Nature of personal guidance
The nature of personal guidance can be understood by you, if you keep in mind that personal guidance
does not exclude social life of the individual. The following are some basic nature of personal
guidance.
It is concerned with social and civil activities.
It deals with health and physical activities.
It helps in worthy use of leisure time & character building activities.
So, in personal guidance problems of individual and social health, emotional and social adjustments,
economic and social relationships etc. have an important place.
Need of personal guidance at secondary level and higher secondary level
Personal guidance refers to the help given to an individual towards a better adjustment in the
development of attitudes and behaviours in all areas of life. It assists the child to adjust with physical
and social environment and to solve all the emotional and psychological problems. The personal
guidance is needed for the following reasons: -
i) Required for personal adjustment ™
ii) Essential for developing individual competence avoiding the interpersonal tensions and conflicts.
iii) Setting up a harmonious environment between family life and vocational life of an individual.
iv) Taking decisions with regard to personal problems
v) Bringing happiness, peace and satisfaction in the life of an individual.
12.1.5: Tools for information collection for Guidance:
1. Quantitative tools- Intelligence, Aptitude, Interest, Attitude inventory
and Personality;
2. Qualitative tools-Anecdotal Records, Questionnaire, Socio-Metric
Technique, Check List, Rating Scale, Interview, Case Study, Diary
Introduction:
Guidance is the help given by one person to an individual in making choices and adjustments and in
solving problems. Guidance aims at aiding the helpe/counselee/client to grow in independence and
ability to be responsible for himself. It is a service that is universal - not confined to the school or the
family. It is found in all phases of life - in the home, in education, in marriage, in business and
industry, in government, in social life, in hospitals and in prisons; indeed it is present wherever there
are people who can help.
The techniques which are generally employed by guidance workers for collecting basic data about a
person are either quantitative or qualitative test. Both the categories of techniques are used in getting
primary data. All the techniques are useful. The only consideration which the guidance worker should
keep in mind is that the techniques employed should give reliable and objective information.
1. Quantitative Tools:
Meaning and Definition:
Quantitative tools may be defined as those tools which help in making the decision in a systematic and
powerful means of analysis, based on quantitative data.
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It is a scientific method employed for problem solving and decision making by the management. There
are a variety of techniques that can be used to collect data in a quantitative form. However, all of them
are geared towards numerical collection. This numerical data can be collected by means of following
tools:
1. Intelligence
2. Aptitude
3. Interest
4. Attitude
5. Personality
Through quantitative tools, the data are collected and recorded systematically, and these are then
organised so that they can be entered into any forms database and can be easily measurable.
1. Intelligence Tests- measure general intelligence, the IQ* of the counselee which determines one’s
mental ability. They may be individual or group tests.
- Regarded as a measure of scholastic aptitude as validated against measures of academic achievement.
*Intelligence Quotient- a single global score which indicates the individual’s general intellectual
level.
IQ= MA (Mental Age*) x 100
CA (Chronological Age**)
* The level of mental development ability that a person has attained without regard to chronological
age.
**The age in years and months
2. Aptitudes Tests:
It measure the probable potentiality for development prior to training or schooling as tests in aptitude
covered art, music, science, algebra, manual, and mechanical. Its value is the discovery of an
individual’s ability to succeed in a specific field.
Aptitude is a trait that characterizes an individual's ability to perform in a given area or to acquire the
learning necessary for performance in a given area. It presumes an inherent or native ability that can
he developed to its maximum rough learning or other experiences.
Aptitude tests may potentially be used by counsellors and others because
(1) They may identify potential abilities of which the individuals is not aware;
(2) They may encourage the development of special or potential abilities of a given individual;
(3) They may provide information to assist an individual in making educational and career decisions or
other choices between competing alternatives;
(4) They may serve as an aid in predicting the level of academic or vocational success an individual
might anticipate; and
(5) They may be useful in grouping individuals with similar aptitudes for developmental and other
educational purposes.
3. Interest Inventory Tests:
It reveals the likes/dislikes of a person in appraising his occupational preferences in a certain field of
specialization.
Methods of Measuring Interests
1. Observation
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2. Claims of the Counsellor
3. Use of Instruments
4. Use of Inventories
4. Personality Tests:
The test is a measure the sum total of an individual’s overt behaviour and inner feelings. It is the
totality of what makes an individual different from one another.
5. Attitude Inventory Test: In psychology, an attitude refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and
behaviours toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. Attitudes are often the result of
experience or upbringing, and they can have a powerful influence over behaviour.
Attitude test is a relatively general and enduring evaluation of a person, object, or concept along a
dimension ranging from positive to negative because attitudes have played a central role in learning
process of the individual.
Three components of attitudes:
Every attitude has three components that are represented in what is called the ABC model of attitudes:
A for affective, B for behavioural and C for cognitive. The affective component refers to the emotional
reaction one has toward an attitude object. For example, 'I feel scared when I think about or see a
snake.'
2. Qualitative Tools:
1. Anecdotal Records:
Short descriptions of a significant event/incident of a person’s overt behaviour. This device facilitates
the sharing of observation made by a teacher/counsellor, with the cooperation with the staff members
who collect the records/leave their reports from time to time inside the pupil’s folder.
An anecdotal record contains short descriptive accounts about some events regarding a student. Every
account is a report of a significant episode in the life of a student. It is a simple statement of an
incident deemed by the observer to be significant with respect to a given student.
Provide descriptions of the person’s spontaneous behaviour in various situations. They reveal
problems and offer information that will help the pupil understand himself.
Anecdotal records should possess the following criteria:
Objectivity- means that anecdotal records do not give an account of the personal emotional
reaction of the reporter.
Adequate Background- records give definite information about time, place and person involved
as well as name, age and the specific situations wherein the counselee is observed.
Selectivity- teachers and trained workers can select which of the anecdote are significant in
understanding a counselee’s problem.
Reliability- the report is based exactly on one’s personal observation, not on hearsay.
2. Interview:
1. An interview is a conversation with a purpose. It is a serious conversation directed toward a
definite purpose other than satisfaction in the interview itself. (Bingham and Moore)
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2. A dynamic face-to-face relationship dependent upon the skill of the counsellor and the cooperation
of the counselee.
3. An opportunity for an individual to make clear his confused thoughts and feelings and to bring out
his inner conflicts.
4. The most essential of all techniques in the counselling process.
Advantages of Interview:
It is a widely used technique in guidance because it has certain advantages which are not possessed
by other techniques of guidance.
It is very flexible.
It serves a variety of purposes.
It has a great therapeutic value.
Interview is helpful in diagnosing a problem.
The face-to-face contact gives very useful clues about the client's personality.
Interview is useful to the client also because it enables him to think about the problem and about
his ‘self’.
Interview provides a choice to the client and the counsellor to exchange ideas and attitudes through
conversation.
3. Case Study:
1. It is an intensive investigation employing all types of research, making use of tests, checklists,
interviews, and observation. Its function is to assist in discovering the causes of needs to take
remedial measures.
2. The use of techniques as obtaining facts, diagnosis or treatment is called the case study method
because it utilizes the scientific procedures followed by a physician.
3. It is defined as a collection of all available information - social, physiological, biographical,
environmental, vocational - that promises to help explain a single individual.
4. A case study is a comprehensive collection of information with the help of all available tools and
techniques of data collection.
It is the most important technique and the-best method of studying the whole individual. Its
purpose is to say positively and with confidence that, as far as possible, all sources of information
have been tapped and all kinds of data have been gathered from them.
4. Rating Scale Techniques:
1. A technique whereby the behaviour of the child may be known by means of assigning degrees of
responses with corresponding scales or values.
2. Presence or absence of a particular type of behaviour or trait in a person is rated in terms of
quantity or quality.
Rating scale defined as a selected list of 'words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, following which an
observer records a value or rating based on some objective scale of values. It is a special kind of
checklist in which the items or characteristics checked are rated quantitatively or qualitatively
according to the degree of presence or absence of a trait, the degree or perfection of a skill or the
degree of completion of a task.
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5. The Questionnaire Method:
A questionnaire is a list of questions to be answered by an individual or a group of individuals,
especially to get facts or information. It should be elaborated to match with other techniques.
Questions are designed to get information about conditions and practices about which the
respondent(s) are presumed to have the knowledge.
Two Types of Questions in a Questionnaire Method:
1. Close-ended types- requires the answer in the form 'yes' or 'no' or in a limited number of given
categories.
2. Open-ended types- require the individual to think and write.
EXAMPLE:
1. What kind of friend do you want to have?
2. What types of activities do you like to do most?
6. Socio-Metric:
1. The mapping of interpersonal likes and preferences within a classroom. The theory is that people
can be more productive and movable to influence when they are socially comfortable. It is not
valid unless members of the group have had an opportunity to become acquainted with each other.
Its purpose is to assess the degree of acceptance of an individual by his peers.
2. The purpose of this is to study the nature of social relationship of individual within a group. It
offers an opportunity to identify personality problems, especially in isolates and the rejects. The
technique is a useful source of information for appraisal of social behaviour of students.
12.1.6: Role of a School & Teacher in Guidance
School Counsellors strive to make each student feel that there is someone in the school who knows
and cares about them. Above all else school counsellors are advocates for students. School
Counsellors accomplish this by acting as a resource for all students when their needs extend beyond
the classroom. Our goal is for each student to leave Englewood Cliffs academically, socially, and
emotionally prepared for High School and beyond.
Academic success is essential to the educational process, but it is not the only area students can excel
in. By molding thoughtful, empathetic, and forward thinking students, we provide them with a greater
opportunity for success in all walks of life. Counsellors maintain a close working relationship with the
Teachers, Child Study Team, and Administration to provide a more vivid picture of each students
strengths and areas of improvement.
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School Counsellors achieve these goals by providing a variety of services to the students; these
services include, but are not limited to the following:-
Emotional, social, developmental and behavioural services to students and families.
Academic guidance and support services, including the monitoring of academic performance,
facilitating communication between school and home.
Career awareness, exploration and planning services, including goal setting and decision making
assistance for students.
School crisis and intervention referral services.
Classroom observations
Coordination of state testing programs
Individual Counselling, Small Group Counselling, Social Groups
Classroom Guidance Lessons to promote the character education values of RESPECT,
RESPONSIBILITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS, FAIRNESS, CARING, and CITIZENSHIP.
Participate on academic teams and consult with teachers on a regular basis regarding the needs of
the students.
Teacher/Parent Consultation
Referral Assistance
Counsellors work closely with both students and their families.
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Course 12: Guidance and Counseling
Module 2: Concept, Meaning and Process of Counseling
12.2.1: Concept: Meaning, Nature, Need and Functions of Counseling,
Limitations of Counseling
Meaning of Counseling:
Counseling is as old as society. In every-day life we find counseling goes on at many levels-in a
family set-up, parents counsel their children, in society doctors counsel patients, lawyers counsel
clients and teachers counsel students.
Counseling is the central part of the assistance given to an individual through the guidance program. It
is the process to enable an individual to know himself, his present and possible future situations so that
the individual is able to make substantial contributions to the society and solve his own problems due
to the face to face relationship with the counselor.
"Counselling is a learning oriented process carried out in a social environment in which the
professionally competent counsellor attempts to assist the counsellee using appropriate procedures to
become a happy and productive member of the society by formulating realistic and purposeful goals
for total personal growth.”
Counselling is the face to face meeting of the counselor and the counselee in which the counselor
offers suggestions, opinions, and advice to the counselee to get off his blues and strike a better
adjustment. It is consultation and a mutual interchange and deliberation which encourages the
counselee to learn to solve his educational, vocational, personal and all other types of problems to
facilitate adjustment.
Definitions:
“Counselling ia a consultation, mutual exchange of opinions, a mutual deliberation”
- Webster Dictionary
“Counselling is the application of personal resources of the school and other institutions
to offer solution to the problems of the individual” - Himbrys and Taxler
“Counselling is a process of mutual learning” - Willy and Andrews
Nature of Counselling:
1) Counselling is an individual matter: The individual student or the person who needs help is the
centre of the counseling process. The counselee might approach the counselor- considering him a
father who would take care, or a doctor who would probe him and cure him, or an experienced
member of the family/ society/ school; it is always the counselee who will be the focus of all
counseling activity.
2) Counselling is a continuous process: Counselling is not a process that has a beginning and an
end. The counseling process does neither begin with the counselee coming for help nor does it
ends when the counselee leaves the office satisfied. It is a process where the counselee is able to
anticipate the problems coming ahead and plans accordingly to avoid them or solve them skillfully.
