A Developmental Approach to Social Emotional Learning Practices in Kindergarten - Sixth Grade
Open Access
- Author:
- Malora, Kimberly
- Area of Honors:
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- J Douglas Coatsworth, Thesis Supervisor
J Douglas Coatsworth, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Kathryn Bancroft Hynes, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- emotional development
social development
social emotional learning - Abstract:
- The acquisition of social and emotional skills is arguably one of the most important tasks to accomplish throughout child development. Children with high levels of social and emotional skills have more positive academic and non-academic outcomes than their peers with lower levels of skills. Studies have shown that socially and emotionally competent children perform higher on achievement tests, develop healthier relationships with peers and adults, have fewer mental health issues, and are more likely to resist risky behaviors. Conversely, children who lack social emotional skills are at risk for developing problems in many areas of life including school, interpersonal relationships, and their physical and mental health (CASEL, 2003). Humans are not born with innate abilities to accurately express and read every emotion, nor do we know how to develop healthy relationships as soon as we are born; these skills must be promoted and fostered throughout childhood in a progression that is appropriate for each developmental stage (CASEL, 2003 & Elias, Parker, Kash, & Dunkeblau, 2007). There has been a great deal of interest in the area of social and emotional development that has lead to the formation and organization of many social emotional learning programs aimed at promoting socio emotional competencies and preventing problem behavior in children. Six programs in particular do an excellent job educating and encouraging children to develop healthy ways to deal with social and emotional issues through various methods and techniques that have been shown to effectively increase a child’s social emotional skills (CASEL, 2003).