THE CONSTRUCT OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE All individuals interact with others in different social settings. Be it children or adults all need to be socially well adjusted in order to be relevant in a particular social interaction. The ability to be able to respond appropriately or be able to pick the social cues is of critical relevance in social contexts. Rubin and Rose-Krasnor define social competence as:

"the ability to achieve personal goals in social interaction while simultaneously maintaining positive relationships with others over time and across situations". (Rubin and Rose-Krasnor 1992)All children are born with a predisposition to learn the basic social skills for their social adjustment by way of observing others in different social settings. Kristin Reinsberg has identified some characteristics which are the indicators of a positive social and emotional behavior patterns which ultimately lead to positive mental health during childhood. How do children start to understand who they are, what they are feeling, what they expect to receive from others? These concepts are at the heart of their social-emotional wellness. They contribute to a childs self-confidence and empathy, her ability to develop meaningful and lasting friendships and partnerships, and her sense of importance and value to those around her. Childrens social-emotional development influences all other areas of development. Different domains 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.Professionals sometimes define healthy social-emotional development in young children asearly childhood mental health. Healthy social-emotional development includes the ability to be socially competent which involves many elements. The ability to regulate emotions in terms of expressing their own and in turn be able to understand other persons feelings is the key to develop emotional maturity. Children who have the ability to explore and engage with the environment and form sustainable positive relationships are socially competent children. Children with well developed social- emotional skills are more confident with pronounced skills at expressing their ideas and feelings. They can empathize better with others; manage their feelings of frustration and disappointment better. There is a positive correlation between school success and social emotional competence of childrenSocial-emotional development provides the foundation for how we feel about ourselves and how we experience others. This foundation begins the day we are born and continues to develop throughout our lifespan.The greatest influence on a childs social-emotional development is the quality of the relationships that the child develops with his/her primary caregivers.Popularity or the number of friends one has does not define or measure social competence, rather social competence is the nature of being able to interact and engage with others.Emotions are an integral part of human nature. Through emotions we respond to life in many different ways- with anger, happiness, love, fear, and jealousy. Emotions influence our thoughts and actions and consequently play a crucial role in inspiring our needs and motivations. The very construct of social-emotional well being in children has a subtle connotation to positive adaptation in face of challenges and adverse circumstances.The array of researches in the field agrees on certain crucial aspects of the childs social milieu which are the contributing factors to the development of a sense of well being. There is consonance among researchers with regards to the positive contributing factors. A safe and secure home environment with consistent parenting and an opportunity to express feelings without the accompanying feeling of guilt or fear are the building blocks for emotional and social well being in children. Enhancing resilience and positive coping can be of significance for promoting social and emotional maturity. Studies have proved beyond doubt that childrens emotional, social and behavioral adjustments are as important for school success as cognitive and academic preparedness (Luthar and Ziegler 1991). Children who have difficulty in paying attention, following teachers directions, getting along with others and controlling negative emotions do less well in school (Arnold 1999) (McClelland 2000) and are rejected by classmates and receive a negative feedback from the teachers. The researches on the protective factors do focus on the dynamic (Luthar, Cicchetti and Becker 2000) process of resilience or adaptability in face of challenges. I would like to emphasize that children or individuals who have the ability to change or mould the environment as per their needs for adjustment seem to be the most resilient and well adjusted in their social settingResearch shows that when educators teach children the key skills they need toUnderstand their emotions and the emotions of others, handle conflicts, solve problem, and develop relationships with peers, their problem behavior decreases andtheir social skills improve (Joseph 2003). Emphasis on teaching socialSkills is just one component of multiple strategies to support a child at risk forChallenging behaviorSOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE DURING EARLY YEARSYoung children face a vast and increasing array of challenges as they attempt to develop prosocial competencies and a conciliatory, nonviolent approach to life. Over the last several decades changes in the way families are organized and function have resulted in less, and possibly lower quality, adult-child closeness. At the same time, children have been bombarded with increasing amounts of ever more graphic and titillating violence in the news and entertainment media. Mental health and education professionals generally agree that it is essential to begin developing prosocial attitudes and behaviors in children at a very young age because aggression in young children that is not remedied nearly always leads to later acts of delinquency (Yoshikawa 1995). Thus, they have developed a variety of age-appropriate strategies for teaching children how to respond thoughtfully and nonviolently to both internal and external stimuli. This brief presents an overview of effective strategies for use with children in elementary school, a time in their lives when they develop normative beliefs about aggression (Samples 1998). Positive and nurturing early experiences and relationship Anattachment relationshipis an enduring one that develops during the first few years of the childs life. It is built upon repeated interactions between the infant and the primary caregiver. These interactions mainly involve attempts by the infant to achieve physical and emotional closeness and the caregivers responses to these attempts. They have a lasting influence on how the child feels about self, how she thinks and interacts with her world, and what she comes to expect from others. When the child forms a close and secure interpersonal relationship with care givers it gives the confidence to explore her environment and learn basic skills in the context of family, community and culture. Infant and early childhood mental health is synonymous with social and emotional development of young children and is formed within the context of the childs relationships Social-emotional development includes the childs experience, expression, and management of emotions and the ability to establish positive and rewarding relationships with others (Cohen 2005). It encompasses both intra- and interpersonal processes.The core features of emotional development include the ability to identify and understand ones own feelings, to accurately read and comprehend emotional states in others, to manage strong emotions and their expression in a constructive manner, to regulate ones own behavior, to develop empathy for others, and to establish and maintain relationships. (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2004)Infants experience, express, and perceive emotions before they fully understand them. In learning to recognize, label, manage, and communicate their emotions and to perceive and attempt to understand the emotions of others, children build skills that connect them with family, peers, teachers, and the community. These growing capacities help young children to become competent in negotiating increasingly complex social interactions, to participate effectively in relationships and group activities, and to reap the benefits of social support crucial to healthy human development and functioning.

It involves skills such as self-confidence, curiosity, motivation, persistence and self control which affect growth, trust and future learning. All of these skills have their roots in infancy and rely on secure, healthy, sensitive and consistent relationships with primary caregivers. Therefore, the bond between parent and child is one of central importance. Confidence, Capacity to develop good relationships with peers and adults, the ability to effectively communicate emotions, to solve problems and to handle social problems are the key emotional competencies which a child needs.

RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE FOR WELL BEING OF CHILDREN During the past two decades, a convincing body of evidence has accumulated to indicate that unless children achieve minimal social competence by about the age of 6 years, they have a high probability of being at risk into adulthood in several ways (Ladd 2000) (Parker 1987). (G. W. Ladd 1996) (McClellan 1999); (Parker, Peer relations and later personal adjustment: Are low-accepted children at risk? 1987); (Rogoff 1990) suggests that a child's long-term social and emotional adaptation, academic and cognitive development, and citizenship are enhanced by frequent opportunities to strengthen social competence during childhood. (Hartup 1992) notes that peer relationships in particular contribute a great deal to both social and cognitive development and to the effectiveness with which we function as adults. He states that "the single best childhood predictor of adult adaptation is not school grades, and not classroom behavior, but rather, the adequacy with which the child gets along with other children. Children who are generally disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive, who are unable to sustain close relationships with other children, and who cannot establish a place for themselves in the peer culture are seriously at risk" (Hartup 1992, 1). The risks are many: poor mental health, dropping out of school, low achievement and other school difficulties, and poor employment history (Katz 1997). Because social development begins at birth and progresses rapidly during the preschool years, it is clear that early childhood programs should include regular opportunities for spontaneous child-initiated social play. (Berk 1995) suggest that it is through symbolic/pretend play that young children are most likely to develop both socially and intellectually. Thus, periodic assessment of children's progress in the acquisition of social competence is appropriate. functioning over a period of at least three or four weeks are required. How children act toward and are treated by their classmates (cooperatively or aggressively, helpfully or demandingly, etc.) appears to have a substantial impact on the relationships they develop (G. W. Ladd 2000). However, healthy social development does not require that a child be a "social butterfly." The most important index to note is the quality rather than the quantity of a child's friendships. Children (even rejected children) who develop a close friend increase the degree to which they start liking the school over time (G. W. Ladd, Peer relationships and social competence during early and middle childhood 1999). There is evidence (Rothbart 1998) (Kagan 1992) that some children are simply more shy or more inhibited than others, and it may be counterproductive to push such children into social relations that make them uncomfortable (Katz 1997). Furthermore, unless that shyness is severe enough to prevent a child from enjoying most of the "good things of life," such as birthday parties, picnics, and family outings, it is reasonable to assume that, when handled sensitively, the shyness will be spontaneously outgrown. Early childhood is a period of both great opportunity and vulnerability. Early childhood experiences set the stage for later health, wellbeing and learning. In the past, most of the focus was on building young childrens academic skills in an effort to ensure they were prepared for school. However, in recent years a growing body of research has demonstrated the strong link between young childrens social-emotional competence and their cognitive development, language skills, mental health and school success.Social, emotional and cognitive competencies serve as a critical foundation for childrens well-being and as protective factors for children growing up in adverse circumstances. These competencies are related to reduced risk for academic, behavioral, mental health, and substance use problems.However, children experiencing adversity, such as poverty, family stress, and domestic violence, also tend to emerge from childhood with lower levels of social, emotional and cognitive competence. Our research utilizes a bioecological, or whole child, approach to examine the influences of neurobiological stress responses, self-regulation, parenting, family relationships, neighborhood, and economic disadvantage on childrens social, emotional and cognitive well-being.Play is a central context for social and emotional development in early childhood.

Social-Emotional Development Domain. The social-emotional development domain consists of the following three strands: 1. Self, which includes self-awareness and self-regulation, social and emotional understanding, empathy and caring, and initiative in learning 2. Social Interaction, which focuses on interactions with familiar adults, interactions with peers, group participation, and cooperation and responsibility 3. Relationships, which addresses attachments to parents, close relationships with teachers and caregivers, and friendships

The competencies covered by the social-emotional development foundations underscore the multiple ways in which young childrens development in this domain influences their ability to adapt successfully to preschool and, later on, in school. Social emotional as well as other cognitive and motivational competencies are required for the children to be able to adjust to their school environment and be able to acquire scholastic success. In a developmental perspective the social and emotional aspects have a distinct path wherein by the time a child is five years old self awareness begins to appear and the children can compare their characteristics with those of other children and an awareness of psychological characteristics like thoughts and feelings start taking a shape. During early childhood years ie from 6-10 years the children regard themselves in terms of their past abilities and remain sensitive to how they are viewed by adults, peers and other people whose opinion matters to them. The emergence and childs awareness are evident when the child smiles, feels happy and proud after achieving a difficult task. Self awareness is an important component of early school success. Childrens self confidence shapes their interest, motivation and perspective in academic work.Self RegulationA child begins to regulate their attention, thoughts and feelings as well as impulses more consistently during early years. Occasionally adult guidance in terms of appropriate expression is needed but by the time the child is 8-9 years fewer reminders needed. The child anticipates routines cooperates and can focus attention on the task at hand. The ability to regulate his/her emotions and behavior are evident. Social and emotional understandingBy the time a child is 6 years old she begins to comprehend the psychological and mental reasons in a primitive form start understanding how these contribute to differences between people. They begin to be aware of and understand difference in personality and associated traits of different individuals.Empathy and CaringBy the time a child is five year old he/she can respond to another child/persons distress and address it with sympathetic caring and are more likely to enquire about their reason for crying or distress. Initiative in learningThe age of early childhood (6-10 years) is marked by greater initiative taking in learning new tasks, in exploring and making new discoveries identifying new solutions and persisting in trying to figure out new things.

Social InteractionsThe children at this age begin to take greater initiative in activities ad conversations with peers and adults in their environment. The children now actively suggest shared activities to their peers and actively cooperate. Actively seek adult guidance and assistance when in some difficult situation or any conflict.Interaction with peersThe children now start to intentionally and actively cooperate with peers participate in complex activities that involve working in groups to achieve a shared goal and share the materials. Children are more capable of more complex sequences of play which involves coordination of roles and cooperation. They can now negotiate with each other and seeking adult interventions when needed. They have an enhanced capability to use words to respond to conflict. Teasing and verbal taunting make an appearance by the beginning of 6th year. They learn simple conflict resolution strategies and respond to adult suggestions. For example children taking turns while playing or telling another child that he/she cant play with them. Group ParticipationThe children beginning 6years participates positively in a group and learns to cooperate as a group member. The children acquire the capacity to form groups on their own and exhibit self control. They are motivated to cooperate in order to receive adult approval and start thinking approvingly of themselves ( ). Taking turns and feeling bad or saying sorry if something happens by mistake. Starts picking up if by mistake spill something belonging to somebody else.

