Module 6:

SOCIAL LITERACY
WHAT TO EXPECT
1. Define social literacy
2. Discuss social skills, their impact
and strategies for improvement
3. Describe an emotionally intelligent
person
4. Present ways for enhancing
people skills
5. Identify ways on how to integrate
social literacy in the lesson
6. Draw relevant life lessons and
significant values from personal
experience on practicing social
literacy
7. Analyze research abstract on
social literacy and its implications
to the teaching-learning process.
8. Design an instructional material
that can be used in integrating
social literacy in a related
discipline

PRE-DISCUSSION
Camera Flash: This is an activity that depicts the students’ understanding of social
literacy including their expressions through picture taking. It also enhances creativity,
resourcefulness, and critical thinking.

Procedures:
1. Group the students into 4 or 5 depending on class size.
2. Each group will be given ample time to think of ideas on social skills.
3. Each group will be asked to take a picture that depicts the given topic
using cellphone camera. Pictures are all about social skills.
4. The groups will show the pictures on the screen using an LCD projector.
5. The class will first describe and interpret the picture.
6. Then, it will be the group's turn to explain their picture.
7. The class will find time for a brief reflection on the activity.

LESSON OUTLINE
The school is a social institution established for the contemplation of reality in
a profound, personal, informal and unstructured way. Teachers facilitate learning,
teach students and model certain types of acceptable behavior while developing them
in all aspects: academically, physically, emotionally and socially. In performing such
tasks, teachers also relate to parents and other stakeholders. That is why
understanding and attaining social literacy is imperative among them.

Social Literacy
Social literacy entails the development of social skills, knowledge and positive
human values toward desire and ability in human beings to act and react positively
and responsibly in a wide range of complex social settings. It can be acquired through
social process of inquiry, values exploration and social decision-making that relate to
the acquisition of knowledge and understanding (Arthur, Davison and Stow, 2000).

In school, social literacy can be demonstrated by teachers in dealing with their

superiors, colleagues, parents, students and others, while for students, by way of
interaction and interrelation with the surroundings around them - their peers, the media
and political influencers, technology agents, religious groups, school staff, family
members, etc.

Social Skills
Social skills are aspects of social literacy. As such, these are an integral part of
functioning in society. It involves good manners, communicating effectively with
others, being considerate of others’ feelings and expressing personal needs. In fact,
children gain social skills through playing while adults obtain it by interrelating with
others, both verbally (spoken language) and non-verbally (gestures, body language,
facial expressions, eye contact and appearance).

Social skills are also important in schools because they help build, maintain and
grow relationships of students with classmates, peers, teachers, students, and others,
while for teachers, with their superiors, colleagues, parents, students, and others.
These can be attained through: (1) gaining ideas, information, techniques and
perspectives from people with different areas of expertise; (2) providing their own
perspective for the benefit of others; (3) accomplishing tasks and working together
toward shared goal; (4) providing mutual support for difficult situations; (5) expanding
network to learn about and pursue new opportunities; (6) gaining feedback and
referrals from people who can personally attest to work, skills and qualities; and (7)
making the school truly a healthy and conducive learning environment.

Types of Social Skills

There are types of social skills that teachers can demonstrate among students
to attain a harmonious relationship with them.

1. Effective communication. It is the ability to communicate effectively and share

thoughts and ideas with students through group conversations, discussions,
etc.
2. Conflict resolution. It is the ability to get to the source of the problem and find
a workable solution by weighing both sides from those involved with the goal of
mediating for reconciliation.
3. Active listening. It is the ability to pay close attention to a student in times of
counseling, introspection and consultation.
4. Empathy. It is the ability to understand and identify the feelings of students in
times of difficulty and trouble.
 5. Relationship management. It is the ability to maintain relationships and build
key connections with school stakeholders for the student's development.
6. Respect. It can be done by knowing when to initiate communication and
respond during interactions or even in times of heated arguments and
confrontations.
7. Problem-solving skills. These involve seeking help, making effective
decisions and accepting consequences to derive better solutions to the
problem.
8. Interpersonal skills. These include the abilities of sharing, joining activities,
asking for permission and waiting for one's turn in every facet of school
undertakings.

