Presentation lesson

Socio-Emotional Learning

Katie Miller

English Language Fellow

U.S. Department of State

Lingua Foundation, Bishkek, KG

Please answer in the chat:

1 word:

How was your day today?

Optional - give a reason why.

Put in chat - 1 minute

Our goals

03

02

01

Discuss

Read

Share

Strategies and opinions on SEL

About components of SEL

Importance of socio-emotional learning (SEL) in the English language classroom

Too much on our plates!

Why is attention to SEL important in an English language classroom? Why do students come to class “disregulated?”

We have so many demands on us as classroom teachers, trainers - now we are being asked to turn attention to SEL - before we think about HOW to incorporate SEL, we have to understand WHY

-Breakout rooms or Put in Chat - 3 minutes

The brain

The brain can’t learn if it doesn’t feel good

• Amygdala sends the alarm when big feelings happen (stress)
• Prefrontal cortex (learning) shuts down
• Survival brain is engaged

Fight, Flight, Freeze

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Desmet & Fokkinga (2020)

What is the name of this diagram?

Why do students come into class “disregulated?”

Society

Adolescence

Struggles with family, friends, relationships

Identity, peer pressure, independence, hormones

Uncertainty

Trauma

Future goals, academic stress, unclear expectations

Serious hurt

“ Adverse childhood experiences”

Think-Pair-Share or Breakout Rooms - WHat reasons do students have for coming into a classroom “disregulated?”

Think about the last time you felt stupid for not understanding something in another language

“ My bad!”

Anyone want to share a silly or embarrassing story?

Me not understanding numbers - Ckolka ctoyt?

Student Erick, newcomer - another student bumped into him, said “My bad” - this was not understood, led to some FEELINGS

Language learning SEL challenges

Affective Filter

Anxiety

Class Culture

Have to overcome emotional barrier

Safe and comfortable

Group vibe

Fear of embarrassment

Peers

Grades

Fear of taking risks

Studies - affective filter lowers after drinking wine - when people are relaxed, they are more fluent

We can’t control everything - home environment, weather, standards of learning - but can control classroom environment - class culture - your room can be a safe space - comfort, cozy, collegial

We cannot teach if learners’ minds are not READY TO LEARN

Students who are “emotionally unavailable for learning”

SEL is not one more thing on the plate, it IS the plate

What is the connection between culture and SEL?

• Do students and teachers generally show strong emotions in class?
• Are students encouraged to talk about their feelings?
• How do you know someone is having a hard time?
• Which is more valued: group harmony or individual attention?

“ The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” - Japanese proverb

From my U.S. perspective, feelings are on display - we are an individualistic culture

State of Maryland - School Climate Survey - I feel teachers treat students fairly, I have a trusted adult in the building, Teachers listen to me

Studies “Individuals in collectivist cultures are expected to maintain group

harmony and suppress their own emotions (King & Chen, 2019). At the same time, Asian

education systems tend to strongly emphasize social comparisons and examination results.

Hong Kong students thereby experience a great amount of social and emotional pressure

(Lun et al., 2018).”

CASEL Framework

Self-awareness - identify feelings, strengths/weaknesses

Self-management - manage feelings, stress, challenges, persist, self-regulate, solve problems, impulse control

Social awareness - belonging, community, empathy, appreciate differences

Research shows that students experience better academic outcomes when adults engage with these

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Classroom Strategies Self-awareness

Pulse Checks

How are you feeling?

How difficult is this?

Classroom Strategies Self-awareness

Self-Assessment

Pre and Post

Set goals/expectations

Reflect on learning

Classroom Strategies Self-management

Journals

Reflect on challenges, obstacles, practice solving problems

Quotes

Students take turns finding and presenting inspirational quotes - can explain, display in the classroom

Mindfulness

Being fully aware, present in the moment: breathing, yoga, meditation, brain breaks

51 Mindfulness Activities

Baarkul made me peel the banana in Kochkor - OMG what fun

Classroom Strategies Self-management - IDIOMS

There are plenty of fish in the sea.

See the glass as half full instead of half empty.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

When one door closes, another one opens.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Stop and smell the roses.

That was a blessing in disguise.

