Lauren Kennedy 30125179

EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning

Assessment two

Assessment two
Part A: Discussion and identification of Social and Emotional Learning Needs
The following report analyses a case study about Mia a 6 year old Chinese girl that
has recently moved to Australia from China. Mia was born in China and attended
first year of schooling there. Mia started at a new school in Australia where she did
not speak the language. Mias parents then decided to transfer her to another school
that was closer to her house, making this the second school that Mia has attended in
a short time frame. She attends school and English as an additional language
program. Outside of school Mia spends time with children and adults that also speak
Chinese, she is happy and comfortable in that environment. Mia has demonstrated
that is not very confident with speaking English. There are many ways that Mia can
be supported the follow report analyses the different ways in which Mias educators,
parent, and friends can help to support Mias social and emotional wellbeing,
Creating a classroom action plan to support the Mias transition into her new
classroom.
To begin with, Mias social circumstances have been analysed with the use of an
Ecomap adapted from Kostelnik et al. (2015) which can be found in the appendix.
Looking at her social ties with her school peers and teachers it can be identified that
Mia has strained relationships within her new environment. As Mia and her peers are
still within the early stages of friendship development, they are more likely to be
preoccupied with their own emotions, they are not going to be as tuned into each
other and emphatic towards each other as they would in a few years time (Kostelnik
et al, 2015). As children begin to age they become more sensitive towards each
others feelings and perspectives. For Mia, this means her peers at school might not
be as understanding of her shyness and the language barrier. This is causing Mia to
retreat from social situations even more, becoming frustrated with her peers and
teachers when they do not understand what she is saying to them. Mias teachers
will need to understand this stage of development and plan for ways to assist the
children and manage the behaviour associated with this stage of development, as it
is not really possible to accelerate childrens level within the friendship framework
(Gallagher & Sylvester, 2011).

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
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When children feel safe, secure and supported within their schooling environment,
they are more likely to achieve and learn (Kostelnik et al, 2015). At such a crucial
time in Mias life it is essential that her teachers form a close bond with her and help
her to feel empowered within the classroom. Mia must first feel comfortable with her
teacher before she will begin to feel comfortable with her peers in the classroom.
Maintaining a positive social emotional atmosphere within the classroom encourages
prosocial behaviour and healthy age appropriate interactions among peers. This can
be done through play experiences, Mia is still at an age where she will benefit greatly
from play based learning. Play based learning encourages positive social
interactions and integrated problem solving skills (Kearns & Austin, 2007). When
children play they create social groups where they can work together to understand
concepts, test ideas and challenge one another (Australian Government Department
of Education, Employment and Workplace, 2009). This would not only be beneficial
for Mia, but also her peers, who will develop the same set of skills through this type
of learning. Play experiences within a class room setting will help Mia to feel more
connected to her peers and this will in turn support her language development.
children who feel confident, safe and supported within a classroom are more likely to
attempt the work, in contrast with those who fear they will be demeaned if they are
wrong (Berk, 2013).
Social and emotional learning is a very important part of learning for young children.
This process is about developing the ability to recognise and manage emotions,
show care and concern, make decisions that are responsible, create constructive
connections, and handle situations that they find challenging effectively (CASEL,
2005). Teachers and educators must ensure they know this before attempting to
teacher students. Learning starts from within. Looking specifically at Mias case, her
social and emotional learning has been distorted as she has dealt with lots of change
in a very short amount of time. This can cause many emotional concerns for young
children and it is clear that Mia is struggling to cope emotionally with all of the
changes that have occurred recently. This is why is it imperative to Mias
development to ensure she feel supported through this transition.
Mias self-esteem is not be best at the moment as she is embarrassed that she is
not able to communicate with her peers and teachers in her class. Self-esteem is
directly correlated to happiness. A person with high self-esteem is more likely to be

