Module 1

Personal Development

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Learner’s Handbook
Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Module 1: Personal Development

Personal Development Objectives

By the end of the module learners will:

 Identify their values, skills and personal strengths and weaknesses

 Develop long term and short term personal goals
 Make a plan to reach their goals, including steps to take
 Know how to review progress
 Identify how they like to learn & strategies they can use to learn new skills

Module Overview
Activity Time

 Session 1: Values and Skills 3 hrs 10 min

1: Introductory Activity (including Self-Assessment) 30 min
2: Values, Beliefs & Qualities 1 hr
3: We Are All Unique 30 min
4: Skills and Qualities Assessment 1 hr 10 minutes
 Session 2: Setting Goals and Making Plans 2 hrs 15 min
1: Introduction & Process for Setting and Achieving Goals 1 hr 55 min
2: Sessions 1 & 2 Review – Values, Skills, Goals & Planning 20 min
 Session 3: Learning New Skills 3 hrs 45 min
1: Introductory Activity 30 min
2: Learning Style Assessment 1 hr 15 min
3: Learning Strategies 1 hr
4: Session 3 Review – Learning New Skills 1 hr
Total Module Time: 9 hrs 10 min

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Written Assignments:
This is a checklist of all the written documents for learners to accomplish. The
facilitator will put a tick mark on the submitted outputs and follow-up those without
a tick mark.

 Worksheet 1.1: Examples of Values, Beliefs and Desirable Qualities

 Worksheet 1.2: Skills and Qualities Assessment
 Session 1 Writing Space: Strengths and Areas for Improvement
 Session 2 Writing Space: Tree Drawing
 Session 2 Writing Space: List of 5 Priority Goals
 Worksheet 1.3 Setting and Achieving Goals: Steps to Achieving My Goals
 Worksheet 1.4: How Do You Learn Best?

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 1: Values and Skills

 Key Topics 
 Values, beliefs and qualities
 Skills and qualities assessment

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 Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Self-Assessment: Module 1 Personal Development

There is no right or wrong way to answer this survey. It is for your own use during this course. The facilitator will read a skill that is listed in the
left column. Think about yourself: do you think you can do this? How well? Rate yourself from a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being the lowest and 5
being the highest. You will have to complete these modules at the beginning and end of each module.

Name of Learner__________________________________ Date of Assessment__________________ Pre-module □ Post-module □

My Experience (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

I don’t have any I know a little I have enough I have a lot of I have a lot of
Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes knowledge about about this knowledge about knowledge about knowledge about
this this to do this how to do this this and can
correctly correctly and practice it
sometimes consistently correctly and
consistently
I identify my own strengths, interests and
challenges
I set a goal for myself
I make a plan to reach a goal
I follow the steps of a plan
I pay attention to progress on following the plan
and achieving the goal
I understand my preferred way of learning new
skills and ideas
I identify and use strategies to help me learn
better

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Worksheet 1.1: Examples of Values, Beliefs & Desirable Qualities

For each column, choose the top 5 values and mark them with a check mark
VALUES ME FAMILY/FRIENDS EMPLOYER
Acceptance
Ambitiousness
Attentiveness
Caring
Cautiousness
Commitment
Communication
Compassion
Confidence
Creativity
Determination
Devotion
Discipline
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Ethics
Fairness
Focus
Friendliness
Goals-oriented
Honesty
Inspiration
Intelligence
Involvement
Loyalty
Optimism
Persistence
Respect
Responsible
Self-reliance
Tolerance
Trustworthy

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Worksheet 1.2: Skills and Qualities Assessment

Rate yourself and put a check mark in the appropriate box.
Needs a lot
Excellent Good Not so bad
of work
Acceptance
Ambitiousness
Attentiveness
Caring
Cautiousness
Commitment
Communication
Compassion
Confidence
Creativity
Determination
Devotion
Discipline
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Ethics
Fairness
Focus
Friendliness
Goals-oriented
Honesty
Inspiration
Intelligence
Involvement
Loyalty
Optimism
Persistence
Respect
Responsible
Self-reliance
Tolerance
Trustworthy

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 1 Writing Space:

Strengths and areas for improvement

Draw a line down the center, creating 2 columns. Write Strengths on the left
side and Areas for Improvement on the right side. Look at the 10 items you
circled in  Worksheet 1.2: Skills and Qualities Assessment. If you rated
yourself as great or good for a skill or quality, write it on the left side under
Strengths and if it is fair or needs improvement, put it under the Areas for
Improvement column.

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 2: Setting Goals & Making

Plans

 Key Topics 
 Setting long and short term goals
 Identify steps, time frame and resources needed to achieve goals (plan)

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Handout 1.1: Goal Setting Tips

SETTING GOALS
What is your vision of success? The image is different for each of us. For one person it is
working in an office setting, for another it is opening a business.

