Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, was launched in Ireland in 2009. The framework is applicable in all settings where children in the 0-6-year range are present; this includes all early years settings and the first two years of primary schools, referred to as "infant classes" in the Irish context. This article shares the…

Around the globe, dialogs about educational reform and the integration of social and emotional learning (SEL) into policy and curriculum are proliferating. SEL is now a worldwide phenomenon and not just a passing fad, with SEL approaches and programs being implemented in countries throughout the world. Articles included in this special issue are…

This study investigated the impact of school closures for COVID-19 on the attainment of pupils in Key Stage 1 in reading and math, and on the gap between the attainment of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children. It explored pupils' attainment compared with pre-pandemic samples, as well as any changes in attainment over the course of the…

In 2006, several dedicated early childhood professionals began work on the creation of the "Nebraska Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals." Representatives from across Nebraska worked together. After the input from various focus groups, the document became public in July of 2007. The current revision process began in late…

This paper presents a critical and systematic review of 52 articles published from 2000 to 2012 about research conducted in Turkey concerning adolescents' social and emotional learning needs. In correspondence with international research, articles were examined across three categories in which adolescent needs could be addressed by educational…

Despite frequent reports of academic success, individuals with high functioning autism or Aspergers Syndrome (HFA/AS) often manifest deficits in social abilities. These deficits can lead to daily difficulties, and negative long-term outcomes. Deficits in social competency are evident in this population from an early age, as children with HFA/AS…

Social skills in the United States are in serious decline. This decline is seen and heard on television, in movies, in magazines, on radio programs, on the streets, and in the schools. Worcester Preparatory School is alarmed by the decline of social skills. Students at Worcester have increasingly shown difficulty in social interactions. The…

The authors describe a teaching strategy that can support the development and learning of all children in inclusive learning environments. They give an overview of peer-mediated intervention and share useful information on how classroom teachers can use this tool to promote learning, particularly in the areas of social and communication…

The importance of teaching mildly handicapped adolescents to respond appropriately in social situations is emphasized, five important considerations in selecting social skills curricula for this population are discussed, three examples of social skills projects and their products are described, and 12 specific curricula summarized. (CL)

This editorial, introducing a special issue on social-emotional development of students with learning disabilities, reviews general trends in recent research and curriculum development. The editorial presents social-emotional development as the next major area (following cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioral studies) from which meaningful…

Schools should build comprehensive programs that help children develop socially and emotionally. As a result, students will become competent in ways that can help them learn better and avoid problem behaviors. Comprehensive social and emotional development programs are based on the understanding that many different kinds of behaviors are caused by…

The paper describes the rationale behind the Charlotte Circle Project, a program which is developing and implementing a social reciprocity curriculum for very young severely handicapped children and their parents. The normalization principle suggests that interventions be age appropriate and functional. For children younger than 3 years an age…

Current practices in implementing social skills instruction into elementary and secondary curricula are explored in this report. Two issues are addressed: (1) teacher reports of current and desired activities; and (2) the extent to which curriculum availability, other resources, teacher training, and values affect teacher activities.…

A social skills curriculum for learning disabled students involves assessing strengths and weaknesses, choosing target skills, and teaching target skills. In the area of nonverbal communication, suggested activities can help students understand facial expressions, gestures, and vocal intonation. Opportunities should be provided to practice new…

Presents salient features of workshop discussion on encouraging social collaboration through play. Main topics covered are: theories and play; play and the curriculum, including evidence that play-based curricula are developmentally appropriate, desirable educational outcomes; and promoting the value of play, including Parten's typology, grouping,…