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

personable and social (Kostelnik et al, 2015). While Mias self-esteem is low, she is
less likely to be able to develop positive relationships with her peers. Mias family,
teacher and other adults in her life play a significant role in Mias development of
self-esteem. Adults serve as a mirror to young children, offering them a means in
which to see themselves and reflect on the way they feel about themselves
(Kostelnik et al, 2015). This means that adults in Mias life must be conscious of the
language they use around Mia, both in English and in Chinese, it is important that
adults reflect warmth and positivity about Mias progress.
Mia is feeling physically sick and skipping many days at school due to social anxiety.
Social anxiety may manifest itself into to problematic peer relations, impairments in
other aspects of their social functioning as well as physical ailments, in more
extreme cases (Ginsburg, La Greca, & Silverman, 1998). Knowing this it is
imperative that Mias teachers support her through this period and help Mia to
develop socially. Changing schools is hard for young children and Mia has already
done this in the short time she has been in Australia. Mia has attended three different
schools over the past two years, creating stress and pressure in new social circles.
Mia needs consistency to develop her confidence. It would be helpful for Mia to stay
at the school she currently attends in order to develop her sense of community.
Children need to feel like they belong in order to feel connected (Australian
Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace, 2009). Having a
strong sense of belonging decreases the risk of mental health problems and
improves learning in children (Dockett, & Fleer, 1999).
At the moment Mia does not have a strong sense of identity. Moving to a new
country where everyone speaks a different language can be very difficult. Having a
connection with other children and adults that also speak Chinese will be helpful for
Mia to maintain connectedness to her homeland. Having a strong connection to
ones nation, its culture and customs helps children develop their sense of identity.
Mias teacher must encourage this at this stage of Mias development, actively
supporting Mia to maintain her home language and culture. Childrens use of their
home languages underpins their sense of identity and their conceptual development.
Children feel a sense of belonging when their language, interaction styles and ways
of communicating are valued. (Australian Government Department of Education,
Employment and Workplace, 2009, pg, 38). Mias teacher must acknowledge that

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Mia is still developing her links between English and Chinese and this will take a
while, every attempt that Mia makes at communication should be greeted with
positivity and praise.
Mias teacher will need to create a supportive environment, creating links between
home and school. This will mean that Mias teacher will need to build a partnership
with Mias parents to achieve the best outcome for Mia. Mias teacher needs to
value Mias capacities and abilities and be aware of as well as respect the
differences that Mia family would experience in their day to day home lives
(Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace,
2009). To develop a partnership with Mias parents Mias teacher must have open,
honest, mutually respectful conversations with Mias parents. for the partnership to
be successful it must be multi-dimensional, with both parties contributing. Mias
teacher must acknowledge that Mias parents know her best opening up a two way
communication plan (Bull, Brooking, & Campbell, 2008). This plan must be mutually
agreed upon and reviewed regularly to ensure it remains current and up to date with
Mias progress and the resources available are continually modified for Mias best
interest.
Mias environment will play a huge role in the coping skills she develops during her
time at school. This is discussed throughout Bronfenbrenners Ecological System
theory, which suggests that a childs environment has the greatest impact on their
development. Bronfenbrenner states that there is not just one environment involved
in development; it is multileveled. (Berk, L. 2013). This means each party within
Mias environment will help to guide and influence her, for this to be the most
effective the parties must all be working together with consensual goals, these
parties include, Mia, her parents, her teacher, the English as second language
teacher, Mias Chinese speaking friends and even her peers at school. Mia needs to
be given a say in all of this as well. Giving Mia choices as opposed to giving her
instructions will mean that she is actively involved in her own learning and she will be
more likely cooperate with set goals. If Mia is not involved from the basic goal setting
stages she is more likely to become rebellious and not cooperate with her parents
and or her teachers.

