DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODEL FOR ENHANCING SOCIAL SKILLS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aimed: (1) to examine the definition and components of social skills among primary school students; (2) to develop an experiential learning model to enhance these skills; and (3) to evaluate its effectiveness. Ninety-two fourth-grade students from a public primary school in Wuhan, China, were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 46) and control (n = 46) groups. The study used a revised SSIS-RS (Student Form) and a 12-lesson experiential model based on Kolb’s theory. Each 45-minute lesson was delivered in regular classrooms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as GLM repeated measures ANOVA. Results showed that: (1) social skills comprised five components—cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control; (2) the model followed three phases: lead-in, learning activity process, and conclusion; and (3) it significantly improved students’ skills. Specifically, (3.1) post- and follow-up scores rose above pre-test scores (p < .05), and (3.2) the experimental group outperformed the control group (p < .05).

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