We have all heard something like, “I will never be good at this,” “I just don’t get it,” or “I give up,” come from our learners. These statements are all examples of having a fixed mindset. As educators, one of our core responsibilities is to encourage learners to believe they can improve and achieve. This is called having a growth mindset and luckily there are many ways we can instill this social-emotional learning skill in our learners.
Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset
According to Dr. Carol Dweck from Stanford University, a growth mindset is, “The understanding that abilities and understanding can be developed.” In other words, learners with a growth mindset believe that they can become smarter, more intelligent, and more talented through putting in time and effort. The difference between someone with a fixed mindset and someone with a growth mindset is that the former views their abilities as permanent, with little to no room for change in either direction, while the latter views their abilities as changeable and seeks opportunities for improvement.
A learner’s mindset greatly impacts their learning experience at all ages and stages. Learners who hold a fixed mindset are more likely to give up, which can be detrimental to their future efforts and success. Learners who have a growth mindset see that they can improve, which leads to greater skill acquisition and ultimately, success.
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Using Video Modeling to Teach Growth Mindset
Video Modeling is an evidence-based model of teaching that uses video recording to provide a visual model of the targeted behaviors or skills being taught. A meta-analysis of 26 different studies found that video modeling had a 53% improvement rate from baseline to intervention in enhancing social and communication skills, especially for autistic children.
The benefits of Video Modeling include:
- Less stress and anxiety around learning a new skill
- Engages the learner
- Easy to create and implement
- Consistent form of teaching and excellent for repetition
- Faster rates of skill acquisition
- Promotes generalization
Video Modeling can be used to teach a variety of skills such as:
- Social Skills
- Emotional Skills
- Social-Emotional Learning Skills
- Self Care and Hygiene
- Play Skills
- Academic Skills
With the help of Everyday Speech, you can utilize the benefits of Video Modeling to cultivate a positive, growth mindset in your preschool to high school learners!
Our new Social-Emotional Learning videos and lessons introduce the skill and concept of a growth mindset, model what it looks like to actively practice having a growth mindset, and provide opportunities to practice and reflect.
Happy Teaching!
Related Resources:
Self-Esteem and Self-Worth: How to Teach Both