3) Counselling is a complex process: Counselling is not a simple affair. The counselor has to
consider events that have gone before in the formation of the hole. The counselor has to study the
problems faced by the client in detail and more depth. The tools that he uses for getting knowledge
about the client and are not so accurate and reliable as the tools used by the surgeons. The
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solutions of the problems are varied and of varied complexity. Many factors are considered and
analysed to study the problem.
4) A Challenging process: The counselor is an individual who has faith in the individuals ability to
help himself, understand himself, to find himself what ails him, to gain insight into the ways of
facing the problems and solving them. He needs to be sensitive to the individuals needs same as
the eye is sensitive to the light. The counselor needs to provide the client insight to the problems
and find solutions by himself by not judging him or leading him to the solution.
5) Counseling is an electric process: There is no one method of solving the problem; hence no one
single method is adopted. Variations of a single method or various methods are used to arrive at a
solution to a problem.
Need of Counseling:
According to Duns Moor and Miller, the core of counseling is to help the individual to help himself.
Confused adolescent: In today’s pattern of education, the adolescent can either enter into the field
of work or choose amongst vocational courses, or go for higher studies according to his choice
subject. He must know his capacities, potentials, job opportunities, expenses, etc and thus requires
a proper professional help.
Unprepared Parents: Inspite of being an educated person, parents are unable to understand their
childrens abilities and capabilities. They are many a time unknown of their child’s interests and
wants and face serious issues coping with them. People often think and are reluctant to approach a
counselor in terms of solving their problems. The uneducated parents are helpless to support their
children due to lack of knowledge.
Technology and Individuals: In today’s fast technological world people do not have time for
each other. Many feel addicted to it and many feel lonely because of it while some are trapped
between the two. It is difficult to understand the person next to us and rather easy to understand the
new technological developments. Thus people require some assistance in understanding
relationships and personalities, be it of self or of others.
Life situations: Many situations are new many times in an individual’s life. Situations like change
of school, failure in school or job, change of job, choosing a life partner, loosing a partner-
divorce, coping with loss in family or friend, battling health conditions and illness- self or close
member, all these situations cannot be faced single handedly by all. Some require some assistance.
This assistance is provided by the counseling sessions.
Counseling provides assistance to the individual to solve his problem by first helping them to
identify the problem, its causes and the possible solutions.
Functions of Counseling:
The functions of Counseling are as follows-
Counseling helps to provide an individual information on matters important for success
Counseling assists to get information about an individual which will be helpful in solving his
problems
Counseling establishes a feeling of mutual understanding in times of loneliness
Counseling helps an individual work out a plan to solve his difficulties
It helps an individual know himself better- his interests, abilities, aptitudes and opportunities
It encourages and develops special abilities and right attitudes
It inspires successful effort towards attainment
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It assists the individual for planning in educational and vocational choices.
It brings about desired change in the individual for self realization
It assists to achieve positive mental health
It helps in making satisfactory adjustments for leading a useful life.
Thus counseling helps to lead a satisfied life by knowing our self better and adjusting with the
situations in front of us to the possible extent.
Limitations of Counseling:
There are some limitations a counselor may face in being able to provide the highest quality of care to
their clients.
Knowledge Base: If a client seeks counseling to recover from a domestic violence incident, her
counselor may have no particular expertise in working with interpersonal violence survivors. That
counselor has the duty to refer the client to a more qualified provider. Counselors should try to gain
expertise in the area that the client may be facing by conducting research, consulting with colleagues,
or attending training. If these efforts do not provide adequate results, that counselor has the duty to
refer the client to someone with the right skill set.
Safety Concerns: If a counselor has been working with a client for some time and developed a long-
term therapeutic relationship. It becomes clear that the client has developed some inappropriate
feelings for the counselor.
Other safety concerns may include issues that are conditions under which a counselor breaks
confidentiality.
Additionally, when a child or a vulnerable adult is suspected of being abused, the counselor is
mandated to report those suspicions to the authorities for investigation. These safety concerns require a
duty to refer the client to more in-depth counseling or criminal investigation.
No one Solution: There is no particular one solution for the same kind of problems. Thus the
counselor needs to be aware that the same technique is not going to work for all the problems. Many a
times the counselor becomes confused as what to do in some cases.
Trust Building: The counseling session is a huge failure if the counselor fails to build trust with the
counselee. The counselee may not share the real facts with the counselor in such cases and thus
misleading the counseling session.
Talking of Personal issue: At times it happens that a counselor starts to talk about his own personal
issues which is a big no situation in the counseling sessions.
No proper counseling: If the proper counseling is not given to the counselee at proper time then
instead of solving the problem the situation can get worsen. Thus doing more damage and less healing.
Counseling individuals with strong emotions: Individuals with strong emotions like anxiety,
aggression, anger, depression are difficult to convince. It takes a lot of time and skill to handle them
which may be lacked by some of the counselors.
Lack of training facilities: The counselor lack training opportunities and experiment with almost all
the cases that approach them. This can result into leading counseling sessions in an unknown direction.
Misconceptions: Many people think approaching a counselor is not good sign and symbol in the
society. They are made to feel aloof and kept aside in social gatherings. This misconception has to be
removed from the minds of the people and troubled ones have to be encouraged to meet the counselor.
Thus these were some limitations in counseling process.
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12.2.2: Relationship and Difference between Guidance and Counseling
“Guidance” in education is the presentation of knowledge, information, and or advice to individual or
groups in a structured way to provide sufficient material upon which they may base choice or
decisions. Whereas counseling may be described as interaction development through the development
of relationship between the counselor and the client in a temporary state of indecision, confusion or
distress, which helps the individual or client to make his own decision or choices, to resolve his
confusion and cope with distress and take up the responsibility of his behavior.
Guidance and counseling are not synonymous terms. Counseling is a part of Guidance, not all of it. In
guidance service, the counseling works as a heart. Guidance is meaningless without counseling
service. Counseling is the integral part of guidance program. Effective counseling depends on proper
guidance program. Guidance program compliments counseling and counseling is the finest product of
guidance program.
Components Guidance Counseling
Meaning Guidance refers to an advice or piece Counselling is a professional advice given
of information provided to solve a by a counsellor to an individual to help
problem or overcome difficulty. It him overcome personal or psychological
involves guiding, supervising or problems. Counselling is helping client to
directing a person towards a goal of see the root of problem and see possible
action solutions
Nature The nature of Guidance is Preventive The nature of Counselling is healing,
Aims remedial or curative
Approach Guidance aims at giving solutions Counselling aims at finding problems,
working over it and resolving it
Working The approach in guidance programme The approach in counselling programme
is comprehensive and extroverted is in depth and introverted. It works
Areas dealt towards the inward analysis of problem
with Guidance assists a person in choosing until the client understands and overcomes
Provider the best alternative it completely.
Counselling tends to change the
Privacy Guidance mainly deals with education perspective to help individual get the
Mode and career related issues solution by himself or herself
Guidance is provided by any person, Counselling mainly deals with socio-
Decision superior or expert psychological issues
Making
Guidance is open and less private Counselling is provided by a person who
Guidance is provided by one to one or possess high level of skill and professional
one to many training
Counselling is confidential
In Guidance, the decision making is Counselling is provided mainly on a one
done by the guide to one basis but can also be provided on
one to many basis on rare cases
In counselling the decision making is done
by the client.
Thus guidance and counselling are two different terms. Both are two sides of the same coin. No matter
what, Guidance and counselling, both attempt to solve the problem of the client.
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12.2.3: Basic Principles of Counseling
The basic philosophy underlying counseling is democracy. The principles of counseling are as
follows:
1) Counseling is concerned with the individual as a group member: While working with an
individual the counselor does not overlook the fact that the individual is a member of the group, and
functions in social setting. The counselor considers the social settings and social demands imposed
upon the individual as well as social needs, interest and abilities.
2) Counseling is concerned with the whole student: The emphasis is on the unity of personality and the
unitary nature of counseling process. An individuals intellectual development is associated with his
mental and physical development while social adjustment is related to his emotional development.
Thus for example to counsel regarding an occupational choice, all the above triats like educational,
intellectual, physical, mental, social, personal and emotional factor is considered.
3) Counseling is for all: Counseling is not just for the problematic one it can be utilized by each and
every person for every problem like adjustment and remedial purposes also.
4) Determining individual differences: In democracy the individual difference has a lot of significance.
The emphasis is laid on the individual happiness so that he is a developed person as well as a good
citizen. Individual differences is considered in terms of needs, background, ability, personality traits
and interests.
5) Progressing towards self understanding and self directing: When an individual is made to share his
interests, abilities, goals, values, the individual has a better chance to achieve self understanding, self
acceptance and self direction. He is able to make most of his choices and decisions. This results in self
responsibility and increased maturity in decision making
6) A Continuous process: Counseling is a process and not an act. It is making choices and adjustments
that cannot be done within a short time span. It is a developmental process that requires a series of
decisions and spanning of time.
7) Counseling a professional education: Counselors need knowledge, skill and understanding that are
best attained through professional education. Sympathetic interest in individuals common sense and
intuition is required. To meet the expectations of the clients, the counselor must be able to work within
the individual as well as the group. This is provided only through the professional education.
8) Organisation for effective counseling program: Counseling requires long range planning. It requires
coordinated efforts and provisions for systematic use of available resources. Planning, cooperation,
coordination along with organisation and proper administration is required for a counseling program.
9) Acceptance: Each client must be accepted as an individual and dealt with such. The rights of the
client must be given due regard.
10) Thinking with the individual: Counseling emphasizes thinking with the individual. It becomes
necessary for the counselor to think about all the forces around the client to join clients thoughts and
work collectively in his problem.
11) Learning: All the assumptions of counseling accept the learning elements in the counseling process.
12.2.4: Types of Counseling
There cannot be just one way of helping the individual to solve their problems. Not that different
problems call for different methods of helping the individual, it is also that same single problem can be
handled several ways.
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With regard to the nature of counseling procedure and the role of the counselor, these are the
following three types of counseling:
Types of Counseling
Directive Counseling Non Directive Eclectic Counseling
Counseling
1) Directive Counseling:
Directive Counseling was chiefly advocated by E.G. Williamson. Directive counseling is also called as
Counselor centered counseling or prescriptive counseling. This type of counseling revolves around
the counselor. In this the counselor asks a series of standardized questions. Each question carries a
short answer. The counselor does not allow the development of client’s expressions or feelings. He
leads as an expert, evaluates and gives suggestions and advice. Here the counselor holds the entire
responsibility of solving client’s problems. The counselor explores the problem, defines it, diagnoses it
and tells about the remedy of the problem.
Basic Assumptions of Directive Counseling:
The counselor possesses the best training, experience and information to solve the problem of the
client. Thus he provides the advice to solve the problem
Counseling is an intellectual process and not an emotional one
The objective of counseling is problem solving
The counselor assumes the client does not possess the capability to solve the problem always.
The client is to act under the counselor and not along with him
Procedure of Directive counseling:
Williamson has described the following 6 steps of directive counseling:
1) Analysis: It involves data and information collection according to situation or client that can be
used in the counseling process as a valid and reliable base. The tools that are used are cumulative
records, interview, autobiography, anecdotal record, psychological tests etc. All the data are
integrated through case history method. It includes family history, recreational interests and habits.
2) Synthesis: This process involves organizing and summarizing data from analysis in a manner to
reveal students assets, liabilities, adjustments and mal-adjustments.
3) Diagnosis: In involves the interpretation of data in terms of problems indicated, assets and
liabilities and strengths and weaknesses. It includes identification of problem, discovering causes,
discovering remedy and prescription.
4) Prognosis: It is a part of diagnosis but depends upon specific information. Both the diagnosis and
prognosis are cooperative processes in between the counselor and the client.
5) Counseling and treatment: In this step the counselor helps client. The questions of clients are
answered. Questions like: How can I make changes in self? What can be alternate? If this
continues, what progress will occur in future? Etc are all answered by client himself.
6) Follow Up: The evaluation effectiveness of the counseling procedure is done.
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Characteristics of Directive Counseling:
The counselor plays a vital role in the process
He gives advice to the client
The focal point is the problem and not person
The client is subordinate to the counselor
Counseling stresses more on intellectual aspect rather than emotional aspect
Advantages:
This method saves a lot of time
Here there is more focus on problem and less focus on person
The counselor is readily available to the client which makes the client happy
Disadvantages or Limitations:
The client is more dependant
The client is unable to solve new problems
The client is never independent of the counselor
The counselor fails in saving the client to make such further errors in future.
There is more possibility of wrong counseling
There is possibility that client does not agree with the solution given by the counselor.
