South African teachers’ perceptions and experience of social emotional learning
2026, 71, Numer 1
Uniwersytet Wolnego Państwa w Bloemfontein
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Abstrakt
The role of the teacher in South Africa is often complex and overwhelming. Many children were orphaned because of the AIDS pandemic and as a result, teachers often played the role of primary caregiver for many child-headed households. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated problems for the teachers who are already overburdened. This paper is a review of two qualitative studies which reveal how teachers in South Africa, perceive the relevance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. The first study uses grounded theory approach to understand perceptions of teachers and the second study explores the perceptions of teachers from public and private schools who, during the COVID-19 pandemic participated in an online intervention focusing on SEL skills. The three dominant themes which emerged from the meta-analysis were: the importance of interpersonal relationships; the benefit of SEL skills for both teachers and learners; improved learning environment. These themes illustrate the collectivist culture which prevails in South Africa. The results can be used to advocate the value of SEL training and promote culturally and contextually appropriate implementation of SEL interventions.
Bibliografia
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