LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Define social competence and its components.
- Differentiate between effective and ineffective social behaviours.
- Explain the importance of developing social competence in childhood and its benefit in later life.
- Demonstrate strategies to help children strengthen their social competence.
Module introductiON
Developing the social skills, beliefs, and values necessary to be an effective member of society is a continuous journey of growth and learning. Some children may naturally acquire these skills through their life experiences and upbringing. Others may have a natural disposition for them or have certain competencies that require strengthening [1]. To help children form positive and meaningful connections with others as their best selves, schools play a significant role in providing children with opportunities to develop their social competence.
The school environment offers plentiful opportunities for children to develop their social competence. This includes opportunities for adults to model effective social behaviours and for children to practise these behaviours alongside their peers in a safe and supportive environment. This process of acquiring the social skills, beliefs, and values to function effectively in society is known as socialisation [2]. Example activities that can support school socialisation include classroom discussions and group work as they encourage students to listen and respond to adults effectively, ask questions, and engage in healthy problem-solving and conflict resolution [3, 4]. Additionally, extra-curricular activities like those related to sports, arts, or community service projects help children learn how to navigate relationships with others, communicate effectively, and develop empathy and respect for others [5, 6]. By providing these opportunities for socialisation, schools are well-positioned to assist children in developing important social skills, beliefs, and values.
At the same time, when children show a need to improve their social competencies, teachers must seize on natural teaching opportunities to transform ineffective social behaviours to become effective ones. Children must be guided by a supportive, non-judgmental approach as it helps students feel valued and respected and empowers them to grow. In a safe environment, children can take risks, make mistakes, and where they can receive constructive feedback, guidance, and structured learning opportunities [7, 8].
References
1. Junge C, Valkenburg PM, Dekovic M, Branje S. The building blocks of social competence: Contributions of the consortium of individual development. Dev Cogn Neurosci [Internet]. 2020 Oct [cited 2023 Feb 14];45:1-11. Available from:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929320301110 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100861
2. APA dictionary of psychology [Internet]. Washington (DC): American Psychological Association; ©2023. Socialization [updated 2023; cited 2023 Feb 27]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: https://dictionary.apa.org/socialization
3. Mendo-Lázaro S, León-del-Barco B, Felipe-Castaño E, Polo-del-Río M, Iglesias-Gallego D.Cooperative team learning and the development of social skills in higher education: The variables involved. Frontiers in Psychology [Internet]. 2018 Aug [cited 2023 Feb 27];9:1-11. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01536/full DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01536
4. Lee D, Huh Y, Reigeluth CM. Collaboration, intragroup conflict, and social skills in project-based learning. Instr Sci [Internet]. 2015 Sep [cited 2023 Feb 27];43(5):561-90. Available from:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11251-015-9348-7.
DOI: 10.1007/s11251-015-9348-7
5. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Paired learning: Strategies for enhancing social competence in dual language classrooms [Internet]. Washington DC: NAEYC; 2019 May [cited 2023 Feb 27]. Available from:
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2019/social-competence-dual-language-classrooms
6. Barber C, Mueller CT, Ogata S. Volunteerism as purpose: examining the long-term predictors of continued community engagement. Educational Psychology [Internet]. 2013 May [cited 2023 Feb 27];33(3):314-33. Available from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1230758
7. Curby TW, Brock LL, Hamre BK. Teachers’ emotional support consistency predicts children’s achievement gains and social skills. Early education and development [Internet]. 2013 Mar [cited 2023 Feb 27];24(3):292-309. Available from:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10409289.2012.665760 DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2012.665760
8. Berry D, O’Connor E. Behavioral risk, teacher–child relationships, and social skill development across middle childhood: A child-by-environment analysis of change. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology [Internet]. 2010 Jan 1 [cited 2023 Feb 27];31(1):1-14. Available from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0193397309000367
KEY CONCEPTs
9.1 Identifying Effective and Ineffective Social Behaviours
Effective and ineffective social behaviours play a crucial role in building successful and meaningful relationships. In this module, we will introduce the concept of social competence and its six elements. However, before we dive into these specific elements, it’s important to first understand the difference between effective and ineffective social behaviours and how they impact our relationships with others.
Ready to test your knowledge of effective and ineffective social behaviours? In this dialog card game, you will be presented with various scenarios. Your task is to turn the card to reveal whether the behaviour featured is effective or ineffective. See if you can distinguish between effective and ineffective social behaviours! Let's get started!
Great job! How did you do in the game? Did you find it easy to identify the effective and ineffective behaviours?
Remember, effective behaviours promote positive relationships and cooperation, while ineffective behaviours can harm relationships and lead to tension. By becoming aware of these different behaviours, you are building your social competencies and setting yourself up for success in your relationships and interactions with others. Keep up the good work!
9.2 Introduction to Social Competence
Now that you have a good understanding of effective and ineffective social behaviours, you are now ready to dive deeper into the six key elements of social competence. These elements form the foundation of positive and meaningful relationships and will help students develop the skills and competencies for personal and professional success.
In our next video, we will provide an overview of each of the six elements and help you understand their role in building successful and meaningful relationships. Sit back, relax, and get ready to learn!
The Six Elements of Social Competence in Action
It’s time to test your knowledge of the six elements of social competence with a multiple choice quiz! You will be presented with different scenarios and will need to select which of the six elements are involved. This quiz will help you reinforce your understanding and ensure you retain this important information. Get ready to showcase your newfound knowledge!
9.3 Learning Together: Unlocking Social Competence in the Classroom
Now that you understand the importance of helping students develop their social competence, it is time to put that knowledge into action. As teachers, you have likely noticed a mix of effective and ineffective social behaviours that have among your students. How, then, can you guide your students toward transforming ineffective social behaviours into effective ones?
In the first part of the activity, you will work in small groups to identify the areas of social competence that you feel your students would benefit from improving. You will participate in a guided discussion to reflect on your automatic thoughts and sayings and reflect on the effectiveness of your current strategies.
In the second part of the activity, you will learn a formula for transforming your initial thoughts and sayings to be more effective in guiding your students. This formula will help you adopt a more structured approach toward developing areas of social competence that need improvement in your students. By learning and practising this formula, you will be able to work with your students in a supportive and constructive manner that will foster their growth and development.
9.4 Identifying Effective and Ineffective Social Behaviours
At the end of the training session...
Demonstrate care for your participants’ views
Your participants’ views about the topic and training are valuable and can inform how future training modules are delivered. Conclude the training session by gathering verbal feedback – don’t forget to record these in writing!
● What new information did they learn during the training that they did not know before?
● In what ways do they think this topic will be useful for them in their work with students?
● What is their most valuable takeaway from the training?
Be sure to also collect your participants’ responses to the post-test and training evaluation form for more structured monitoring and evaluation!