EDUP3073

CULTURE AND LEARNING

TOPIC 7:
MANAGEMENT OF A
CULTURAL FRIENDLY CLASSROOM
(Social and Emotional Environment)

Dr. CHIN MEI CHIN

Jabatan Ilmu Pendidikan
Institut Pendidikan Guru
Kampus Bahasa Antarabangsa
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
2018
(7) Management of a Cultural Friendly Classroom

• Aspects of Management
1) Physical environment
2) Social and emotional environment
3) Sociolinguistics

• Cultural Friendly Pedagogy

1) Pedagogy for the main stream
2) Pedagogy for combined classes
3) Pedagogy for the Indigenous People

• Cultural Friendly Based Assessment

Dr Chin Mei Chin
 OVERVIEW
1. Concept and Definition

2. Development and Management of

Socioemotional Environment in the Classroom

Learning Outcome

Explain the concept, development and

management of socioemotional
atmosphere in a multicultural
classroom.
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Concept of Socioemotional Learning
It's not enough to simply fill students' brains with
knowledge.
A successful education demands that their character be
developed as well.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) contributes to
Character Building.

SOCIAL + EMOTIONAL = SOCIOEMOTIONAL

SOCIAL The social aspect relates specifically to
interaction with people (external)
EMOTIONAL The emotional aspect relates to
understanding and properly
controlling one's emotions (internal).
Sources: http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-introduction
Dr Chin Mei Chin Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE was formulated by
John Mayer (University of New Hampshire) & Peter Salovey (Yale University)
Popularized by Daniel Goleman in 1996
Emotions are internal events and typically
arise in response to a person’s changing
relationships.
When a person’s relationship to
a memory/his family/etc. changes, that
person’s emotions will change as well.
EXAMPLE:
Happiness is a feeling state that conveys information about
relationships -- that one would like to join with others.
Fear is a feeling state that corresponds to a relationship --
the urge to flee from others.
Source: http://www.unh.edu/emotional_intelligence/EI%20Assets/Reprints...EI%20Proper/EI1999MayerCarusoSaloveyIntelligence.pdf
http://www.unh.edu/emotional_intelligence/ei%20What%20is%20EI/ei%20definition.htm Dr Chin Mei Chin
The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has been
embraced by educators, in the form of “social and
emotional learning” or SEL programs.
SEL has become the organizing umbrella under which are
gathered programs in character education,
violence prevention, anti-bullying, drug prevention and
school discipline.
The GOAL is not just to reduce these problems among
schoolchildren but to enhance the school climate and,
ultimately, students’ academic performance.
Research indicates that SEL in helping children to improve
their self-awareness and confidence, manage their
disturbing emotions and impulses, and increase their
empathy pays off not just in improved behaviour but also
in academic achievement.
Source: http://www.danielgoleman.info/topics/emotional-intelligence/ Dr Chin Mei Chin
Illinois USA: Specific learning standards in SEL
abilities in a detailed and comprehensive curriculum.
Early elementary years - Children should learn to
recognize and accurately label their emotions and how
they lead them to act.

Late elementary years - Children should be able to

identify the non-verbal clues to how someone else feels
(lessons in empathy)
Junior high – Students should be able to analyze what
creates stress for them or what motivates their best
performance.
High school - The SEL skills include listening and talking
in ways that resolve conflicts instead of escalating them
and negotiating for win-win solutions.
Source: http://www.danielgoleman.info/topics/emotional-intelligence/ Dr Chin Mei Chin
 SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Children’s social-emotional development influences all
other areas of development.

Cognitive, motor, and language development are all

greatly affected by how a child feels about herself and
how she is able to express ideas and emotions.

Healthy social-emotional development includes the

ability to:
• Form and sustain positive relationships
• Experience, manage, and express emotions
• Explore and engage with the environment
Source:
http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/social--emotional/what-is-social-emotional.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/#sthash.XhWBB153.dpuf
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Children with well-developed social-emotional
skills are also more able to:
1) Express their ideas and feelings
2) Display empathy towards others
3) Manage their feelings of frustration and
disappointment more easily
4) Feel self-confident

5) More easily make and develop friendships

6) Succeed in school
Source:
http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/social--emotional/what-is-social-emotional.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/#sthash.XhWBB153.dpuf
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Development and Management of
Socioemotional Environment in the Classroom
Teachers should create a safe, supportive learning
environment and integrate SEL into the curriculum.
A teacher can promote social-emotional development
in the classroom by remaining sensitive to children’s
needs, helps them feel secure and confident, and acts
as a model for effective social behaviour.
A teacher can narrate a story and engage students in
a conversation about a socially challenging situation
to serve as a lesson in handling social problems.
A teacher can ask questions to help children find a
solution to a social conflict which would develop
problem-solving skills.
Source: http://www.tkcalifornia.org/teaching-tools/social-emotional/teaching-strategies/?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Teachers can support social-emotional development by
crafting a positive, emotionally supportive climate in the
classroom that skilfully connects new experiences with
the children’s unique home experiences.
 Make school a comfortable, secure and safe place
where children can focus on learning.
 Foster mutual, caring relationships that provide
opportunities for children to develop and practice
important social skills.

