Five Broad Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning Self-Awareness

Assignment Two: Supporting the Pupil
1: Explain the five broad social and emotional aspects of learning
Self-awareness: this enables the children to understand themselves and know how they can learn and relate and communicate to other children or adults. This can be used to help them understand and organise themselves and plan their learning. This can also help them recognise when they can or cannot achieve something that they thought they might be able to at first. This can also help them with understanding what they are feeling and why they are feeling like this and that it is ok to have feelings but not ok to behave in any way they feel like but also be able to take responsibility for their actions and learning. This can help them to manage their feelings and stop and think before acting, this can also help them realise that thoughts, feelings and behaviour are all linked in some way.
Motivation: if motivated a child enjoys learning and will actively take part in their learning, they will want to set themselves goals and work hard to achieve them, if they find something hard they will keep trying and not give up, the goals they set will be challenging, if they get something wrong or make a mistake they will keep trying until they get it right, they will concentrate and not get distracted in whatever they are doing. Motivated learners when finding something difficult can develop independence, resourcefulness and personal organisation. Learn how to break down their plan into smaller achievable steps and overcome obstacles to set success and celebrate when they have achieved it.

Managing feelings: children will use different ways that work for them to manage their feelings, they will learn how to think before doing something they shouldn't be doing, if they do get angry or upset they will be able to calm themselves down in their own way, but if they are struggling with it they can find someone who can help, they will also know how change the way they express their feeling depending on the situation or what the people are like around them, and that if they are angry for example they will understand that that can make other people angry too, they will also get to know what makes them feel happy and how to keep themselves feeling that way.

