Social Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Programme Update

MHS UK are excited to be exhibiting at next month’s Secondary SEAL (Social Emotional Aspects of Learning) Conference in London. Due to oversubscribed demand, this is the third SEAL conference focusing on secondary schools following the Government’s release of the results from the pilot SEAL project in primary schools last summer, and their subsequent pledge to roll out the programme to all primary and secondary state schools in the UK. The SEAL curriculum focuses on the development of 5 key skills in young people: self awareness, management of feelings, motivation/resilience, empathy, and forming positive relationships.

At the last SEAL Conference in February, educational providers showed a great deal of interest in MHS EI assessments offering for both schoolchildren and teachers. Delegates were further encouraged by the news that the EQ-i adult and youth versions are specifically recommended in an independent review commissioned by the DFES (Department for Education and Skills) as having potentially the most value of all emotional and social assessments for young people. The recommendation also cited the added benefit of having an adult version which could be used to help develop emotional and social skills in teachers. News of the youth version of our MSCEIT assessment, the MSCEIT YV (currently in the data collection phase of development), was also of interest to delegates.

The February conference was opened by Sue King from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate, who enthusiastically announced key positive findings including:

• The SEAL programme’s huge impact on how pupils interacted with one another and teachers in the classroom had a positive effect on the academic and personal outcomes of the young people.
• Better levels of learning, better behaviour, improved cooperation between students and staff, as well as among students (particularly in schools where there was previously a lot of tension),
• Differences in how pupils felt about themselves, with the pupils reporting they felt more positive, more included, more valued and felt a greater investiture in their academic success.
• An increase in staff morale, fewer confrontations were reported, and there was a greater focus on learning and a greater impact on attainment and achievement.

The key message was that the curriculum had radically improved pupil outcomes and literally transformed schools, particularly those that were previously struggling.

The next SEAL Conference will be taking place 15 May 2008 at The Ibis, Earl’s Court, London. If you are planning to attend, please be sure to visit the MHS stand.

UK schools embrace Emotional Intelligence as pilot programs yield powerful results

From September, secondary schools in England are incorporating Emotional Intelligence into the curriculum after pilot programs throughout the country provided compelling evidence for its benefits among school children. The “Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning” (Seal) program, which has been piloted in selected primary schools in England, will be available to all secondary schools from the autumn following the positive impact it has had on young people, both in and outside the classroom. John Dunford, the general-secretary of the Secondary Heads association, quoted in the Times in November 2005, agreed that it was the duty of schools to help children understand “Emotional Literacy”.

Back then, following the introduction of the program, of ten Southend schools, eight reported reduced truancy, nine reported fewer fixed-term exclusions and at least seven reported improvements in learning in English and maths. In Plymouth, three schools reported a “drop in serious behaviour incidents” and in repeat fixed-term exclusions.

Quoted last week by the BBC, the Department for Education and Skills has said that pilot programs have had very positive results in primary schools and support is now to be offered to secondary schools wanting to use this approach to improve how children behave. The DFES has said that primary schools have reported a decrease in problems such as bullying and fighting where the Emotional Intelligence lessons have been taught. The types of subject areas covered would include developing empathy, managing strong feelings such as anger and recognizing the rights of others.

Among schools to have taken part in the pilot was Vicarage Park in Kendal, Cumbria, with the head teacher Anne Hallam saying that the scheme had a “significant impact” on helping boys to articulate their emotions. She added, “that more contented pupils were more likely to focus on their learning”. Pelham primary school in Wimbledon also introduced the Emotional Intelligence lessons and reported that it helped to defuse the everyday arguments that could otherwise escalate.

The independent reported that teachers who took part in the scheme found there was a calmer atmosphere in the classroom, a significant reduction in truancy and fewer bullying incidents throughout the school. Difficult children who were frequently disciplined for swearing and abuse discovered their behaviour improved and found it easier to integrate with their peers.

Professor Lord Layard, from the Centre for Economic Performance and the London School of Economics, has called for a new generation of teachers specializing in “Emotional Intelligence” to spearhead a “revolution” in education. Giving the Ashby Lecture at the University of Cambridge, Lord Layard said the subject should be studied until pupils reach 18. “It should be a major aim of each school to train character and provide moral education,” he said. “I think it requires an educational revolution in which a central purpose of our schools is to teach young people about the main secrets of happiness for which we have empirical evidence.” He continued, “I believe it can be only done by the schools”, and that every school should adopt scientifically evaluated approaches to the teachings of “Emotional Intelligence…but without a cadre of specialist teachers acting as proselytes and high priests of the movement, there is no chance of the educational revolution we need.”

Bullying and Emotional Intelligence: Is there a link?

Is there any relationship between bullies or their victims and Emotional Intelligence? If so, what would the relationship look like? This was the subject of Stacy Vogel’s doctoral dissertation at Northcentral University in Arizona. Surveys have found that as many as 23% of school children report being bullied over a three-month period.

Stacy’s study included 235 fourth and fifth grade students who were tested with several bully/victim questionnaires and the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV^™). Peer nominations were used to identify both bullies and victims. Bullying/victimization questionnaire scores were highly related to the peer nominations. The study supported a relationship between EI and bullying (but not as complete as expected), but failed to support a prediction that gender would moderate the EI-bullying relationships.

The Intrapersonal scale, for example, did not relate significantly to bullying or victimization. One explanation was that bullies may not see their behavior as being aware of or expressing their feelings to others. Instead, they may view their behavior as simply picking on another classmate.

The Interpersonal scale was significantly related to the bullys’ scores, but not the victims’ scores. As previous studies have found, bullies lack empathy and compassion, have low social competence, and poor interpersonal relationships. Victims, on the other hand, may have fewer friends, but seem to find the quality of their relationships satisfying.

The Stress Management scale was negatively correlated with all the bully/victimization measures except peer-nominated victim. Thus, both bullies and victims seemed to have difficulty performing well under pressure and controlling impulses.

Adaptability did not correlate with being a victim or a bully. It was suggested that some of the questions on this scale may have been interpreted to be more related to academic rather than social situations.

The General Mood scale was negatively correlated with the bullying/victimization scales. Students who scored high as either bullies or victims came out as more unhappy and pessimistic.

Finally, the Total EQ scales came out as significantly negative in relation to both bullies and victims, which can be best explained through the subscales described above.

As seen in other studies, bullying was found to occur more frequently between boys than girls. The study made some suggestions related to EI programs in schools and perhaps how they might be streamlined to focus on those areas that were found most relevant to bullying and victimization. The study also suggested using additional measures, like the soon-to-be-released MSCEIT Youth Version (MSCEIT:YV), to see how EI abilities contribute to bullying/victimization.

Reference:
Vogel, Stacey W. (January, 2006). The Relationship Between Bullying and Emotional Intelligence. A doctoral dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Department of Psychology at Northcentral University, Prescott, Arizona.