Improving social skills. Social skills can be proved by focusing on sustaining

desirable attitudes and eliminating those undesirable ones through modeling, role-
playing and performance feedback mechanisms.

In addition, one may consider: (1) maintaining eye contact; (2) using proper
body language; (3) knowing the difference between being assertive and being
aggressive; (4) selecting effective communication channels (5) being flexible; (6)
accepting criticism without being defensive; (7) remaining positive at all times; and (8)
being teachable and a good student in most instances
(https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/social-skills.html).

Likewise, other ways that may help are as follows: (1) Behave a social person;
(2) Start small if necessary; (3) Ask open-ended questions; (4) Encourage others to
talk about themselves; (5) Create goals for yourself; (6) Offer compliments generously;
(7) Read books about social skills; (8) Practice good manners; (9) Pay attention to
your body language; (10) Join a social skills support group; (11) Stay up to date on
current events; and (12) Identify and replace negative thoughts.

Impact of Social Skills. Possessing social skills results to: (1) better
relationships; (2) better communication; (3) greater efficiency; (4) advanced career
prospects, and (5) increased over-all happiness
(https://www.masters-in-special-education.com/lists/5-1ypes-of-social-skills-deficit/)

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Emotional intelligence can bring about maintaining a healthy and purposeful

relationship with others that may best depict a socially literate person.

Goleman (1996) defines Emotional Intelligence (E0) as the ability to: (1)
recognize, understand and manage own emotions; and (2) recognize, understand and
influence the emotions of others.

It is being aware that emotions can drive behavior and impact people (positively
and negatively), and learning how to manage those emotions, both one's own and
others' when under pressure, especially in times of: (1) giving and receiving feedback;
(2) meeting tight deadlines, (3) dealing with challenging relationships, (4) not having
enough resources (5) dealing with change; and (6) experiencing setbacks and failure
Strategies for Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Goleman (1995) laid down ways of enhancing emotional intelligence in the light
of understanding and managing emotions that teachers need to know and understand.
1. Think about feelings. A person has to be sensitive to one's and other's
feelings to come up with the right manner of approach or appropriate
response. For example, a teacher has to be aware of his/her students’
background or situation that may trigger negative emotions. In that case,
he/she would know the right approach when dealing with sensitive issues in
class.
2. Pause. This is about taking a moment to stop and think before doing
anything to refrain from resorting to an unsound decision at the height of
anger. For example, at the peak of anger with a student who commits
violations, a teacher may gently pause for a while and take a moment of
silence to rethink and cool down before jumping to any decision in order to
avoid untoward consequences.
3. Strive to control one's thoughts. This is controlling the reaction to
emotions by focusing on one's thoughts in harmony with goals and values.
For example, instead of overreacting to a certain incident or situation in
class, try to control negative thoughts to see a myriad of colors at the end
of rainbow among students. As such, try to find beauty in all things despite
not-so-good circumstances that may happen.
4. Benefit from criticism. Criticism, even not delivered in a favorable way, is
an opportunity to learn and it gives idea on how others think about you. For
example, when a senior teacher gives negative feedback on your work,
instead of taking it personally against him/her, gratefully accept it with
humility and appreciation, just think that it is for your improvement.
5. Show authenticity. This is saying what we mean with what we say and we
have to stick on to our values and principles. For example, in times of
confrontation with parents, as teachers, we should clearly express our side
with respect and sincerity while consistently upholding on to the principle
and truth behind the issue in order to avoid resorting to heated argument
and conflict at the end.
6. Demonstrate empathy. Whenever we show empathy to others, such as
understanding their thoughts and feelings, we can easily establish a
connection with them. As teachers, we should reach out to students who
are in their worse situations and try to understand them and feel as if we
were in the same boat.
7. Praise others. This is by way of acknowledging and appreciating others
toward attaining self-fulfillment and building trust. For example, teachers
should give acknowledgment and praise to students for their deeds that are
worth commending.
8. Give helpful feedback. Although negative feedback may hurt one's
feelings, at some point, it can be turned constructive for one's improvement.
For example, when we receive negative feedback from our superiors, we
have to take it as a challenge toward becoming a better and stronger
person.
9. Apologize. Saying sorry demonstrates humility, a quality that will naturally
win others as you value the relationship more than the ego. For example,
whenever we commit mistakes in teaching, whether big or small, there is
 nothing to lose when we apologize, even at times, doing it may seem to be
very difficult.
10. Forgive and forget. Forgiving and forgetting prevent others from holding
emotions and allowing one to move forward. For example, when a student
or a colleague hurts us, we should be ready to forgive and let go of the pains
that somehow caused us.
11. Keep our commitments. The habit of keeping one's word in things, either
big or small, develops a strong reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.
For example, when we are given tasks in the school, make sure that we
commit ourselves time and efforts into it. Remember, opportunities may only
come once, therefore, grab every opportunity that may come along our way
for it may never come again.
12. Help others. One way to positively win others is through helping them
because listening to and helping them can build trust and inspire them to
follow. For example, in every school activity, we have to find ways to help
others accomplish their tasks successfully. In return, they will be grateful to
us.
13. Protect ourselves from emotional sabotage. This is being wise enough
in protecting ourselves when others attempt to manipulate our emotions for
personal sake. For example, when we feel that someone has been
excessively or wrongly controlling our actions, feelings and decisions in
school, stop it in any right but subtle and courteous way possible.

