Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Summer 2025
Abstract
Preschool students are having their first experience with a classroom and are at a key point of entering their education. They are learning not only academics and the beginnings of reading, writing, STEM and art, but are learning how to function in a classroom and in society. They are taking on a lot of skills in a short period of time, one of the most important being SEL (social and emotional learning). This study is addressing the challenges of teaching our youngest learners SEL skills in an effective way, to make sure all students are receiving adequate SEL. Through a literature review, classroom observations the research focuses on key SEL skills demonstrated by students and assisted by teachers as needed using curriculum implementation and real-life peer experiences, focusing on the following SEL skills: relationship skills, social awareness, self-management, self-awareness and decision making. The curriculum included key teaching items such as corresponding books, videos, feeling and strategy discussions and complete interactive activities either in small groups or 1:1. The main focus of the curriculum during the study was introducing feelings, and how to determine them both within their self or in their peers and coping strategies with the associated feelings. By investigating the effectiveness of SEL curriculum vs. the previously used play-based approach to SEL teaching, this inquire-based research aims to determine the effectiveness of targeted teaching strategies through curriculum regarding SEL education.