WHAT’S CULTURE GOT TO DO WITH IT?: A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM IN AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Abstract

Social emotional skills are a necessary component of student learning in both the cognitive and affective domains of learning. International schools are particularly complex environments for incorporating social emotional learning (SEL) as cultural factors often complicate the school community's perception of the need for SEL and the content of the curriculum. In an international school in Thailand, we fostered an SEL program for secondary students. Using participatory action research methodology, a co-practitioner research team collected data from interviews, observations, and reflective memos to explore how cultural influences shaped the supports and inhibitors to implementing an SEL program. Cultural influences from students' homes, the community, student dynamics in the classroom, and teachers' professional knowledge and skills all influenced the conception and expression of SEL competencies. Most members of the school community--teachers, students, and parents--believed social-emotional skills were necessary for academic success and students' future lives although for different reasons. However, teachers needed additional professional development so they could explicitly include social-emotional learning in their lessons. For international schools considering how to integrate SEL and their academic program, attention to all elements of the cultural context is crucial.