Page 103 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 103
social and emotional learning as a tool for preventing esl
achieving positive goals and taking responsible decisions as relevant skills
for enhancing academic achievement.
SEL also fosters academic achievement by changing the characteris-
tics of the environment (Blum & Libbey, 2004; Hawkins et al., 2004). When
teachers either implement an SEL programme or integrate SEL into their
curriculum this also affects the classroom climate. The characteristics of
the classroom climate linked to SEL and academic achievements are: (i)
peer and adult norms that encourage high expectations and support aca-
demic achievement; (ii) good interpersonal relationships between the stu-
dents and teacher, which encourage the feeling of belonging to a certain
class and school,; (iii) cooperative learning; and (iv) providing a safe and
organised learning environment. The most commonly mentioned example
of fostering SEL within the classroom is cooperative learning (Malecki &
Elliot, 2002), also supported by the theories of Vygotsky (zone of proximal
development) and Bandura (social cognition theory) (Malecky & Elliot,
2002).
The best possible combination entails changes at both the individual
and school level, which lead to instant (for instance, a decrease in aggres-
sive behaviour, emotional difficulties) and long-term positive consequences
(Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins, 2002), including for the
prevention of ESL.
Putting SEL into practice
At the school level we can implement SEL by either creating a safe and en-
couraging learning environment or by administering already developed
SEL programmes. The creation of a safe and encouraging classroom envi-
ronment includes the integration of peers and parents into the building of
a positive classroom and social climate (Hawkins et al., 2004). At this lev-
el, the importance of informing the school leader about the means of cre-
ating and maintaining a stimulating school climate needs to be highlight-
ed (Rimm-Kaufman, 2014; Kozina, Rožman, Vršnik Perše, & Rutar Leban,
2012). The second way includes structured SEL programmes. Through sys-
tematic teaching in SEL programmes students are able to learn social and
emotional competencies in such a way that they can easily apply them to
different situations and use them in everyday life (Zins & Ellias, 2006).
The finding by Durlak et al. (2011) that the school staff (and not only
professional help from outside the school) is also efficient in delivering
SEL programmes is important for school implementation. For instance,
103
achieving positive goals and taking responsible decisions as relevant skills
for enhancing academic achievement.
SEL also fosters academic achievement by changing the characteris-
tics of the environment (Blum & Libbey, 2004; Hawkins et al., 2004). When
teachers either implement an SEL programme or integrate SEL into their
curriculum this also affects the classroom climate. The characteristics of
the classroom climate linked to SEL and academic achievements are: (i)
peer and adult norms that encourage high expectations and support aca-
demic achievement; (ii) good interpersonal relationships between the stu-
dents and teacher, which encourage the feeling of belonging to a certain
class and school,; (iii) cooperative learning; and (iv) providing a safe and
organised learning environment. The most commonly mentioned example
of fostering SEL within the classroom is cooperative learning (Malecki &
Elliot, 2002), also supported by the theories of Vygotsky (zone of proximal
development) and Bandura (social cognition theory) (Malecky & Elliot,
2002).
The best possible combination entails changes at both the individual
and school level, which lead to instant (for instance, a decrease in aggres-
sive behaviour, emotional difficulties) and long-term positive consequences
(Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins, 2002), including for the
prevention of ESL.
Putting SEL into practice
At the school level we can implement SEL by either creating a safe and en-
couraging learning environment or by administering already developed
SEL programmes. The creation of a safe and encouraging classroom envi-
ronment includes the integration of peers and parents into the building of
a positive classroom and social climate (Hawkins et al., 2004). At this lev-
el, the importance of informing the school leader about the means of cre-
ating and maintaining a stimulating school climate needs to be highlight-
ed (Rimm-Kaufman, 2014; Kozina, Rožman, Vršnik Perše, & Rutar Leban,
2012). The second way includes structured SEL programmes. Through sys-
tematic teaching in SEL programmes students are able to learn social and
emotional competencies in such a way that they can easily apply them to
different situations and use them in everyday life (Zins & Ellias, 2006).
The finding by Durlak et al. (2011) that the school staff (and not only
professional help from outside the school) is also efficient in delivering
SEL programmes is important for school implementation. For instance,
103