Relationships Relationships with the primary caregivers are strengthened and in case of a need there is a greater initiative to take the help of primary carers. By the end of 6 years peer interaction increases. In case of conflict with siblings or a difficult task primary caregivers or the teachers help is sought. Helpful positive mutual cooperation is seen like making birthday cards for parents, friends. Taking care of younger siblings, helping in household chores is seen at this age. Close relationships with teachers, seeking teachers support in case of a difficult task or conflict resolution are seen. Seeks the approval of the teacher and cooperates.Increased friendship with peers and splurge in shared activities with special friends like shared activities, sharing and sitting together for lunch, seek their company and helping one another in case of conflict with some other child. The special friends are more positive to each other. .Healthy social-emotional development for infants and toddlers unfolds in an interpersonal context, namely that of positive ongoing relationships with familiar, nurturing adults. Young children are particularly attuned to social and emotional stimulation. Even newborns appear to attend more to stimuli that resemble faces (Johnson 1991). They also prefer their mothers voices to the voices of other women (DeCasper WP 1980). Through nurturance, adults support the infants earliest experiences of emotion regulation (Bronson 2000a) (Thompson 2005).Responsive caregiving supports infants in beginning to regulate their emotions and to develop a sense of predictability, safety, and responsiveness in their social environments. Early relationships are so important to developing infants that research experts have broadly concluded that, in the early years, nurturing, stable and consistent relationships are the key to healthy growth, development and learning (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine 2000). In other words, high-quality relationships increase the likelihood of positive outcomes for young children (Shonkoff 2004). Experiences with family members and teachers provide an opportunity for young children to learn about social relationships and emotions through exploration and predictable interactions. Professionals working in child care settings can support the social-emotional development of infants and toddlers in various ways, including interacting directly with young children, communicating with families, arranging the physical space in the care environment, and planning and implementing curriculum.Brain research indicates that emotion and cognition are profoundly interrelated processes. Specifically, recent cognitive neuroscience findings suggest that the neural mechanisms underlying emotion regulation may be the same as those underlying cognitive processes (Bell 2004). Emotion and cognition work together, jointly informing the childs impressions of situations and influencing behavior. Most learning in the early years occurs in the context of emotional supports (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine 2000). The rich interpenetrations of emotions and cognitions establish the major psychic scripts for each childs life (Panksepp 2001). Together, emotion and cognition contribute to attentional processes, decision making, and learning (Cacioppo 1999). Furthermore, cognitive processes, such as decision making, are affected by emotion (Barrett 2007). Brain structures involved in the neural circuitry of cognition influence emotion and vice versa (Barrett 2007). Emotions and social behaviors affect the young childs ability to persist in goal-oriented activity, to seek help when it is needed, and to participate in and benefit from relationships.Young children who exhibit healthy social, emotional, and behavioral adjustment are more likely to have good academic performance in elementary school (Cohen 2005) (Zero to Three 2004). The sharp distinction between cognition and emotion that has historically been made may be more of an artifact of scholarship than it is representative of the way these processes occur in the brain (Barrett 2007). This recent research strengthens the view that early childhood programs support later positive learning outcomes in all domains by maintaining a focus on the promotion of healthy social emotional development (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2004) (Raver 2002) (Shonkoff 2004).Interactions with AdultsInteractions with adults are a frequent and regular part of infants daily lives. Infants as young as three months of age have been shown to be able to discriminate between the faces of unfamiliar adults (Barrera 1981). The foundations that describe Interactions with Adults and Relationships with Adults are interrelated. They jointly give a picture of healthy social-emotional development that is based in a supportive social environment established by adults. Children develop the ability to both respond to adults and engage with them first through predictable interactions in close relationships with parents or other caring adults at home and outside the home. Children use and build upon the skills learned through close relationships to interact with less familiar adults in their lives. In interacting with adults, children engage in a wide variety of social exchanges such as establishing contact with a relative or engaging in storytelling with an infant care teacher.Quality in early childhood programs is, in large part, a function of the interactions that take place between the adults and children in those programs. These interactions form the basis for the relationships that are established between teachers and children in the classroom or home and are related to childrens developmental status. How teachers interact with children is at the very heart of early childhood education (Kontos 1997)Relationships with AdultsClose relationships with adults who provide consistent nurturance strengthen childrens capacity to learn and develop. Moreover, relationships with parents, other family members, caregivers, and teachers provide the key context for infants social-emotional development. These special relationships influence the infants emerging sense of self and understanding of others. Infants use relationships with adults in many ways: for reassurance that they are safe, for assistance in alleviating distress, for help with emotion regulation, and for social approval or encouragement. Establishing close relationships with adults is related to childrens emotional security, sense of self, and evolving understanding of the world around them. Concepts from the literature on attachment may be applied to early childhood settings, in considering the infant care teachers role in separations and reunions during the day in care, facilitating the childs exploration, providing comfort, meeting physical needs, modeling positive relationships, and providing support during stressful times (Raikes 1996)Interactions with PeersIn early infancy children interact with each other using simple behaviors such as looking at or touching another child. Infants social interactions with peers increase in complexity from engaging in repetitive or routine back-and-forth interactions with peers (for example, rolling a ball back and forth) to engaging in cooperative activities such as building a tower of blocks together or acting out different roles during pretend play. Through interactions with peers, infants explore their interest in others and learn about social behavior/social interaction. Interactions with peers provide the context for social learning and problem solving, including the experience of social exchanges, cooperation, turn-taking, and the demonstration of the beginning of empathy. Social interactions with peers also allow older infants to experiment with different roles in small groups and in different situations such as relating to familiar versus unfamiliar children. As noted, the foundations called Interactions with Adults, Relationships with Adults, Interactions with Peers, and Relationships with Peers are interrelated. Interactions are stepping-stones to relationships. (Burk 1996) writes:We, as teachers, need to facilitate the development of a psychologically safe environment that promotes positive social interaction. As children interact openly with their peers, they learn more about each other as individuals, and they begin building a history of interaction

Relationships with PeersInfants develop close relationships with children they know over a period of time, such as other children in the family child care setting or neighborhood. Relationships with peers provide young children with the opportunity to develop strong social connections. Infants often show a preference for playing and being with friends, as compared with peers with whom they do not have a relationship. (Howes 1983)s research suggests that there are distinctive patterns of friendship for the infant, toddler, and preschooler age groups. The three groups vary in the number of friendships, the stability of friendships, and the nature of interaction between friends (for example, the extent to which they involve object exchange or verbal communication).Identity of Self in Relation to OthersInfants social-emotional development includes an emerging awareness of self and others. Infants demonstrate this foundation in a number of ways. For example, they can respond to their names, point to their body parts when asked, or name members of their families. Through an emerging understanding of other people in their social environment, children gain an understanding of their roles within their families and communities. They also become aware of their own preferences and characteristics and those of others.Recognition of AbilityInfants developing sense of self-efficacy includes an emerging understanding that they can make things happen and that they have particular abilities. Self-efficacy is related to a sense of competency, which has been identified as a basic human need (Connell 1990). The development of childrens sense of self-efficacy may be seen in play or exploratory behaviors when they act on an object to produce a result. For example, they pat a musical toy to make sounds come out. Older infants may demonstrate recognition of ability through I statements, such as I did it or Im good at drawing.Expression of EmotionEven early in infancy, children express their emotions through facial expressions, vocalizations, and body language. The later ability to use words to express emotions gives young children a valuable tool in gaining the assistance or social support of others (Saarni 2006). Temperament may play a role in childrens expression of emotion. (Tronick 1989) described how expression of emotion is related to emotion regulation and communication between the mother and infant: the emotional expressions of the infant and the caretaker function to allow them to mutually regulate their interactions . . . the infant and the adult are participants in an affective communication system.Both the understanding and expression of emotion are influenced by culture. Cultural factors affect childrens growing understanding of the meaning of emotions, the developing knowledge of which situations lead to which emotional outcomes, and their learning about which emotions are appropriate to display in which situations (Thompson 2005). Some cultural groups appear to express certain emotions more often than other cultural groups (Tsai, Levenson and McCoy 2006). In addition, cultural groups vary by which particular emotions or emotional states they value (Tsai, Knutson and Fung, Cultural Variation in Affect Valuation 2006). One study suggests that cultural differences in exposure to particular emotions through storybooks may contribute to young childrens preferences for particular emotional states (for example, excited or calm) (J. a. Tsai 2007).Young childrens expression of positive and negative emotions may play a significant role in their development of social relationships. Positive emotions appeal to social partners and seem to enable relationships to form, while problematic management or expression of negative emotions leads to difficulty in social relationships (Denham 2004). The use of emotion-related words appears to be associated with how likable preschoolers are considered by their peers. Children who use emotion-related words were found to be better-liked by their classmates (Fabes 2001). Infants respond more positively to adult vocalizations that have a positive affective tone (Fernald 1993). Social smiling is a developmental process in which neurophysiology and cognitive, social, and emotional factors play a part, seen as a reflection and constituent of an interactive relationship (Messinger 2007). It appears likely that the experience of positive emotions is a particularly important contributor to emotional well-being and psychological health (Fredrickson 2000) (Fredrickson, The Value of Positive Emotions 2003) (Panksepp 2001).EmpathyDuring the first three years of life, children begin to develop the capacity to experience the emotional or psychological state of another person (Zahn-Waxler 1990). The following definitions of empathy are found in the research literature: knowing what another person is feeling, feeling what another person is feeling, and responding compassionately to anothers distress (Levenson 1992). The concept of empathy reflects the social nature of emotion, as it links the feelings of two or more people (Levenson 1992). Since human life is relationship-based, one vitally important function of empathy over the life span is to strengthen social bonds (Anderson 2002). Research has shown a correlation between empathy and prosocial behavior (Eisenberg 2000). In particular, prosocial behaviors, such as helping, sharing, and comforting or showing concern for others, illustrate the development of empathy (C. a. Zahn-Waxler 1992) and how the experience of empathy is thought to be related to the development of moral behavior (Eisenberg 2000). Adults model prosocial/empathic behaviors for infants in various ways. For example, those behaviors are modeled through caring interactions with others or through providing nurturance to the infant. (Quann 2006) suggest that one way to support the development of empathy in young children is to create a culture of caring in the early childhood environment: Helping children understand the feelings of others is an integral aspect of the curriculum of living together. The relationships among teachers, between children and teachers, and among children are fostered with warm and caring interactions.Emotion RegulationThe developing ability to regulate emotions has received increasing attention in the research literature (Eisenberg, Champion and Ma, Emotion-Related Regulation: An Emerging Construct 2004). Researchers have generated various definitions of emotion regulation, and debate continues as to the most useful and appropriate way to define this concept (Eisenberg and Spinrad, Emotion-Related Regulation: Sharpening the Definition 2004). As a construct, emotion regulation reflects the interrelationship of emotions, cognitions, and behaviors (Bell and Wolfe 2004). Young childrens increasing understanding and skill in the use of language is of vital importance in their emotional development, opening new avenues for communicating about and regulating emotions (Campos, Frankel and Camra 2004) and helping children to negotiate acceptable outcomes to emotionally charged situations in more effective ways. Emotion regulation is influenced by culture and the historical era in which a person lives: cultural variability in regulation processes is significant (Mesquita 1992). Cultures vary in terms of what one is expected to feel, and when, where, and with whom one may express different feelings (Cheah and Rubin 2003). Adults can provide positive role models of emotion regulation through their behavior and through the verbal and emotional support they offer children in managing their emotions. Responsiveness to infants signals contributes to the development of emotion regulation. Adults support infants development of emotion regulation by minimizing exposure to excessive stress, chaotic environments, or over- or understimulation.Emotion regulation skills are important in part because they play a role in how well children are liked by peers and teachers and how socially competent they are perceived to be (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2004). Childrens ability to regulate their emotions appropriately can contribute to perceptions of their overall social skills as well as to the extent to which they are liked by peers (Eisenberg and others, The Relations of Emotionality and Regulation to Preschoolers Social Skills and Sociometric Status 1993). Poor emotion regulation can impair childrens thinking, thereby compromising their judgment and decision making (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2004). At kindergarten entry, children demonstrate broad variability in their ability to self-regulate (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine 2000)Impulse ControlChildrens developing capacity to control impulses helps them adapt to social situations and follow rules. As infants grow, they become increasingly able to exercise voluntary control over behavior such as waiting for needs to be met, inhibiting potentially hurtful behavior, and acting according to social expectations, including safety rules. Group care settings provide many opportunities for children to practice their impulse-control skills. Peer interactions often offer natural opportunities for young children to practice impulse control, as they make progress in learning about cooperative play and sharing. Young childrens understanding or lack of understanding of requests made of them may be one factor contributing to their responses (Kaler and Kopp 1990)Social UnderstandingDuring the infant/toddler years, children begin to develop an understanding of the responses, communication, emotional expression, and actions of other people. This development includes infants understanding of what to expect from others, how to engage in back-and-forth social interactions, and which social scripts are to be used for which social situations. At each age, social cognitive understanding contributes to social competence, interpersonal sensitivity, and an awareness of how the self relates to other individuals and groups in a complex social world (R. A. Thompson 2006). Social understanding is particularly important because of the social nature of humans and human life, even in early infancy (Wellman and Lagattuta 2000). Recent research suggests that infants and toddlers social understanding is related to how often they experience adult communication about the thoughts and emotions of others (Taumoepeau and Ruffman 2008)

