Abstract: Learning and development of young children: wellbeing and involvement
Maximising learning and development of young children: The case for wellbeing and involvement
Teachers today are given the responsibility of not simply educating, but also protecting, guiding and developing children, as enshrined in the Teachers’ Standards (2011). Knowledge and understanding of emotional health continues to develop, and with it an awareness of how schools can support children to understand and to manage their own mental health and wellbeing, and to learn how they can become resilient (Brown, 2018). It is essential that practices supporting these aspects of children’s development are not simply an “add-on”, practices which support and improve mental health need to be embedded and maintained (Brown, 2018). In addition to seeing impact on an individual aspect such as wellbeing, it is important to recognise that for any practice to be fully embedded in schools it is vital that teachers can see that it has a positive impact on the quality of learning (Hattie, 2009; Hopkins, Ainscow and West, 1994).
Improving wellbeing is only part of the picture of learning. Learning has been closely linked to learning behaviours such as interest, engagement, persistence and motivation (Bruner, 1966; Deci & Ryan, 1981; Dewey, 1916; DfE, 2019). Demonstrating these learning behaviours is what Laevers, Declercq and Buyse (2011) term “involvement”, and it is this which is measured alongside wellbeing in the Leuven Scales (Laevers et al, 2011). Wellbeing has been described as an affective aspect of learning (Declercq, Ebrahim, Koen, Martin, van Zyl, Daries, Olivier, Venter, Ramabenyane & Sibeko, 2011) suggesting that being in a positive emotional state means that children are more disposed to want to learn. Whilst wellbeing is the affective aspect leading to a desire to learn, involvement is described by Declercq et al (2011) as the cognitive aspect; it actually leads to learning.
These points are especially pertinent when children are learning in a bilingual context.
This presentation introduces the systematic approach taken in Wellington College China to elevating wellbeing and involvement"