Recommended Tools in Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence can be enhanced in school with the help or the following
tools and strategies

1. Emotional Literacy Workshop. This will help teachers to communicate

with students, recognize and manage emotions and increase self -
awareness.
2. Emotional Literacy Museum. It is a self-directed learning experience that
teaches about the physiology of emotions, emotional regulation, and
emotional literacy.
3. Mixed Emotions Cards. It is a beautiful deck of "tarot-like" cards of feelings
(labeled with feelings and synonyms).
4. eMotion Cards. It is an evocative, playful moon face illustration of emotions
(open-ended without labels).

5. Biodots. It is a simple reminder that emotions are part of our physiology.

6. Bingo Emotions. It is typically a classic "bingo game played with emotions.
7. Feeling Faces. These are photos of real people and data about how survey
respondents evaluated each picture.
8. Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment. It provides feedback
about The way one uses EQ and how to improve in this area.
(http://www.6seconds.org/2018/02/27/emotional-inteligence-tips-
awareness/)
9. The Zoo: Animal Workshop. It is an activity that intends to imitate an
animal behavior and gesture that ends with reflections and group sharing.
10. Face Workshop. It is an activity, in which partners face each other while
showing different facial expressions and qualities that ends with reflections.
 11. The Machine Transformer. Participants in groups have to transform into
an assigned machine or vehicle, of 'which each member shall comprise
different parts, deemed essentials and equally important that usually ends
up with interactions and reflections.
12. Tower Building. Groups will be tasked to build a tower using pop sticks and
straws. The goal is to make the tallest and strongest tower of all. This will
end up with interactions, sharing, open forums and patching of emotional
barriers.
13. Build Me a House. The participants in groups will be tasked to build a house
using any available material around them. The goal is to make the strongest
house. Then, the facilitator will suddenly destroy the house made by the
group and observe the members' emotions and reactions and let them
express their feelings and thoughts. At the end, each one will draw
realizations, lessons and values for reflection.
14. Internalization Activity. This is an activity that helps participants to reflect
on the narrations of the facilitator with a background music in a dim and
candle lighted room. Everyone can express his/her emotions and feelings
of resentment, remorse, agony, disappointment, and sadness.
15. Mirroring and Unmasking Activity. Each participant shall prepare a piece
of paper and put it at his/her back. In a circular formation, everyone has to
write that person's negative attitude on that paper. Everyone will be given
time to see those feedbacks and reflect on them while they are also given a
chance to express themselves. These negative feedbacks will be called
masks to be torn-off and burned at the end of the activity and they will be
led to a prayer for self-renewal and rejuvenation.

