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Social and emotional learning schemes as tools of cultural imperialism: a manifestation of the national and international child well-being agenda?

Wood, P (2018) Social and emotional learning schemes as tools of cultural imperialism: a manifestation of the national and international child well-being agenda? Pastoral Care in Education. ISSN 0264-3944

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Abstract

The need for improved well-being of children in Britain has been highlighted in a raft of reports both nationally and internationally. In this paper, I aim to explore some of the practicalities experienced by schools that, in response, have implemented social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions as a means to improve child well-being. I make the case that the discourses of emotions inherent within such schemes, and the various supranational publications, are susceptible to exploitation and manifestation. The study employed a mixed methodological approach, utilising a combination of quantitative and qualitative strategies with primary school staff members including head teachers, teachers, teaching assistants, welfare staff, other support staff, etc. Three phases of study – questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews – were administered as a means of creating an insight into the interpretation and use of SEL in these settings. The findings demonstrate a propensity for staff to conflate social and emotional aspects of self with more moralistic constructs of identity, revealing how SEL schemes have the potential to act as tools of cultural imperialism by marginalising and/or endorsing certain values, norms and behaviours. After maintaining that such realisations of these schemes may impede rather than improve the lived experiences of children, that are fundamental to their social and emotional well-being and mental health, I make the case for alternative approaches to SEL in schools.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Pastoral Care in Education on 02/06/18, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/02643944.2018.1479350
Uncontrolled Keywords: 1302 Curriculum And Pedagogy
Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
Divisions: Education
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Date Deposited: 04 Jun 2018 09:30
Last Modified: 04 Sep 2021 10:25
DOI or ID number: 10.1080/02643944.2018.1479350
URI: https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/8765
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