Exploring the four Cs: Using future skills to unlock young learners’ potential

Annie Altamirano
Students sat together in a classroom working together
所要時間: 5 minutes

What do we mean by future skills? 

The skills students will need in their future studies and careers are dramatically different from those required previously. Times are changing rapidly and educational institutions and teachers have a critical role to play in developing those skills in our young learners so that they are able to fulfill their potential and have bright futures ahead of them. 

These skills are referred to as future skills. There is no common consensus on how to define these skills but, broadly speaking, they can be grouped into four categories: 

1. Ways of thinking

Skills in this category include critical thinking, creativity, innovation, problem solving, metacognition and learning skills.

2. Ways of working

Here, we’re talking about the skills of communication and collaboration.

3. Tools for working

Information literacy is an important 21st-century skill, as well as ICT literacy and citizenship, both global and local. 

4. Life skills

The final category covers life and career skills, and is all about personal and social responsibility. 

One way you can encourage young learners to build these skills is through STEAM subjects (that’s science, technology, engineering, arts and math), which will equip them with functional skills such as organizing, planning, cognitive flexibility and self-regulation. 

The four Cs 

The four Cs refer to four important skills for young learners to master: communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. These are essential, not just in an educational context, but in everyday life. 

Falling into the first two categories of future skills (ways of thinking and ways of working), these can help children build confidence and self-esteem. They also encourage healthy emotional development.  

So let’s take a closer look at the theory behind them.

1. Communication

We usually think of communication as speaking and listening, but it’s actually much broader than that. Communication encapsulates telling stories, reading, sharing ideas and experiences, body language, facial expression, eye contact and tone. Children learn to decipher the world around them by learning and practicing these skills.

Strong communication skills, developed early, are directly related to their literacy success. These skills allow children to articulate their thoughts and ideas effectively, and listen to decode meaning. Students then begin to use communication for a range of purposes, and communicate effectively in diverse environments. Furthermore, developing strong patterns of verbal and non-verbal communication also fosters self-esteem and social skills. 

2. Collaboration

Collaboration is how young children begin to build friendships with others. At first, young children will watch what others do and say, before moving on to playing together. As they get older, they become aware of other children’s feelings and ideas. Friendships become motivating and they learn how to make compromises and respect each other’s perspectives and skills. 

Collaboration is enhanced through group work and project-based activities, sharing time with peers. Children thrive when they feel valued by the people around them, not just adults but their peers too. 

3. Creativity

Creativity is a complex concept. Many people think that creativity is being good at painting or drawing, but actually, creativity can manifest itself in a multitude of ways. Some of the key attributes of creative thinking include divergent thinking, imagination, flexibility, and the ability to tolerate ambiguity. 

Children who can express themselves creatively show less frustration and develop a joy of learning. And this expression can take many forms: writing, drama, scientific exploration, and dance and other movement – to name just a few.

Part of creativity is learning to innovate. Innovation is how children test their thinking and how they interact with their world. Creative children are able to create content from their own ideas or other resources. They can use that newly created content to solve problems and participate in creative activities. 

4. Critical thinking

Critical thinking refers to the higher levels of thinking that learners need to enable them to think rationally and effectively about their needs, the best way to do things, identifying links between ideas, analyzing points of view, evaluating arguments, and supporting evidence and reasoning. It’s about thinking in a non-linear, open-ended way, allowing for multiple responses and unspecified answers, and considering issues from various perspectives, challenging assumptions and exploring possible alternatives. 

Critical thinking is not a natural function like sleeping or eating. Children benefit significantly from teaching methods that take the development of their thinking skills seriously. And when children start applying critical thinking skills, they’ll begin to enjoy more challenging tasks. 

Five steps to the four Cs

So how can teachers plan their lessons to develop these four skills in their young learners? There are five steps that provide a framework that challenges and stimulates students: 

1. Determine learning objectives and define behaviors that learners should exhibit

Think about the purpose of your lesson. What new concept or information do you want your students to absorb? And what learning behaviors do you want to elicit from them? Clarifying these aims before your lesson will help you to measure its success afterwards. 

2. Model a new concept and encourage students to think critically and creatively through questioning

It’s important for the teacher to plan significant questions and give students time to respond. Follow up on those responses by asking probing questions and periodically summarizing key points of the discussion. There are various types of questions you can use in class: 

  • Clarification questions, for example, What do you mean? Can you explain that more? Could you put that in another way? 
  • Assumption questions, for example, Why do you think so? Would you make this assumption? 
  • Evidence questions, for example, Can you give me an example? Do you think this is true? 
  • Origin or source questions, for example, Where did you get that idea? Is this your own idea or did you hear it from someone else? 
  • Consequence questions, for example, What effect would that have? What would the implications be? What alternatives could there be? 
  • Viewpoint questions, for example, How are these ideas different? How would different groups of people respond? 

It’s important to include as many students as possible in the discussion. In this way, they are more likely to communicate with each other and discover knowledge on their own. 