2) Non- Directive Counseling:
The non directive counseling was advocated by Carl R Rogers. This type of counseling believes that
the solutions to the problems of the clients lie within the client himself. The function of the counselor
is to provide an environment in which the client is independent to grow so that he is able to make his
own choice. Here the importance is given to the emotional aspect of the client. It is a client centered
counseling and revolves around the client. The client is encouraged to lead in conversation and express
his attitudes, feelings and ideas. The counselor remains passive. He does not interfere with the client’s
thoughts, ideas, and expressions. The counselor mainly works on developing confidence in the client.
In this type open ended questions are asked and the questions are loosely structured. The client is
given a feeling that his thoughts are respected and the counselor is interested in him.
Basic Assumptions of Non- Directive Counseling:
This type believes in the dignity of man as capable of taking decisions and accepting his own
rights.
The client has the right to select the goals of his life
If given opportunity client will select the goals that will make him more happy
Procedure in Non-Directive Counseling:
Defining the problem: The first step involves the counselor to define the problem
Free expression of feelings: The client is made aware of the fact that he is free to express his
feelings and the counselor approves this behavior
Classification of negative and positive feelings: The counselor here identifies the negative and
positive feelings of the client and classifies them
Development of insights: The counselor tries to develop insights into the clients feelings and
classifies all those new feelings. He develops the encouragement in the client to come to solution
of the problem by himself
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Termination of counseling situation: Once the counselor identifies that all the inner pain of the
client is poured out and the situation is becoming better the counselor tries to terminate the
counseling process. Here either the client or the counselor can terminate the counseling process.
Characteristics of Non Directive Counseling:
It is client centered counseling
It is based on the principle that the client has the capacity to grow and develop to face the
situations in reality
The counselor is passive in maximum
The psychological adjustment of the client improves
The defensiveness in client falls down
The psychological tensions in client is reduced
The clients behavior is considered more mature emotionally
The main aim of counselor is to bring change in the functioning of client and organization
It is reverse of directing counseling
The entire responsibility is of the client and not of the counselor
Advantages:
There is a definite development in the problem solving ability in the client
Being client centered approach other tests and activities can be avoided
This types shifts client from unconscious state of mind to conscious state of mind and helps in
release of tensions
The impression of such type of counseling lasts longer
Since the client has himself agreed or decided upon the solutions and required actions performed
by him, there are more chances of him executing it unlike in directive counseling where the
counselor suggests the solutions.
Disadvantages / Limitations:
It lacks psycho analysis
There is no explanation given on the occurrences of the present attitudes
There is no research regarding the past and no suggestions given
It can be time consuming
All the problems cannot be solved by orally, verbally or by talks
Due to counselor passiveness, the client at times may feel hesitant to express his feelings.
This type is not possible in school situation where there is only one counselor but many students
3) Eclectic Counseling:
This type of counseling is a combination of both directive and non directive counseling. The chief
advocate of this counseling is Thorne and Thomson. In this type of counseling the counselor studies
the needs of the client and his personality. The counselor selects techniques which are suitable to the
client. Here the counselor may start with directive counseling and may change to non directive
counseling if the situation demands and vice versa. The counselor and the client take part in the
conversation turn wise and solve the problem jointly.
Procedure:
Study of needs and personality of the client: The counselor initially studies the needs of the client.
He also gathers information regarding the characteristics of the personality of the client
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 2 Page 8
Selection of technique: Need based techniques are selected and are used in accordance with the
needs of the client.
Application of technique: The selected techniques are applied in specific situations only.
Evaluation Effectiveness: The evaluation effectiveness is done through various methods as per
requirement
Preparation for counseling: The counselor prepares for guidance and counseling
Seeking opinion of client and other related individual: Opinion of client and other related
individual are sought regarding the program and the changes in the thoughts and behavior of the
client.
Characteristics:
This is a type where coordination between the client and counselor is used
In the beginning the client active method is used and counselor remains passive
Importance is assigned to job efficiency and treatment
The principal of satisfaction to the client is considered and accordingly the directive and non
directive counseling is implemented
Opportunity is given to the client to solve his own problem
The counselor must posses the skill and efficiency to use all the method and technique
Limitations:
This type of counseling is termed to be vague and opportunistic
Mixing directive and non directive can at times lead to wrong or no conclusions
There is no definite rule followed on how much freedom to be given to the client
This type of counseling can lead to confusion in the minds of client regarding the efficiency of the
counselor
All counselor cannot advocate its methods by identifying its need
12.2.5: Process Of Counseling: Relationship Building, Problem Assessment,
Goal Setting, Counseling Intervention, Evaluation
The counseling process is a planned, structured dialogue between a counselor and a client. It is a
cooperative process in which a trained professional helps a person called the client to identify sources
of difficulties or concerns that he or she is experiencing. Together they develop ways to deal with and
overcome these problems so that person has new skills and increased understanding of themselves and
others.
There are many problems or issue that requires counseling. Counseling involves some steps or
process. They are as follows:
1) Relationship building,
2) Problem assessment,
3) Goal setting,
4) Counseling intervention,
5) Evaluation
Let us understand the process of Counseling,
1) Relationship Building: The foundation of the entire counseling is the relationship between the
counselor and the client. The counselor must first create a solid, fruitful relationship with the client.
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 2 Page 9
The counselor must have a genuine and sincere interest in the client’s problems and helping him. The
counselor must make the client feel received.
The counselor should avoid asking
“How did that make you feel?”
Asking “Why?”
Storytelling
Excessive Questioning
Lecturing
Advice Giving
The counselor can do the following to build relationship
Indicate that counselor are interested in the person
Allow client time to respond
Invite client to describe his or her reason for coming to talk
Watch for nonverbal behavior as signs of client’s emotional state
Invite social conversation to reduce anxiety
Address the client by name
Ensure client is comfortable
Invite client to sit down
Introduce self that is counselor is introducing himself to build a bond
2) Problem Assessment: While the counselor and the client are in the process of establishing a
relationship, a second process is taking place, i.e. problem assessment. This step involves the
collection and classification of information about the client’s life situation and reasons for seeking
counseling. As the relationship becomes more secure, the counselor begins to tackle the client with
observations about his or her goals or behavior. This stage is stressful for the client because he has to
face his fears, his weakness, his pain again back in detail. He has to face the issues he has or faces
from others. This stage is the challenging stage for the counselor as he has to identify the problem,
check it verify the problem and analyze the roots and causes of it.
3) Goal Setting: We are aware that goals play an important role in giving direction. Sometimes, both
counselor and client complain that the counseling session is going nowhere. Goals are the results or
outcomes that client wants to achieve at the end of counseling. Like any other activity, counseling
must have a focus. This stage includes identifying the possible alternatives and course of actions the
client may choose. Here the counselor starts with the clients objectives and his attitudes and indicates
favorable or unfavorable facts or data. Here the counselor should not look indecisive. He should not
fear to give direct advice or suggestions.
Below are some guidelines for goal selection that can be used for the benefit of client:
Goals should be selected and defined with care.
Goals should relate to the desired end or ends sought by the client.
Goals should be defined in explicit and measurable terms.
Goals should be feasible.
Goals should be within the range of the counselor’s knowledge and skills.
Goals should be stated in positive terms that emphasize growth.
Goals should be consistent with the school’s mission and school health policy.
4) Counseling Intervention: Intervention means involvement. Though the counseling goals were
determined with consent of the client, many a times it happens that the client is not involved in the
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process. The client is not aiming towards the same goal, or feels that the goals decided are not for him
and thus is not following the roadways to the decided goals. Thus, in such cases of counseling process,
the client is left behind. Thus it becomes imperative on the counselors part to ensure that the clients
active involvement is encouraged. Here the counselor needs to remind the client that the goals were set
for the client and were decided by him only. So it must be followed and the counselor is standing just
besides him to solve any problem that the client might face during execution of carving his path
towards goals
5) Evaluation: Terminating the counseling process will have to be conducted with sensitivity with the
client knowing that it will have to end. However, all counseling aims towards a successful termination.
For the counselor, it is difficult to think of terminating the counseling process, as they are more
concerned with beginning the counseling process. The counselor cannot terminate the process
abruptly. His role is to review progress and evaluate the success of counseling session to create
closure. To check the success of counseling process the counselor needs to keep a track of the clients
achievements and behavior. The counselor needs to think of this as a means of empowering client. If
the client passes this evaluation, the counseling session terminates. Termination considered not just at
end of successful relationship, but also is considered when it seems counseling is not being helpful.
The counselor needs to keep his door open / plan for possibility of future, in case needed by the client.
Preparation for termination begins long before and is informed to the client. Counselor should always
be mindful of avoiding fostering dependency on the client.
Thus these were process of counseling.
12.2.6: Counseling Approaches: Behaviorist, Cognitive and Humanistic Approach
Behavioral Approach to Counseling:
One of the modern methods to treat the behavioral problem of the client is behavioral counseling. In
this approach the overt behavior are considered important. The symptoms are determined by
individual differences. Cure is achieved by treating symptoms without going into past. This approach
is based on the assumption that all behavior whether normal or abnormal can be learned and abnormal
behavior if eliminated then counseling success is achieved. It involves teaching the client more
satisfying way of behaving. The goal of this approach is to change particular behavior efficiently and
specifically.
Behavioral approach is based on the belief that behavior is learned. Classic conditioning is one type of
behavioral approach that stems from early theorist Ivan Pavlov’s research. Pavlov executed a famous
study using dogs, which focused on the effects of a learned response (e.g., a dog salivating when
hearing a bell) through a stimulus (e.g., pairing the sound of a bell with food).B. F. Skinner developed
another behavioral therapy approach, called operant conditioning. He believed in the power of rewards
to increase the likelihood of a behavior and punishments to decrease the occurrence of a behavior.
Behavioral therapists work on changing unwanted and destructive behaviors through behavior
modification techniques such as positive or negative reinforcement.
Ref:
http://teachereducationguidanceandcounsellin.blogspot.in/2011/03/behavioristic-approach.html
http://courses.aiu.edu/COUNSELING%20SKILLS/5/5.pdf
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 2 Page 11
Cognitive Approach to Counseling:
In the 1960s, psychotherapist Aaron Beck developed cognitive theory. This counseling theory focuses
on how people’s thinking can change feelings and behaviors. Unlike psychodynamic theory, therapy
based on cognitive theory is brief in nature and oriented toward problem solving. Cognitive therapists
focus more on their client’s present situation and distorted thinking than on their past. Cognitive and
behavioral therapy are often combined as one form of theory practiced by counselors and therapists.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, has been found in research to help with a number of mental
illnesses including anxiety, personality, eating, and substance abuse disorders.
Humanistic Approach to Counseling:
Humanistic therapists care most about the present and helping their clients achieve their highest
potential. Instead of energy spent on the past or on negative behaviors, humanists believe in the
goodness of all people and emphasize a person’s self-growth and self-actualization.Humanistic
theories include client-centered, gestalt, and existential therapies. Carl Rogers developed client-
centered therapy, which focuses on the belief that clients control their own destinies. He believed that
all therapists need to do is show their genuine care and interest. Gestalt therapists’ work focuses more
on what’s going on in the moment versus what is being said in therapy. Existential therapists help
clients find meaning in their lives by focusing on free will, self-determination, and responsibility.
Ref:
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/counselling-approaches.html
12.2.7: Counseling for Adolescence Issues: Bullying, Relationship with Peer and
Parents, Handling puberty issues, Addiction [substance abuse, technology induced
social networking], Suicide, Academic Stress
1. Counseling for bullying:
Meaning of Bullying:
There is no legal definition of bullying, but it is often defined as repeated behaviour with intent to hurt
another person, physically or emotionally. It can take many forms, including verbal threats, physical
assault, calling names, gossiping and online bullying (cyber bullying).
However, any repeated behaviour that makes someone feel unhappy, isolated and bad about
themselves can be considered bullying. Bullying can make a person feel very alone. It can make the
victim miserable, breaking down their confidence and self-esteem.
Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:
Unexplainable injuries
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from
school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
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Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about
suicide
Kids may be bullying others if they:
Get into physical or verbal fights
Have friends who bully others
Are increasingly aggressive
Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
Blame others for their problems
Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity
Effects of Bullying:
Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are
bullied are more likely to experience:
Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating
patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into
adulthood.
Health complaints
Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation.
They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures.
Kids who bully others can also engage in violent and other risky behaviour into adulthood. Kids who
bully are more likely to:
Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults
Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school
Engage in early sexual activity
Have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults
Be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults
Kids who witness bullying are more likely to:
Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
Have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety
Miss or skip school
Counseling the bullied (The victim):
Some smart steps can help protect the victim from being bullied.
