Guidelines for Teachers

1.2 The Pillars of Educating in Key Competencies

Everyone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning that develops key competences and basic skills. Key competences and basic skills are needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability, social inclusion and active citizenship. The European Council has adopted an updated Council Recommendation on Key Competences for

Lifelong Learning. The approach of the Recommendation is to promote the development of key competences and basic skills by:

• Providing high-quality education, training and lifelong learning for all
• Supporting educational staff in implementing competence-based teaching and learning approaches
• Promoting a variety of learning approaches and contexts from the perspective of lifelong learning
• Exploring approaches to assessment and the validation of key competences

The Commission supports Member States to strengthen basic skills and key competences for all citizens by facilitating mutual learning and the exchange of best practices.

Within this framework, the word “competence” means knowledge, ability and attitude: you are “competent” if you are able to act well in a certain situation. To be competent means also to put into practice knowledge and notions in a given context and situation. Among 8 Key Competences that the European Union has identified, KeyCode focuses on Social and civic competences which refers to personal, interpersonal and intercultural competence and all forms of behaviour that equip individuals to participate in an effective and constructive way in social and working life. Such competences are crucial to both personal and social well-being. They entail an understanding of the codes of conduct and customs in the different environments in which individuals operate. Social and Civic Competence, and particularly the knowledge and understanding of social and political concepts and structures, such as democracy, justice, rule of law, equality, citizenship, civil and political rights, equip individuals to engage in active and democratic participation. Social and Civic Competence is thus based upon the shared awareness of European common values.