The Japanese Association of School Health

Development Paper

ISSN ONLINE : 1880-2400

[School Health Vol.9, 45-58, 2013]

Effective Teaching-Learning Process for Training Assertive Communication Skills

Kohei Yamada*, Naoshi Maeuezato** and Kazuyoshi Ohtsu***

  • *Department of School Health Sciences, Aichi University of Education
  • 1 Hirosawa, Igaya-cho, Kariya, Aichi 448-8542 Japan
  • koyamada@auecc.aichi-edu.ac.jp
  • **Department of Health Education, Hokkaido University of Education
  • 5-3-1 Ainosato, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 002-8501 Japan
  • ***Department of Sports Promotion, Nihon Wellness Sports University
  • 1377 Ooazanunokawa, Tone, Ibaraki 300-1622 Japan

[Received June 22, 2010 ; Accepted January 26, 2012]

Keywords:
teaching-learning process, assertive communication skills, cognitive domain (development), affective domain (formation)

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Abstracts

The purpose of this study was to investigate teaching-learning processes for training life
skills. A life skills training program with a focus on assertive communication skills was
conducted at elementary schools in Chiba prefecture and Tokyo on 278 fifth-grade students.
The basic training for life skills development includes the following five stages;
1) Instruction: Learning the meaning of assertive communication skills (cognitive domain),
2) Modeling: Observing the model,
3) Practice: Participating in role-play,
4) Feedback: Receiving positive feedback and comments on their role-play from other
students,
5) Reinforcement: Writing a statement declaring the intention to use assertive communication
in everyday life.
Cognitive domain (how to develop assertive communication skills) was used in the instruction
stages, and self-efficacy formation (affective domain) was used in the modeling, practice, and
feedback stages.
Students were placed into one of four training programs: a cognitive and self-efficacy
formation training program (80 students), a cognitive domain training program (55 students),
a self-efficacy formation training program (56 students), and a program for basic development
of life skills (87 students). An assertiveness scale, self-efficacy scale and self-esteem scale for
children were used for evaluation before the class, right after the class, a week after the class
and a month later. Formative assessment was used in class.
The main results were as follows:
1) The group which adopted cognitive domain development attained skills more effectively
immediately after the class. The group that adopted affective formation (self-efficacy
formation) was able to attain the skills more effectively after one week, and also one month
after the class.
2) It was effective to incorporate cognitive development and self-efficacy formation into the
teaching-learning process when trying to develop assertive communication skills.
It can be concluded from this study that, in addition to the five basic processes of life skill
development, it is effective to incorporate a ‘how to develop’ assertive communication skills
program as well as self-efficacy formation into the teaching-learning process for assertive
communication training.

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