A Contextual Framework for Soft Skills Development among Novice Teachers in the Maldives

The professional growth of teachers serves as a key mechanism to drive curriculum transformation and pedagogical methods which develop student abilities in soft skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and critical thinking. The research presented here is an evidence-based framework to enhance novice secondary school teachers' delivery of such soft skills education. As a small island developing state (SIDS), the Maldives, experiences significant teacher attrition rates in secondary education due to teacher dissatisfaction and burn out, which could be alleviated through gaining the relevant soft skills. The proposed framework combines international teaching methods from Finland, Singapore, and Australia with local solutions to manage the challenges of insufficient mentorship and restricted professional development opportunities. The novelty of the proposed framework lies in combining interactive strategies, reflective practices, and structured mentorship into an integrated model tailored to under-resourced contexts. The framework will be implemented through four sequential phases: (1) qualitative needs assessment, (2) framework co-design and development, (3) pilot testing and empirical validation, and (4) iterative refinement, using Design Based Research (DBR) principles, and a pragmatic paradigm. It is expected to increase novice teachers' confidence in integrating collaboration, communication, and emotional intelligence in their teaching methods, while also enhancing student participation through project-based and interactive learning methods.