ss. Language and Literacy Domain. The language and literacy foundations address a wide range of specific competencies that preschool children will need support to learn. These foundations focus on the following three strands: 1. Listening and Speaking, which includes language use and conventions, vocabulary, and grammar 2. Reading, which covers concepts

Role of the TeacherYou can promote social-emotional development in your classroom by embedding your teaching practices throughout the day. Remaining sensitive to childrens needs helps them feel secure and confident, and acts as a model for effective social behavior. For example, asking questions to help children find a solution to a social conflict helps them develop problem-solving skills. Reading a story and engaging children in a conversation about a socially challenging situation can also serve as a lesson in handling social problems as well as in literacy.Be Attentive to Each Childs Needs- Be attentive to the social-emotional skills and needs of each unique child so you can respond with lessons and interventions tailored to help every child develop their skills. Your attention and presence as a teacher can be a pillar of confidence for children who are dealing with stressful life circumstances. Letting children know that you are there to help will build childrens trust that you are a source of guidance. Keep in mind that children who are English language learners may need additional support to feel secure and self-assured in a learning environment that is responsive to their needs.Early Emotional Experiences Matter- Recognize that the emotional domain is foundational to all other developmental domains. If children start school in an emotionally supportive environment, they will acquire the love of learning necessary for success in all areas of school. As young children develop, their early emotional experiences literally become embedded in the architecture of their brains, therefore great care should be given to childrens emotional needs, according to theNational Scientific Council on the Developing Child. If you seek childrens opinions, allow children to initiate activities and are flexible about responding to childrens ideas, youll build childrens feelings that they are competent and respected, and at the same time motivate their desire to learn.Promoting Consistent Structure with Play- Providing your transitional kindergarteners with consistent structures and expectations about appropriate behavior through play activities helps them remember and follow classroom norms, and behave in ways that are conducive to learning. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Play is integral to the academic environment. It ensures that the school setting attends to the social and emotional development of children as well as their cognitive development. Creating routines of fun and meaningful activities such as songs, chants and games can minimize problems or stress during challenging times, such as when children wait in line or during transitions.Building Relational Capacity and Importance of Close RelationshipsPositive relationships with peers and adults - including parents and teachers - are key to childrens social-emotional development. First, they make school a comfortable, secure safe place where children can focus on learning. Second, mutual, caring relationships provide opportunities for children to develop and practice important social skills.Positive and Consistent Relationships- Social-emotional development is supported through positive and consistent relationships among teachers and children. Try going beyond expectations of compliance with school rules, and support social-emotional development by crafting a positive, emotionally supportive climate in the classroom that skillfully connects new experiences with childrens unique home experiences. According to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, Children who develop warm, positive relationships with their [TK] teachers are more excited about learning, more positive about coming to school, more self-confident, and achieve more in the classroom.Children are more likely to develop positive relationships when teachers: model appropriate social behaviors; provide opportunities for them to develop new social-emotional skills; give explicit guidance; offer curriculum that is engaging and relevant to childrens lives and cultures; engage with parents in a two-way relationship to build childrens social-emotional skills; and reflect an ethic of caring and nurturing.Specific examples of productive teacher behaviors include: showing respect and valuing childrens cultural and language backgrounds; modeling the polite use of language and encouraging children to imitate your behavior; encouraging empathic thinking with questions such as, Why do you think he is crying?; promoting childrens 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.

strategy 1: Relationships and Social Interactions with PeersStrategy 2: Social and Emotional UnderstandingStrategy 3: Conflict Negotiation (Problem Solving)Strategy 4: Child Regulates Emotions and BehaviorsStrategy5: Engagement and PersistenceStrategy6: Responsible ConductStrategy7: Integrated Approaches for English Language Development and Family Engagement Strategy 1: Relationships and Social Interactions with PeersCompetency: Child interacts competently and cooperatively with other children and develops friendships with several peersExploring CompetenciesBuilding Competencies

Embed in contextAsk a child who has grabbed a toy from another to "use his words" to let a classmate know what he wants, offering simple words to help articulate their feelings, such as "My turn, please."Read a story about a child whose best friend has moved away, and ask children to share ideas of things they could do to comfort the child.While reading, point to the child's face in the story or use a picture card to show how the child is feeling "sad," and encourage your students to draw pictures and/or write words that reflect their feelings.

ModelTell a child gently and respectfully that you would like him to put his hands in his lap rather than on the child next to him. To support language understanding, model behavior and encourage the student to mimic your behavior, by saying, "I will put my hands on my lap."Show an interest in your students' lives outside of school, for example having a conversation about what they did over the weekend.

Give opportunities for practiceHave your students take turns during sharing time. Support language understanding by scaffolding turn-taking and saying, for example, "Now it's Nico's turn. Now it's Ciara's turn."Give your students games, such as Chutes and Ladders, that require cooperation.

RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE FOR CHILDREN 6-10Concept of Social Emotional learning: A review Social emotional learning (SEL) is a process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and work in an effective manner. In dealing with oneself, SEL helps in recognizing our emotions and learning how to manage those feelings. In dealing with others, SEL helps with developing sympathy and empathy for others, and maintaining positive relationships. SEL also focuses on dealing with a variety of situations in a constructive and ethical manner.[1]_(wikipedia)Social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen and worker; and many risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying and dropping out) can be prevented or reduced when integrated efforts are used to develop students' social and emotional skills.This is best done through effective classroom instruction; student engagement in positive activities in and out of the classroom; and broad parent and community involvement in program planning, implementation and evaluation.Effective SEL programming begins in preschool and continues through high school. Goleman's work emphasizes that children's emotional and social skills can be cultivated, so that the child will accrue both short-term and long-term advantages in regard to well-being, performance and success in life. He outlines five crucial emotional competencies basic to social and emotional learning: a. Self and other awareness: understanding and identifying feelings; knowing when one's feelings shift; understanding the difference between thinking, feeling and acting; and understanding that one's actions have consequences in terms of others' feelings.b. Mood management: handling and managing difficult feelings; controlling impulses; and handling anger constructivelyc. Self-motivation: being able to set goals and persevere towards them with optimism and hope, even in the face of setbacksd. Empathy: being able to put yourself "in someone else's shoes" both cognitively and affectively; being able to take someone's perspective; being able to show that you caree. Management of relationships: making friends, handling friendships; resolving conflicts; cooperating; collaborative learning and other social skillsThe mastery of these five competencies results in enhanced emotional intelligence

Dr. Maurice Elias, a leading child psychologist, researcher and expert on SEL from Rutgers University, explains the dangers of omitting social-emotional programs from our children's classrooms. He maintains that "many of the problems in our schools are the result of social and emotional malfunction and debilitation from which too many children have suffered and continue to bear the consequences. Children in class who are beset by an array of confused or hurtful feelings cannot and will not learn effectively. In the process of civilizing and humanizing our children, the missing piece is, without doubt, social and emotional learning. Protestations that this must be outside of and separate from traditional schooling are misinformed, harmful and may doom us to continued frustration in our academic mission and the need for Herculean efforts in behavioral damage control and repair. The roster of social casualties will grow ever larger." Emotional well-being is "dramatically and positively predictive not only of academic achievement, but also of satisfactory and productive experiences in the world of work and marriage, even of better physical health."

Five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies have been identified as core skills needed for a person to be socially competent. The definitions of the five competency clusters for students are: Self-awareness:The ability to accurately recognize ones emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing ones strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism. Self-management:The ability to regulate ones emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals. Social awareness:The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. Relationship skills:The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.Responsible decision making:The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others. The following 15 skills listed are involved and promoted in SEL:1. "Recognizing emotions in self and others"2. "Regulating and managing strong emotions (positive and negative)"3. "Recognizing strengths and areas of need"4. "Listening and communicating accurately and clearly"5. "Taking others' perspectives and sensing their emotions"6. "Respecting others and self and appreciating differences"7. "Identifying problems correctly"8. "Setting positive and realistic goals"9. "Problem solving, decision making, and planning"10. "Approaching others and building positive relationships"11. "Resisting negative peer pressure"12. "Cooperating, negotiating, and managing conflict nonviolently"13. "Working effectively in groups"14. "Help-seeking and help-giving"s15. "Showing ethical and social responsibility" [4]Teaching social and emotional learning in schools aims to enhance children's understanding of themselves and those experiencing mental hardship and to encourage comfort in a school setting that values the development of knowledge, interpersonal skills and well-being in students.(wikipedia) There are three goals for SEL in the Illinois Learning Standards:[7]1. "Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.""Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships." Reacting with criticism or dismissing the sadness or anger of a child communicates that their emotions are not valid or appropriate, which can cause children to be even more prone to those negative emotions and less able to cope with stress (Siegler, DeLoache and & Eisenberg 2011). Instead, guiding childrens emotions and helping them find ways to express themselves in a healthy manner helps them continue regulating their responses to challenges and even aids their academic and social competence. This sort of emotion coaching greatly helps in reducing future problem behavior in children.2. The benefits of SEL can be found both in a school and home setting. For instance, SEL improves positive behaviors while reducing negative behaviors. Positive behaviours include improved social emotional skills, improved attitudes about self and others, and improved behaviour within the classroom. Negative behaviours that are reduced include conduct problems and emotional distress. Furthermore, SEL skills are maintained throughout life; even into adulthood, they can help to foster success.[8] "Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school, and community contexts."

Moreover, SEL can help to improve several skills including nonverbal communication skills, socially compentent behaviour, and social meaning and reasoning. Nonverbal communication is important because the majority of emotional meaning is conveyed without spoken words, and instead utilizes paralanguage, facial expressions, gestures and postures, interpersonal distance, and touch, rhythm and time.[9] Social skills also play an important role in interpreting, encoding and reasoning social and emotional information that are associated with the social behaviour exhibited by the child.[10] Finally, social meaning and reasoning are important in problem solving. Social meaning is the ability to interpret others' emotions and language, and to be able to respond appropriately, whereas social reasoning is that ability to identify a problem, set goals and evaluate the possible solutions available.[11]According to CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) the key findings linking social and emotional learning include improved academic performance and educational outcomes (including a 14% increase on standardized tests), promotion of deeper understanding of subject matter, helped students learn well with others, increased student engagement in school, and decreased behaviours that interfere with learning.[12] Studies also show that sustained and well-integrated social and emotional learning (SEL) engages students and improves achievement.[13]Research reported on the Edutopia site suggests a positive correlation among SEL and academic sssuccess. Edutopia resources state that a high EQ corresponds to reduced misbehaviors and class disruption, fostering enhanced learning environments, as well as developing greater confidence and resilience in children in the face of academic struggle due to strengthened interpersonal bonds and communication skills.[14] Beyond the classroom, CASEL states that SEL promotes the cultivation of lifelong skills such as responsible decision making by considering impact, and relationship management by emphasizing effective communication tactics.[15] In education[edit]Teachers, counselors and parents can play an important role in facilitating SEL. To begin, learning social and emotional skills is similar to learning other academic skills. Implementing a prevention program in schools can help to increase competence and learning in students which may be applied to more complex situations in the future. Teachers can accomplish this in the classroom through effective and direct classroom instructions, student engagement in positive activities, and involving parents, students and the community in planning, evaluating and implementing the program into the classroom.[16]Teachers also play a very important role in helping students with the positive self-talk. Without positive self-talk students can get caught in what they think they can't do. By reminding them to switch their negative self-talk to positive self-talk or by asking them what their self-talk is telling them, students are able to re-evaluate their internal thinking. Through using positive self-talk students are able to gain confidence in areas where they may not have been so confident in - such as being afraid of going across the monkey bars. Through reminding the student to change their self-talk to positive self-talk and say "I can! I can do this!" they are once again able to re-evaluate their thinking to only better themselves. SEL allows students to identify their emotions and enable them to use those emotions to facilitate [their] learning and their ultimate success in school.[17] Continually practicing positive self-talk helps the students to view their life, schoolwork and ability through an optimistic lens. As the Mind Up program states, Optimism is a way of seeing life hopefully and having an expectation of success and well-bring. It correlates strongly with good health and effective coping strategies.[18]SEL allows students to identify their emotions and enable them to use those emotions to facilitate [their] learning and their ultimate success in school (Schonert-Reichl and Hymel 2007). In their article, Educating the Heart As Well As The Mind: Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success, Schonert-Reichl and Hymel S argue, students do not learn alone but rather in collaboration with their teachers, in the company of their peers, and with the support of their families (Schonert-Reichl and Hymel 2007) Through working on social emotional learning with students, teachers are fostering students social emotional skills [which] not only helps them to develop the skills necessary for success in schools, such skills assist them to become more caring, responsible, and concerned citizens (Schonert-Reichl and Hymel 2007)Lastly, teaching students how to recognize their emotions, both positive and negative, is also a goal of the CASEL program that was put in place to help teachers facilitate social emotional learning. CASEL believes that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has five competencies: Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, interpersonal relationships and decision making skills.[21] With these 5 competencies, a student is able to recognize emotions and emotional triggers, make and identify personal and academic goals, demonstrate cooperation and team work, and identify ways to resist peer pressure to engage in unsafe or unethical activities.[22]Parents. In the article of Parental influence on the emotional development children (Weber 2014) discuss the relevance and importance of parents parental support can influence the overall development of children. The study focused on parental presence as source of emotional well being in children. Parents be present enough to support them, and this support and fosters confidence and growth in many areas. Just being physically present is not enough, parents that may be nearby but that are not emotionally invested or responsive tend to raise children that are more distressed and less engaged with their play or activities. A study investigating the connection between parents investment and childrens competence suggests that the emotional involvement of parents really does matter and affects the outcome of their childs emotional competence and regulation (Volling, et al. 2002).In studying the outcomes of Ainsworths Strange Situation experiments, L. Alan Sroufe found that the style of early attachment relationships predicts later emotional development of children. Sroufe asserts that, Such variations [of relationship quality] are not reflections of genetically based traits of the infant but of the history of interaction with the parent (188). A key aspect of emotional development in children is learning how to regulate emotions. Children see how their parents display emotions and interact with other people, and they imitate what they see their parents do to regulate emotions (Sheffield Morris, et al. 2007). A childs temperament also plays a role in their emotion regulation, guided by the parenting style they receive (Pluess and Belsky 2010). For example, children more prone to negative emotions or episodes of anger are deeply affected by hostile and neglectful parenting, Reacting with criticism or dismissing the sadness or anger of a child communicates that their emotions are not valid or appropriate, which can cause children to be even more prone to those negative emotions and less able to cope with stress (Siegler, DeLoache and & Eisenberg 2011). Instead, guiding childrens emotions and helping them find ways to express themselves in a healthy manner helps them continue regulating their responses to challenges and even aids their academic and social competence. This sort of emotion coaching greatly helps in reducing future problem behavior in children.

