Habits of Mind
Slidecast
Habits of mind are the non-literacy attributes and skills that contribute to success in a variety of Albertan contexts, such as formal education,workplace and community.
ESL literacy programs do more than help learners develop language and literacy skills. ESL literacy instructors and program administrators across Alberta identified the following non-literacy skills as important for learners' success: strategies for learning in and beyond the classroom, life skills for Alberta and sociocultural competence.
When learners do not have the opportunity to develop these skills, it is more difficult for them to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.ESL literacy practitioners in Alberta emphasize the importance of providing learners with the non-literacy skills demonstrated by successful learners.
The four habits of mind outlined in this framework are:
Resourcefulness
The ability to act effectively or proactively when faced with challenges in learning and life in Canada.
Motivation
The commitment and ability to direct and sustain one's learning process.
Responsibility
The ability to meet commitments and learn effectively by reliably managing time and information.
Engagement
Being involved in and enhancing one's own learning process.
This framework outlines skills for demonstrating resourcefulness, motivation, responsibility and engagement in Albertan contexts, such as formal education, workplace and community. When habits of mind and their corresponding skills are fostered in ESL literacy programs, learners can transfer these to contexts beyond the program, such as workplace, community and further education.
