Teaching young children socio-emotional skills through a program for practitioners

Ensemble for Early Childhood Education is an ISSA Member established in 2016 whose mission is to have a systemic impact on early childhood education and care (ECEC) quality by supporting early childhood professionals on the field and through advocacy actions. One of their initiatives is a teacher training program focused on socio-emotional learning (SEL).

Supporting socio-emotional learning (SEL) in young children can yield positive benefits to society at large, such as reduced juvenile crime and fostering an equitable learning environment for a diverse society. Despite the benefits of SEL, there is a lack of pedagogical support for ECEC professionals to help children develop these skills in the early childhood education system in France.

To respond to the growing demand from early childhood professionals, Ensemble for Early Childhood Education created a program to help them teach socio-emotional skills to children aged one to five. Accompagne-moi…!® (Accompany Me…!® – in English) empower them to assist children who show disruptive behavior, such as hitting or harming others, to learn to manage their emotions.

This program is crucial to foster curiosity and compassion, as well as support children to be more courageous to take action.

– Safa Sahin, International Project Manager, Ensemble for Early Childhood Education

Accompagne-moi…!® is a three-year approach where Ensemble for Early Childhood Education provides tailored training for practitioners based on a needs assessment done in the first year. The program uses the Pilou et Filou® tool to cooperatively teach children ways to express their feelings in a constructive manner. In addition, they also write letters to parents to promote continuity and encourage simultaneous development at home. Throughout the three years, Ensemble for Early Childhood Education provides quality support.

To learn more how Accompagne-moi…!® is implemented, visit their website.