How to Tell the Difference Between Functional and Academic Skills
As your child grows and develops, you'll start to notice that she has different types of skills: functional and academic. Functional skills, according to the Ventura County Office of Education, include life skills and basic abilities that help a student to gain academic skills. The academic ones focus more on knowledge of educational content. For example, the ability to verbally communicate with other people effectively is a functional skill, while knowing how to calculate chemical equations is an academic skill. Understanding the difference between these two types of skill sets provides you with a basis for helping your child to decide on specific classes to take or career possibilities to consider, or choose a college that is consistent with her areas of ability.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pen
Instructions
Observe your child during play and leisure times. Look for the age-appropriate use of life skills or abilities that don't necessarily include actual academic content. For example, your young child organizing his toy cars into groups based on color or type of vehicle demonstrates information management abilities, or your tween having a give-and-take conversation with his pals shows his functional communication skills. Watch your child, noting when he uses these skills. Look for skills that help your child to develop academic abilities and function independently. Notice your child's English language usage or his ability to think mathematically, not necessarily just his mastery of the actual content. Review your child's scholastic ability. Look at how she does her homework and what she can recall from her study sessions. Ask her questions about specific curricular areas that she is currently tackling, such as, "Can you name prominent figures from the Civil War?" or, "What is a cell?" Compare the observations that you make. Write down a list of your child's functional skills -- from your observations -- such as the ability to summarize, ask questions, pay attention to detail, plan ahead, compare or communicate. Write another list, this time of your child's academic skills. List specific pieces of knowledge in content areas that he shows you. Organize the information by making headings for different academic areas, such as science or history. Jot down your notes under each one.