The National Scientific Council on the Developing

Child: “Children who develop warm, positive
relationships with their teachers are more excited about
learning, more positive about coming to school, more
self-confident, and achieve more in the classroom.”
Source: http://www.tkcalifornia.org/teaching-tools/social-emotional/teaching-strategies/?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Children are more likely to develop positive
relationships when teachers:
1) Model appropriate social behaviours;
2) Reflect an ethic of caring and nurturing

3) Provide opportunities for them to develop new

social-emotional skills;

4) Give explicit guidance;

5) Conduct activities that are engaging and relevant

to children’s lives and cultures;

6) Engage with parents in a two-way relationship to

build children’s social-emotional skills; and
Source: http://www.tkcalifornia.org/teaching-tools/social-emotional/teaching-strategies/?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Dr Chin Mei Chin

 Examples of productive teacher behaviours include:

 Showing respect and valuing children’s cultural and

language backgrounds;
 Modelling the polite use of language and encouraging
children to imitate your behaviour;
 Encouraging empathic thinking with questions such
as, “Why do you think he is crying?”;
 Promoting children’s confidence and development of
new skills by engaging them in problem solving, for
example by asking, “Can you think of a way to help
you remember to wait for your turn?”; and
 Attending to signs of personal trauma and providing
additional support to children who are experiencing
unusual stress in their lives.
Source: http://www.tkcalifornia.org/teaching-tools/social-emotional/teaching-strategies/?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Dr Chin Mei Chin
Teachers must establish an environment of trust and
respect in the classroom.

Teachers should coach children to:

• Resolve conflict
• Negotiate
• Discuss differences in opinion without resorting to
personal attacks
• Accept others when their attitudes, beliefs, and
values differ from one's own.
• Abhor the effects of harassment and bullying

Teachers should teach children how to work together,

and provide strategies and tools for cooperative learning.

Sources: http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning-introduction Dr Chin Mei Chin

 Creating an Emotionally Healthy
Classroom Environment
Students may wrestle with significant emotional
challenges ranging from achievement-related stress
(often coming from parental pressures) to overcoming
language and social class barriers, family problems, and
peer group and personal social concerns.
Teachers are not supposed to be psychological
counsellors (When a student has significant emotional
problems, teachers should instead refer the student to a
school counsellor or a licensed therapist.).

But what teachers can do is create an environment that

helps alleviate the normal problems many students wrestle
with and, at the very least, not add to them.
Source: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 But by far the most important variable is how you relate
to the students in your class.
The challenge is creating an emotionally safe
environment without relinquishing your role as the
teacher.

To achieve this, you have to find the right balance of

being emotionally open and authentic without sacrificing
the boundaries and hierarchy that keep you and your
students secure.

Students need to know that you are in charge of the

classroom and of their relationship with you.
At the same time, you should be a truly caring person
who really is in their corner to help combat the loneliness
felt by so many adolescents.
Source: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips
Dr Chin Mei Chin
A good teacher might share personal information to the
extent that it is relevant to a particular student and a
problem with which the student is grappling.
You need to be careful not to change the focus to
yourself or share anything that will make the student
worry about you.
Dr. Madeline Levine the author of The Price of Privilege
wrote that adolescents tell her how their stress would be
most reduced by quality dialogue with a sane, caring
adult for 15 minutes a day.
As a teacher, you can't give that time to each student,
but you make this awareness part of the way in which
you interact with the class as a whole and, when
possible, with individual students who seem to most
need that attention.
Source: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips
Dr Chin Mei Chin
One way for teachers to create an effective emotional
environment is beginning the school year with some
ground rules related to classroom interaction.
You want the classroom to be a safe place and one in
which there is care for each other, yourself included.
You might ask them to suggest other ideas that would
help them feel safe.
Students must not make "killer statements" (put-downs
of other students).
Another idea is to have one student or even a small group
act as representatives and email you with any student
concerns or new ideas for improving the class
environment.
This makes it easier to give a voice to students who would
find it difficult to address you directly.
Source: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips
Dr Chin Mei Chin
Teachers set the daily emotional tone and climate of their
classrooms. In so doing, teachers influence the children’s
development of social skills, including the early
development of emotion regulation.
Teachers can conduct exercises to connect students.

Example: Share a 1-minute autobiography or on any

topic of high interest such as their favourite food or
happiest moment in their lives as students.

These exercises create community and trust

in a classroom. This will increase the
students' sense of community and help
make the class more like a supportive family.

