CHAPTER 10:CHAPTER 10:The Social Self: Encouraging Social The Social Self: Encouraging Social Competence in Young Children Competence in Young Children ECD 110ECD 110Kim Sutton, M.Ed., InstructorKim Sutton, M.Ed., Instructor

What is Social Development?What is Social Development?

The ability to form caring relationships with other The ability to form caring relationships with other peoplepeople

The ability to cooperate with othersThe ability to cooperate with others

The ability to share and listen to othersThe ability to share and listen to others

The ability to use self-controlThe ability to use self-control

The ability to pay attention The ability to pay attention

The ability to follow directionsThe ability to follow directions

What Research Tells UsWhat Research Tells Us

Behavior and social problems in preschool predict Behavior and social problems in preschool predict academic problems in elementary schoolacademic problems in elementary school

Children who had trouble getting along with their Children who had trouble getting along with their peers had trouble learning essential skills for academic peers had trouble learning essential skills for academic success such as language and literacy competenciessuccess such as language and literacy competencies

High-Quality CareHigh-Quality Care

Has a positive effect on children’s developmentHas a positive effect on children’s development

Prosocial behavior is encouragedProsocial behavior is encouraged

Foster caring and peacable childrenFoster caring and peacable children

Six Goals to Model and Teach Six Goals to Model and Teach Young ChildrenYoung Children

Value each person’s integrity (each child, each family Value each person’s integrity (each child, each family member, each educator)member, each educator)

Reach out to people in caring ways; model altruismReach out to people in caring ways; model altruism

Respect human differencesRespect human differences

Demonstrate how to serve and care for othersDemonstrate how to serve and care for others

Engage in charitable behavior; teach children it feels Engage in charitable behavior; teach children it feels good to givegood to give

Develop and express a belief in the goodness of people Develop and express a belief in the goodness of people

How Do Children Become Socialized?How Do Children Become Socialized?

““Socialized”Socialized” Learning to be like other people in societyLearning to be like other people in society

Complex process that includes:Complex process that includes: Biological influencesBiological influences Cultural influencesCultural influences Family influencesFamily influences Personality traitsPersonality traits Intellectual abilityIntellectual ability Developmental levelDevelopmental level Situational influencesSituational influences

TheoriesTheories

Social LearningSocial Learning

Children learn by Children learn by identifying and imitating identifying and imitating othersothers

Children learn by Children learn by experiencing reinforcement experiencing reinforcement for desirable social for desirable social behaviorsbehaviors

Developmental Developmental InteractionistInteractionist

Children learn by Children learn by interacting with othersinteracting with others

Cognitive learning coupled Cognitive learning coupled with maturationwith maturation

Quality of emotional Quality of emotional attachment between attachment between mother and child mother and child establishes level of establishes level of conformityconformity

Implications for TeachingImplications for Teaching

Be a good role modelBe a good role model

Reinforce positive social behaviorsReinforce positive social behaviors

Provide opportunities for socializationProvide opportunities for socialization

Be aware of typical patterns of developmentBe aware of typical patterns of development

Helping Children Become Helping Children Become Socially CompetentSocially Competent

Children’s needs are:Children’s needs are: ImmediateImmediate IntenseIntense PersonalPersonal

The teacher must be:The teacher must be: PatientPatient ConsistentConsistent FirmFirm DeterminedDetermined

Goal 1 - EmpathyGoal 1 - Empathy

Encourage role playEncourage role play Housekeeping center provides numerous opportunitiesHousekeeping center provides numerous opportunities

Help the child understand how the other person feelsHelp the child understand how the other person feels Encourage children to tell each other what they want or Encourage children to tell each other what they want or

feel feel

Discuss feelingsDiscuss feelings Group time experiences can be used to discuss strong Group time experiences can be used to discuss strong

emotionsemotions

Goal II – Generous, Altruistic, ShareGoal II – Generous, Altruistic, Share

Help children learn to share equipment Help children learn to share equipment RegulationRegulationClimate of generosityClimate of generosity

Help children learn to share the teacher Help children learn to share the teacher Children get what they need; not identical amountsChildren get what they need; not identical amounts

Goal III – Being Kind Feels GoodGoal III – Being Kind Feels Good

Helping other people is one way of expressing kindnessHelping other people is one way of expressing kindness Encourage and expect helpfulnessEncourage and expect helpfulness

Children with differing abilities provide additional Children with differing abilities provide additional opportunitiesopportunities Empowering versus overwhelmingEmpowering versus overwhelming

Being kind may mean not doing somethingBeing kind may mean not doing something Causing pain with words is not allowedCausing pain with words is not allowed

Goal IV – Rights are RespectedGoal IV – Rights are Respected

Be impartial in enforcement of rulesBe impartial in enforcement of rules

Ask children to help establish classroom rulesAsk children to help establish classroom rules

Conduct regular class meetingsConduct regular class meetings

Discuss what is just and fair with childrenDiscuss what is just and fair with children

Teach children that rules apply to everyoneTeach children that rules apply to everyone

Goal V – Cooperation vs CompetitionGoal V – Cooperation vs Competition

Instead of fostering competition, model cooperation Instead of fostering competition, model cooperation

Model helping behaviorModel helping behavior

Teach the art of compromiseTeach the art of compromise

Teach children to work together Teach children to work together

Goal VI – Friendship Goal VI – Friendship

Facilitate friendliness by using reinforcement to Facilitate friendliness by using reinforcement to reduce isolated behaviorreduce isolated behavior

Increase the social skills of friendless or excluded Increase the social skills of friendless or excluded childrenchildren

Pair children togetherPair children together

Help children when a friend departs or when they Help children when a friend departs or when they are rejectedare rejected

Goal VII – Fitting InGoal VII – Fitting In

All children benefit from inclusionAll children benefit from inclusion

Children learn they are more alike than differentChildren learn they are more alike than different

Children with disabilities learn how to get along Children with disabilities learn how to get along with peerswith peers

Remember….Remember….

The five The five PPss when teaching social skills to children when teaching social skills to children with special needswith special needs Don’t Don’t ppityity Don’t overDon’t overpprotectrotect Be Be ppatientatient Be Be ppersistentersistent Be Be ppracticalractical