Avoid bullies. If a group is known for bullying, educate the victim to stay away from it. And
advice to try to stay away from places where bullying happens.
Stay near adults. Most bullying happens when adults aren’t around. So suggest the victim to stay
near adults be it teachers or parents or other staff or elder.
Be confident. People who bully often like to pick on kids they think seem weaker. Convince the
adolescent that if he/she doesn’t feel confident, try acting like they are. Pretending may turn into
the real thing!
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Stick with a friend. There usually is safety in numbers. Suggest the adolescent to try to walk to
school and eat lunch with a friend. Encourage him to try making new friends. Tell them to think
about joining a club to meet people with similar interests.
Verbal Reply: Encourage the victim to talk back or reply if the situation is unavoidable but keep
his tone calm and cool even if he is upset. Tell him to keep his reply short, so that he doesn’t give
the person too much attention. Encourage him to try to lighten the mood by playfully agreeing if
that seems like it might fit the situation. Suggest him to try say something like, “That was kind of
funny, but now it’s time to stop”. “You are acting like a bully, and it’s not cool.” “What you said is
pretty ridiculous.” “You know, that’s not really funny. Please stop.”
Counseling the bully (the accused):
1. Stay neutral. Don’t be judgemental, or show any overt knowledge of the situation. Make them
feel comfortable talking with you openly and honestly.
2. Be open and listen. Encourage the child to talk, but don’t put words into their mouth or thoughts
in their head. Just don’t focus to know about their behavior — you try to understand their
motivations.
3. Be ready: Accepting that they may have been in the wrong will be difficult for them, and they’ll
need to know that you are there to support them. If they have been the perpetrator of bullying, they
will need to face the consequences. On the other hand, it is also possible that the situation has
arisen from a misunderstanding, and the child has not behaved with problematic intentions.
4. Be Proactive: Don’t ignore the situation and hope that it will go away. Even if the child promises
you that they will stop engaging in the problematic behavior, they still need to face the up to what
has already happened, and consider the impact it had on the other kids involved. If the bullying
happened on school grounds, work with their teacher before talking to the other child’s parents to
try to resolve the issue.
5. Identify underlying issues:It’s not simply that bullies are nasty kids. They may be suffering —
with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, or, they may have been bullied themselves. They may
also be mimicking other people’s behavior, particularly what they have witnessed at home. So be
mindful of how you act and communicate in front of your children, and try to see if there may be a
correlation with the ways in which they’re acting out.
Counseling the bystander (the witnessed):
Here are some ways we can counsel a teenager who has seen bullying:
Encourage the child not to join in or watch bullying. Bullies love an audience. Convince the
adolescent to walk away, and see if he can get others to leave, too. Encourage him to not just
abandon someone who is in real danger and get help by reporting to some adult.
Stop any rumors. If someone tells to gossip, educate the adolescent to not pass it on to others.
Tell to him, “You wouldn’t want someone spreading rumors about you!”
Stand up for the person. If it feels safe, motivate the adolescent to defend the person being
bullied. Educate him that bullies often care a lot about being popular and powerful. If the
adolescent makes the bullying seem uncool, the bully may stop.
Tell an adult. If adolescent feels uncomfortable, encourage him to tell to an adult. The counsellor
should convincethe adolescent by stating that his name will be kept private.
Explain the adolescent the importance to encourage the bullied person to talk to an
adult. The counsellor can suggest the adolescent to offer the bullied help by accompanying him.
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Encourage to Offer support. Suggest the adolescent to ask if the bullied person is okay and be
friendly the next day. Let the adolescent know that he can make a big difference just by showing
he cares.
2. Counseling on Relationship with peers and parents:
Adolescence can be a difficult time –the child is going through rapid physical changes as well
as emotional ups and downs. Young people aren’t always sure where they fit, and they’re still trying to
work it out. Adolescence can also be a time when peer influences and relationships can cause the child
and his near and dear ones some stress. Life's major changes experienced during adolescence –
academic pressure, gaining independence from parents, intimate relationships with peers, physical
maturation, starting romantic relationships with same or opposite sex, expectations from parents, etc. –
are accompanied by a drastic increase in the frequency at which stressful events occur.
Counselling adolescent on Relationship with peer:
Listen careful to the unsung symptoms: The counsellor needs to listen carefully to the symptoms
that are not verbally shared by the teenager indicating issues with his peers. For example, change
in friends group, neglecting or avoiding friends, talking negative about peers, disinterested in
school curricular and co curricular activities, drop in marks, sudden speaking more / less about
particular new friend etc. These symptoms can show that the teen is having an issue with his peer
and struggling with it.
Ask questions: The counsellor needs to ask questions to the teenager related to the sudden change
observed in him in a friendly manner through conversation. The questions can be asked to the
peers as well. Questions also show that you are curious and have an interest in the lives of the
youth you’re talking to. Open-ended questions often result in a more thorough response on the
youth’s part as opposed to close-ended questions, which often are answered with either a yes/no or
one word question.
Here are some very basic examples of open-ended questions
“How are you feeling right now?”
“How did the fight between you two start?”
“What is it about him that you really like?”
“What could get in the way of graduating high school?”
Keep adolescent in peers place: Many a times thinking of standing in other persons shoes makes
understand the problem faced by him clearly. This perspective should be made clear to the
adolescent that can help to clear the misunderstanding and can help grow relationship. Make the
adolescent realize How would he himself feel if he was his classmate? Or what would he have
done if the other persons place? Etc
Encourage positive friendships. You can encourage the teen to welcome his friends to his home,
support them doing things together, and encourage participation in activities with positive peer
groups, such as school activities, youth programs, and religious activities.
Ask Parents and teachers to not jump to conclusions based on appearances. Don’t judge
adolescent’s friends based on their dress, hairstyle (or color), appearance, interests, or other
external factors. Teens sometimes “try on” different identities and interests as a way of expressing
their independence. Over-reacting with negative comments can make it less likely that friends will
let get to know them.
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Encourage to set boundaries. Teens can want to spend all their time with their friends or with
their boyfriend or girlfriend. Insist that they also spend time at home and meet their other
responsibilities. Be sure teen participates in family gatherings and events (potentially inviting a
friend to come along sometimes).
Encourage to accept everyone and respect individual difference: Make the teen understand that
there is individual difference and he cannot expect everyone to be as he likes. The teenager has to
learn to accept and adjust with his peers and stop complaining.
Thus counselling a teen on relationships mainly involves helping teen learn to strike up a conversation
with someone new, show empathy and support to a friend, listen and ask questions, resolve conflicts,
set appropriate boundaries, and other skills that lead to positive, meaningful relationships with peers.
Counselling adolescent on Relationship with parent:
The first place where teens learn about relationships is in their families. What they learn from and
experience with parents and siblings has a lot of influence on how they find and get along with friends.
Teens see their parents as enemies according to parents and teens state that parents treat them as child
and over protect them. When parents have positive relationships with their teens, their teens are more
likely to form more positive relationships, one that is warm, caring, and emotionally open. It also
allows setting boundaries and having high expectations.
Identify the situation: As a counsellor, we must know who the client is. Are we working with the
child, the child and the parent(s), or one/both of the parents? It is vital to understand how the client
ended up in getting counselled.
Understanding the triggers:The counselling sessions should help in identifying the triggers that
is causing the problem in the relationship between the adolescent and the parent. It can be
friendship issue, not interested in class, forced selection of courses, social media addiction,
misunderstanding, doubtfulness etc.
Identifying the source of problem:The counselling should help to identify the source of problem.
The problem can be on the side of both the adolescent or on the side of parent as well. According
counselling has to intervened.
Making parent understand the side of adolescent: Many a times the weird behaviour by the
adolescent is the resultant of the high expectations by the parent. Thus in such cases the parent is to
be made understand the adolescents state of mind and his capabilities. This will help to change the
scenario between the child and parent.
Making adolescent aware about their parents love: During adolescence the child at times fails
to understand that their parents love them even if they do not show it or let them know. This
misunderstanding has to be cleared by letting the child know their parents behaviour is the result of
care for them. Also the parent has to be advised to show their care by expressing themselves
verbally.
Letting learner pursue his interest: The parents have to be made aware that their children are
capable of choosing their career paths. The role of parents is only to guide them and not pressurise
them to change his pursuits according to the parents wish.
Emotional conflicts: Some past errors on the parents side like relationship with the other half,
abusing the child, unable to give time in childhood due to job or other reasons etc also at times
distance the adolescent from the parent. Here the adolescent has to be made to understand that
parents are also human beings and mistakes can also be committed by them. The power of
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forgiveness is to be emphasised. It is not only applicable for the parent but also for the adolescent.
Past mistakes by the adolescent like caught bunking the class, smoking / drinking etc has to be
forgiven and opportunity to start new has to be provided.
Thus these can help to solve some issues between the parent and the adolescent.
3. Counselling For Handling Puberty Issues:
Puberty is a stage wherein the boy or girl undergoes a transformation physically and biologically. The
transformation in physical appearance and the hormones can lead to lots of confusion in the minds of
the adolescents which he or she may feel confused to ask to whom. These doubts can be catered to by
the counsellor.
Make adolescent understand that it is OK: The counsellor has to make the adolescent
understand that the changes he is going through is perfectly normal and it happens to everybody.
Encourage knowing about period. One of the biggest changes adolescent face during puberty is
the start of period. It can seem very overwhelming and uncomfortable to talk about, but the more
they know about it, the more prepared they’ll be. Ask them to check the library for books on the
topic, ask their school nurse if she can give any information, or talk to their doctor about what to
expect or to address any questions they have. In addition, encourage to talk to their mother, an
older sibling, or family member about what their experiences were when they first got their period.
Puberty in boys: Boys normally go through puberty between the ages of 11 and 16. It is during
these years that they experience most of their physical changes (including growing taller and
developing muscle). During and after these years they’ll normally start to develop their sexuality.
They’ll start to look at themselves, and others, differently..Teen boys can also become confused or
unsure about their sexual orientation. He may need your help and support to figure out who he is.
Understand signs: If you see adolescent walking with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders
hunched over, he’s probably feeling dejected. If adolescent often plays with his hair or adjusts his
clothes in some way, he’s probably nervous about something. If he is tapping or drumming his
fingers against the table, or fidgeting a lot, he’s probably impatient about something. If he is
talking to someone either with his arms crossed in front of him, or holding something in front of
him, he’s being defensive.
Provide sex education: It becomes necessary to make the adolescent understand the changes
taking place in his body through educating him about his own body and its functioning.
Mood Swings: Mood swings can be hard to control even when they know they’re having them.
However, sometimes taking a small break from the situation can help them calm down and even
out their mood. Ask them to take a break and do something to calm themselves, when they feel
getting overly irritated or sensitive. For example, count to 10 or sing a verse from their favourite
song in their head. Sometime just taking a few minutes to focus on themselves instead of the
situation can help them feel more calm
Healthy lifestyle choices: In puberty, many children cope with lots of physical changes. If child
eats well, gets enough physical activity and sleep, and looks after her personal hygiene, she’s more
likely to feel OK about her changing body. Here are some ways they can be counselled. Encourage
healthy eating. Counsel parents on providing healthy foods and drinks at home and encouraging
healthy choices when they are out. Make them understand that overeating or having too many
high-sugar and high-fat foods and drinks can lead to adolescent overweight or obesity. Disordered
eating and dieting can also be an issue during this time. Ask them to have a role model who is fit
and healthy.
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4. Counseling for Addiction [substance abuse, technology induced social networking]
First Reaction: Your first reaction after learning that student is using drugs is probably one of
anger or frustration. As a parent, relative, teacher, or coach, you have invested a great deal of time
and energy into ensuring that this young adult has a bright future. Drugs can be a major roadblock
along a path to greatness, so it's understandable to be upset. Just don't show initial reaction to the
teen
Arrange to talk with teenager privately. Let your teen know that you want to talk to him or her
and decide together on a good time when this can happen without interruptions. It may be helpful
to take teen somewhere out of the norm, such as a public park or an ice cream parlor, so that you
are both out of your everyday environments. Start the discussion by sharing what you know. Stick
to the facts. Then, follow up by showing your concern. Teen may be defensive at first and deny the
problem. Clarify that you know about the drug use and simply want to open up the floor for a
discussion.
Be reassuring. Encourage your teen to talk to you honestly, and avoid saddling him or her with
guilt. Remind your teen about his or her positive traits and demonstrate confidence that you
believe he or she can stop using and get back on track
Ask what you can do. Let teen know that you are willing to do whatever it takes to help him or
her stop using drugs. See if teen has any ideas of things that you can do to assist him or her.
