Self-efficacy is using success in an area of your life as a personal reference point for ability, leading to a sense of personal achievement and belief in yourself. This lesson explores the concept of ‘self-efficacy’ and developing ‘self-belief’. These skills are important for students using a positive outlook to achieve goals and develop resilience.

Year level

7-10

Duration

60 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Self-awareness

Social awareness

Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Learning intention

Students learn that having success in something, and then using that as a personal reference point for ability, leads to further success, achievement and a belief in themselves.

Key outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will understand that:

  • having a belief in their abilities will help to improve their resilience

  • recording and reflecting on past experiences, and how they made them feel, will equip them with the skills needed during tough times and when striving for greater achievements.

Materials needed

  • Paper

  • Pens

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education

  • Evaluate emotional responses in different situations to refine strategies for managing emotions (AC9HP10P06)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-awareness

    • Self-management

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)

  • Demonstrates self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD4-9)

  • Assesses their own and others’ capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges (PD5-1)

  • Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses to health and wellbeing (VCHPEP147)

  • Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (VCHPEP123)

  • Evaluate strategies to manage personal, physical and social changes that occur as they grow older (VCHPEP124)

Show details

Activity 1

Class discussion: What is self-efficacy?

20 minutes

Self-efficacy is having success in something, then using that as a personal reference point for ability, and working on that to bring further success, achievement and a belief in yourself. For example, a student isn’t particularly gifted in a certain subject but believes in her own ability to learn it well.

Self-efficacy fosters determination and perseverance to overcome obstacles that would interfere with achieving goals. It’s a reflection of an individual’s confidence in their ability to exert control over their own motivation, behaviour and social environment.

  1. Read students the definition of self-efficacy.

  2. Ask them to identify a time when they were successful at something and to think about how this affected them.

Activity 2

Three things

20 minutes

Students answer the following questions:

  • What three things have you done in the past week that you did well?

  • How did these make you feel?

  • List three things you have completed in the past few months that other people have noticed.

  • How did these make you feel?

Activity 3

Class discussion

20 minutes

  • Why is it important to identify events in our lives when we have managed to achieve success?

  • Why is it important to acknowledge others when they achieve success?

  • Can students identify self-efficacy in their own behaviours?

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