21st-Century Skills in

the EFL Classroom

Presenter:
Khadija Muhammad Abdussalam AbdAlla
Lecturer at The University of Khartoum
Ph.D. Candidate at Tohoku University, Japan
Contents
Integrating 21st-Century
Introduction
skills

Defining 21st-Century Skills Challenges in the Sudanese

Context

Partnership for 21st-

Century Skills References

Assessment of 21st-Century
Questions
Skills
Introduction

As teachers and educators, we all experience the importance of

staying updated with the latest technological advancements as they
shape our lives and our students’ needs and interests.

Students and teachers are equally required to exhibit a range of skills

to become functional citizens in today’s world.
Defining 21st-Century Skills
oPolicy makers, educators, and researchers all over the world continue
to outline practical frameworks for defining 21st-century skills and
suitable assessment methods (Bellanca and Brandt, 2010).

oExamples of the Projects and Frameworks:

• Partnership for 21st-Century Skills (P21)

• National Research Council (NRC)
• Assessment and Teaching of 21st-Century Skills (AT21CS)
• Apple Classroom of Tomorrow Today (ACOT2)
▪In your opinion as teacher, what skills
do your students need to possess to
be functional 21st-century learners?

Let’s Think …
 Partnership for 21st-Century Skills
o Defined the skills, knowledge, and expertise today’s learners must have to be
successful in the workplace and life in the 21st-century.

o “Combining knowledge and

skills with the necessary
support systems of standards,
assessments, curriculum and
instruction, professional
development, and learning
environments, students are
more engaged in the learning
process and graduate better
prepared to thrive in today’s
digitally and globally
interconnected world”.
(P21, 2019)
Picture adopted from (P21, 2019)
P21: Defining 21st-Century Skills

• Creativity • Information Literacy • Flexibility and adaptability

• Initiative and self-direction
• Critical Thinking • Media Literacy • Social Cross-cultural Skills
• Productivity and
• Communication • ICT Literacy accountability
• Leadership and
• Collaboration responsibility

Learning and Information Life and

innovation and Tech Career

(P21, 2009)
 Critical Thinking Skills

• (Inductive or • Understand complex • Analyze and evaluate • Ask questions to

deductive) systems evidence clarify points of views
• Used in a suitable • Analyze systems • Alternative points of view • Solve problems
context • Synthesize information conventionally and
• How the parts interact and arguments
to produce the whole innovatively
• Reflect on learning
critically
Reason Use systems Make Solve
judgements
effectively thinking and decisions Problems

(P21, 2009)
Examples for Critical Thinking Activities
• Debates and discussions

• Creative Writing

• Argumentative Writing

• Movie Criticism

• Reflective Practice
Creativity and Innovation Skills

• Generate original ideas • Open to new perspectives • Act creatively to generate

• Use idea-creation • Understand the limits of meaningful original
techniques accepting new ideas products for the field.
• Improve, refine, and based on the context
evaluate ideas • Failure as an opportunity
to learn
• Communicate new ideas

Work Creatively Implement

Think Creatively
with others Innovations

(P21, 2009)
Examples of Creativity and Innovation activities

• Poetry writing

• Collaborative art projects (description)

• Creative storytelling

• Recipe Creation

• Write a story
Communication and Collaboration Skills
• Articulate ideas effectively in
various forms and contexts
• Listen effectively to get
intentions
• Use multiple technologies
and media
• Communicate effectively in
diverse environments
• Work effectively with diverse
teams
• Flexibility and willingness to
be helpful to work toward a
similar goal
• Value individual
contributions

Communicate Collaborate
Clearly with Others

(P21, 2009)
Examples of Communication and Collaboration Practice

• Discussion Groups

• School Journal Creation

• Peer-feedback

• Project Creation
ICT Skills

• Access information • Analyze media and • Use digital technologies

• Evaluate information
critically
• Creative and accurate use
of information
• Ethical and legal use of
information
understand purposes • Use tech as a tool to
search, analyze, evaluate
• Ethical and legal use information
• Understand ethical and
• Create media legal issues

Information Media
ICT literacy
Literacy Literacy

(P21, 2009)
Examples of activities to enhance ICT skills
• Using various technology tools
• Teach students effective ways for searching information
• Citation and referencing
• Audiovisual material creation
• Simple website design
• Blogging
• Online Discussion boards
 Implementing 21st-Century Skills
o PBL is one of the most effective teaching strategies.

o Stimulates higher-level thinking skills.

o Learning through communication and collaboration.

o Encourages autonomous learning and authenticity.

o Implies an in-depth investigation of the content.

o Allows learners to construct valuable meaningful

products.
Thomas (2000) and Grant (2002) Stoller (1997) Warschauer, Shetzer&Meloni (2000)

Diagram from: Project-Based Learning | D-PREP International School (dprep.ac.th)

Assessing 21st-Century Skills
oP21 indicates that 21st-century skills assessment should include:
• Balanced assessment: standardized, formative, and summative.
• Regular feedback for students’ performance.
• Balance in technology-enhanced assessment.
• Development of students’ portfolios demonstrating mastery of the skills.

oEffective assessment should be aligned with

effectively specified goals and objectives.
“Assessments that support learning must
explicitly communicate the
nature of expected learning.” (Binkley, M. et al., 2012)
What are the challenges that prevent
teachers from integrating 21st-century skills?
• Misunderstanding what these skills are.

• Lack of Professional Development programs regarding 21st-century skills.

• Lack of knowledge on how to integrate the skills effectively.

• Time limitation of classes.

• Curricula aren’t flexible to integrate other skills.

• Teaching Environment.

• Resources, materials and ICT tools aren’t available.

• Students’ Motivation.
References
• Bellanca, J., & Brandt, R. (2010). 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn. USA: Solution Tree Press.
• Binkley, M. et al. (2012). Defining twenty-first century skills. In Griffin, P. & Care, E. (2015). Assessment and
Teaching of 21st century skills: Methods and approach. Dordrecht: Springer.
• Grant, M. (2002). Getting a Grip on Project-Based Learning: Theory, Cases and Recommendations. Meridian:
A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal, 5(1), 1-3.
http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/win2002/514/project-based.pdf
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 framework definitions. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519462.pdf
• Partnership for 21st-Century Learning. (2019). Framework for 21st-century learning. Battelle for Kids.
https://static.battelleforkids.org/documents/p21/P21_Framework_Brief.pdf
• Stoller, F. (1997). Project Work: A means to promote language content. English Teaching Forum, P2.
• Thomas, J. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. The Autodesk Foundation: California.
• Warchauer, M., Shetzer, H. & Meloni, C. (2000). Internet for English Teaching. Teachers of English to Speakers
of Other Languages.
Questions are welcome…
Thanks…