Actively listen to what he says and make a plan to take action. Teens may use drugs to act out, get
attention, or to help them cope with an unstable or high-pressured home life. See if you can meet
your teen's needs in a way so that the drug use becomes irrelevant. For example, if teen is abusing
prescription drugs because she is trying to improve concentration or performance in class, you
might try to talk with the teens parents and take some of the pressure away concerning her
academic performance. You could suggest that she/he reduce some of his/her responsibilities or
find a hobby that helps him/her let off steam.
Find Help: Find a local mental health therapist or psychologist who specializes in teen drug use.
This professional can help your teen process what he or she is going through, figure out the
stimulus for the behavior, and develop healthier coping methods.
Encourage alternative behaviors. The people or places teen is around may be contributing to the
drug problem. Talk with teen about positive activities or hobbies he or she can get involved with
that will help boost self-confidence and keep away from undesirable crowds.
5. Counseling for Suicide
Notice any signs of depression. Depression correlates highly with a risk of suicide. Symptoms of
depression should be taken seriously. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms associated
with depression: Apathy, Excessive guilt, Sadness, Hopelessness, Social withdrawal, Loss of
energy, Difficulty concentrating, Memory loss.
Observe changes in behavior. A sudden change in behavior can indicate thoughts of suicide,
especially if the behavioral changes are dramatically different than normal. Behavior changes can
include: Decreased school/work performance, Decreased time devoted to social relationships,
Decreased involvement in activities such as sports or hobbies, Increased irritability, Anxiety,
Exhaustion, Erratic behaviors (such as drug use or dangerous activities), Self-harming (such as
cutting).
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 2 Page 18
Take suicidal threats seriously. Don't brush off any suicidal threat. In some instances, the threat
of suicide is a cry for help, one way of saying "I don't know how to cope". If ignored, the teen may
choose to act on the impulse. It is better to err on the side of caution when dealing with a human's
life.
Approach the teen calmly. If he is actively threatening, crying, pacing, and/or yelling, try talking
to the teenager in a very caring, calm tone. You do not want to escalate the situation. Be conscious
of staying calm, and try to de-escalate the teen to feel calm as well.
Ask the teen if he has a suicide plan. A plan is the way that he wants to carry out the suicide. If
the teen has plan, follow up with asking if he has the means to carry out the plan (pills, gun, etc).
Then ask when the teen intends to carry out the suicide, and finally, ask if he truly intends to
follow through on the suicide.
Assess suicidality risk. After asking questions about intent, plan, and means, assess the teen's risk
of committing suicide: Low – Expresses some suicidal thoughts, does not have a suicide plan. Says
he won't commit suicide. Moderate – Expresses suicidal thoughts. Has a vague plan that isn't very
lethal. Says he won't commit suicide. High – Expresses suicidal thoughts. Has a specific plan that
is lethal. Says he won't commit suicide. Severe – Expresses suicidal thoughts. Has a specific plan
that is lethal. Says he intends to commit suicide.
Call emergency services. If you determine that the threat is serious and his life is at risk, do not
hesitate to call emergency services. Especially if he is admitting he is suicidal, he may need more
help then you can give him at home. You can drive the teen to the Emergency Room, or if he is
uncooperative, request an ambulance.
6. Counseling for Academic Stress
Encourage to Get enough sleep to keep teen energized for exam. Educate teen that not sleeping
right can affect his mood, leading to an excess of stress. In the weeks leading up to the exam, ask
teen to make sleep a priority, strive for solid nights of high-quality sleep.
Suggest to eat right. Educate teen that he may be tempted to binge eat on junk food due to stress.
However, this is unlikely to make him feel more relaxed. Make adolescent understand that food
has a direct effect on his mood, so make him sure to eat high-quality foods leading up to his exam.
This will reduce his overall stress.
Exercise to reduce exam-related stress. Educate teen to exercise regularly, do not neglect his
workout routine during exam time. Tell him that It's okay to cut out 10 or 15 minutes from his
regular routine if he is low on time, but he should not stop exercising altogether because an exam
is coming up. Exercise can help regulate his mood, leading to lower overall stress.
Adopt a positive attitude about school. Encourage to adopt a positive personal mantra to keep
his mood up while he studies.
Have perspective regarding exam. Make adolescent understand that If he is stressed out over an
exam, he may be placing too much importance on it. It's good to be conscientious of his grades,
and he should care about doing well in school. However, encourage him to try to keep things in
perspective.
One exam is not going to make or break his life. Encourage teen to do his best, but keep in mind
even the worse case scenario will not be a disaster.
Thus these were some of the ways on how an adolescent teenager can be counseled on dif
different issues that are specially related to the adolescents.
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 2 Page 19
Reference & extra reading for Course 12 - Module 2
1. Video (40 minutes) on Concept of counseling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US-
e94AIwCI
2. Video (Watch till 15th minute) on Need of counseling for adolescent kids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7OXxf7cXPU
3. Ways to Counseling Adolescents:
a. https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/resources-and-training/for-families/index.html
b.https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/nida-scientist-virtual-q-a-videos-teachers-guide
4. Video Demonstration of beginning a counseling session:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOkVH-8zn5A
5. Case study:
a. https://www.counsellingconnection.com/index.php/2007/12/18/case-study-one-aaron
b.https://www.counsellingconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/PARENTING-A-
PROBLEM-ADOLESCENT.pdf
6. Is astrology a type of counseling?
https://trans4mind.com/personal_development/astrology/counsellingAstrology/
7. Role Plays on Therapies used for counseling:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpBmLvp1LDaRdc2-fGMyrT9fs2VI73ZEs
8. NCERT Talk Programs on Addiction:
a. Drug or substance addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6gUjdOKt-Q
b. Internet Addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C2r0Sjp4N0
Course 12: Guidance and Counseling
Module 3: Role of Counselor in School Setting
12.3.1: Qualities of a Teacher as a Counselor
Qualities of a Teacher as a Counsellor:
1. Be a good listener. The first thing that comes to mind is that school counselors must be able to listen.
To their students, parents, other faculty…A large portion of a counselor’s time is spent listening and
processing the information given to you by others. Remember to listen first and ask questions later. If
you need clarification on something, always speak up but be sure to add details that let the person
know you heard what they said in the first place. Listening is a crucial trait for any school counselor to
possess.
2. Be an excellent communicator. Having excellent communication skills is one of the most important
skills a school counselor can have. Being able to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings verbally is
a trait that as a school counselor. Often, you will be bouncing ideas off a student to help them reach a
crucial decision – or discussing a student with their parent or a team of faculty members. Making sure
that you can convey your assessment of your student verbally is vital.
3. Appreciate diversity. Students come from a multitude of backgrounds, and being able to accept and
embrace diversity is another trait that is crucial of a school counselor. Students come from all walks of
life and all types of families, and helping students learn to accept and embrace their own diversity in a
school setting is critical to a counselor’s success.
4. Be friendly. School counselors must be warm and approachable to their students, and also to parents
and faculty members. Being open will often mean that students will trust you more than they trust their
parents, and getting students to open up and let go of their burdens is one of the most rewarding things
a school counselor can accomplish. Often, students are overworked and set with heavy
accomplishment lists, so having someone to listen to their troubles is a way to make students feel less
stressed.
5. Be authoritative. When the situation calls for it, a counselor must cross the boundary from friend to
professional. If abuse or neglect is suspected or present, or if a student is engaging in risky or harmful
behaviour, a counselor must know when to show her authority and take the proper steps to ensure her
student’s safety.
6. Be able to coordinate. Counselors serve as coordinators for many school programs and activities. The
counselor must be able to coordinate a number of tasks at a time. Making sure these things dovetail
and all run smoothly is a vital part of what makes a successful school counselor.
7. Have good evaluation skills. Counselors spend a lot of their time evaluating test scores or
administering tests to students. Being able to accurately evaluate and translate these results to discuss a
student’s academic performance, or aid a teacher in making an accurate assessment of a student’s
skills is vital.
8. Have a sense of humour. Often, having a sense of humour will be a school counselor’s biggest asset
in gaining a student’s trust.
9. Maintain confidential: It is very important to maintain confidentiality of the collected information so
that the confidence of the students may be maintained. After winning the confidence of the students,
true information about them can be collected.
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12.3.2: Skills and Ethics of Counseling
Skills and Ethics of Counselling:
Listening:
In the early stages of the counseling, counselor understands the client and issues faced. Counselor
begins to formulate impressions using counseling skills and gathers information. A counselor needs to
be able to respond to the client in such a way that he/she feels understood. Being a good listener
entails receiving and sending appropriate messages. Sometimes how they communicate is much more
revealing than what they actually say, which may be more concealing than revealing. Listening skills
are basic to all human interaction, whether the purpose is for getting information, conducting in-depth
interviews, or offering informal help.
Active Listening:
Active listening requires more than just listening to what a client says. It involves taking an interest in
the other person, making sure they are comfortable about disclosing personal information and
providing support and understanding. It also requires that a counselor also takes into account the body
language that is being displayed, and also the tone, speed and pitch of voice. Counselors must also
demonstrate active listening by employing the various techniques throughout their counseling
relationship with the client. These include:
Facing the client. Sitting straight or leaning forwards to show attentiveness is also useful.
Maintaining eye contact shows the speaker you are interested in them and what they have to say.
Responding appropriately, by um-humming, eyebrow raising and supplying other more direct
responses, prompts the client to continue talking.
Focusing solely on what the client is saying will enable the counselor to follow the logical flow of
the conversation with ease.
Only ask questions for clarification. The less a counselor speaks the more a client should.
Active Listening is cluster of skills used to increase the accuracy of our understanding. It includes:
Attending, Silence, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing.
Encouraging Silence:
Clients who are impulsive and reactive can benefit from being encouraged to use silence
I think it might be useful if we took a quiet minute or two...
Let's pause for a moment
It's okay with me if you want to think about it for a while
When you're ready, we can talk about it. In the meantime, I'm comfortable if we don't say anything
Occasional silence is something that might occur during our time together. Sometimes one or both
of us will need time to think
Surroundings:
Counselling needs to be in a private & relatively informal setting
No noise or distractions
Seats need comfortable and well placed
The counselor and client need to be comfortably apart
Eye contact:
Look at the client when they are talking
Use glances that express interest and acceptance
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Getting the client to talk is important in the initial stages. If the client is invited to talk freely instead of
being subjected to a series of questions they are more likely to talk. An opening question or statement
can be made to make the client feel welcome. For example: “how can I help you?’.
Open-ended questions:
Open-ended questions or statements invite the client to continue talking by suggesting that she/he
gives more Beginning questions with: what? When? How? where? why? Is a useful way of making
them open. In contrast, closed questions tend to shut off conversation by inviting a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
answer. A series of such questions or statements can sound like an interrogation. Gestures such as
nods, single words or noises, body posters or repetitions of key words indicate that the counselor is
interested and are effective in keeping the client talking.
Counselor’s Self-Disclosure:
The counselor shares personal feelings, experiences, or reactions to the client. Should include relevant
content intended to help them. As a rule, it is better to not self-disclose unless there is a pressing
clinical need which cannot be met in any other way. Remember empathy is not sharing similar
experiences but conveying in a caring and understanding manner what the client is feeling and
thinking
Interpretation:
In interpretation the counselor is providing new meaning, reason, or explanation for behaviours,
thoughts, or feelings so that client can see problems in a new way. Interpretations can help the client
make connections between seemingly isolated statements of events, can point out themes or patterns,
or can offer a new framework for understanding. An interpretation may be used to help a client focus
on a specific aspect of their problem, or provide a goal.
• Keep interpretations short, concrete (see concreteness), and deliver them tentatively and with
empathy.
• Use interpretations sparingly and do not assume a client's rejection of your insight means, they are
resistant or that you are right.
12.3.3: Counselling of students with special needs
What is Special Education Counseling?
Special education counseling is a specialization of school counseling that is concerned with the
success of special needs students. The essential purpose of special education counseling is to ensure
that special needs students and their families have access to the appropriate supports and interventions
in order to facilitate improved achievement in a school environment.
In addition to facilitating academic and intellectual growth, special education counseling is concerned
with improving a student’s ability to function in social, emotional, and behavioral capacities. Special
education counseling is a multi-modal discipline in that special education counselors must be well
versed in counseling theories and techniques, as well as educational theory, educational law, and
special education regulations.