3. Choose activities that promote active learning 

One activity that typically receives a positive response is the KWL approach. Create a table with three columns:

  • K = what students know 
  • W = what they want to know 
  • L = what they have learned

Once the class has completed the first two columns, you can put the table aside until the end of the lesson or the topic. Then complete the final column as a way of reviewing everything that has been covered in the lesson. 

Also, try think-pair-share activities. Assign students short tasks to complete individually. Just make sure that they prompt learners to come up with creative responses. Once students have had an opportunity to think critically and creatively about the concept, they can share their ideas with a partner before sharing with the whole class. 

4. Prompt communication and collaboration, and give students an opportunity to review and refine their ideas 

Moving into larger groups, learners can share their work, accept different perspectives and defend their own point of view. Presenting to one another and answering questions will prompt them to review and refine their ideas before the final step in the process.

5. Learners present their work, getting feedback and creating an opportunity for self-assessment 

Depending on the type of work you’re doing, presenting could be as simple as sharing answers to questions or giving a project presentation with a group spokesperson. Encourage the other members of the class to ask questions and provide feedback, as well as giving your own feedback. Then, encourage learners to reflect on their participation in the lesson.

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    Halloween is a great time to watch scary movies, tell ghost stories and learn new English expressions. But did you know that many English phrases are connected to fear, ghosts and the supernatural?

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  • A child on a laptop talking to a teacher having a online lesson
    オンライン英会話は子どもにどんな効果がある？メリット・デメリットと、成長を客観的に測る方法を解説
    投稿者 Pearson Languages
    所要時間: 6 minutes

    お子さまに英語で自信を持ってコミュニケーションできるようになってほしいと考え、オンライン英会話を検討する保護者の方は少なくありません。一方で、「オンライン英会話と通学型の英会話スクール・英語塾のどちらがよいのか」「本当に英語力が伸びているのか分からない」という迷いは、多くの保護者に共通する悩みです。

    オンライン英会話の効果やメリット・デメリットを理解するとともに、英語力の伸びを客観的に確認する方法を知ることで、お子さまに合った学習環境を選びやすくなります。

     

    オンライン英会話は子どもの学習に効果がある？

    オンライン英会話は、継続的に学習できれば英語力の向上に効果が期待できます。

    その上で、「楽しそうにレッスンを受けているけれど、本当に上達しているのか分からない」と感じる保護者も少なくありません。そのため、客観的に成長を確認できる仕組みがあるかどうかが重要です。

     

    子ども向けオンライン英会話のメリット・デメリット

    まずは、オンライン英会話ならではの特徴を簡単に整理しておきましょう。

    【メリット】リーズナブル・送迎不要・自分のペースで学べる

    オンライン英会話の月謝は、通学型と比べて低い傾向にあります。また、送迎の負担もなく続けやすいスタイルと言えます。

    レッスン時間も比較的柔軟に選びやすく、生活リズムに合わせて学習計画を組める点も特長のひとつです。さらに自宅という慣れた環境で受講でき、初めて英語を習うお子さまも緊張しにくいメリットもあります。

    【デメリット】集中力の維持や講師とのコミュニケーションが難しい

    一方で、画面上のレッスンは対面に比べて集中力が途切れやすいという声もあります。とくに低学年のお子さまの場合、画面の向こうの講師とのやり取りだけでは、途中で気が散ってしまうケースも少なくありません。

    担当講師が固定されない形式のサービスも多く、その場合は毎回異なる講師とのやり取りになるため、お子さま一人ひとりの性格や学習状況を継続的に把握することが難しいケースもあります。また、特に小学校低学年では、レッスン開始時のサポートや学習習慣づくりに保護者の関与が必要になることもあります。

     

    オンライン型と通学型、それぞれの良さを知って選ぶことが大切

    このように、オンライン型にはメリットもデメリットもあり、「通学型とどちらが優れているか」について明確な答えはありません。大切なのは、お子さまの性格やご家庭の状況に合わせて選ぶことです。

    オンライン型が向いている家庭・子どものタイプ

    送迎の時間が取りにくい共働き家庭や、人見知りでオンラインのほうがリラックスして話せるお子さま、まずは英語に慣れることから始めたいご家庭には、オンライン型が適しています。

    習い事の数が多く、スケジュール調整の負担を減らしたいご家庭にとっても、隙間時間を活用できる点はオンライン型の大きな魅力です。

    通学型が向いている家庭・子どものタイプ

    対面レッスンのほうが集中力を保ちやすいお子さまや、友だちと一緒に学ぶことでモチベーションが高まるタイプ、決まった曜日・時間のレッスンを生活リズムに組み込みたいご家庭には、通学型の環境が向いています。

    また、通学型は講師や仲間と直接顔を合わせることで自然な会話が生まれやすく、コミュニケーション面での成長も期待できます。

    どちらの形式でも共通して重要なのは、目標設定と効果測定

    「オンライン型か通学型か」という形式以上に重要なのが、「何を目標にし、成果をどのように確認しながら学習を進めるか」という点です。この視点が抜け落ちると、せっかくレッスンを継続していても成長を実感しにくくなってしまいます。