Empathy: being able to empathise helps a child to understand how other people are feeling and to be able to understand that all people have feelings but also understand that they might experience and show their feelings in a different way. Be able to understand another person’s point of view and understand how they may be feeling as well as value and respect the thoughts, feelings, beliefs and values of other’s also well as be supportive and try and help them when they want it. This can also help them know that their actions can affect other people and can make them feel better or worse.
Social skills: can enable pupils to relate to others and take an active part in communication which helps them to listen, negotiate and resolve differences. This can also help a pupil to feel that they belong and a valued in class their school or maybe their community. Help them to be friendly as well as understand and accept their rights and responsibilities in school and show how to take responsibility for making their school as safe and fair place for everyone. This can included making and sustaining or breaking friendships without hurting others and able to work well in a group and cooperate with other to achieve a joint outcome and resolve conflicts to ensure that everyone feels positive about the outcome ,by being able to solve problems by thinking of all the options by identifying advantages and disadvantages.
2: Describe 5 appropriate methods that help pupils recognise and express emotions.
There are many ways to help pupils to recognise and express their emotions, firstly they can be encouraged to take responsibility by getting them to take ownership and make their own decisions for their actions. Ensure that there is an environment where social, emotional and behavior skills are seen as important and where pupils can practice these skills to create a caring environment. This can be done by using many steps when approaching opportunities for visiting or rebuilding skills. The curriculum can be planned for children to listen and talk about personal experiences and express their own ideas and discussion; to enter imaginatively into thoughts, feelings and actions of characters in reading fiction and poetry or by expressing personal experiences through writing ,drama, art and design as well as physical education. All of these activities are an essential relevance to personal and social development, as well as encourage confidence. It is important that activities held within a classroom environment help pupils name and deal with feelings as part of their personal development. This can be done with providing learning opportunities which make social, emotional and behavioural skills their focus.
3: Discuss how you would encourage co-operation when working within a group of pupils.
I would encourage co-operation within a group of children by liaising with the class teacher. This would give me the information for what it expected from the group and what targets they are to achieve. I would encourage all the children to participate by working alongside them and assisting them either individually or as a whole group. I would make sure i give a fair amount of time to each group member within the task if required. I would also consider how I was seen by the group and be prepared to change the way I worked with them if necessary to ensure a productive working relationship was maintained. I would assist and monitor the dynamics of the group and provide information, advice, and encouragement as appropriate to sustain group effectiveness. I would encourage the group to establish group rules with the framework of the school and class polices by encouraging pupils to interact with others in an appropriate and acceptable manner. Sometimes there are barriers which can make it difficult for an individual i.e Communication English as a second language, low self esteem, and internal dynamics of the group. These issues would be dealt with promptly in a manner to maintain confidence and fairness. If there were any further conflict within the group this would be reported to the teacher.
4: How might the teaching assistant help meet the requirements of school health, hygiene and medical policies and procedures
A teaching assistant would be required to comply with the of schools health and safety policies and procedures by requiring a First Aid Training certificate and Child Protection Training with Safe Guarding Children. Read and understand and follow the school policies and procedures for first aid, safe guarding and child protection. If any medication is to be administered that this is to be done by the appropriate authorised person and consent from parents.Report any signs of health problems or any other issues you feel may put the children in danger to the relevant member of staff outlined in you polices.Encourage and give advice and assistance to help pupils develop basic personal hygiene skills but also understand the variations in family/cultural backgrounds and settings as well as note their age, gender cultural or racial background. 5: List possible signs of neglect,physical,emotional and sexual abuse and briefly outline how a teaching assistant may deal with a suspicion or disclosure of abuse.
Neglect: Signs of neglect involve a child’s basic needs and rights are not met. By being fed, kept warm, loved and given medical attention if required. This lead to a child having low weight, have inappropriate dress for the weather i.e. heavy coat in the summer. They can smell or be dirty (unclean) or maybe have a large appetite. Some children that are neglected can show a lack of interests in what is happening around them. Many of these signs do not necessary mean neglect and some children are slow developers and others just have a larger appetite.
Physical: Signs and indicators of physical abuse can be shown in marks i.e. burns, scratches, cuts, bruising, bite marks. These can show in places that are unlikely to be caused by a fall or may have unusual shapes or finger marks, caused by objects or straps. Accidental injuries are more likely to be few and far between which show no pattern i.e knees, elbow, forehead, chin. Non-accidental injuries are more likely to be frequent in pattern with finger marks in old mark places. Common places for non-accidental injuries are a black or bruised eye, nose, check or side of the face, upper and inner arm or shoulder bruising, (grip marks). This can also happen around the genital areas, buttocks thighs and knees.
Emotional: Signs and indicators for emotional abuse include verbal attacks, isolation, and humiliation, over protectivness, rejection. This can lead a child to show more aggression or become unresponsiveness to outbursts. They may have communication problems and failure to thrive. They may have poor self-esteem which may lead to wetting or soiling themselves. This can lead to partial withdrawal from activities in the setting.
Sexual Abuse: Signs and indicators for sexual abuse is exploitation of children in sexual activities to meet demands of an adult. This can include rape, sexual intercourse, fondling, masturbation or the involvement of children looking at pornographic material. It can also include bruising of the chest/breast, inner thighs and buttocks. This can also include genital soreness or rashes, urinary infections or stained underclothes. A sudden change in behaviour like the child being flirtatious or have inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age or a fear of a particular person or people.
The way that children behave is usually a good indicator to their state of health and well being. A child who is afraid or unhappy may become aggressive or revert to babyish behaviour. Children who are being injured regularly may flinch away from adults who make sudden movements towards them. Some children’s behaviour may have a simple explanation, maybe a new sibling in their family or parents arguing a lot or even bereavement.
If I was to recognise a sign or indication of abuse or even be entrusted to by a child. I would follow the policy and procedures of the school and local authority. I a child entrusted myself I would listen to them and offer comfort and reassurance. Show the pupil that what they are saying is being taken very seriously and that they are not to blame themselves. Explain to the pupil that I am here to help you and that I can be trusted and that not make any comment only to tell them that I have listened to them and reassure the pupil if they are for no one to be told, that I would tell someone who can help them. During this I would stay calm and keep my emotions under control. Once the child has finished what they have disclosed I would make notes but not change any of the language and report the incident accurately without interpretation only exactly what has been seen or heard to the relevant officer.