G. S. Smith gives the following needs and problems experience by many adolescents and special need
students which require counselling
1. Getting along with one’s peers.
2. Making and keeping friends
3. Physical problem
4. Problem of Health
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5. Personal behaviour problems
6. Emotional problems resulting for scholastic difficulties.
7. Adjustment needs stemming from feeling of inferiority, inadequate social skill and unfortunate
personality traits.
8. Mentally Challenged learners
9. Slow learner
10. Hyperactive learner
11. Learning disabilities
Counselling for special need student
1. Counsellor should develop rapport .Rapport is a technical term used to denote the feelings of
friendliness, security and mutual confidence between counsellor and counselee
2. The counsellor expresses sympathy for the counselee.
3. Counsellor will try to ease the counselee’s fear by encouraging him that his problem will be
solved.
4. The counsellor expresses approval with something that the counselee has said or done.
5. The counsellor asks questions to stimulate the counselee to think further about his problem.
6. The counsellor something threatens the counselee that unpleasant result may occur if the counselee
does not follow a certain specified course of action.
7. The counsellor cites some experimental evidence to illustrate or prove appoints
8. All avoided of fatigue, pressure, irritation and anxiety should be avoided .
9. The student should be helped to approach the main issues himself.
10. Nothing should be done to undermine the self-respect of the student
11. Moralizing should be avoided,Thinking of the child should be challenged.
12. Psychological Analysis & Problem solution -The more & more wethink about the child the more
we get the solution. Firstly, we have to search the problem area of the child. The problem of the
child may be his family or friends or his personal condition. If we go for personal asking questions
as a relative of his own, then we can be assured about getting some difficulties for which the child
is not reading. Them we, from our level will try to get solution of this problem.
13. Guidance from his/her level -Child has a level of his own. Level of understanding is different from
one child to another. The weak child more often can‘t understand the studies because he has not
understood the previous formula / concept in the previous classes. How can he understand the
concept of class IX if he has not understood the simple conceptof class VII & VIII? That‘s why the
child should be personally taught from his understanding level.
14. Encouragement in small success -The greatest factor for the success of the life of the child is his
encouragement. If we try to find out the strengths of the weak child then we come across some of
them. If we try to applaud him with encouraging words & give confidence he definitely feels his
importance & worth. Once the child has grown his confidence means he will definitely improve.
The most important cause of his weakness is we; the teachers always give importance to the good
children & neglect the weaker in the class. Encouragement can change the whole personality of a
child
15. Fixing the goal & Prescribing a Time table -The child should be persuaded to make a time table for
the study purpose. Sometimes some children have no goal regarding study. The teacher should
observe those children & inspire them to fix the goal for the life & help him to make a time table
for every day work so that the child will be captured through the time table to do the things at write
time.
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16. Giving Memory tips -More often the child forgets whatever he learns. That‘s why he loses his
confidence on him & differentiates between him & the good students. The teacher‘s role is to give
the tips such as h̳ ow to recall‘, i̳ n which way to write systematically‘, w̳ hen to learn‘, ̳how to learn‘
etc.
12.3.4: Role of Counselor in Developing Self Concept
Role of Counselor in Developing Self-Concept:
Establishing Rapport:
When a client visits the counselor for the first time, the counselor should welcome his client. He
should make him comfortable and he should be taken into confidence.
Cultivating Self-Understanding:
The pupil or the client should possess the knowledge & understanding of his own abilities &
responsibilities very clearly. The client should understand all these before using these abilities &
responsibilities. Therefore, the counselor should have the experience of test-administration &
interpretation of the test scores. The test scores provide a strong base for diagnosis & prognosis in
the counseling process.
Clarification:
At some occasions, the counselor should clarify what the client says. It is the duty of the counselor
to make the client familiar with the fact that he understands the client & he accepts him. But
sometimes it becomes necessary to clarify the client’s explanation.
Silence:
Sometimes, silent listening proves more effective in different situations. When a client is
describing his problem, the counselor adopts silence. This ensures the client about the counsellor’s
full attention towards the client’s narration. It also ensures the client about the counsellor’s serious
thinking on the client’s problem.
Listen:
Listen attentively to the client is an attempt to understand both the content of their problem, as they
see it, and the emotions they are experiencing related to the problem. Do not make interpretations
of the client's problems or offer any premature suggestions as to how to deal with, or solve the
issues presented. Listen and try to understand the concerns being presented.
Resistance:
Changing human behaviour is not usually a linear, direct, and logical process. This means people
change at different rates depending on how well they can tolerate the imbalance that comes from
change. So, when people resist certain changes that one hopes will occur in therapy it is important
that the therapist not take this personally and recognize the stressful nature of the process for the
client. Some resistance to therapeutic change is quite natural.
Respect:
No matter how peculiar, strange, disturbed, weird, or utterly different from you that the client is,
they must be treated with respect. You do not have to like the client, or their values, or their
behaviour, but you must put your personal feelings aside and treat them with respect.
Empathy and Positive Regard:
Empathy requires you to listen and understand the feelings and perspective of the other person and
positive regard is an aspect of respect. While Rogers calls this "unconditional positive regard" it
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 3 Page 5
may be a bit too much to ask that it be "unconditional." Treating the client with respect should be
sufficient.
Explanatory Method:
Explanatory method is the most desirable method in the counseling. In this, the counselor
gradually understands very carefully the diagnostic data& indicates those situations in which the
pupil’s potentialities can be used. In this, the uses of data are explained in detail & carefully.
Asking Questions:
The counselor should ask some questions to inspire the client to express more ideas. These
questions should be asked just after the client’s statement is over.
Summary Classification:
Some part of the client’s statement may not be useful. Hence the problem looks vague in itself. In
such situation, it becomes necessary for the counselor to shorten the client’s statement and to
organize it properly so that the client may understand the problem distinctly.
Analysis:
The counselor can take initiative by presenting some solution to the client’s problem. But the
counselor cannot force the client to act upon that solution. He leaves it upon the client whether to
accept or reject that solution or to apply some modification. The client cannot be put under
pressure in this regard.
Interpretation:
The counselor should have the right to interpret the client’s statement or explanation only. He should
not add from his own side. He concludes the result out of client’s statement. The client alone is unable
to derive results. It is important to note here that the results concluded by the counselor and results
derived from the tests may agree or may not agree.
12.3.5: Career Counseling in the Present Context
Career Counselling:
Career Counseling is designed to help with choosing, changing, or leaving a career and is available at
any stage in life. When choosing the most fitting career or finding a new job when one proves
unsatisfying or frustrating, the services of a career counselor may be helpful.
Choosing a career is not a serious affair until 12th grade. However, once you are done with 12th, it is
necessary to choose a definite career and decide a career goal. Choosing the right career option
keeping the market in mind is necessary. In addition to this, selecting the right education institution is
equally important. Unfortunately, not many students are able to discover their potentials and interests
at the stage and this is when pressure starts building.
In this scenario, seeking the help of an experienced and qualified career counselor becomes necessary
who can assist in discovering your potential and aptitude and accordingly suggest the right course.
Career counselor usually employ through testing of three factors – aptitude, interest and personality.
These aspects help these counselors in deciding the right career path for a student. With an increase in
the number of opportunities in the market, the importance of career counseling has also increased
manifold. People have begun to realize the fact that not all can become engineers or doctors and
started exploring other fields depending on their talent and interest in alternate domains.
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Some counselors may also be able to offer advice on how to improve one's position at a job that is, for
the most part, enjoyable. For example, possible ways to earn a promotion or the best methods to
negotiate a salary adjustment could be discussed.
A career counselor could be a therapist, life coach, or a volunteer from the business world but will
generally be trained to provide career information resources, discuss career development, and
administer and interpret aptitude and ability assessments. Students might see a guidance counselor in
high school before applying to college and then again in college before choosing or changing majors,
but career counseling can help anyone who wishes to change careers, leave work altogether, or explore
ways to be more satisfied with a current career.
How Career Counseling Can Help
In a career counseling session, the counselor will help a person explore skills and strengths, consider
education levels and give advice about continuing education, and determine interests and personality
type. Counselors may also administer an IQ test or an aptitude test. The Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator has also been shown to be useful at helping individuals determine possible careers based on
personality traits.
Some potential topics of discussion in career counseling:
Particular skills or talents.
The educational commitment required of various careers.
The potential earnings of various careers.
The daily working environment. Some people enjoy working in an office, while others might be
more successful in a fast-paced or outdoor environment.
The opportunities for change or advancement in a particular career. Some careers are more flexible
than others. Lawyers and doctors, for example, may shift their focus or area of specialty but will
generally remain lawyers and doctors. Other careers or education paths might more allow mobility
between positions in a given field.
The necessary skills/education for a desired career.
Importance of Career Counseling
Approaching a career counselor is essential when you are not sure about choosing a suitable career
option. Selecting a career option determines your course of life. While a good decision at the right
point of time can make your life pleasant, a wrong one can ruin it. Remember that these decisions are
irreversible. In case of dilemma, it is also better to take professional help. Career counseling is
probably the best option in this case. Benefits of career counseling is as follows-
Helps in determining a student’s true potential: There are students who are clear as to what
they want to become. On the other hand, there are others who are either confused or have no idea
about their career preferences. Regular aptitude tests and counseling sessions conduct by career
counselors can help students in finding out the right career options and the fields that interest them.
On the basis on these counseling results, students make the right choice regarding what course they
want to enroll into in order to accomplish their career goals.
Clear doubts: Despite having a clear idea of what they want to achieve in life, some students do
not know the career path they need to follow to have the requisite academic qualification to join a
particular course. Career counseling can help students clear these doubts by giving them a clear cut
view of what they can expect from various educational courses. Some students might also have
preconceived beliefs about certain fields. Career counseling also helps students overcome these by
knowing the true facts.
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Support and motivation: A career counselor also provides essential support and boosts the
morale of a student by understanding the kind of requirements. Building the motivational level of a
student is necessary for long term success. This aids in improving overall performance of a
student. In addition to this, career counselingalso teaches how to expand your network which in
turn enhances emotional support.
Helps Pick The Right Career: Career Counsellors are experts at assessing your aptitude,
personality, interests, and other aspects of you. They use this evaluation to suggest the best career
options from all the available and relevant options.
Helps Provide Expert Resources: Career Counselling provides access to the resources and
knowledge that a career expert possesses. This knowledge of Careers, their scope and the paths to
pursue them are most important from the point of view of a parent and child, since most of the
times, parents or guardians do not have that kind of knowledge.
Helps Gain Confidence And Insight: Career Counselling helps a counselee understand the
hurdles in his/her career path. This knowledge helps to develop the confidence to overcome these
hurdles. It is the duty of a good counsellor to provide such insight and confidence to the counselee.
Helps Change Unwanted Behaviour Patterns: Students and professionals have habits that are
hard to break, such as procrastinating, not keeping updated on latest developments in their chosen
career paths, neglecting emotional and mental health, not trying to self-motivate, etc. A Career
Counsellor helps break such behavioral patterns that lead to unproductive activities, both at home
and in school/college/work.
Helps Remove Career-Related Frustration: Choosing a career can be a demanding task for both
parents and children. A lack of any source of venting out emotions and thoughts may add to the
existing frustration. Career Counselling provides a platform where such frustrations can be
reduced, and focus is re-directed to selecting the best career options.
Provides A Role-Model: Career Counselling helps students connect to experts who have enough
life experiences to share. They are role models who have accomplished much, and helped people
in their life. This is why Career Counselling can serve as an inspiration to those who require it.
Helps Bring Stability In Thought: Career Counsellors can help you remain calm when it comes
to taking a career decision. Counselling helps bring about focus, and maintain that focus
throughout in our activities. Through proper scheduling and planning, they try and make your life
more organized.
Career Counselling helps them understand the career options that they have, and how to pursue
them. Career Counselling helps them understand their own strengths and weaknesses with regard
to their present course or profession, and lets them know what career they would be suited for.
Career Counselling gives them a platform to voice their opinion about what they would like to
pursue, as well as discuss the obstacles that they may be worried about. Career Counselling makes
the transition from one field to another a non-stressful event.
12.3.6: Factors to be considered in counselling
1. Background Factors:
Family- family play very important role in counselling .the home environment and the social
condition existing in neighbourhood .Educational attainment of family members living in home or
closely associated with the child, residential history of family ( rural and urban),method and
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 3 Page 8
amount of parental control, attitude of other members towards the child specially culture pattern of
the family etc, have close earing upon child.
Health – health factor is related with medical examination growth of characteristics,nutrition and
general health of counselee, educational plans of an individual are considerably affected if his
weak eyesight makes him unfit for long hours of reading and writing work. All happiness and
welfare of an individual depends upon his physical fitness for work.
Socio-Economic status- social ,economical condition of counselee is affected on his performance
so it is one of the important factor of counselling.