Ten Characteristics of an Emotionally Intelligent Person

(Connors, 2018)

The following are indicators and manifestations of an emotionally intelligent

person that have to be considered and demonstrated in schools.

16. Empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another

person is experiencing from within their frame of reference.
Greater Good Science Center in UC Berkeley laid down two different types
of empathy, namely: (a) Affective empathy – refers to the sensations and
feelings that one gets in response to others’ emotions including mirroring
what that person is feeling, or just feeling stressed when he/she detects
another's fear or anxiety; (b) Cognitive empathy (sometimes called
"perspective-taking) - refers to one's ability to identify and understand other
people's emotions.
17. Self-awareness. It is the art of understanding one's self, recognizing the
stimuli that he/she faces and preparing how to manage him/herself, both in
a proactive and reactive manner.
18. Curiosity. It is one's willingness to learn and improve. When one is curious,
he/she is passionate and therefore, he/she is driven to desire to be at his/her
best.
19. Analytical mind. It pertains to being critical thinker that analyzes and
processes all new information that comes his/her way and see if they can
extract ways to improve.
 20. Belief. It is the power of believing in one's self, both at present and the
future. It is a matter of affirming that people and things in one's life happen
for a reason and that everything will ultimately turn out to be good.
21. Needs and wants. It is something to discern between things that one needs
versus things that he/she just wants and establishing needs prior to fulfilling
wants.
22. Passion. It is the natural desire, instinct, drive, ambition and motivated love
for a subject or someone. More so, it brings positive energy that helps
sustain and inspire one to keep going.
23. Optimism. It is about maintaining a positive attitude that may increase one's
opportunities, improve relationships and think clearly and constructively.
24. Adaptability. It is an important recognition and the ability to make or remake
decisions in one's best interest. It is also determining when to continue
his/her course, or when is the time for a change.
25. Desire to help others succeed. It is becoming interested and appreciative
of the success and achievement of others.

People Skills

Like emotional intelligence and social skills, people skills have been widely
used in demonstrating social literacy at home, in school or anywhere that a person
may be.
According to Wikipedia, people skills are patterns of behavior and behavioral
interactions. For Thompson (2009), this is an area of exploration about how a person
behaves and how he/she is perceived irrespective of his/her thinking and feeling.
Honey (2001) defines it as the dynamics between personal ecology (cognitive,
affective, physical and spiritual dimensions) and its function with other people's
personality styles in numerous environments (life events, institutions, challenges,
etc.).

On the other hand, people skills are tools used to communicate and interact
effectively with others. Therefore, individuals with strong people skills are able to
predict behavior, relate to others and socialize easily.
People skills can also be defined in three sets of abilities: (1) personal
effectiveness or about now One comes across with others; (2) interaction ability or
how well one predicts and decodes behavior and (3) intercede easily or ability to lead,
influence and build bridges between people.
Moreover, people skills are the ability to accept, appreciate and admire others
on a personal or professional level. Good people skills extend to the ability to listen
and empathize with others, as well as work toward common goals with them.
Therefore, these are sets of skills that enable a person to get along with others,
communicate ideas effectively, resolve conflicts and achieve personal or professional
goals.
In general, Portland Business Journal describes people skills as (Rifkin, 2009):
1. Ability to effectively communicate, understand and empathize
1. Ability to interact productive with others respectfully and develop working
relationship to minimize conflict and maximize rapport
2. Ability to build sincerity and trust, moderate behaviors (less impulsive) and
enhance agreeableness
 Educational Impact of People Skills. People skills are important for teachers
in effective classroom management. Knowing how to communicate and teach people
instead of simply teaching their subjects will help make a difference in the classroom
(Bolton, 2009). Accordingly, almost 50 percent of classroom success lies on effective
interpersonal relationships, while the other 50 percent lies within academic skills
(Boyle, 2011). This is because teachers tend to interact and relate with students.
Therefore, they need to learn how to practice these people skills effectively in order to
create a healthy and conducive learning atmosphere in the classroom.
In general, people skills are an essential part of work, life and social success.
When one has strong people skills, he/she is able to (1) pitch him/herself, (2) overcome
social anxiety; (3) communicate ideas; and (4) influence others positively.

