Work

“It takes a village”: An ecological analysis of social and emotional learning environments in Malawi

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Socially and emotionally competent children thrive in school and life. Crucial to this success is integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) across their developmental ecology, from homes, schools, and communities to society. This case study draws on interviews with 21 parents, 42 teachers, and 12 professionals from diverse educational institutions in Malawi. It illuminates coordination strategies and enabling factors for system-wide support for SEL in and around Malawi's schools. Teachers deliver a compulsory SEL-infused curriculum, sometimes co-instructed with parents, and emphasize daily discipline and behavior modeling. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations collaborate with grassroots initiatives, such as Mothers’ Groups, to provide technical support, teacher training, financial aid, and community-wide discussions to acquaint parents with SEL. These efforts align through multiparty dialogues, aimed at bridging home–school disparities. The findings offer insights for establishing a coherent, system-wide support structure for SEL in Malawi and potentially other countries.

Source: School Psychology International

DOI: 10.1177/01430343241268417

Author: Jeongmin Lee

Institution: University of Notre Dame

Language: English

Topic: Early Childhood Education and Development

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Florida State University