Self-efficacy
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)
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.
Read students the definition of self-efficacy.
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?