Goals should be: Example that cannot be Example that can be reached
reached
Specific I will become rich I will earn PhP 5,000 per month

Measurable I will attend training I will attend training two times per
week
Achievable I will become a manager in a I will obtain an entry level position
telecom by next year at an IT company by January
Realistic I will become a team member of I will play basketball with the local
the national basketball team youth basketball team
Time Framed I will find an IT job I will find a programming job
within 6 months of graduation

STEPS TO SETTING & ACHIEVING GOALS

Setting goals is more than deciding what you want to do. It involves figuring out what you
need to do to get where you want to go, and how long it will take you to get there.

The first step to success is knowing where you want to go. The second step is having a plan
to get there. Your goals are your road map. Follow them and you will be well on your way.

Remember: take small steps, one step at the time, while keeping the big picture in your
mind.

1. Where do I want to be in the next 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years?

Example: By the end of the year, I want to get a full time job, an internship, start a small
business, get more education, etc.

2. What must I know to get there?

Example: English is essential for IT jobs. In order to improve my English skills I will need to
have a better foundation in vocabulary and get better at the use of the different tenses. I
need to improve my listening and speaking skills.

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

3. What steps must I take in order to know and be able to do these things?
Example: To improve my English skills, I will need to identify someone who can spend
time with me each week and speak English together. I need to take the time to make sure
I spend extra time preparing for class.

4. What abilities and experience do I already have that are going to help me take these
steps?
Example: My English is okay, and I know people who are perfectly fluent because they
lived abroad and would be willing to help me.

5. What obstacles might be in my way and how can I deal with them?
Example: I may get shy and want to switch languages – I will need to be sure to stick to
English and practice every day.

6. What should I do first, second, and so on?

Example: I need to ask people who would be able to commit time to help me. We will
need to arrange a regular time and place to meet. I will ask if they would like to go to the
mall or a park. We will practice conversation and they can help me with my assignments.

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Worksheet 1.3: Steps to Achieving My Goals

Example
Today’s date: June 2, 2014
Long Term Goal: I want to graduate from university next March and start a job
within 3 months.
Short Term Goal 1: I will study for 2-3 hours every day.
Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1. Once the school year starts, I will identify 9 June 2014 Classmates
friends in each of my classes I can study with.

2. Inform my parents that I will meet with a study 12 June 2014 None
group so they know where I am and can provide
support and encouragement

3. Identify a place to meet to study 14 June 2014 Library, café

4. Decide how often we will study together 15 June 2014 None

Short Term Goal 2: I will find a student-in-training (SIT) opportunity

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1. Student in training (SIT) programs available July 2014 Information from school
through my school
2. Find out from others about SIT programs at July 2014 Students who have done SIT,
companies companies
3. Start SIT Oct. 2014

Short Term Goal 3: I research potential employers

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1. List potential employers – both large and small Oct. 2015 To be determined

2. Start reviewing job advertisements Nov. 2015 Job websites, newspapers

Short Term Goal 4: I will apply for jobs

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1. Prepare my resume/CV Nov. 2015 Computer, information for CV

2. Identify positions Dec. 2015 Job advertisements
3. Prepare cover letters Dec. 2015 Job advertisements
4. Apply to at least 10 jobs before graduation Dec. 2015

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Steps to Achieving My Goals/My Plan

Today’s date:

Long Term Goal:

Short Term Goal 1:

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1.

2.

3.

Short Term Goal 2:

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1.

2.

3.

Short Term Goal 3:

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1.

2.

3.

Short Term Goal 4:

Steps: By When: Resources Needed:

1.

2.

3.

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 2 Writing Space:

Tree drawing
Draw a tree that includes the roots, trunk, major branches, smaller branches,
leaves, flowers and fruits, and thorns. Explain that the growth of a tree is like
the growth and development of a person.

The parts of the tree represent the following:

Roots: their values and skills

Trunk: areas in their lives that give them strength – friends, family, church,
mosque, temple, youth organization, place of employment
Branches: their main interests and goals (what they want to do or accomplish)
Thorns: obstacles they might meet along the way
Leaves: resources that will be needed to reach goals – people, information
Flowers and fruits: future achievements

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 2 Writing Space:

List of 5 priority goals

Write down 5 goals in order from the most important or needed to the least.
Which goals are most important to you? Which are more relevant to your
current situation? Which are more achievable?

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Session 3: Learning New Skills

 Key Topics 
 Learning Style Assessment
 Learning Strategies
 Goal Setting and Action Plans for Learning

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Worksheet 1.4: How Do You Learn Best?

Put check marks next to the items that apply to you.

Listening
 I like to listen to people talk about things.
 I usually remember what I hear.
 I would rather watch a movie than read a book.
 I learned more in school by listening to the teacher's explanation rather than by reading
the textbook.
 I would rather listen to the news on the radio than read the newspaper.
 I would rather someone tell me about upcoming meetings at work than have to read
about them in memos.

Total number of check marks: ________

Observing/ Seeing
 I get pictures in my head when I read.
 I remember faces better than I remember names.
 When I have to concentrate on spelling a word, I see that word in my mind.
 When I take a test, I can see in my mind what the notes I took in class look like and that
helps me get the answer.
 I remember what pages in a book look like.
 I remember events in the past by seeing them in my mind.

