OVERVIEW
In recent years, there has been a shift in the way in which people’s abilities are being valued both in educational and professional contexts. Traditionally, “Hard Thinking Skills” have been prioritized in education by providing learners with opportunities to gain new information and analyze content or data. However, recent studies show how abilities to think outside of the box, problem-solving and the use of socio-emotional skills such as resilience, have proven to be the ones that enable people not only to get jobs but also to access leadership positions.
The aim of this session is to discuss the rationale behind “Soft Skills” and how, as practitioners, we can support our learners in the development of these essential Skills for the 21st century.
Jair Félix
Jair Félix is a National Geographic Learning Senior ELT Academic Consultant for Latin America. He has a B.A. in TEFL from Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa in Mexico and a Post-Graduate Degree on Teachers’ Development from The College of St. Mark & St. John, Plymouth, UK. Jair has been involved in language teaching and teacher training for over 23 years and has conducted workshops on various topics such as lesson planning, discourse analysis for language teachers, action research, educational technologies, and 21st century skills, among others. Jair also holds a Diploma in Teaching English for Specific Purposes (DipTESP) and the E-Tutoring Certificate from the British Council. He is a frequent presenter at ELT conferences throughout Latin America
