PRIMARY NEWS
Promoting SEL Development through Picture Books

Lower Primary students are at the stage where they are developing their social emotional skills. As teachers, in addition to providing explicit instruction in social and emotional learning (SEL), we can reinforce these lessons through fun and engaging activities. 

To further support their SEL development, we can weave SEL materials into the current English curriculum. The communication skills they learn through English classes are the ways in which they will express their social and emotional learning to people around them. Quality children’s books can be a brilliant way to reinforce SEL through an existing English curriculum. 

Most picture books feature main characters facing the challenges that children often encounter in their daily lives. Picture books are usually taught through reading alouds followed by whole class discussion. These discussions provide students with an opportunity to participate in a discussion that will further reinforce the SEL concepts to the class.

Here are some of the books and topics we have addressed in class:

The Name Jar – Kindness and Friendship

Those Shoes – Sharing and Gratitude

Jabari Jumps – Overcoming Fear

Wemberly Worried – First Day Jitters