Teaching idioms that demonstrate positive thinking

Penton Herrera & Martinez-Alba (2021)

Classroom Strategies Social Awareness

Talking Circles

Build community by sharing personal information

Respond to situations or texts

Encourage questions

Students practice fluency answering questions with their ideas/preferences/opinions, share personal information to learn about each other and build relationships - what tv show are you watching right now? What is your favorite kind of weather?

Classroom Strategies Social Awareness

Bibliotherapy

“ the use of literature to promote mental health” (Hynes & Hynes-Berry, 1986, p. 10)

Use texts that promote morals, values, decision-making, empathy

“ What would you do if you were the character in the story?”

“ Do you agree with the character’s solution? Why or why not?”

Use examples in literature to talk about concepts such as forgiveness, empathy, guilt, friendship, making mistakes, etc

SEL is for Teachers, too!

We carry things home

We are humans

Which feelings do teachers experience during class?

Anger, frustration, guilt, helplessness, confusion, no patience

What suggestions can you give to teachers to help them focus on THEIR socio-emotional needs?

Our primary job is interaction and maintaining relationships - we take on what students give us

“ You hate your job? There’s a club for that - it’s called “everyone” and they meet at the bar”

Would I have the same stress if I worked at a supermarket? Different quality

Teachers

Suggestions

Peer Network

Time and Space

Give some time during class to unload their concerns

Professional support system - walks, observations, whatsapp

Set Boundaries

Put on your oxygen mask first

It’s okay to say no, to draw a line between work/home & student/teacher

You can’t pour from an empty cup - take care of YOUR needs first

Peer Network - I can complain or vent to my husband, he doesn’t really get it - need to connect with people who understand my situation - group chats, social media forum, walking the building, peer observations, an individual teacher needs to feel like THEY have a community

Anecdote from Teacher in grad program 2 groups - afternoon and evening - 1 group quiet, 7m group noisy - why? Surveyed about wants/needs/expectations/issues - leadership change - anxiety/stress/etc bleeding over - gave first 20 minutes to let them talk about their concerns - magically increased their comfort and participation - they were listened to (Penton Herrera and Martinez Alba 2021)

Give safe space away from boss to just unload their anxieties

Boundaries - it’s okay to say no to extra things - especially newer teachers might get taken advantage of - they might be asked to do extra things at work that they feel they have to do - students make demands, we can say no - one student asked for help understanding a website - I said no problem I’ll help you - it was real estate, she was looking at buying a house - then she asked me to go look at the houses with her - HECK NO

Put things in boxes - don’t check work messages after a certain time, schedule in time for you/family/hobby - legit put it in the calendar

Oxygen mask - don’t feel guilty about taking time and space to RECHARGE - whether students, family

Learning SEL

Reflection

Mindful Warm Ups

Gallery Walk

How is your career going?

How is your life changing?

What are your goals?

What are your next steps?

Have teachers take turns leading a mindfulness exercise as warm up, closure, or brain break

Make posters about different student SEL strategies/activities

• What community resources are available to learners and other community members? What level of agency do you have in supporting SEL in your education context? What personal and professional well-being challenges exist in your education context? What resources and strategies have been helpful to address these challenges?

We can reflect on these questions now and in your Next Gen groups

Remember, it’s not one more thing on the plate, it IS the plate

Invitation to contribute

Book chapter - SEL in KG

Survey for Next Gen trainers (you)

Survey for Next Gen teachers

Invite you to contribute to some research being done to paint a picture of what SEL teaching and learning looks like here in KG

Book chapter - Teaching from the Heart - opinions, perspectives, experiences

Survey - 1 for teacher trainers (you), 1 for classroom teachers in NextGen training groups - you can do both if you are also a classroom teacher

Consent form explains details, risks, etc - please have participants sign or acknowledge

Take care!

Katie Miller

EL Fellow, Lingua Foundation

Please keep this slide for attribution

References

• CASEL. 2020. CASEL’s SEL Framework. Retrieved February 6, 2024.

• Desmet P. & Fokkinga S. Beyond Maslow’s Pyramid: Introducing a Typology of Thirteen Fundamental Needs for Human-Centered Design. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction . 2020; 4(3):38. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti4030038

• Hynes, A. M., & Hynes-Berry, M. (1986). Bibliotherapy. The interactive process: A handbook. Westview Press.

• Pentón Herrera, L. J., & Martínez-Alba, G. (2021). Social-emotional learning in the English language classroom: Fostering growth, self-care, and independence . TESOL Press.