English

Handout 4.3: Leadership StrategiesModule 4

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel Rev. 2/10 H 4.3 (p.1/2)

“From the last two decades of research, it is unequivocally clear that children’s emotional and behavioral adjustment is important for their chances of early school success.” (Raver, 2002)

There is mounting evidence showing that young children with challenging behavior are more likely to experience early and persistent peer rejection, mostly punitive contacts with teachers, family interaction patterns that are unpleasant for all participants, and school failure (Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior, 2003). Conversely, children who are emotionally well-adjusted have a greater chance of early school success (Raver, 2002). Social and behavioral competence in young children predicts their academic performance in the fi rst grade over and above their cognitive skills and family backgrounds (Raver & Knitzer, 2002).

Science has established a compelling link between social/emotional development and behavior and school success (Raver, 2002; Zins, Bloodworth, Weissberg, & Walberg, 2004). Indeed, longitudinal studies suggest that the link may be causal….academic achievement in the fi rst few years of schooling appears to be built on a foundation of children’s emotional and social skills (Raver, 2002). Young children cannot learn to read if they have problems that distract them from educational activities, problems following directions, problems getting along with others and controlling negative emotions, and problems that interfere with relationships with peers, teachers, and parents. “Learning is a social process” (Zins et al., 2004).

The National Education Goals Panel (1996) recognized that a young child must be ready to learn, e.g., possess the pre-requisite skills for learning in order to meet the vision and accountability mandates of academic achievement and school success. Academic readiness includes the prosocial skills that are essential to school success. Research has demonstrated the link between social competence and positive intellectual outcomes as well as the link between antisocial conduct and poor academic performance (Zins et al., 2004). Programs that have a focus on social skills have been shown to have improved outcomes related to drop out and attendance, grade retention, and special education referrals. They also have improved grades, test scores, and reading, math, and writing skills (Zins etal., 2004).

Social skills that have been identified as essential for academic success include: getting along with others (parents, teachers, and peers), following directions, identifying and regulating one’s emotions and behavior, thinking of appropriate solutions to confl ict, persisting on task,

www.challengingbehavior.org

Recommended Practices Linking Social Development and Behavior to School Readiness Barbara J. Smith, Ph.D. – University of Colorado-Denver and Health Sciences Center

Handout 4.3: Leadership StrategiesModule 4

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning Vanderbilt University vanderbilt.edu/csefel H 4.3 (p.2/2)

Rev. 2/10

References Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior (2003). Facts about young children with challenging behaviors. www.challengingbehavior.org

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Position statement on interventions for challenging behavior. www.dec-sped.org

Fox, L., Dunlap, G., Hemmeter, M.L., Joseph, G., & Strain, P. (2003). The teaching pyramid: A model for supporting social competence and preventing challenging behavior in young children. Young Children, 58(4), 48-52.

National Education Goals Panel (l996). The national education goals report: Building a nation of learners. Washington DC: US Government Printing Offi ce.

Raver, C., & Knitzer, J. (2002). Ready to enter: What research tells policymakers about strategies to promote social and emotional school readiness among three- and four-year old children. New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty. [email protected]

Raver, C. (2002). Emotions matter: Making the case for the role of young children’s emotional development for early school readiness. Social Policy Report of the Society for Research in Child Development, 16(3), 1-20.

Smith, B., & Fox, L. (2002). Systems of service delivery: A synthesis of evidence relevant to young children at risk for or who have challenging behavior. Center for Evidence- Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior. www.challengingbehavior.org

ZERO TO THREE (2003). Assuring school readiness by promoting healthy social and emotional development. Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE Policy Center.

Zins, J., Bloodworth, M., Weissberg, R., & Walberg, H. (2004). The scientifi c base linking social and emotional learning to school success. In J. Zins, R. Weissberg, M. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.), Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? (pp. 1-22). New York: Teachers Press, Columbia University.

On the web www.challengingbehavior.org Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior

www.csefel.uiuc.edu Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning

www.zerotothree.org ZERO TO THREE

engaging in social conversation and cooperative play, correctly interpreting other’s behavior and emotions, feeling good about oneself and others.

And yet, many children are entering kindergarten and fi rst grade without the social, emotional, and behavioral skills that are necessary for learning and success in school. One survey of over 3000 kindergarten teachers found that 30% claimed at least half of the children in their classes lacked academic skills, had diffi culty following directions and working as part of a group; and 20% reported that at least half of the class had problems in social skills (Rimm-Kaufman, Pianta, & Cox, 2000).

Research indicates that children who display disruptive behavior in school receive less positive feedback from teachers, spend less time on tasks, and receive less instruction. They lose opportunities to learn from their classmates in group- learning activities and receive less encouragement from their peers. Finally, children who are disliked by their teachers and peers grow to dislike school and eventually have lower school attendance (Raver, 2002). What can we do to increase school readiness in young children? Policy – Federal and state policies need to refl ect the importance of these

foundational skills by removing barriers and providing incentives and resources to communities and programs: (1) to improve the overall quality of early care settings; (2) to support families so that they are able to promote positive relationships and social competence in their infants and young children; (3) to prevent problem behavior by addressing social and educational factors that put children at risk for challenging behavior; and (4) to provide effective services and interventions to address social/emotional problems and challenging behavior when they occur.

Public Awareness – Federal, state, and local governments and community agencies need to raise the visibility of importance of social competence in school success.

Knowledge and Skills – Early care and education professionals need training and on-site technical assistance in evidence-based practices for: (1) promoting social skills (e.g., identifying and regulating emotions, playing cooperatively, following directions, getting along with others, persisting with tasks, problem solving, etc.); (2) preventing problem behavior (through classroom arrangements, individualizing to childrens’ interests and abilities, etc.); and (3) providing effective intervention strategies when needed (e.g. positive behavior support, peer mediated strategies, etc.) (Fox et al., 2003). Early childhood education professionals need to know how to integrate social/emotional learning with literacy, language, and other curricular areas. Professionals need to know how to provide parents with information and support around parenting practices that prevent problems and effectively address challenging behavior.

Research – Studies are needed on specifi c promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies to establish their effi cacy for specifi c groups of children in particular settings. Research is also needed on policy and programmatic features that result in more effective services for children and families related to social development.

“The emotional, social, and behavioral competence of young children is a strong predictor of academic performance in early elementary school.” (Zero to Three, 2003)

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