Strategies in Obtaining Good People Skills

McQuerrey (2019) presents the following strategies in maintaining good people

skills which are essential in a meaningful, joyful and purpose-driven life that teachers
also need to know.

1. Good communication skills. Strong people skills in the communication

area include the ability to take in information, clarify comments and
participate in effective verbal and written exchanges.
2. Conflict resolution skills. Having the ability to mediate disputes and
resolve conflict among others is an important personal and professional
skill. Hence, conflict resolution involves the ability to clarify a specific
dispute, listen to perspectives in a non-judgmental manner and offer
suggestions for action.
3. The value of patience. Patience is an exceptional people skill that is
valuable in every profession. It involves being able to maintain an even
temper, repeat and explain information as necessary and control anger
in even the most trying situations.
4. Tolerance and understanding. Having tolerance understanding for the
differences of others leads to success. Tolerant people have the ability
to accept differences, even when they don't personally agree with them.

In general, there are 5 A’s to improve people skills, namely: (1) acceptance; (2)
appreciation; (3) approval; (4) admiration; and (5) attention.

Ten Essential People Skills to Succeed

The following is the list of soft skills for one's self-refection and examination.

1. Being socially assertive. Social assertiveness is essential for conserving

social energy in the right ways, People with high social assertiveness have
more focused social energy and more clarity in their interactions.
2. Crafting a memorable presence. People with great presence take t easy
in making connections and are extremely good at rapport building. Those
with a strong presence can attract others, are well-remembered and are
likable.
 3. Mastering communication. This is knowing how to present one's self
and, in turn, gets one's message across.
4. Sustaining lasting confidence. People, who can sustain lasting
confidence are able to conquer their shyness, avoid awkwardness and get
through their anxiety or overcome any nervous tendencies.
5. Being an excellent conversationalist. This is essential in communicating
and interacting with others. Excellent conversationalists are people whom
others may be fond of listening to and discussing with. Most interactions
happen in three levels: (1) The First Five Minutes: This is the first
impression and the time to decide if someone is worth getting to know; (2)
The First Five Hours: This is moving past first impressions into rapport
building; and (3) The First Five Days: This is the final and ultimate level of
trust and connection. Thus, a conversation is the key to moving up these
three levels.
6. Being highly likable. Likability is an important facet of trust by through
being authentic or genuine with their true selves.
7. Being exceptional at decoding emotions. People, who are good at
reading people, are exceptionally strong at knowing how others think and
feel.
8. Pitching ideas. Pitching is a very important people skill because it
happens all the time when one is asked for his/her opinion and in
introducing himself/herself.
9. Being charismatic. Charisma is the perfect blend of two essential people
skills traits such as warmth and competence.
10. Being an influential leader. Leader in both personal, social and
professional life are able to gain camaraderie.
(Source://www.scOTIceOpOpro.copeople-skills/)
Direction: Please rate yourself on the following people skill indicators using the
intended scale. Check the column that applies to you.
INDICATORS 4 3 2 1
Very Much Not Not
Much much really
People Skill 1: Being socially assertive
1. I set limitations and boundaries in
interacting with others.
2. I immediately sense and address the
needs of others.
3. I know how to say “No” when needed.
People Skill 2: Crafting a memorable presence

1. I leave positive impression to someone I

encounter with
 2. I establish strong connection with
people whom I meet.
3. I easily build good rapport with others.
People Skill 3: Mastering communication
1. I am good in public speaking.

