Background Info

Topic: Non-cognitive skills are more important than cognitive skills throughout child development and during adult years.

            Throughout the last decade or so, there has been more and more talk regarding the importance of non-cognitive skills. Cognitive skills include memory, attention, planning, language and thinking skills; whereas non-cognitive skills include interpersonal, communication, and emotional skills. Our education system stresses the importance of measurable, cognitive skills, yet research has shown that non-cognitive skills are, in fact, more important throughout life.

           According to one study conducted in 2001, years of schooling predicts labor market outcomes—cognitive skills account for only 20%; therefore 80% of the “years of schooling” benefit is due to non-cognitive skills (Bowles, Gintis, & Osborne, 2001). Although our success in education is based on performance tests (cognitive skills), the most important skills we learn are actually non-cognitive skills. GED holders have equal cognitive skills as HS grads, but commit more crimes and have worse labor market outcomes. This is because most of what is learned in school is non-cognitive.

           The fact that our education system uses cognitive skills as a measure of intelligence is problematic. A well-studied, early childhood program in the Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Mich disproves the claims of some scholars that early childhood interventions are not effective. Because test score advantages for children with preschool experiences tend to fade as they go through school, many scholars concluded that preschool programs are irrelevant. However, many of the social skills learned during these years are important for non-cognitive development. Due to the plethora of evidence and studies done on non-cognitive skills, it is evident that these skills are more important than cognitive skills.

Question 1: I know that non-cognitive skills are acquired throughout preschool and elementary school, but how exactly are non-cognitive skills learned during childhood?

Question 2: Is there anything that educators can due to enhance these skills?

Question 3: Is there a certain age where non-cognitive skills must be learned in order for people to be successful/master these skills?