Social Emotional Learning and Special Educational Needs
Have you ever wondered how Social Emotional Learning can be used within Special Educational Needs settings? Well wonder no more!
Here in Northern Ireland, we have experience of supporting a range of schools - Controlled, Maintained, Integrated, Irish-medium and SEN settings. We have extensive experience in implementing the programme while receiving Technical Assistance from the programme developers, and we have worked with them to fine tune our coaching and implementation model depending on the context of the setting. Over a number of years our SEL coaches have supported SEN settings to ensure the programme materials are pitched at the correct level, staff are supported and developed to deliver the programme, and parents are involved in the whole-community approach.
Today we’re shining the spotlight on one such setting in Northern Ireland where they worked with us over a sustained period of time, and received the highest accolade of SEL Model School by the end of their coaching support. This award is presented by SEL Worldwide, the leading world-wide organisation for delivering SEL Programmes and Training support, and is only awarded to schools who have implemented the PATHS® Programme for Schools (NI/UK Version) to the highest level. You can read the case study in full to see how they prioritised SEL.
“For years, Arvalee has been searching for a programme to promote children’s emotional and social competence and wellbeing. We have used several different programmes but we realised the need to develop a common language throughout the school, ensuring that social and emotional learning was part of the curriculum and the whole school ethos. Through the PATHS® Programme staff are able to empower our children and young people to develop the fundamental social and emotional learning skills which, will enable them to make positive choices throughout life.” N. Grant, Vice-Principal