It is important to also recognize that the facilitation can happen both at school and home. Acquiring nonverbal communication skills is important for developing SEL skills, since the majority of emotions are conveyed without words. Teachers and parents can improve nonverbal communication skills through the technique of emotional coaching. Emotional coaching is a technique developed by John Gottman and can provide guidance about emotions for children through a step process. Step 1: One needs to be aware of the learner's emotions, Step 2: Recognition of uncomfortable feelings can be a gateway for teaching and guidance An important factor in the emotional development of children is how warm caregivers are, and studies have been done to find the effects of depressed mothers on the emotional development of children. Depressed mothers have maladaptive thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors, and these, along with being in a similarly stressful environment as the mother, put a child at risk of developing his own emotional problems (Sroufe 2001). The fact that depressed mothers are likely to be indifferent towards their children, put them in less social situations, and generally provide less stimulation for their children, puts the children at a disadvantage for achieving normal emotional development.Reacting with criticism or dismissing the sadness or anger of a child communicates that their emotions are not valid or appropriate, which can cause children to be even more prone to those negative emotions and less able to cope with stress (Siegler, DeLoache and & Eisenberg 2011). Instead, guiding childrens emotions and helping them find ways to express themselves in a healthy manner helps them continue regulating their responses to challenges and even aids their academic and social competence. This sort of emotion coaching greatly helps in reducing future problem behavior in children.Learning disabilities[edit]It is recognized that the majority of children with learning disabilities have difficulties with social relationships. More specifically, there are three SEL skill areas that can be addressed and improved for children with learning disabilities. Firstly, it is difficult for children with learning disabilities to recognize emotions of self and others. However, academic implications to improve the skill may involve reading or hearing a story and understanding the emotions of the characters and the plot. Secondly, it is difficult for children with learning disabilities to regulate and manage strong emotions, both positive and negative. Improving this skill may involve conversing with the teacher about these emotions and recording these emotions on a scaled thermometer. Lastly, it is often difficult for children with learning disabilities to recognize their strengths and areas of need too. Until the Last Child is a vehicle to promote positive connections between school contributions and recognizing strengths. Also, Ability and Time of Ability is a program used to help identify strengths of students and then have them work together at set times.[25]

Learn moreOutcomes Associated with the Five Competencies

Top of FormWhat is Social Emotional Learning? Parents expect their children to learn reading, writing, and math at school. But after years of measuring success based on test scores, experts are concerned that students arent learning something just as important: the social skills they need to succeed in life. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2007-2008 school year, 46% of public schools had at least one serious disciplinary action, and 31% of schools dealt with fighting or physical attacks. In response, advocates for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) hope to use social skill instruction to address behavior, discipline, safety, and academics to help kids become self-aware, manage their emotions, build social skills (empathy, perspective-taking, appreciating differences), form good relationships, and make positive decisions. In short, says Joan Duffell, executive director of the Committee for Children, these are the skills that allow children to calm themselves when angry, make friends, resolve conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and safe choices. As the focus on SEL develops, here are the top five things that you should know. SEL Is More Than Classroom Management. Typical classroom management involves rules, consequences, and motivation or rewards. But SEL is more than a set of class rules, a plan to help kids be nice, or a school-wide pledge to be kind and caring. While those ideas are terrific, says Duffell, they need to be backed up with time that is set aside in the classroom for evidence-based SEL instruction. In a school with an SEL program, students are involved in creating the school environment, writing rules, and deciding on consequences. From day one the SEL program isnt an afterthought, but an integral part of the school day.

Outcomes Associated with the Five CompetenciesThe short-term goals of SEL programs are to: one,promote students self-awareness, self- management, social-awareness, relationship, and responsible decision-making skills; and sstwo,improve student attitudes and beliefs about self, others, and school.These, in turn, provide a foundation for better adjustment and academic performance as reflected in more positive social behaviors and peer relationships, fewer conduct problems, less emotional distress, and improved grades and test scores.

In kindergarten, kids learn about feelings and practice managing emotions through play. As they get older, students are analyzing literature and history using an SEL focus, case studies and role-plays. Overall, says Barbara Luther, associate director of professional development with the Character Education Partnership, a quality SEL program merges the content areas of history, literature, and other classes with life skills such as inquiry, active learning, reflection, and awareness of self and others. SEL Programs Improve More Than Social Skills. Social and emotional learning not only helps kids work together, it also improves achievement. A Collaboration for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) study of more than 700 programs found that if a school implements a quality SEL curriculum, they can expect better student behavior and an 11 point increase in test scores. The gains that schools see in achievement come from a variety of factorsstudents feel safer, SEL programs build work habits in addition to social skills, and kids and teachers build strong relationships. The relationship component is important, says Luther, building relationships with their students may help teachers be more effective. SEL Might Not Be Enough for Every Child. Social and emotional curriculums are designed to help all the kids in a class. The idea of a universal program, says Duffell, is that it starts to change the norm behaviors and that a rising tide can lift all boats. Still, some kids will struggle more than others and students who are going through a hard time at home, or kids with emotional disabilities or ADHD, for example, might need extra help to learn and use the SEL skills. SEL Is Coming to a Classroom Near You. Recently, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that he was considering including school climate in school evaluations under the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA or NCLB). The Obama administration is proactively addressing school climate, says Luther, and is in the process of developing school climate surveys which will most likely be standardized so that school climate can be measured. Just as schools stepped up academic programs when reading and math were the focus, once school climate is part of federal policy, schools will be more inclined to start proven SEL programs. SEL Programs Depend on Parent Involvement for Success. Ultimately, says Maurice Elias, PhD, director of Developing Safe and Civil Schools with Rutgers University, SEL takes place within the context of safe school, family, and community environments. So, as your childs school starts or develops an SEL program, you can expect to be involved. Learn more about SEL: The Collaboration for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) family page The Committee for Childrens page on hot topics including SEL and bullying The Center for Social and Emotional Educations parent page.Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) is a class room based Social Emotional learning program developed by Mark Greenberg and Carol Kusch ( ). The PATHS curriculum is a comprehensive program for promoting emotional and social competence and reducing aggressive and problem behavior in elementary school aged children from preschool to grade 6.The PATHS curriculum teaches skills in five conceptual domains: Self control, Emotional understanding, Positive Self Esteem, Relationships and interpersonal problem solving. The curriculum is a continuum of intervention for both male and female children in the age group 5-11 years. The grade level PATHS curriculum consists of separate volume of lessons for each grade level (K-6) all of which contains developmentally appropriate pictures, photographs and posters. Five conceptual domains are integrated in a hierarchical manner are included in PATHS lessons at each grade level. Throughout the lesson the critical focus involves facilitating the dynamic relationship between cognitive-affective understanding and real life situations ( ). The lessons are to be taught 2-3 times per week along with daily school activities to support ongoing behavior and promote generalization. There is ample flexibility. Each unit focuses on one or more skill domain (emotional recognition, friendship, self- control, problem solving). Each unit builds hierarchically upon and synthesizing the learning which preceded it. The PATHS program is to be used by teachers and counselors as a multiyear universal and preventive model. The studies conducted ( ) to assess the efficacy of the PATHS curriculum have conclusively shown low rate of conduct problems and externalizing behavior (aggression). There is a significant improvement and better understanding of cues for recognition of feelings of others. The children exposed to the PATHS curriculum are better equipped to resolve peer conflict, identify feelings, problems and greater empathy for others. There was a reduction in ADHD symptoms as well. The children had better scores on measures of authority acceptance, cognitive concentration on tasks related

