Exploring social-emotional learning in China: a mixed-methods study with Chinese early childhood teachers

Abstract

The present study explored how Chinese early childhood teachers’ self-perceptions of their pedagogical content knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) differ based on their backgrounds. Additionally, this research explored teachers’ understanding of their knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards SEL. The study involved surveying 167 early childhood teachers using the Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale and the SEL Beliefs and Attitudes Scales, as well as conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 early childhood teachers. The study found that teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and beliefs towards SEL may differ based on their teaching age and educational background. Nevertheless, there is more complexity to these variations than initially assumed, and comprehending this complexity can provide valuable insights into the teachers’ current situation. While teachers demonstrated a positive attitude towards SEL and recognized its significance in promoting children’s overall development, they exhibited lower pedagogical content knowledge scores. This deficit was attributed to a lack of well-structured and high-quality professional learning opportunities. In conclusion, this study aimed to reveal the current state of social-emotional learning among Chinese early childhood teachers, thus addressing a perceived deficiency in the existing Chinese empirical literature.

Weaving the Fabric of Social and Emotional Learning in the Context of Teaching: A Study in Hong Kong Kindergarten Classrooms

“…Reflecting their academic-and examination-oriented education systems, East Asian societies, especially China (Zong et al, 2024), Hong Kong (Wu & Mok, 2017), and Taiwan (Wilkinson & Kao, 2019), tend to prioritize academic pursuits over SEL. Even if teachers desire to integrate SEL in their teaching, there appears to be a lack of professional learning in SEL, let alone SET strategies, for teachers in these Chinese cultural contexts.…”

“…Even if teachers desire to integrate SEL in their teaching, there appears to be a lack of professional learning in SEL, let alone SET strategies, for teachers in these Chinese cultural contexts. For instance, in surveying 167 kindergarten teachers teaching and interviewing 10 of them in China, Zong et al (2024) found that while demonstrating a positive disposition toward SEL as critical to children's overall development, these teachers lacked pedagogical content knowledge to effectively implement SEL in their daily classroom activities. In the case of Hong Kong, early childhood education there often let propositional learning and knowledge acquisition take precedence over other aspects of children's growth, especially SEL (Wilkinson & Kao, 2019).…”