2. Psychological factors:
General mental health, predominant mood, self assertion and self-abasement, sense of self –confidence
attitude toward self are the various traits to be included.
Personality – it is on important factor of counselling .outbursts of range, fear, aggressive or
submissive, happy or unhappy, fantasies, attitude towards sex.
There are different type of personality according to that counselling must eprovide .
Intelligence - Intelligence is the aggregate global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to
think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment,it is one of the factor of counselling
intelligence of counselee is important for counselling.
Special aptitude – aptitude is regarding to ability of person ,it is one factor of counselling if
counsellor know the aptitude of counselee it help in counselling. There are difference type of
aptitude .according to that counselling should be there.
Interest - Every individual is different from other, his /her interest also different, Interest are the
product of interaction between inherited aptitude and endocrine factor on the one hand and the
opportunity and social evaluation on the other .some of the thingsperson does will bring him the
satisfaction of mastery or the approval of his companions and result in interest the of the Some his
associates do appeal to him and through identification, he patterns his action and his interest after
them if he fits the pattern reasonably well. He remains in it, but if not he must seek another sel
concept and interest pattern.So it is important factor of counselling.
Values – what are the values of counselee according to that counselling takes turn so it is
important
Goal – Goal give direction of life so it is one of the factor of counselling.
3. Educational Factor:
Progress in the past and in the present not only in term of marks but also in terms of other objectives,
such as good work habits, appreciation, etc, attitude towards school subjects, likes and dislikes, special
abilities and disabilities towards co-curricular activities are the various item included under
educational factor .
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling /Module 3 Page 9
Course 12: Guidance and Counseling
Module 4: Guidance for Career Information
12.4.1: Career Information: Meaning, Need, Importance of Career Information
Meaning of Career Information:
Career information describes information that supports career and learning choices. An important sub-
set of career information is labour market information (LMI), such as salaries of various professions,
employment rate in various professions, available training programs, and current job openings.
Need of Career Information:
The decisions that young people make at school have a big impact on their lives – affecting not just
their further education, training or employment, but also their social lives, finances and health
outcomes. A key function of secondary schools is to prepare students to transition successfully toward
a future career path. This involves providing curriculum opportunities to build students’ general
capabilities, support students’ interests and aspirations, and support them to make informed decisions
about their subject choices and pathways. Students are more engaged in education and highly
motivated about their future when they have a clear understanding of themselves and how they might
live and work when they leave school. High quality career education and guidance is an essential part
of schooling in preparing students for their future.
Career information, guidance and counseling refers to services that assist individuals, of any age and at
any point throughout their lives, to make educational, training and occupational choices and to manage
their careers.
Trough proper career information, we can help students to:
evaluate their interests, skills, and abilities
develop realistic goals
make decisions about their careers, such as choosing a new profession and the type of degree to
pursue
learn job search skills, such as interviewing and networking
locate and apply for jobs, by teaching them strategies that will be helpful in finding openings and
writing a résumé.
Importance of Career Information:
Career guidance and counseling programs help individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and
experience necessary to identify options, explore alternatives and succeed in society. These
programs better prepare individuals for the changing workplace of the 21st century by:
teaching labor market changes and complexity of the workplace
broadening knowledge, skills, and abilities
improving decision making skills
increasing self-esteem and motivation
building interpersonal effectiveness
maximizing career opportunities
improving employment marketability and opportunities
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling/Module 4 Page 1
promoting effective job placement
strengthening employer relations
Career education and guidance is an inherent element of every school’s provision of a rich and
balanced education.
It assists students to make decisions at key transition points and supports their successful transition
from school to further education or work.
It also aims to develop the career management competencies that will equip students to manage
their career pathways and opportunities throughout their lives.
Helps in determining a student’s true potential: There are students who are clear as to what
they want to become. On the other hand, there are others who are either confused or have no idea
about their career preferences. Regular aptitude tests and counseling sessions conduct by career
counselors can help students in finding out the right career options and the fields that interest them.
On the basis on these counseling results, students make the right choice regarding what course they
want to enroll into in order to accomplish their career goals.
Clear doubts: Despite having a clear idea of what they want to achieve in life, some students do
not know the career path they need to follow to have the requisite academic qualification to join a
particular course. Career counseling can help students clear these doubts by giving them a clear cut
view of what they can expect from various educational courses. Some students might also have
preconceived beliefs about certain fields. Career counseling also helps students overcome these by
knowing the true facts.
Support and motivation: A career counselor also provides essential support and boosts the
morale of a student by understanding the kind of requirements. Building the motivational level of a
student is necessary for long term success. This aids in improving overall performance of a
student. In addition to this, career counseling also teaches how to expand your network which in
turn enhances emotional support.
12.4.2: Sources of Career Information
Introduction:
Career Information in the form of book, student journal, teacher’s guide, companion website and other
valuable tools help palatial career seekers to begin thinking about possible career. There are many
sources that provide career information on various aspects of careers. Career information sources are
too many and too plenty. They are available in different forms, in different channels and in different
media.
Sources of Career Information:
Career information is available in different formats in different formats in different channels and in
different media. It is available in print as well as non-print media. Newspapers play an important role
in the communication of career information. Like the Newspapers, Periodicals, magazines also carry
career information quickly and more precisely to the job seekers. Periodicals are published in a variety
of forms. One may divide the periodicals on the basis of their frequency of publication like weekly,
fortnightly, quarterly, monthly, Bi-annually and annually.
1. Magazines:
Through Magazines, we can find many job related advertisements. Career related magazines provide
authentic information about each and every job.
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a) Employment News: Employment News Paper is very popular among the youth, those who are
seeking jobs in Government Sector.
b) Chronicle: Chronicle is a unique magazine especially meant for IAS aspirants. Topics of special
interest to candidates appearing for civil services exams have been provided with greater details.
The treatment is scholarly in nature but readable. The subject has been described comprehensively
in one general article.
c) Competition Refresher: This magazine is a repository of Current General Knowledge. It provides
latest general knowledge in capsule form. The column ‘competition opportunities’ gives
employment news.
2. Personal Contact:
A good place to start collecting information is from family, friends, and acquaintances. One should not
be afraid to ask friends or relatives if they know of an available job. Many people get jobs through
personal contacts.
3. National and Local Newspapers:
This is one of the major places where you find job opportunities; just make sure you read the
newspapers daily.
a) The Times of India: Times of India is the most widely read English newspaper in India. It
includes 8 pages of “Ascent” a supplement which contains career information.
b) The New Indian Express: The Monday edition has a supplement named “Education Express”
which includes information about different careers and courses. Career Information is provided
under “Job vacancies”.
4. Radio:
In rural areas, radios are very familiar. Messages relay from radio stations reach rural youth directly.
Career seekers of rural areas are greatly benefitted by the information about career given through
radio. Radio broadcasts career information in a number of programs like Yuva Vani, Udyoga Varte
and Mahila Ranga. All India Radio Dharwad broadcasts the Udyoga Varte on every Sunday between
12 – 01 P.M. And it broadcasts Yuva Vani from Monday to Thursday at 8.30 P.M. Occasionally also it
announces the employment news.
5. Television as a Source of Career Information:
In modern days, television has become the popular means of communication following are some of
telecast on TV
i. Yuva Bharat: Yuva-Bharat is a ETV network program for the youth and future opinion makers. It is
a “One stop Forum” on career guidance, employment opportunities and counseling for the youth
ii. Job Show: India’s first televised Job hunt where we get some of the hottest jobs in the market
today. The job show is brought by naukri.com in association with CNBC TV 18, every Saturday at
8.30 P.M. The same programme repeats 11 A.M. and 10.30 P.M. on Sunday.
6. Internet:
Many people find that the Internet is a valuable source of job listings and job search resources and
techniques. Internet resources are available whenever a job seeker has time to access them.
Internet job search resources also include such popular Web sites as Monster
(http://www.monster.com) and HotJobs (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com). These sites provide job listings,
résumé assistance, links to career advice, and a variety of other tools for job seekers.
Fresherworld.com : It provides information about job vacancies in the fields of IT, Software,
Government, Technical, Banking & Finance and many others.
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Career.com: It is an interactive recruitment advertising site focused on connecting qualified job
seekers with employers in the high-tech fields.
7. Public Employment Services
States operate employment services and workforce agencies, sometimes called the Job Service. These
are local offices with free resources to help job-hunters find positions and to help employers find
qualified workers.
8. Private Employment Agencies
Private employment agencies can be helpful, but they are in business to make money. Most agencies
operate on a commission basis, with the fee dependent upon a percentage of the salary paid to a
successful applicant. Either the newly hired employee or the hiring company will have to pay a sizable
fee. Job seekers should find out the exact cost and who is responsible for paying the fees before using
the service.
9. College Career Planning and Placement Offices
College placement offices assist in job placement for their students and alumni. They set up
appointments and provide facilities for interviews with recruiters. Placement offices usually list part-
time, temporary, and summer jobs offered on campus.
10. Community Agencies
Many nonprofit organizations, including churches, vocational rehabilitation agencies, offer counseling,
career development, and job placement services. These are often targeted to a particular group, such as
women, youth, minorities, ex-offenders, or older workers.
11. Employers
It is possible to apply directly to employers without either a referral or a posted job opening. Potential
employers can be found in the Yellow Pages, directories of local chambers of commerce, other
publications that provide information about employers, and in Internet listings of employers in any
given geographic area.
12.4.3: Data Gathering Techniques: a) Job Analysis, b) Survey Method
Job Analysis:
Job Analysis is a systematic exploration, study and recording the responsibilities, duties, skills,
accountabilities, work environment and ability requirements of a specific job.
It also involves determining the relative importance of the duties, responsibilities and physical and
emotional skills for a given job. All these factors identify what a job demands and what an employee
must possess to perform a job productively.
According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Job analysis is the process of studying and collecting information
relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job.
Job analysis also helps HR managers in deciding the compensation package and additional perks and
incentives for a particular job position. It effectively contributes in assessing the training needs and
performance of the existing employees.
The process forms the basis to design and establish the strategies and policies to fulfill organizational
goals and objectives.
A Job analysis creates a right fit between the job and the employee.
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Purpose of Job Analysis
Recruitment and Selection: Job Analysis helps in determining what kind of person is required to
perform a particular job. It points out the educational qualifications, level of experience and
technical, physical, emotional and personal skills required to carry out a job in desired fashion. The
objective is to fit a right person at a right place.
Performance Analysis: Job analysis is done to check if goals and objectives of a particular job are
met or not. It helps in deciding the performance standards, evaluation criteria and individual’s
output. On this basis, the overall performance of an employee is measured and he or she is
appraised accordingly.
Training and Development: Job Analysis can be used to assess the training and development needs
of employees. The difference between the expected and actual output determines the level of
training that need to be imparted to employees. It also helps in deciding the training content, tools
and equipments to be used to conduct training and methods of training.
Compensation Management: Of course, job analysis plays a vital role in deciding the pay packages
and extra perks and benefits and fixed and variable incentives of employees. After all, the pay
package depends on the position, job title and duties and responsibilities involved in a job. The
process guides HR managers in deciding the worth of an employee for a particular job opening.
Job Designing and Redesigning: The main purpose of job analysis is to streamline the human
efforts and get the best possible output. It helps in designing, redesigning, enriching, evaluating
and also cutting back and adding the extra responsibilities in a particular job. This is done to
enhance the employee satisfaction while increasing the human output.
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Job Analysis Methods:
Most Common Methods of Job Analysis:
Observation Method: A job analyst observes an employee and records all his performed and
non-performed task, fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways and skills
used by him or her to perform various duties and his or her mental or emotional ability to handle
challenges and risks. However, it seems one of the easiest methods to analyze a specific job but
truth is that it is the most difficult one. It is due to the fact that every person has his own way of
observing things. Different people think different and interpret the findings in different ways.
Therefore, the process may involve personal biasness or likes and dislikes and may not produce
genuine results. This error can be avoided by proper training of job analyst or whoever will be
conducting the job analysis process.
This particular method includes three techniques: direct observation, Work Methods Analysis and
Critical Incident Technique. The first method includes direct observation and recording of
behaviour of an employee in different situations. The second involves the study of time and motion
and is specially used for assembly-line or factory workers. The third one is about identifying the
work behaviours that result in performance.
Interview Method: In this method, an employee is interviewed so that he or she comes up with
their own working styles, problems faced by them, use of particular skills and techniques while
performing their job and insecurities and fears about their careers.
