Teachers’ Infusion of Social Emotional Learning

Abstract

This study is part of a larger study that examines the infusion of social emotional learning in the classroom. For this paper, teachers’ infusion of social emotional learning will be examined more explicitly. A three full-day Social Emotional Training programme equipping teachers in infusing social emotional learning (SEL) in their curriculum content areas was conducted. Twenty-nine videotaped lessons of 15 primary teachers and 47 videotaped lessons of 26 secondary teachers in the experimental group were transcribed and assessed based on 5 domains, namely, their scaffolding of instruction, teacher-student rapport, classroom climate, their infusion of SEL and their teaching competencies. The inter-rater reliability for primary and secondary teacher videos were .88 and .92, respectively. In general, teachers were found to be able to infuse SEL in their Character Education and English curriculum content areas better than in their Mathematics and Science subject areas. Also, teachers were able to generate more self-awareness and social awareness questions and less on relationship management or self-management questions. The manner of scaffolding instruction and spontaneous response to their students’ inappropriate responses to SEL scenarios may require more time for practice. Implications for infusion of SEL in academic subjects are discussed.