Source: Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-emotionally-healthy-classroom-environment-mark-phillips
Dr Chin Mei Chin
In the Malaysian context, the role of the teacher in
addressing the socio-emotional development of students
from various ethnic groups of different cultural
background is even more challenging.

To manage the socio-emotional atmosphere of the

classroom, it is essential for the teacher to acquire a
strong epistemological framework on developmental
theories of children.

This enables the teacher to have a better understanding

of the students.

Among the theories are:

1) Bandura’s Social Learning Theory; and
2) Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory.
Source: Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Social Learning Theory
Social Learning Theory is derived from the work of
Cornell Montgomery (1843-1904) which proposed
that social learning occurred through four main
stages of imitation:
• close contact
• imitation of superiors
• understanding of concepts
• role model behaviour

The Social Learning Theory of Bandura

emphasizes the importance of observing
and modeling the behaviours, attitudes,
and emotional reactions of others.
Source: http://academlib.com/2970/management/social_learning_theory
http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-learning.html Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Bandura (1977) states:
"Learning would be exceedingly laborious,
not to mention hazardous,
if people had to rely solely on
the effects of their own actions
to inform them what to do.
Fortunately, most human behaviour is
learned observationally through modeling:
from observing others, one forms an idea of
how new behaviours are performed, and
on later occasions this coded information
serves as a guide for action."
Social Learning Theory spans both
cognitive and behavioural frameworks.
Source: http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/social-learning.html Dr Chin Mei Chin
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1987) posits that
people learn from one another, via observation,
imitation, and modeling.

His theory, which is known as observational learning

(or modelling) added a social element, arguing that
people can learn new information and behaviors by
watching other people.

There are three core concepts at the heart of social

learning theory:
1) The idea that people can learn through observation.
2) The idea that internal mental states are an essential
part of this process.
3) Even if something has been learned, it does not
mean that it will result in a change in behavior.
Source: Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial
Development Theory
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development contributed
to our understanding of personality development throughout the
lifespan.
Nurturing relationships between young children and adults can
create a sense of safety and security that supports children’s
learning to trust to regulate emotions, resolve interpersonal
conflicts, develop empathy, and learn how to relate to others in
socially appropriate ways.
How do you relate the psychosocial development of
primary school children according to Erikson’s theory?
Refer to Erik Erikson's Stages of
Psychosocial Development in an Individual.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages Summary Chart
Source: Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages Summary Chart
Basic Important
Stage Outcome
Conflict Events
Children develop a sense
Infancy
Trust vs. Feeding of trust when caregivers
(birth to
Mistrust provide reliability, care,
18
and affection. A lack of
months)
this will lead to mistrust.

Children need to develop a

Early Autonomy Toilet sense of personal control
Childhood vs. Shame Training over physical skills and a
(2 to 3 and Doubt sense of independence.
years) Success leads to feelings
of autonomy, failure
results in feelings of
shame and doubt.
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Basic Important
Stage Outcome
Conflict Events
Children need to begin
Preschool Initiative Exploration asserting control and power
(3 to 5 vs. Guilt over the environment. Success
years) in this stage leads to a sense
of purpose. Children who try to
exert too much power
experience disapproval,
resulting in a sense of guilt.
Children need to cope with
School Industry School new social and academic
Age vs. demands. Success leads to a
(6 to 11 Inferiority sense of competence, while
years) failure results in feelings of
inferiority.
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Basic Important
Stage Outcome
Conflict Events
Teens need to develop a
Adolescence Identity vs. Social sense of self and
(12 to 18 Role Relation- personal identity.
years) Confusion ships Success leads to an
ability to stay true to
yourself, while failure
leads to role confusion
and a weak sense of
self.
Young adults need to
Young Intimacy vs. Relation- form intimate, loving
Adulthood Isolation ships relationships with other
(19 to 40 people. Success leads
years) to strong relationships,
while failure results in
loneliness and isolation.
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 Basic Important
Stage Outcome
Conflict Events
Adults need to create or
Middle Generativity Work and nurture things that will
Adulthood vs. Parenthood outlast them, often by having
(40 to 65 Stagnation children or creating a
years) positive change that benefits
other people. Success leads
to feelings of usefulness and
accomplishment, while
failure results in shallow
involvement in the world.
Older adults need to look back
Maturity Ego Reflection on life and feel a sense of
(65 to Integrity on Life fulfilment. Success at this
death) vs. Despair stage leads to feelings of
wisdom, while failure results in
regret, bitterness, and despair.
Dr Chin Mei Chin
 REFLECTION

How do you help students feel safe

and comfortable in your classroom?
How can teachers foster and manage a
socioemotional environment
in the classroom?

(Refer to Handout on “Developing and Managing a Socioemotional

Environment in the Classroom” Class Notes by Dr. Chin Mei Chin)

Source: Modul Pembelajaran EDU3106 Culture and Learning, Program Pensiswazahan Guru, IPG KPM (2011)
Dr Chin Mei Chin