I. Group Guidance Practicum

Rationale

Group guidance is based on the premise that guidance is needed by all. Therefore, in schools group guidance is an essential component in the overall programme of guidanceservices.Group experience not only permit the discussion of common concerns with peers and teachers, it also provides an opportunity to the counsellor to establish rapport andbecome acquainted with the pupils. Thus it is necessary that you equip yourself with  the skills of organising group work in schools.

The practicum in group guidance will help you to acquire—

1. skills in developing healthy and productive group climate, facilitative of interpersonal relationships and adjustment.
2. skills in establishing communication for facilitating optimum personal-social development of pupils.
3. skills in making use of group dynamics for clarifying personal social issues, setting  goals and evolving strategies to achieve them.
4. ability to identify and select techniques appropriate to group goals and needs, psychological   states and developmental tasks.

ability to use group processes for resolving common problems

GC – 116 II. Practicum in Psychological Testing and Qualitative   Assessment

Rationale

Psychological assessment is used to assess various abilities, interests, aptitudes and personality characteristics of students. These are used by the teachers and counsellors to gain greater insight and understanding of students. The Counsellors use assessment tools as aids to identify social-emotional and academic problems, to facilitate decisionmaking and resolving conflicts relating to subjects or career choices and in career counselling. The practicum in psychological assessment is aimed at equipping the counsellor trainees with skills relating to use of both qualitative and quantitative techniques. This practicum aims at creating awareness of the various situations in which tests are used and in developing the skills for selection and administration of appropriate tests, scoring and interpretation of data thus obtained. Aim is also to equip you with the skills for using non testing techniques as well as test data for preparing reports for diverse groups, viz. students/parents/teachers/educational administrators etc.

Competency - based Objectives

The trainees would be enabled to develop—

1. knowledge of various ability/interest/aptitude tests
2. skills for selection of an appropriate test for assessment of students’ abilities/ interests/ choices etc.
3. skills for administration of tests in group and individual situations which would involve developing rapport, giving instructions and actual administration of tests.
4. ability to score, interpret and analyse test results.
5. skills for communication of test results to students, parents, and teachers.
6. skills for using non-testing techniques for assessment.
7. skills for developing qualitative tools for gathering data.
8. skills for analysing and using such data in counselling.
9. skills for preparing reports in comprehensible form for students/teachers/parents/ educational administrators etc.

Details of Activities

In addition, trainees will be acquainted with some other specific tools which they can use depending on the nature of the counselling cases.

GC – 117

III. Practicum in Collection, Management and Dissemination of Information

Rationale

The trainees acquire knowledge of various aspects of career information and itscollection, compilation and dissemination through theory courses GC -105 and GC- 115. It is expected that you have acquired knowledge of various ways to collect, compile and disseminate career information to students which is used in the process of career counselling. However, in order to give practical experience and skills, the use of various methods of collection, storage and dissemination of information are demonstrated in this practica.

Competency - based Objectives

After completing the practicum in collection, management and dissemination ofcareer information you will be able to acquire—

1. ability and skills to collect information from various sources using suitable methods such as questionnaires, interview schedules, computers, visits etc.
2. ability and skills to compile and file the career information collected for easy retrieval.
3. ability and skills to disseminate career information in the classrooms through planning and delivering career talks suited to the needs of students.
4. ability and skills to prepare display materials such as posters and charts.
5. ability and skills to disseminate career information through display and exhibition.
6. ability and skills to organise career conference activities for large scale orientation and awareness for students of the school or even involving neighbouring schools.
7. attributes that are most likely to help the trainee in reaching larger number of  students with up- to-date information.

Details of Activities GC – 118

IV. Practicum in Career Development

Rationale

Throughout one’s career, an individual goes through a series of stages spanning the entire life span. Consequently a number of career related decisions are taken by the person from time to time at various stages to choose, establish, maintain or even change the chosen career path. It is interesting to know why and how individuals take various decisions and what makes them successful/unsuccessful and satisfied/dissatisfied as a result of their decisions. It is equally important to relate and analyse an individual’s career path in the context of various available theories of career development to understand and facilitate the process of career development of individuals right from school stage.

Competency - based objectives

The practicum in Career Development will help the trainees acquire—

1. skills of analysing and understanding various events/decisions related to the choice of one’s career.
2. skills in collecting facts/interviewing and interpreting it to understand the process  of career development of a person Normal 0 false false  MicrosoftInternetExplorer4.
3. ability to use the knowledge gained about the process of career development in  career counselling and development.

GC – 119

V. Counselling Practicum

Rationale

Counselling being a highly skilled activity requires the counsellor to imbibe the basic interactive skills at the micro level to create a positive psychological atmosphere conducive for understanding and facilitating change in client behaviour. The counselling practicum is aimed at providing opportunity to trainees to apply the knowledge and understanding of theoretical principles and theories in real life situations, and acquire skills and competencies through constant practice and feedback in simulated and real situations.

Competency - based Objectives

1. skills (verbal and non verbal) in attending and listening to client communication.
2. skills (verbal, non-verbal) in communicating understanding of client’s point of view  (empathy). This would include—
3. skills in paraphrasing and reflecting to communicate thoughts and feelings of the  client.
4. skills of responding to client’s point of view by summarising the content of client  communication.
5. skills in assessing and understanding client concerns through closed, open ended  and clarifying questions.
6. skills of self-disclosure, immediacy and confrontation to bring out inconsistencies  in client communication.
7. skills of reinforcing, facilitating and encouraging the client.
8. skills in goal-setting to visualise positive outcomes.
9. skills in using various counselling techniques for initiating changes in clients.

This practicum consists of the following components:

1. Individual Counselling

2. Group Counselling

3. Peer Counselling