Facilitated By: Jan Blaxall, MASc (Psychology) RECE, AECEO.C, & Janet Foster BA (Psychology) RECE, AECEO.C
Why does Social Competence matter?
· Social interaction is a complex challenge for children, and they need to have a wide variety of knowledge and skills in order to interact effectively.
· Not all children have had the same experiences or opportunities to play, especially following limited experiences during the pandemic. This can result in a lack of opportunities for social play, experience with materials or lack of a shared understanding of play concepts.
What are some of the challenges?
· Toddlers are high energy players whose play sessions are typically short-lived because children experience conflict of interests, difficulty sharing and strong emotional reactions.
· Over the next 2-3 years, social play depends on
o a child’s growing awareness of their self
o awareness of others,
o emerging self-regulation.
· Dr. Stuart Shanker’s continuum helps us better understand the challenges children have with self-regulation of all stressors, including the ever-present social stressors in early learning settings. Remember that we all move up and down in the arousal continuum throughout the day.
How do Educators support Social Competence?
· Create a social environment that is inclusive and enables a sense of belonging for each child. This can reduce stressors.
· Begin a planned and individualized process of support with skills that will sustain their play.
· Plan opportunities where social skills are needed, and link children up with peers that will help them build their social skills.
Jan and Janet formed their Early Years Social-Emotional Learning team while professors of Early Childhood Education at Fanshawe College, London, ON, where Janet is now the ECE Program Coordinator. During this time, they were trainers for Kids Have Stress Too! and shared this resource with students and the ECE community.
For the past two decades, they have researched and taught the milestones and challenges of social-emotional development and the importance of relationship-based approaches to build a sense of security, self- and other-awareness, and social skills that are key developmental tasks in the first five years of life.
Most recently, they have created a resource for Social Emotional Learning and Relationship Building Strategies. TFL Early Years SEL supports educators in establishing a safe and trusting, play-based, emergent learning environment where children feel they belong as valued and socially competent members of the group. The practices included in the training are evidence-informed throughout.
Jan and Janet have also authored the My Feelings Children’s Book Series of 4 children’s books (for ages 2 ½ -5), describing emotional intelligence and competence, including reasons for, symptoms of and self-regulation strategies for children’s strong emotions
To access the printable poster, please use the following link: Social Skills for Play & Learning Poster
This session takes place in London, if you’d prefer to attend a session in the region you work in, check out these options below:
Wednesday, June 12
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Strive
265 Maitland St.
London, ON
N6B 2Y3
Free
* Registration closes on June 11 at 12:00PM
** Ticket Types are based on the county you WORK in
*** Elgin and Oxford professionals, please use access key