Social Emotional Learning in the Early Years: Innovation and Applications

Abstract The importance of social emotional learning (SEL) has been well acknowledged as a significant feature of education and emotional development across the life span. School psychologists play an important part as innovators, implementers and evaluators of resources in the social emotional domain. When it comes to the early years in the education system, social emotional aspects of the curriculum form the basis of the learning experience. Teachers utilise resources that enhance their classroom practice. Coping research and practice has had a long history in the literature, but the translation to early childhood educational practice, supported by school psychologists, is a more recent development. This article details three innovations, namely, The Early Years Coping Cards, Families Coping and the COPE-Resilience Program. Development, applications, and evaluations are considered to highlight the significant role school psychologists and trainee psychologists can play.