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Mias peers may find it difficult to support Mia, as the children in the class are all able
to speak English they may not understand or empathise with Mias situation which
can make interactions difficult. It is important the teacher supports these social
interactions and explains to the class in language they can understand that Mia is
still learning to speak English as she has just come from another country. This can
be a hard concept for English speaking children to understand, however, some of the
children within the class may be able to relate this to people within their own families.
It is essential to get the whole community involved while Mia is settling in. if the
children make fun of her for not being able to pronounce words correctly her
confidence will be shaken. Helping other children understand how to include Mia
within the classroom will help develop friendships (Gallagher, & Sylvester, 2011).
Mia is going through a huge transition in her life she has had many changes over the
past year. She needs support, understanding and patience from those around her to
feel comfortable. Until Mia feels comfortable she will not be able to develop socially
and emotionally. Mias teachers and family must now work together to produce
consistent and considerate strategies to support Mia. Mias language and cognitive
skills will greatly benefit from the time spent developing her social and emotional
skills (Kostelnik, Gregory, Soderman, & Whiren, 2015). Below is a Classroom Action
Plan that supports Mias transition into her new classroom.
Implementation
What needs to be done? By when?

Evaluation
What resources?

What evidence How and when will

indicates this? evidence be gathered?

Objective 1: Mias teachers and parents will work in partnership to develop united, consistence
strategies to help Mia integrate into her new classroom

Lauren Kennedy 30125179

EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

1. Parent teacher
interviews to be
conducted at regular
intervals ensuring all
parties are on the same
page.

2. Communication book
created between the
teacher and Mias
parents, filled in with
new information,
developments and
progress as it occurs.

This will need A document will be

to happen
kept with record of
immediately all conversations
to support
both face to face
Mia. Follow and on the phone.
up
appointments
could be
made for
fortnightly or
monthly
intervals.

This book will A blank exercise

be filled out book
on a daily
basis to
ensure
information is
maintained
between
This will also document
parents and
more general things
teachers.
such as how Mia is
feeling today and how
she has responded in
class.

Bull, Brooking, Through verbal and

& Campbell,
written communication.
(2008) discuss
the need for
open and
honest
communication
and for both
parties to make
time for one
another for the
benefit of the
child,
Bull, Brooking, This documentation will
& Campbell,
be done on a daily
(2008) also
basis by both parents
discuss
and teachers.
working to
meet familys
needs, this is a
simple way that
even a busy
family can
participate in
the classroom
setting

Objective 2: Mias teacher will need to help develop her social, emotional and resilience skills

Lauren Kennedy 30125179

EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

1. Mias teacher will

need to search for
activities to support
students social skills. At
this age it is best to use
games to incorporate
emotional learning.
Examples of these can
be found in the
appendix.

This will take http://www.educatio

time, within a n.vic.gov.au/school/
classroom
principals/health/Pa
setting there ges/socialemotion.a
would be time spx
at least once
per week to
implement
activities to
support the
childrens
social skills.

( Victorian
Curriculum and
Assessment
Authority, 2016)

The Victorian Mias teacher will

curriculum
conduct observations
outlines that
over the course of the
students must term. She will documen
be strong in
anecdotal and
their social and incidental happenings
emotional
and analyse the
learning to
progress.
achieve in
other areas.
Social
emotional
learning
develops
students:
Selfawareness;.
Selfmanagement;
social
awareness;
Relationship
skills;
Responsible
decisionmaking

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

2. To develop strong
These
http://www.educatio The
Evidence will be
social and emotional
experience n.vic.gov.au/about/d department of gathered through
skills one of the
would be set epartment/Pages/re educators as written reports (formal
foundations is resilience. as class
silienceframework.a well as other reports) termly
Mias parents and
tasks and
spx
sources have
And
teachers will work with homework for
develop
her to develop her
Mia, her
resources for Through discussions
resilience both within teacher and
both students with all parties to see
the classroom and at
her family to Building Resilience and teachers to how Mia is feeling
home to ensure the best all participate Social and
develop their
outcomes for Mia.
in. this will be Emotional Learning skills.
carried out Materials:https://fus (examples can
At this age it is best to
over the
e.education.vic.gov. be found in the
use games to
course of the au/pages/View.aspx appendix)
incorporate emotional
whole year. ?pin=5DZ88S
learning. Examples of
these can be found in
the appendix.

