SEL kernels for early childhood in Brazil: Adaptation and implementation findings from focus groups and field testing with local teachers

• In Event: Implementation findings from three different approaches to social emotional learning in Brazil early education

Proposal

Background: The importance of SEL in early childhood is increasingly recognized around the world. Brazil’s national education standards, Base Nacional Curricular Comum (BNCC), for example, describe social-emotional skills as central “learning rights” for children. However, a number of barriers undermine efforts to bring SEL programming to scale, particularly in low-income contexts (Jones & Bouffard, 2012): traditional SEL programs are often complex, time-intensive, and expensive to implement, and their rigidity can limit teachers’ autonomy to select and adapt materials to the specific needs of their students. There is a pressing need to develop and test less-intensive strategies that offer an array of flexible supports for social-emotional development – what we call SEL kernels of practice (Jones, Bailey, Brush, & Kahn, 2017). Kernels are short, targeted strategies that have been shown to effect specific behavioral change (Embry & Biglan, 2008). Drawing from a content analysis of 25 evidence-based SEL programs used in the US (Jones et al, 2017), our team developed a toolkit of kernels that target different SEL skills – such as such as emotion knowledge, empathy, and social skills – which teachers can select and customize based on the specific needs of their students or context.

Current Study: The purpose of this study is to generate evidence about the feasibility, sustainability, and impact of an innovative approach to SEL for young children living in Brazil. In partnership with community health researchers at the University of São Paulo and early childhood crèches in São Paulo and Paraty, we adapted a set of SEL kernels for use in Brazil. This paper presents findings from the development, adaptation, and field-testing process. Throughout this process, early childhood teachers in Brazil provided essential feedback and were considered co-creators of the materials.

Methods: Over five months in 2018, we collected the following data: (a) focus groups with teachers and parents, (b) observations of SEL programming in local contexts, and (c) feedback and adaptations from teachers during three rounds of extensive field testing. In addition, we used the US-based kernels database in conjunction with the BNCC to select preliminary strategies that align with the cultural and educational context in Brazil.

Results: Findings from focus groups and field testing illuminate the SEL skills that are most needed in Brazil early childhood settings, and opportunities for kernels to respond to these needs. Preliminary findings from teacher focus groups in 15 public crèches suggest that one major pressure point for teachers is responding to emotional and behavioral challenges that are typical in early childhood. In additional focus groups, parents (n=212) cited emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience, and citizenship among the most important SEL areas for their children. During field testing in 19 crèches, teachers and children responded positively to all kernels, and found that kernels can be easily integrated into existing classroom routines and structures. Implications for teacher training also surfaced during field testing, including the need to encourage and empower teachers to make adaptations to and establish routines with kernels, and that there be a focus on classroom management and age-appropriate expectations.

Authors

• Rebecca Bailey, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Sonya Rose Temko, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Ana Luiza Colagrossi, Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino

• Thelma Ramirez, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Stephanie M Jones, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Dana McCoy, Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Alexandra Brentani, University of Sao Paulo