Elementary School Teachers’ Perspectives about Life Skills Integration: A Phenomenology Study

Abstract

Life skills in the elementary classroom are becoming more acknowledged and crucial in preparing students for the 21st century. This study aimed to explore elementary school teachers’ perspectives on the experience of life skills integration in the learning process. A qualitative phenomenological research design was used. 8 public elementary school teachers were selected through purposive sampling. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded verbatim with the permission of the participants, followed by analysis using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2022). It was found that teachers highly value life skills and have a wide range of interactive strategies that they use to incorporate life skills into subject teaching. The study recommends that the implementation of effective life skills integration necessitates the revision of the curriculum, systematic professional development, and supportive school leadership, as well as teacher creativity and commitment at the individual level.