Objective 3: For Mia to be able to predict what is coming and when. This will help Mia feel
integrated and a part of the group
1. Timetabling
classes and
schedules so Mia
can predict what
is coming and be
prepared for this.

References

A timetable
Other teachers
(e.g., specialist
teachers and ESL
teachers)

The Victorian Evidence will be

government
gathered from Mias
suggests this is attendance. This should
one of the best pick up if she is aware
ways to ensure of what she will be
that students doing for the day.
across all year
levels feel
comfortable in
their
environments
( Victorian
Curriculum and
Assessment
Authority,
2016)

Lauren Kennedy 30125179

EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace

(2009). Belonging, Being and Becoming The Early Years Learning Framework:
Australia.
Berk, L. (2013). Child Development, 9th edition. USA: Pearson Education
Bull, A., Brooking, K., & Campbell, R. (2008).Successful home-school partnerships.
Ministry of Education.
CASEL. (2005). Safe and sound: An educational leader's guide to evidence-based
social and emotional learning programs. Chicago: Collaborative for Academic,
Social, and Emotional Learning.
Dockett, S. & Fleer, M. (1999). Culture and play. In Play and pedagogy in early
childhood: Bending the rules. Harcourt Brace: Marrickville.
Gallagher, K. & Sylvester, P. R. (2011). Supporting peer relationships in early
education. Handbook of child development and early education: research to practice,
223.
Ginsburg, G. S., La Greca, A. M., & Silverman, W. K. (1998). Social anxiety in
children with anxiety disorders: Relation with social and emotional
functioning. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 26(3), 175-185.
Hamilton, M. & Redmond, G. (2010), Conceptualisation of social and emotional
wellbeing for children and young people, and policy implications , Australian
Research Alliance for Children Youth.
Harold, R. D., Mercer, L. R., & Colarossi, L. G. (1997). Eco maps: A tool to bridge the
practice-research gap. J. Soc. & Soc. Welfare, 24, 29.
Kearns, K. & Austin, B. (2007). Frameworks for Learning and Development. NSW,
Australia: Pearson Education Australia
Kostelnik, M., Gregory, K., Soderman, A., & Whiren, A. (2015). Guiding Childrens
Social Development and Learning. Cengage Learning.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2016). Social and emotional
learning. Retrieved from: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Appendix
Eco Map
Key:
Troubled relationship
Strong relationship
Weak relationship

Chinese
children

Non
Chinese
speaking
peers at
school

Mia

Parents

6 years, 7
months
Other
people
from her
close
Chinese
cultural
circle

Teacher
Mrs M.

Examples of activities found from https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/pages/View.aspx?

pin=5DZ88S
***please note these examples are not my own
Activity 1: Emotions statues
15 minutes

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Leaning intention
Students name some of the commonly experienced emotions
Students link these emotions to common causal factors
Equipment
Music (optional)
Method
a. Announce that the class will play a game which will help us to talk about different
emotions.
b. Ask students stand and gather where there is space to move. Ask them walk
around the room and freeze when you make the signal. Then ask them to make
themselves into a sad statue. They will hold this pose for the count of 5. Then relax.
c. Ask one half of the class to relax and the others to re-make their sad statue. Ask
the observers what they notice the bodies look like. Reverse roles and repeat so the
others can look at their sad statues.
d. Ask all students to go back into being a sad statue and to think of what sorts of
things sometimes make people feel sad.
e. Unfreeze the statues and ask the students to sit while they share their ideas about
what can make people sad.
f. Repeat this process with different emotions, including:
Excited
Angry
Proud
Scared
Happy
g. Show some pictures of faces with different emotional expressions. Ask the class to
work out what emotions these people may be experiencing.