    現状、多くのスクール・塾では、講師からのフィードバックやテスト結果をもとに学習成果を確認しています。さらに、お子さまの成長をより分かりやすく把握するためには、継続的かつ客観的な評価指標をあわせて活用することが有効です。

     

    世界標準の英語力指標で成長を確認するメリットとは

    お子さまの成長をしっかりと把握するには、「オンライン型か通学型か」だけでなく、「客観的に成果を測れる仕組みがあるか」という視点で英会話スクール・英語塾を選ぶことをおすすめします。

    世界標準の英語力指標（CEFR／GSE）について

    英語学習の成果を確認する際は、目先のテスト結果だけでなく、長期的な成長を見据えることも大切です。その際に役立つのが、「CEFR（ヨーロッパ言語共通参照枠）」と、それをより細分化した「Global Scale of English（GSE）」です。これらは世界中で活用されている英語力の指標で、お子さまの現在のレベルや成長を客観的に確認できます。

    学習の早い段階から世界共通の基準で成長を把握することで、テスト対策だけでなく、将来の進学や留学も見据えながら英語学習を進めやすくなります。

    聞く・話す・読む・書くを偏りなく評価する必要性

    英語力は、話す力だけで測れるものではありません。聞く・話す・読む・書くの4技能をバランス良く評価することで、お子さまの得意な部分や、今後さらに伸ばしたい部分が見えてきます。4技能を総合的に評価することが、実生活で使える英語力の習得にもつながります。

     

    英語力の成長を客観的に確認する方法

    お子さまの英語力の伸びを把握するために、世界標準の指標に沿ったテストを活用しているスクールもあります。そのひとつが、ピアソンが提供する小学生向け英語アセスメントツール「English Benchmark - Young Learners（EBYL）」です。

    世界標準の一貫したものさしで成長を記録できる

    EBYLは世界標準の指標であるGSEでスコアを算出します。英語学習の早い段階から将来まで、同じものさしで継続的に英語力を測れるのが特長です。成長の過程を一貫した基準で確認できるため、長期的な視点でお子さまの英語学習を見守ることができます。

    「数値」と「できること」の両面から成長を把握できる

    GSEスコアという定量的な数値と、「英語で何ができるか（Can Do）」という具体的な行動レベルで示す定性的な指標の両方から、お子さまの成長を多角的に把握できます。

    4技能評価が、子どもの着実な英語力と自信につながる

    EBYLは、単なる採点ツールにとどまりません。「自分はこれができるようになった」という実感を積み重ねることで、お子さまの英語学習への自信を育みます。客観的な評価に裏付けられた成長実感は、学習意欲の維持にもつながります。

    AI採点により、一貫した基準でスピーキング力を評価できる

    EBYLはAIによる自動採点を採用しており、評価する人によるばらつきを抑えながら、スピーキング力を客観的に評価できます。一貫した基準で測定できるため、お子さまの成長や変化を継続的に確認しやすい点が特長です。

    子どもが緊張せず本来の力を発揮できる

    PCやタブレットを使ったゲーム感覚のテスト設計により、お子さまがプレッシャーを感じることなく、リラックスした状態で本来の力を発揮しやすいよう工夫されています。テストへの心理的なハードルを下げることも、「偏りのない技能評価」には欠かせない要素です。

     

    客観的な評価を導入する英会話スクール・英語塾の選び方

    英会話スクール・英語塾選びの際は、「オンライン型か通学型か」という形式にとらわれず、「EBYLのような客観的な評価の仕組みがあるか」を判断基準のひとつに加えることをおすすめします。

    目標設定・定期評価・保護者への共有の仕組みがあるか

    具体的には、下記の3点を確認しましょう。

    •  学習の目標が明確に設定されているか
    • 「定期的な評価」が仕組みとして組み込まれているか
    • その結果が保護者にわかりやすく共有されるか

    これらはオンライン型と通学型のどちらの形式であっても、成果を実感するために欠かせない要素です。

    体験レッスンや説明会では、評価方法や結果の共有方法について質問してみると、そのスクールの学習サポート体制を理解しやすくなるでしょう。

     

    まとめ｜子どもの英語力の成長を、世界標準で確かめましょう

    オンライン英会話は、リーズナブルさや手軽さという点で優れた選択肢の一つです。ただし、その効果を確かめるには、目標設定と客観的な効果測定の仕組みが欠かせません。

    ピアソンのEBYLは世界標準の指標であるGSEに基づき、4技能をバランス良く評価することでお子さまの成長を着実に可視化する英語力アセスメントツールです。オンライン型・通学型を問わず、EBYLが導入されたスクールであれば、お子さまの英語学習を確かな指標で確認しながらサポートすることができるでしょう。

    大切なお子さまの英語学習だからこそ、世界標準の評価で、着実な成長を確かめてみませんか。英語学習のヒントについて、ピアソンによる「保護者のための英語学習ガイド」もぜひご覧ください。