Strengthening Social and Emotional Education

New Report Published by European Commission, Strengthening Social and Emotional Education as a core curricular area across the EU: A review of the international evidence – with Dr. Paul Downes, DCU Institute of Education as Coauthor

A new Report published by the European Commission, Strengthening Social and Emotional Education as a core curricular area across the EU: A review of the international evidence highlights the key role of social and emotional education (SEE) in developing higher academic achievement, positive academic attitudes, increased prosocial behaviour, and in leading to a decrease in antisocial behaviour, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide. More broadly, Social and Emotional Education contributes to harmonious relationships, to social cohesion and inclusion in communities, to positive attitudes towards individual and cultural diversity, and to equity and social justice.

Led by Professor Carmel Cefai, University of Malta, one of the report’s coauthors is Dr. Paul Downes, Associate Professor of Education (Psychology), School of Human Development, Institute of Education, Dublin City University, as well as Prof. Paul Bartolo and Dr. Valeria Cavioni.

These positive impacts of SEE have been reported across the school years from early years through to high school, and across a range of geographical settings, cultural contexts, socio-economic backgrounds, and different ethnic groups. These impacts persist over time, and positive outcomes have been observed during follow-up studies undertaken six months to three years after initial interventions, and longitudinal studies have indicated various positive outcomes in important areas of adulthood, such as enhanced education, employment and mental health, as well as in reductions of criminal activity and substance abuse.

From the literature analysis, this report subsequently develops a framework for the integration of social and emotional education as a key curricular area across the EU. The framework proposes that curricula be balanced between intra- and inter-personal competences with regular instruction in SEE skills, and supported by cross-curricular activities, the classroom climate, and a whole-school approach.

Social and emotional education is most effective when started as early as possible, from early childhood education. SEE in the early school years is related to important outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. Social and emotional education needs to be accompanied by targeted interventions for students at risk or in difficulty, particularly those with chronic and complex problems. This includes policies and practices for behaviour, bullying and diversity. Students need to participate actively in the planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives, including the design, development and assessment of the curriculum and resources.

The social and emotional competence, health and wellbeing of teachers and other members of staff is a key area of social and emotional education taken as a whole-school approach. Parents’ active collaboration and education, facilitated through an empowering, bottom-up approach, is crucial for the success of social and emotional education. Adequate and continuous teacher education at preservice and in-service levels, good planning, and provision of financial and human and resources, are necessary conditions for the effective implementation of social and emotional education. Social and educational programmes must also be sensitive and responsive to the particularities of schools’ cultures and students’ needs and interests; this includes linguistic, cultural, social and other areas of diversity.

A review of the current state of social and emotional education in EU Member States shows that, while they often acknowledge and recognize the importance of social and emotional education, there are considerable differences in the level of policies, curriculum frameworks and programmes available to help schools and students to develop SEE competences. Furthermore, although there are numerous instances of good practice, there does not seem to be, as of yet, a sufficient common focus on SEE as a core curricular area. While other related areas — such as citizenship, health education, and prevention of violence and bullying — overlap with some of the goals of SEE, the Report recommends that SEE should have its own distinct place within curricula, with sufficient time for effective delivery.

The Report argues for the acceleration of SEE policy as a priority across Member States and at EU level. It recommends that SEE be included as a distinct key area in the EU Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. The proposed framework for a whole-school approach to SEE should be considered throughout the EU as a roadmap for Member States to promote quality social and emotional education. It recommends more pilot projects to be established, with the support of the European Commission and Member States, to develop culturally sensitive SEE materials through cooperative projects across the EU.

National SEE quality standards should form a part of each Member States’ curriculum, detailed in clear policies and provisions, and contain mechanisms to coordinate and guide quality implementation at regional and national levels. Social and emotional education should feature both as a key learning area of curricula and as a transversal cross-curricular theme, as a taught and embedded content area.

EU Member States are recommended to examine their education objectives, curricular frameworks and learning outcomes to see whether their current policies and practices currently target a comprehensive set of social and emotional competences, such as those specified in this report, and to accordingly make appropriate revisions. Furthermore, teacher education programmes across Member States need to include competence frameworks that outline the key teacher competences necessary for the effective delivery of SEE in schools. Such competences also need to include the development of teachers’ own social and emotional competences.

For full report, Cefai, C., Bartolo P. A., Cavioni. V., Downes, P. (2018). Strengthening Social and Emotional Education as a core curricular area across the EU: A review of the international evidence. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union., see https://publications.europa.eu/fr/publication-detail/-/publication/c7fae112-1529-11e8-9253-01aa75ed71a1/language-fr