Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning in the Early Years

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Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning in the
Early Years
Wendy Messenger University of Worcester
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What do we mean by the social and emotional
aspects of learning? Why are social and
emotional aspects of learning important? How
can we develop these in young children? How can
they be promoted across the curriculum in the
Foundation Stage?
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SEAL Social and emotional aspects of
learning SEBS Social and emotional and
behavioural skills PSED Personal, social and
emotional development
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Engagement
Relationship with Self
Family
Services
Access
 
 
Participation
Relationship with Curriculum
Learning Behaviour
Relationship with Others
Community / Culture(s)
Policies
Tod et al. 2001
Conceptual Framework
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• Developing childrens social, emotional and
  behavioural skills research
• Teaching social and emotional skills are
  effective in decreasing early behaviour problems
  (Marshall and Watt 1999).
• Programmes designed to promote mental health
  that taught social and emotional competencies
  have clear and positive effects on behaviour
  (Wells 2001).

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• Teaching of social and emotional competences has
  itself shown to play an active part in making
  inclusion of difficult children easier.( Roger
  1994, Epstein and Elias 1996).
• Some emotions can block learning ( anger,
  sadness) whilst others (sense of well-being, or
  feeling safe and valued) promote learning.
  (Greenhalgh 1994).
• The development of emotional and social
  competence and well-being can reduce mental
  health problems of young people.

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• There is evidence that cognitive processes need
  input from emotions to be effective (Weissberg
  and Elias 1993).
• Emotional and social processes are inseparable
  from cognitive processes (Sylvester 1995, Perry
  1996).

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What is it young children need to learn? How
are they going to learn it?
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• How do young children learn best about social,
  emotional and behavioural skills?
• Learning takes place across the whole school day
• Young children learn best through a holistic
  approach.
• The classroom and whole school environment are
  crucial to effective learning.
• There needs to be a balance of teacher-led and
  child-initiated activities.

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• Generalising learning to different contexts
• Cross-curricular
• Real life situations
• Use of resources

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Extracted from Early Years in Action. Personal,
Social and Emotional Development. Teachers TV
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Extracted from Early Years - Using Puppets.
Teachers TV
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Early learning Goals The Foundation
Stage Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Dispositions and attitudes
• Self-confidence and self-esteem
• Making relationships
• Behaviour and self-control
• Self-care
• Sense of community

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• The five social and emotional aspects of learning
• Self-awareness
• Knowing myself
• Understanding my feelings
• Managing feelings
• Managing how I express my feelings
• Managing the way I am feeling
• Motivation
• Setting goals and planning to meet them
• Persistence and resilience

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• Empathy
• Understanding the feelings of others
• Valuing and supporting others
• Social Skills
• Belonging to a community
• Friendships and other relationships
• Working together
• Resolving conflicts
• Standing up for myself
• Making wise choices

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What is the SEAL resource? An explicit,
structured, whole curriculum framework and
resource for teaching social and emotional and
behavioural skills to all pupils. It aims to
develop the underpinning qualities and skills
that help promote positive behaviour and
effective learning. Based on a community of
enquiry the oral sharing of feelings,
experiences, perspectives and ideas.
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• What are the principles of the SEAL programme?
• Whole school approach.
• Builds on what the school is already doing and
  can be adapted to fit in with the schools own
  unique character.
• The skills and attitudes are demonstrated by all
  staff through the way they relate to children and
  through the teaching styles they use.

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• Support materials
• Guidance booklet
• Posters
• Photo cards
• Flexible lesson ideas at each developmental
  level through the 7 themes
• Resources
• Staff development activities
• Family activities
• Small group activities

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Early Learning Goals
SEAL

• Dispositions and attitudes (excitement,
  motivation, confidence, concentration)
• Self-confidence and self-esteem (show range of
  feelings, awareness of own needs, sensitivity,
  respect)
• Making relationships (positive relationships
  between adults and peers, collaboration, sharing,
  turn-taking).
• Behaviour and self-control (Consequences
• of words and actions, sense of right and wrong).
• Self care (personal hygiene, dressing
  independently, independent use of resources).
• Sense of community (appreciate and understand
  different views, cultures and beliefs).

Self awareness Managing feelings Motivation
Empathy Social skills
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• Teachers/practitioners need to ensure
• There is a balance of explicit and implicit
  teaching of social and behaviour skills
• Active involvement of children
• The children take responsibility for their own
  learning
• Children learn through participating in groups
  of different sizes and have opportunities to
  problem-solve together.

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Extracted from Early Years - Daily Routines
Teachers TV
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Extracted from Early Years in Action. Personal,
Social and Emotional Development. Teachers TV
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• Considerations
• Culture jumping between contexts
• Cultural variation in display of and response to
  emotions
• Gender

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SEAL Resources http//www.bandapilot.org.uk/pages
/seal/index.html Ref DfES0110-2005G DfES
Publications CentrePO Box 5050, Annesley,
Nottingham, NG15 0DJ www.dfes.gov.uk Tel 0845
60 222 60Fax [phone]Textphone 0845 60
555 60Email dfes_at_prolog.uk.com
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Puppets by post http//puppetsbypost.com/ Puppets
for language and learning http//www.earlystart.c
o.uk/d-commerce/puppet-shop.html How to make
your own puppets http//www.hltmag.co.uk/mar01/sar
tmar017.rtf Quality circle time http//www.circle
-time.co.uk/site/home/ Books related to
developing positive approaches to behaviour in
early years http//www.behaviour4learning.ac.uk/vi
ewArticle.aspx?contentId11600