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

h. Ask them what they can do to try to work out what their friends emotions might be
or how their family members might be feeling.
i. Point out that the skill of noticing how other people feel is important in friendship.

Activity 2: Emotion triggers

25 minutes
Learning intention
Students identify experiences that can trigger particular emotions
Equipment
Paper and drawing equipment
Method
a. Ask students to choose one of the emotions from the statues game. (List them on
the board and review the sounds and meanings of the words.)
b. Ask them to think about some of the experiences that can cause this emotion,
remembering some of the answers the class gave, as well as their own.
c. Ask them to draw a picture of themselves showing what might make them feel that
way, then to add the word for their emotion to the picture.
d. Encourage them to write an explanatory sentence on their picture. E.g. I felt
excited when it was my birthday. I felt angry when my brother took my ball. I felt sad
when no one played with me in the playground.
e. Arrange for them to share their pictures in circle time. Ask those who felt they
learnt more about each other from the activity to put their hands up. Remind them
that learning about how others feel is a good friendship skill.
f. Ask those who felt they learnt more about emotions from the activity to put their
hand up. Affirm that learning about emotions is an important life skill.
Coaching point: Use circle time to build students skills in listening respectfully and
supportively to each other. As each person finishes their presentation, they can call

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

on the person next to them by name to make their presentation. Encourage them to
thank each other for their contributions.
Activity 3: Acts of friendship
35 minutes
Learning intention
Students identify emotions in others
Students empathise with others
Students suggest ways to help others
Equipment
Paper and drawing materials
Method
a. Read the story of Kristin who had a bad time at playtime (or make your own
scenario.)
Kristin had a bad day. Her friends said: We dont like you. Your hair looks funny. You
cant play with us.
b. Ask for volunteers to role-play the scenario.
c. With the class, talk about: What feelings might Kristin have had when her friends
told her she could not play with them? Write these emotions on the board.
d. Bring some volunteers out to stand next to the character Kristen from the roleplay. Ask them to make statues to show the way these different emotions might all be
present at once. Acknowledge that people can have more than one emotion at the
same time like anger and sadness and fear.
e. Ask: What could other children nearby do to help Kristin?
f. Place some additional volunteers around the edge of the role-play. They are the
children playing nearby. Ask for volunteers to show in role-play how these children
could help out. Take it in turns to show how to do these different acts of kindness.

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

g. Ask: What feelings might Kristin have when these children are friendly to her? Ask
for volunteers to make new statues to show these new emotions.
h. Add the words for these positive emotions to the list on the board.

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
Assessment two

Activity 4: Sharing stories about acts of kindness

35 minutes
Learning intention
Students identify times when they have shown an act of kindness to a peer or
family member
Students describe what emotions they felt at this time
Students suggest emotions that others might feel when people show kindness to
them
Equipment
Paper and drawing materials
Method
a. Ask students to think about the different friendship acts they saw in the previous
roleplay.
Invite them to close their eyes and remember a time when they were friendly to
another child or to someone in their family. What were they doing? If they can't
remember one, they can use their imagination to help them think of a friendship act
that they would like to do very soon.
b. Ask them to open their eyes and share their memory (or intention) with a person
next to them.
c. Arrange for pairs to share some of these memories with the class.
d. Once the sharing is done, ask students to choose a friendship act which they have
completed at some time, and to draw a picture of this.
e. Assist students to make a caption or short story to go with their picture.
f. Share these pictures and stories in circle time.
g. Strengthen the sharing of these stories by arranging a gallery walk. The students
form two parallel lines, facing each other, holding their picture. Explain that as you

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EDFCG2028 Socio-emotional Wellbeing and Professional Learning
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walk along the gallery you will point to a picture and the person holding that picture
will explain their story. Choose several pictures.
h. Collect the pictures to display, or assemble them into an Acts of Friendship book
for the class.
Coaching point: Students develop awareness of their strengths by sharing stories of
themselves initiating kind actions. This sharing builds a sense of pride and
recognition of the importance of caring in friendship and families.