2. I present topics, lessons and reports

well.
3. I easily discuss big concepts in front of
the crowd.
People Skill 4: Sustaining lasting confidence
1. I am excellent in most social situations.
2. I easily overcome my fear and tension
whenever I face the crowd.
3. I am more excited than anxious when
socializing with others.
People Skill 5: Being an excellent conversationalist
1. I know how and when to engage in
conversations and keep it going.
2. I make small talk big during
conversations
3. I use effective conversation for rapport
building and socializing.
People Skill 6: Being highly likable
1. I am invited to join teams, social
engagement and groups.
2. I am the ideal or that I want to become.
3. I am always asked for my opinion on
issues at hand during conversations.
People Skill 7: being exceptional at decoding emotions
1. I sense and determine people’s attitude
and intentions.
2. I interpret body gestures and facial
expressions.
3. I have the ability to understand things
even without any proof or evidence.
People Skill 8: Pitching ideas
1. I can convince people to considerate or
take my ideas and opinions.
2. I am confident in insisting on my ideas
and opinions during a conversation.
3. I make my ideas popular to the group
during a conversation
People Skill 9: Being charismatic
1. I accommodate people and approach
them, even strangers.
2. I provide my services to others while
addressing their needs.
 3. I am someone who can be easily
depended on.
People Skill 10: Being an influential leader
1. I build excitement in leading people
while performing relevant tasks.
2. I can determine members who can
commit themselves to the team.
3. I make plans and try my best to realize
them with others.
Interpretation: 3.25-4.0 Very High 2.50-3.24 High 1.75-2.49 Low 1.0-
1.74 Very Low
De Leon
Legend: 1 – never 2 – sometimes 3 – often 4 – always

Integrating Socio-Emotional Literacy into the Curriculum

Schools that want to teach socio-emotional learning but confined with
classroom time can take a social, emotional and moral inventory of whet students are
currently learning by involving: (1) a person's emotional life: (2) an ethical dilemma;
(3) a situation calling for compassion; (4) a societal challenge; (5) the ethical use of
knowledge; (6) cross-group interactions; and (7) an implicit prosocial concept.
By integrating social literacy in the curriculum content, teachers do not only give
students opportunities to practice their social-emotional skills, but also show them how
integral these skills are in their daily lives.
Hence, reviewing Curricula through social, emotional and moral lens is like a
habit of mind that the more it is done, the easier it gets. Obviously, the greatest bene
it of teaching lessons like these is that students can begin to examine their education,
their decisions, their interests and their relationships through this lens, while helping
them cultivate a more thoughtful and discerning approach to life.

SUMMARY

SOCIAL LITERACY
 Social literacy is the development of social skills, knowledge and positive
values that engender the desire and ability in human beings to act positively
and responsibly in a wide range of complex social settings. Social skills are
an integral part of functioning in society as they involve good manners,
communicating effectively with others, being considerate others' feelings and
expressing personal needs.
 Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognize, understand and
manage one's emotions, and influence the emotions of others manifested
through different characteristics.
 People skills are patterns of behavior and behavioral interactions and how
they are perceived irrespective of their thinking and feeling. They are tools to
communicate and interact effectively with others.
 Integrating social literacy into the curriculum would contribute to the holistic
development of learners.
ASSESSMENT/ENRICHMENT

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What is social literacy?
2. Explain social skills. Cite the impact of social literacy and suggest strategies
and tools to improve it.
3. When is a person emotionally intelligent?
4. What are ways of enhancing people skills?
5. How can you practice social literacy in delivering a lesson in the classroom?

INTROSPECTING
Direction: Give at least four (4) people skills and write each of these on each
head. On each shoulder, write the signs of a person possessing such
skills.

PEOPLE SKILLS

CURRICULUM
Direction: Design an instructional material that can be used in integrating social
literacy in a related discipline (.e. Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao). Use
the provided format template sample below.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL PLAN

Instructional
Material:
Brief Description:
Purpose:
Topic:
Subject:
Materials:
PROCEDURE
 OUTPUT
(Paste/print picture of instructional material here.)

PREPARED BY:______________________

COURSE/SECTION:___________________

REFERENCES
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/illustration-of-a-target-with-an-arrow-on-a-white-
background-in-flat-style-gm1129198791-298208537

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/two-black-businesswomen-talking-one-
taking-notes-stock-footage/664036502
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/lecturer-blackboard-with-students-line-icon-
lecture-or-training-lesson-symbol-gm1214504716-353383962
https://www.deltaxresearch.com/circleflip-portfolio/toa4s-dga-summary-report/
https://webstockreview.net/image/assessment-clipart-clip-art/2663566.html