This method helps interviewer know what exactly an employee thinks about his or her own job and
responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis of job by employee himself. In order to generate
honest and true feedback or collect genuine data, questions asked during the interview should be
carefully decided. And to avoid errors, it is always good to interview more than one individual to
get a pool of responses. Then it can be generalized and used for the whole group.
Questionnaire Method: Another commonly used job analysis method is getting the
questionnaires filled from employees, their superiors and managers. However, this method also
suffers from personal biasness. A great care should be takes while framing questions for different
grades of employees.
In order to get the true job-related info, management should effectively communicate it to the staff that
data collected will be used for their own good. It is very important to ensure them that it won’t be used
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling/Module 4 Page 6
against them in anyway. If it is not done properly, it will be a sheer wastage of time, money and
human resources.
These are some of the most common methods of job analysis.
Need of Job Analysis:
Job analysis has the following needs:
1. Job analysis assists in knowing the personal specifications for various jobs.
2. Job analysis helps in bringing together the right worker for the right job.
3. Job analysis helps in job satisfaction and job efficiency.
4. Job analysis assists in the accurate determination of job opportunities for various types of
manpower in the industries.
5. Job analysis helps in planning appropriate training programmes.
6. Job analysis defines labour needs in specific terms. ‘Blum and Balinsky’ point out the importance
of job analysis as“An attempt to relate the curriculum of both high school and colleges to a series
of job analysis imposed by industries may make for more meaningful and highly motivated
education.”
Advantages and Uses of Job Analysis:
Manpower Planning:
Recruitment, Selection and Placement:
Training and Development:
Job Evaluation:
Performance appraisal:
Job Designing:
Safety and Health:
Discipline:
Survey Method:
Survey means ‘to look at in a comprehensive way’. There are numerous survey research methods,
including in-person and telephone interviews, mailed and online questionnaires.
1. Telephonic Interview
Telephone Interviewing stands out as the best method for gathering quickly needed information.
Responses are collected from the respondents by the researcher on telephone.
Advantages of Telephonic Interview
1. It is very fast method of data collection.
2. Response rate of telephone interviewing seems to be a little better than mail questionnaires
3. The quality of information is better
4. It is less costly method and there are less administration problems
Disadvantages of Telephonic Interview
1. They can’t handle interview which need props
2. It can’t handle unstructured interview
3. It can’t be used for those questions which requires long descriptive answers
4. Respondents cannot be observed
5. People are reluctant to disclose personal information on telephone
6. People who don’t have telephone facility cannot be approached
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2. Personal Interviewing
It is the most versatile of the all methods. They are used when props are required along with the
verbal response non-verbal responses can also be observed.
Advantages of Personal Interview
1. The person interviewed can ask more questions and can supplement the interview with personal
observation.
2. They are more flexible. Order of questions can be changed
3. Knowledge of past and future is possible.
4. In-depth research is possible.
5. Verification of data from other sources is possible.
6. The information obtained is very reliable and dependable and helps in establishing cause and effect
relationship very early.
Disadvantages of Personal Interview
1. It requires much more technical and administrative planning and supervision
2. It is more expensive
3. It is time consuming
4. The accuracy of data is influenced by the interviewer
5. A number of call banks may be required
6. Some people are not approachable
3. Mail Survey
Questionnaires are send to the respondents, they fill it up and send it back.
Advantages of Mail Survey
1. It can reach all types of people.
2. Response rate can be improved by offering certain incentives.
Disadvantages of Mail Survey
1. It cannot be used for unstructured study.
2. It is costly.
3. It requires established mailing list.
4. It is time consuming.
5. There is problem in case of complex questions.
4. Electronic Interview
Electronic interviewing is a process of recognizing and noting people, objects, occurances rather than
asking for information. For example-When you go to store, you notice which product people like to
use. The Universal Product Code (UPC) is also a method of observing what people are buying.
Advantages of Electronic Interview
1. There is no relying on willingness or ability of respondent.
2. The data is more accurate and objective.
Disadvantages of Electronic Interview
1. Attitudes cannot be observed.
2. Those events which are of long duration can not be observed.
3. There is observer bias. It is not purely objective.
4. If the respondents know that they are being observed, their response can be biased.
5. It is a costly method.
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12.4.4: Occupational Information: Meaning and Importance, Information about
Education and Job Opportunities and Personal and Social Information
Concept:
Occupational information is information about the ‘world of work‘. Occupational information covers
pertinent and reliable information relating to various occupations e.g. job contents, training and
preparation for the occupation, entry in to occupation, working conditions, salaries, emoluments,
employment outlooks and prospects etc.
Occupational information as defined by Prof. C.E. Shartle is, "accurate and usable information about
jobs and occupations". It includes all types of information such as the importance of an occupation,
minimum conditions for entrance, promotion opportunities, health and hazard compensations etc.
In this field the main work of the guidance officer is to help his students in securing educational
experience and to help him to evaluate his opportunities and limitations. It is expected that the pupils
will be provided with accurate and usable information before leaving school. Such a step will be much
helpful to bridge the gap between the employment opportunities and the resources of the personnel.
Types of Information
(i) Information about various jobs.
(ii) Information about various industries.
(iii) Information about training facilities.
(iv) Information about placement facilities.
(v) Information about Common errors in choosing an occupation.
(vi) Information about various items to be considered in choosing an occupation.
(vii) Information about sources of information about occupation.
(viii) Information regarding one's own abilities and interests.
Importance:
Occupational information service is one of the important guidance services. The need and importance
of occupational information is as follows.
Career Planning: Due to vastness of educational and occupational opportunities available today the
student needs accurate reliable and useful information. Occupational information is one of the
essential aspects of career planning.
Career Development: Occupational information is also essential for career development of students.
The individual‘s appropriate skills, attitudes, interests, abilities, values and self concept depend upon
accurate information about specific jobs.
Vocational thinking: In the early stage i.e elementary stage, occupational information helps to widen
the vocational thinking .This helps them to explore the vocational world.
Changing Perceptions: Occupational information helps to check the pre conceived distorted notion of
individual regarding some job.
Placement: As the student gets reliable and accurate information about the job, through occupational
information it helps in placement. The student gets information about personality traits required for a
particular job, which helps in getting the job.
Apart from this, occupational information has important role in preparation of selection tests for jobs,
upgradation of skills of employed manpower and international comparison of occupational data.
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Information about education
The Information about Education can be collected from:
Prospectus of educational and institutions and universities
Through training institutions such as those brought out by different ministries, departments, inter
university boards, and professional and voluntary organizations
Handbooks on training facilities in different states
Information about Job opportunities
The information about job can be collected :
From advertisements inserted in newspapers or gazettes ,by UPSC(Union Public Service
Commission), State Public Service commission, and individual establishments and institutions
Career Websites: there are various job search engines on the internet or vast number of career-
related websites that post job openings such as Monster.com, careerBuilder.com, Indeed.com
etc
Company websites
Cold Calling (Use of telephone or emails to contact individual within an organization directly to
find out if they foresee any upcoming vacancies
Recruitment Agencies
Networking to find a job (by friends, relatives etc. )
Schemes of self-employment and related assistance of small industries, service institutes, industrial
departments, banks and professional organisations.
Personal - social information:
Valid and usable data about the opportunities and influences of the human being which will help
learners to understand themselves better and improve their relation ship with others.
Eg: personal appearance
home and family relations
leisure time activities
social skills
manners and etiquette
way of living
Personal-social information can be collected :
booklets for increasing self understanding
Mental health material
personal hygiene material
illustrative material as films, filmstrips poster charts regarding personal - social adjustment
12.4.5:Disseminations of information through: Career talks, Exhibition, Class
talks by subject teacher, bulletin boards, visits, on line search
Career talks:
A talk about the details o a particular job can be labeled as career talk. Such talks provide information
to the clients about vocation and career. It is the direct transference of information from experienced
persons in a particular field to freshers or needy persons.
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Career talk is one of the methods of providing career information through lectures, seminars and talks
by professional in the field. The career talks can be delivered on various themes such as avenues open
to graduates and post graduates, self employment schemes, opportunities of government service, scope
of employment, methods of recruitment future vocational plans etc.
Objectives of career talks are:
To enable the students to get opportunity to clarify their doubts regarding careers through direct
interaction with expert people in the field.
To enable students to acquire information about careers directly from experienced persons in the
field.
The success of career talk depends on the following.
1. Selection of the theme:
It should facilitate interaction
It should be useful to a majority of students
Identified theme should cover all details about job opportunities
2. Fixing the career talk schedule:
To hold a successful career talk, schedule for the career talk programme must be fixed in advance.
It should be convenient to the talker
Most of the students should be able to attend
It should be arranged during the working hours of the institute to ensure maximum attendance of
the listeners.
Parents should be invited too
3. Preparation by speaker/talker
Speaking should make necessary planning
Information regarding institutions background, background of students, discipline attending the
talk, number of students, their interests, aspirations, time allotted for the talk and the expected
content of the talk, etc.
4. Preparation by the school/organizer:
Careful planning by the institution or organizer is also essential.
A brief note on the talk covering the details of time, date, speakers name and his/her introduction,
objectives of the talk, content and points of the discussion etc.
Provisions of AV aids should be made for presentation
Teacher in-charge of the programme should meet the speaker in advance and discuss the details of
the programme.
5. Assigning duties to students:
Some of the duties related to the career talk should be assigned to the representatives of the
students such as arranging lecture place or hall, speaker’s reception and welcome, distribution of
programme brief to the students and parents, display of materials, etc.
6. Follow up:
Discussion sessions by the students can also become a part of follow-up.
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling/Module 4 Page 11
Exhibition:
Career exhibition means an organized display of materials of occupational interest.
Although it is usually not possible to give detailed information through a display, but certain basic
ideas can be presented simply and clearly and it the same time, it can also be useful in directing
students to other sources of information.
Students should play an active role in planning and organizing career exhibitions.
Posters and charts can be prepared for all types of guidance – educational, vocational and personal.
For educational guidance, charts may be prepared giving details of various courses available at
different stages, their admission criteria, etc.
Under vocational guidance, information may be provided about various job options available after
X, XII, graduation , by various educational streams or details about one occupation such as entry
qualifications, process of entry in the job, pay scale, nature of duties, working conditions, future
prospects, etc.
Class talk by subject teacher
It is a popular technique of dissemination of career usually done by subject teachers. There is also
scope for dissemination of occupational information in secondary school through subject teaching. In
language, social science, mathematics, science there is maximum scope for diffusion of occupational
information. The dissemination of occupational / career information by subject teachers motivates the
students to learn the subject matter with interest and to explore further information. The organization
of class talk may be extremely beneficial to provide information to a specific group of students. There
can be various types of talks.
a. Educational talks: Educational talks may relate to some common educational problems of a
particular class.
b. Vocational talks: vocational talks may relate to the problems relating to voacational choice or
giving information about a particular occupation or entry into the occupation.
c. Motivational talk: This type of talks are meant to inspire students to concentrate on their studies,
setting up their goals in life, motivating them to form positive attitudes towards life, work etc.
d. General talk: General talks may not be problem specific. These can be about informing the
students about guidance services in schools or the role of employment exchanges.
Purpose of class talk:
To give exposure about various aspects of educational and vocational fields
To provide specific information
To provide motivation in certain areas
To develop real self concept
Bulletin boards:
Bulletin board announcements, displays may be used to call attention to the information available.
Copies of handouts received form UGC, different ministries and social agencies, university
employment information & guidance bureau could also be displayed with advantage.
This will help students in knowing where to look for the information.
Students may also be encouraged to collect information which can be displayed with advantage.
Important news cuttings should also be displayed on the boards under heads as advertisements of
various State Public Service Commissions, Union Public Service Commission, posts &
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling/Module 4 Page 12
Telegraphs, information regarding competitive exams, scholarships, admission notices, new
courses etc.
Visits
Another effective method of collecting career information is through visits or tours. Such visits to
commercial establishments, industries, professional colleges, research establishments can be arranged
for the collection of first hand career information. These visits provide direct and first-hand experience
of the actual job. Also the visit makes the clients familiar with the actual work environment.
Online search
Online search offers many top job sites on career counseling and career information to jobseekers.
Some selected websites related to career information are: JobStreet.com, Monster.com, Naukri.com,
TimesJobs.com, FresherWorld.com, Career.com, CareerBank.com, etc. These provide details of
popular careers including job descriptions, salary statistics, training information, and more. Career
development resources help aspiring professionals in their career choices and career changes. Internet
is the modern means of communication. It is the advanced means of communication. Internet provides
many career related search engines.
SVB’s SCER, Dombivli (E)/Course 12- Guidance and Counseling/Module 4 Page 13
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