What are some ways that schools can prevent learned helplessness and foster a mastery-oriented approach to learning?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: The following techniques can be used to prevent learned helplessness and foster a mastery-oriented approach to learning:
• Provision of tasks. Select tasks that are meaningful, responsive to a diversity of student interests, and appropriately matched to current competence so that the child is challenged but not overwhelmed.
• Parent and teacher encouragement. Communicate warmth, confidence in the child's abilities, the value of achievement, and the importance of effort in success. Resist the urge to praise children's personal qualities; focus instead on their competent behavior, sustained effort, and successful strategies. Model high effort in overcoming failure. Teachers should communicate often with parents, suggesting ways to foster children's effort and progress. Parents should be encouraged to monitor schoolwork; provide scaffolded assistance that promotes knowledge of effective strategies and self-regulation.
• Performance evaluations. Make evaluations private; avoid publicizing success or failure through wall posters, stars, privileges to "smart" children, and prizes for "best" performance. Emphasize individual progress and self-improvement. Provide accurate, constructive feedback to children about their performance.
• School environment. Offer small classes, which permit teachers to provide individualized support for mastery. Provide for cooperative learning, in which children assist one another; avoid ability grouping, which makes evaluations of children's progress public. Accommodate individual and cultural differences in styles of learning. Create an atmosphere that sends a clear message that all pupils can learn.