Total number of check marks: ________

Doing
 When I'm thinking through a problem, I pace around or move around a lot.
 It's hard for me to sit still and study.
 I would rather learn by doing something with my hands than read about that same thing
in a book.
 I like to make models of things.
 When I see something new and interesting I usually want to touch it in order to find out
more about it.
 I would rather go out dancing than stay home and read a book.

Total number of check marks: ________

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Writing
 I write down things that I need to remember.
 I make fewer mistakes when I write than when I speak.
 I like it when someone who is explaining something to me uses a blackboard or a piece
of paper to write down the main points, so that I can copy what s/he writes.
 I keep my schedule by writing down the things I need to do. I would be lost without my
daily planner.
 After I take notes, I rewrite my notes in order to better understand something.
 When I read I often take notes in order to better understand the ideas I've read.

Total number of check marks: ________

Reading
 I would rather read a report myself than be told what is in it.
 I like to read in my free time.
 I usually remember information that I read better than information that I hear.
 I would rather read the newspaper than watch the news on TV.
 I can learn how to put something together by reading the instructions.
 I like it when teachers write on the board, so that I can read what they write.

Total number of check marks: ________

Speaking
 When I have a problem to figure out I often talk to myself.
 People have wondered why I talk to myself.
 I remember things better when I say them out loud. For example, if I have to learn a new
phone number I repeat it again and again to myself.
 I communicate better by speaking than by writing.
 I enjoy talking on the phone.
 I learn best when I study with other people, and we discuss new ideas or concepts.

Total number of check marks: ________

Your Learning Style

The areas where you have three or more check marks indicate your preferred learning style.
For example, you may learn best when you are able to write down what you hear. Or, you
may need to talk more about new information to really get it. Or, you might be one of those
people who can put together a model plane without having to look at the instructions.

Source: http://literacynet.org/icans/chapter03/learnbest.html

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

 Handout 1.2: Learning My Way

Tips on how to improve your learning:

If you learn best by listening...

 Read aloud information you need to do a job or to study.

 Ask people to explain things to you that you don't understand.
 Study with other people.
 Call people on the phone instead of writing to them.
 Choose a job where listening plays an important role.

If you learn best by viewing...

 Watch other people do the things that you are going to need to know how to do.
You will be able to visualize their actions later on.
 As you read something imagine what it would look like if it were happening in real
life, or on TV.
 Take note of the shape and color of the things that you will want to remember.
 Visualize telephone numbers and words in your mind.
 Use charts, graphs, and pictures.

If you learn best by doing...

 If given a choice, show others that you know how to do something by showing them
how you do it.
 Go on visits to places to see how things are actually done.
 When you have to learn how to do something new, watch someone who is actually
doing it and ask them to coach you while you do it.
 Choose a job that lets you work with your hands and move around.

If you learn best by writing...

 When you read, underline and take notes as you read along.
 Take notes when listening to instructions.
 Write down the things that you need to do. Make lists. Keep a written schedule.
 Get a job that involves writing.

If you learn best by reading...

 Take good notes and then read them later on.

 Read instructions instead of having someone tell you or show you how to do
something.
 Have people write down directions for you to read.
 Get information through the written word.
 Choose a job that requires reading.

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

If you learn best by speaking...

 Ask questions when you don't understand something or need clarification.

 Study with other people so that you can talk to them about the new information.
 Repeat things right after you hear them in order to better remember them.
 Choose a job that requires a lot of talking.

Many people aren't aware that learning preferences exist. Others are usually not aware of
what your particular learning preference is. Let them know. Feel free to share with them
what you know about your own learning style.

Doing: "I wonder if you could show me how this works?"

Listening: "Could you explain to me how this works?"

Reading: "Would you mind giving me written instructions of how this works?"

Viewing: "Would you mind giving me a diagram of how this works?"

Speaking: "Let's talk through this together."

Writing: "Let me write down what you are saying about how this works."

Other Considerations: It is also important to strengthen your weak learning styles. Select a
style that is weak and share ideas with classmates for improving that learning style.

Source: http://literacynet.org/icans/chapter03/myway.html

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Module 1: Personal Development Learner’s Handbook

Self-Assessment: Module 1 Personal Development

There is no right or wrong way to answer this survey. It is for your own use during this course. The facilitator will read a skill that is listed in the left
column. Think about yourself: do you think you can do this? How well? Rate yourself from a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the
highest. You will have to complete these modules at the beginning and end of each module.

Name of Learner__________________________________ Date of Assessment__________________ Pre-module □ Post-module □

My Experience (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

I don’t have any I know a little I have enough I have a lot of I have a lot of
Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes knowledge about about this knowledge about knowledge about knowledge about
this this to do this how to do this this and can
correctly correctly and practice it
sometimes consistently correctly and
consistently
I identify my own strengths, interests and
challenges
I set a goal for myself
I make a plan to reach a goal
I follow the steps of a plan
I pay attention to progress on following the plan
and achieving the goal
I understand my preferred way of learning new
skills and ideas
I identify and use strategies to help me learn
better

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