Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills in Early Childhood Education Settings

This study examines the development of social-emotional skills in early childhood education settings and their relationship to academic performance. The constructs assessed include emotional awareness and expression, self-regulation, social skills, relationships with adults, and pro-social behavior. Results indicate that children demonstrate a strong ability to identify emotions, regulate their behavior, interact socially, and maintain positive relationships with adults, with mean ratings for all constructs falling in the acceptable range ("A"). Despite these well-developed social-emotional skills, statistical analysis found no significant correlations between these constructs and academic performance in literacy and numeracy, as indicated by non-significant r-values and p-values. The findings highlight the importance of fostering social-emotional development in early childhood but suggest that its direct influence on academic outcomes requires further research. These results contribute to understanding the role of social-emotional learning in early childhood education and its potential long-term effects on children's holistic development.