differences, respect views and acknowledge rights. Let them remember Helen Keller’s words - “The highest result of education is tolerance.”

Conflict resolution: Children should be made to realise that rather than having confrontations whenever there are conflicts, it is better to go for resolutions. Teach them to use negotiation and compromise as appropriate tools for peaceful conflict resolution. Sibling interactions, which invariably feature quarrels, offer a great starting point for improving this skill.