Basic skills can be understood as those skills that we all need in our day-to-day lives.
From study to personal to professional lives, basic skills play a pivotal role in empowering us to perform different tasks and accomplish a variety of goals in our lives.
So, if you also want to know the essential skills that are crucial for your growth and goal-accomplishments, let us delve into this post straight away to understand what are basic skills and how can you incorporate them to lead a successful life-
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What are the basic skills?
Basic skills are the skills that are acquired after birth. These can also be compared to higher-order thinking skills.
Every human needs some fundamental, primary knowledge and skills of language, math, science, and technology to thrive and sustain in modern society. These skills can be called basic skills.
However, the term has a wide range of implications and these changes with changing fields.
So, we can effectively say that basic skills in a specific field are the minimum rudimentary required skills to endure and flourish.
Basic skills in Children
When a conversation about necessary skills is started, it is crucial to start from the very first stage, which is childhood.
As children, we bear some ‘skills’ necessary to keep the body alive. Can these be termed as ‘skills’ precisely?
According to some studies, elementary crafts like learning to walk and talk in children can also be termed as skill development.
Regular development of Basic Skills – Medical perspective
The development of skills is a continuous process that starts in the uterus and progresses until maturity.
Medical science has set some standards for how and when a baby acquires certain specific skills—comparing these standards with individual babies assessed whether the baby’s skill development is normal or abnormal.
Factors affecting Basic Skill development in babies
Skill development depends on a variety of mutually interactive factors. These are categorized systematically.
- Prenatal factors (factors affecting skill development before birth)
- Genetic factors
- Maternal factors
- Neonatal factors (conditions at birth that affect skill development)
- Postnatal factors (conditions immediately after birth that affect skill development)
- Social factors
Types of Basic Skills Development in babies
Skill development can be roughly grouped into two types
1. Gross motor development
These are the skills that include the activity of large muscles and long bones of the body. These include acquiring basic skills like sitting without support, standing, walking, climbing stairs, etc.
2. Fine motor development
These basic skills require movement and coordination of small muscles, hands, feet, and eyes. They are a bit complex than gross motor skills. These include hand-eye coordination, hand to mouth coordination, advanced hand skills, personal and social understanding, toilet training, etc.
Naturally accepted Basic Skills Developmental milestones in Children
Below given is the normal age at which particular necessary skills are acquired-
- By six months- baby acquires the basic skill to chew
- By eight months- baby crawls.
- By ten months- the baby creeps while keeping its abdomen off the surface.
- By 12-13 months- the child can stand independently.
- By 12 months- evident mature grasp
- By 13-15 months- the child can walk independently.
Basic Skills in 2020
1. Literacy
Literacy is the ability to identify, interpret, and communicate facts, opinions, concepts, and feelings according to the social standards set at that particular time.
A basic level of literacy is essential to participate and thrive in any social construct.
2. Science and mathematics
An elementary level understanding of science and mathematics is essential and can be considered a necessary skill.
Understanding and being able to perform basic mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and the knowledge of basic concepts of science like pressure and energy are required for day-to-day functioning.
3. Digital competence
In the modern world, the general introduction and knowledge of computers, the internet, basic software, and mobiles are undeniably mandatory and can undoubtedly be called a necessary skill.
Let us now understand what kinds of basic skills contemporary employees should possess-
Basic skills essential for Employees
A majority of us work in companies, enterprises, and organizations to earn our bread and butter. Here listed are some necessary skills that every employee should possess-
1. Communication
Basic manners and etiquette, sound knowledge of language and grammar
2. Computer
Knowledge to use the internet, create presentations and spreadsheets, take or conduct computer-based training
3. Customer service
These skills are essential to invite new customers and retain the present ones. These skills include proper verbal communication skills like greeting the customer, understanding their query or requirements, and courteously providing solutions.
4. Empathy
Empathy is a human emotion essential to have effective communication, teamwork, and building a healthy work environment.
5. Learning
With technological, economic, social, and political trends changing form like never before, continually learning and being updated has become a fundamental skill to thrive.
6. Math
As discussed above, basic arithmetic is essential in every job, even if the job is not remotely related to math.
7. Organization
Planning, scheduling, and listing your work are some of the key basic skills required in a job as well as in day-to-day life.
8. Problem-solving
Critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving are the immediate demands of some jobs while they are required in almost every job in some of the other forms.
9. Research
Skills to conduct thorough self-research to carry out projects efficiently is an absolute necessity.
10. Teamwork
No task can be fulfilled successfully alone. Proper communication, organization, and planning ensure a successful team-leader as well as a team member.
Final Thoughts!
While the definition of basic skills in each field might change, the fundamental concept remains that these necessary skills are required to thrive in a given environment.
Incorporating these basic skills is the first step of moving towards the path of success and ensuring sustainable development.
What kind of basic skills do you possess?
Share the basic skills that you see people around you of different life-style possess in the comment section below.
Liked this post? Check out the complete series on Skills