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATUREStudies on aggressive behavior, early oppositional defiant and conduct disorder among young children during early childhood years have been found to be associated with violent delinquent behavior and drug abuse during adolescence (Webster-Stratton, Reid and Hammond 2001) (Webster-Stratton, Reid and Hammond 2004) (Webster and Stratton 2003, 2005)(?). Absence of interventions to manage aggressive behavior during early years, have been found that aggressive tendencies tend to crystallize around the age of eight years. Inconsistent, critical abusive and disengaged parenting /teaching are the factors leading to higher aggressive behavior among children (Webster-Stratton, Reid and Hammond 2004) (Webster and Stratton 2005)(?). Studies have conclusively shown that children who are temperamentally more impulsive, inattentive and hyperactive often receive less encouragement and support and more punishment from parents and teachers. They experience more peer rejection and social isolation at school. Such responses increase risk of developing escalating aggression. The research has begun to evaluate treatments designed to reduce and prevent the ongoing development of aggression and promote social emotional competence in young children. Such strategies prevent the emergence of delinquency, substance abuse and violence in later years. The studies conducted by Webster and Stratton on children during early years have clearly implicated that parent-teacher training programs need to counteract the parent and family risk factors by teaching parents positive and non- violent discipline strategies and supportive parenting approaches that promote social emotional competence and reduce aggressive behavior. Child focused interventions designed to directly enhance social- emotional, cognitive competencies by teaching appropriate social skills, effective problem solving, anger management and emotional language (Webster-Stratton, Reid and Hammond 2004)(Webster and Stratton 2005 )(?). Studies conducted on social work students reported that informal support from friends classmates and family were essential for helping them cope with stress and gave them a sense of reassurance. Support is an important resource for promoting the social work students well being (Grant and Kinman 2012) (Wilks and Spivey 2010). Importance of family support is the most crucial factor for the children of all ages and helps children cope with stressful situations.The studies conducted by Fantuzzo et al (Fantuzzo, et al. 2005) to examine the unique relationship between multiple dimensions of classroom behavioral adjustment , problems and social emotional (SE) competencies for urban head start program children. The authors opined that SE readiness contributes to childrens better adjustment and success in school. Research documents the negative influence of social regulatory and emotional problems on childrens early school experience (Knitzer 2003) (C. C. Raver 2002) (Shonkoff and Phillips 2000). Pre-school children who exhibit challenges in areas of social and emotional competencies are more likely to experience difficulties within the class-room that affects their ability to develop normal peer relationships and to behave in ways conducive to learning (Vaughn, et al. 1992).Research indicates children with early behavioral problems experience difficulties interacting with teachers ,parents and peers and in engaging in class-room learning activities (Harden, et al. 2000) (Olson and Hoza 1993).Ability to interact with peers effectively is the key social competence (Coolahan, et al. 2000) (Fantuzzo and Hampton 2000) (Rubin and Coplan 1998). Research suggests that children exhibiting class-room behavior problem also experience peer difficulties (Eisenberg and Fabes 1992) (Fantuzzo and McWayne 2002).The unique contribution of early emotional and behavioral problems to set of social competencies like social regulation, peer play in home context and foundational approaches to learning in the school context were investigated in a study conducted by Fantuzzo.The study tested the hypotheses that early negative behavior problems would predict greater emotional liability maladaptive learning behavior and disruptive social play in the home environment. In addition withdrawn behavior problems would be associated with lower affective engagement(emotional regulation) in the class room and disconnection from play with peers in the home context. sample comprised of American African children from urban head start programs. The following dimensions were investigated: class room behavioral adjustment using adjustment scales for pre-school intervention, Emotional Regulation checklist for appropriate affective displays like empathy, emotional self awareness. Negative behaviors in the checklist assessed mood swings, anger, intensity of positive and negative emotions and the ability to identify emotions.Interactive peer play was also investigated, there is a strong association between free play at home context and childrens class room behavior (Fantuzzo and McWayne 2002). Approaches to learning reflect on the childs willingness or reluctance to take on tasks through to completion and attitudes towards learning. Concepts like willingness to be helped, desire to please the teacher, express hostility when frustrated were some of the social skills investigated in the study.Relationship between academic achievement and social adjustment was studied by Chen X, Rubin and LiD among 10-12 year old Chinese children in a longitudinal study for two years. Study found that academic achievement predicted a childs social competence and peer acceptance. Information regarding academic achievement, indexes of social adjustment like social competence, aggression, social inhibition leadership and peer acceptance were collected using various tools and tests.The study further reiterated that the childrens social functioning and adjustment including social competence, aggression-disruption, leadership and peer acceptance uniquely contributed to academic achievement as per the reciprocal effects model concerning relationship between school success and social adaptations (Hinshaw 1992). Many research studies have time and again emphatically concluded that children who display pro-social behavior are more likely to achieve highly in academic areas as well (Green, et al. 1980) (Masten and Coatsworth 1995) (Wentzel and Asher 1995). It has been argued that childrens social competence and interpersonal acceptance may contribute emotional and social resources for achievement in school (Wentzel 1991) (Wentzel and Asher 1995). Aggressive and hostile behavior disrupts the process of learning. Social performance has a significant impact on emotional and motivational responses to the school which in turn affect the academic achievement. The studies have indicated that social behavior problems lead to underachievement or failure in later classes (Coie, et al. 1992) (Masten and Coatsworth 1995).Interventions at academic remediation have shown positive impacts both academically as well as socially and emotionally. There is negative correlation between academic achievement and aggressive disruptive behavior. Social competence& sociability is the factor positively correlated to academic achievement (Chen, Rubin and Li 1997).

SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) AND LEARNING DISABILITIESADHD is primarily a neuro-behavioral disorder marked primarily by impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention .this neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorder has significant problems with executive functions (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009) like attention control,and inhibitory control. This causes attention deficits, hyperactivity or impulsiveness which are inappropriate for a persons age. (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009) (Diamond 2013) (Childress and Berry 2012) The symptoms appear early in life. Impulsiveness and hyperactivity precede inattention. Research in the area has revealed that different symptoms may appear in different settings depending on the demands placed on the childs self control .Many children with ADHD do have a good attention span for activities they find interesting (Walitza, Drechsler and Ball 2012). The symptoms vary across settings. Recent version of Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) has identified three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD.6-7 percent of the children are diagnosed with ADHD when DSM IV used for the establishing diagnosis. Symptomatically such children are often restless, fidgeting with their hands and feet, squirming while seated. Behavioral disorders characterized by inability to focus or pay attention due to hyperactivity, Over a longer duration of time have negative consequences academically and in social adaptation. According to DSM the symptoms have to appear relatively early in life and exist for at least six months for a child to be diagnosed as having ADHD. The pattern of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsive behavior have three subtypes: Hyperactive-impulsive : the child does not show significant inattentionPredominantly inattentive type: a child with inattention as a significant symptom does not display hyperactive or impulsive behavior.Combined types have all the three characteristics of hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattentionOther conditions co-exist with ADHD. Learning Disability the child has difficulty understanding certain sounds and words. A school aged child may experience problem in expressing self and encounter problem reading, spelling, writing and Math. Oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorders common in such children. The child defies authority, may lie, steal, fight and bully others. Anxiety and depression and bipolar disorders (NIMH).In very few cases where there is some brain disorder nervous tics are evident in the form of reflective involuntary movements, facial twitches, eye blinks etc.CAUSESThere is apparently little consensus between researchers , Pediatricians , psychologists and other child care professionals working with children regarding the cause of ADHD in children. In most cases the cause is unknown, but believed to involve interaction between genetic and environmental factors (Millichap 2010) (Thapar, et al. 2013). Genetics: In 75% of the cases genetics is a predominant factor responsible for ADHD in siblings (Burt, National collaborating centre for mental health 2009, Wikipedia ADHD). Studies have found that chances of having hyperactivity and attention deficit are 3-4 times higher in children who have siblings with symptoms of ADHD. Many genes are found to be involved resulting in ADHD in children many of these genes directly affect dopamine neurotransmission (Gizer, Ficks and Waldman 2009) (Kebir, et al. 2009). As it is a common childhood behavioral problem many researchers look at it as beneficial from the evolutionary perspective especially in situations involving risk, competition or unpredictable behavior (Cardy, et al. 2010) (Taylor and Lang 2006). Natural selection is likely favored in terms of traits individually as they may have provided survival advantage (Cardy, et al. 2010). ADHD is more commonly found among children of anxious mothers and the behavior may be an adaptation that helps children face stressful or dangerous situation.Environment per se is not considered to be a major contributing factor but consumption of alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy has shown to be significant contributing factor in ADHD. Society and Parenting: ADHD can represent family dysfunction or poor educational system rather than an individual problem (Elder 2010) (Parritz and Troy 2013). The youngest children in class are diagnosed as ADHD because developmentally the children are behind other classmates and these children experience violence and abuse (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health 2009). The diagnosis method is of crucial importance as diagnosis established by using DSM IV identifies a higher percentage of children compared to ICD-10 as method for diagnosing ADHD. Thomas Szaz has argued that ADHD is invented not discovered (Szasz 2001). Pathophysiology: Functional impairments in some of brain neurotransmission system particularly those involving dopamine and norepinephrine (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009) have been found to be associated with ADHD. These neurotransmitters govern a variety of cognitive functions. The pathways of these neurotransmitters are directly responsible for modulating executive functions like cognitive control of behavior, motivation and reward perception (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009). Brain research studies involving ADHD has indicated that there is general reduction of volume in certain brain structure with a proportionately greater decrease In the volume in the left sided pre-frontal cortex (Krain and Castellanos 2006) (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009). Posterior parietal cortex shows thinning in subjects with ADHD compared to control groups (Malenka, Nestler and Hyman 2009). Executive functions and motivation: executive functions refer to a variety of mental processes required to regulate, control and manage daily life tasks (Malenka, 54 ). Problems with organization, time keeping , excessive procrastination, concentration , processing speed, regulating emotions and utilizing working memory (54). Motivational deficits (105) having difficulty to focus on long term over short term rewards and exhibit impulsive behavior for short term rewards (105). Large amount of positive reinforcement has been found to effectively improve task performance (105).Social emotional Inadequacies of children with ADHD Children with all subtypes of ADHD have more problems in social-emotional domains compared to non ADHD children. Most of these children have problem making and keeping friends. This happens as they have difficulty reading social cues, not sensitive to others body gestures and this very often results in misinterpretation of the social situation. Moreover, due to aggressive and impulsive tendencies they encounter problems when it comes to sharing and taking turns. The emotional hyperactivity and impulsive tendencies have a negative impact on the peers as this is perceived as irritating behavior by others. Physical and aggressive tendencies and inappropriate reactions in a frustrating situation hamper their inter-personal relationships. Inability to cooperate with other children in a group activity often results in peer rejection. The other most important trait of inattentiveness due to ADHD has far reaching consequences for ADHD children. The academic tasks require the child to focus his/her attention to the task at hand. This often leaves the child having difficulty in grasping the content and concepts in class room situations. Incomplete assignments, coupled with an inability to comprehend the topics being taught put the child in a frustrating situation with a feeling of inadequacy. This leads to aggressive behavior, bullying, other anti-social and defiant behavior. Low self esteem and socially immature behavior affects the performance as well as adjustment in their social milieu. The children have trouble self regulating and experiencing negative feelings so often that it affects their social interactions and rejection from those who are at the receiving end.Many factors contribute to childrens angry reactions. The children with ADHD often find it difficult to manage their emotions. They are very sensitive as a result feel deeply and can have a hard time modulating these feelings. They face greater liability issues as a result moods can change quickly and emotional reactions are easily provoked. ADHD children have a low tolerance for frustration and/or low self esteem which are expressed outwardly as aggressive behavior. Inability to inhibit responses results in impulsive behavior which is simply driven by the intensity of the moment. To be able to delay a response is very difficult for children with ADHD. These children become very sensitive to statements even to those with positive suggestions. This is the result of past experience and growing up with negative labels.Even simple subtle sounds can be a cause of distraction. The children find it very difficult to filter and inhibit the incoming stimuli like light or sound from fans; everything becomes a distraction. Research studies in the realm have conjectured that rather than inattention the child pays attention to everything whether relevant or not and this can be very disorienting for the child. The children have difficulty integrating sensory input and this may contribute totheir physical sensitivities as well. A simple pat on a shoulder by a friend or a teacher can be interpreted in a negative connotation and may result in aggressive or violent behavior. Oppositional defiant disorder is display of aggressive and hostile behavior towards authority figures. Children with ADHD frequently argue with adults and often lose their temper. The pattern of behavior is significantly more frequent and intense compared to other children in the same age group.The social immaturity in their responses and lack of emotional control has a strong negative impact on the childrens academic performance. This leads to a low self image and low peer acceptance. The confusion and frustration in different learning situations often cause anxiety. Entering a new situation can be anxiety provoking as they anticipate failure. The children are extremely vulnerable to frustration and anxiety. The child in early school years must resolve the conflict between positive self image and inferiority (Erikson). Repeated failures and frustrations often lead to a poor self image. It is therefore very important that the interventions are introduced in early years.Depression is another major associated problem for ADHD children. There are intense feelings of sorrow, frustration and low self esteem leading to anger. If the anger is directed towards the self the child becomes depressed with a negative self image and with no positive thoughts towards the future.ROLE OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS Studies have been of crucial significance in the domains of social-emotional development. This aspect of development is the foundation for all other domains. An emotionally supportive environment during early years is of utmost importance for the child to develop love for learning which is important for school success. As young children develop their early emotional experiences literally become embedded in the architecture of their brain (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2004).

Key Social and emotional skills children need: Confidence Capacity to develop good relationships with peers and adults Concentration and persistence on challenging tasks Ability to effectively communicate emotions Ability to listen to instructions and be attentive Ability to solve social problems It is i