Open AccessPEDAGOGICAL INFLUENCE IN THE INTEGRATION OF SOFT SKILLS AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Author(s) -
Ilangko Subramaniam
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of education, psychology and counseling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0128-164X
DOI - 10.35631/ijepc.642027
Subject(s) - soft skills , malay , teamwork , psychology , skills management , mathematics education , medical education , study skills , pedagogy , medicine , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , political science , law
Soft skills are non-academic competencies that complement a student's academic achievement to face the world of work in the future. This study aims to identify ways of implementing soft skills and the kind of soft skills emphasized in the teaching and learning of the Malay language among secondary school students in nine selected schools in Kedah, Penang, and Perak. The study involved focus group interviews and individual interviews consisted of 119 students and 26 Malay language teachers. The findings show that soft skills apply directly and indirectly through various learning activities in Malay Language subjects. Respondents from normal schools received less exposure to soft skills compared to respondents from high-performing schools (HPS). Among the soft skills identified in this study are teamwork skills, self-confidence, communication, critical thinking, leadership, influencing skills, critical and creative thinking skills (CCTS), and problem-solving skills. Communication skills and teamwork skills were among the most detected soft skills in the three high-performing schools involved in this study. Meanwhile, the activities carried out to apply soft skills are group discussions, presentations, acting, poetry recitation, storytelling, public speaking, forums, and question and answer. Although this study is not comprehensive in terms of the number of schools and respondents, the findings of this study are important to explain the real scenario of the level of mastery and integration of soft skills, especially in the nine cases of this study.