Researching the links between social-emotional learning and intercultural education: strategies for enacting a culturally relevant teaching

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the links between social-emotional learning (SEL) and intercultural education. The work calls for pedagogical attention to the role of emotions in intercultural education and analyses the role of SEL within the umbrella of intercultural education. It claims that both SEL and intercultural education offer a framework for rethinking and changing curricula, school climates and relationships providing the foundation for quality of education for all. Therefore, this connection is not only critical but also inevitable and desirable. It asserts that SEL in intercultural landscapes is a human right that all students are entitled to, and argues that ignoring this right amounts to a social injustice. Some pedagogical considerations and strategies for enacting a culturally relevant implementation of SEL in intercultural settings will be provided. The purpose of the paper is to inform the debate on the role of emotional aspects in intercultural education, and how to configure culturally responsive teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• Social-emotional learning (SEL)
• intercultural education
• cultural diversity
• culturally relevant teaching
• equity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. There are multiple views on social justice. In this paper, social justice is defined as the provision of equality of opportunity for all students irrespective of their race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, language, socioeconomic status or disability. In this vein, the role of teachers is pivotal to offer support to students and to build positive relationships with all of them, particularly those belonging to protected groups according to the EU Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

2. Sociocultural factors comprise, but are not limited to, fixed group markings such as race, gender and disability as well as non-fixed factors, such as SES and geographic location.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rosa M. Rodríguez-Izquierdo

Rosa M. Rodríguez-Izquierdo has been a visiting Fulbright scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and a visiting researcher  in the department of Sociology at Harvard University, in Australia (Sydney University, Melbourne University and Brisbane University), and in several European and Latin American Universities. She is a research fellow of the Real Colegio Complutense (RCC) in Harvard since 2005. Her work has focused on inclusive education, citizenship and multicultural education, curriculum reform, teacher’s attitudes toward relevant practices, and the relationship between quality teaching, schools improvement, and social inequality. She is particularly interested in studying the relationship between societal changes and schooling and how to support quality teaching in systems where access to schooling has expanded rapidly particularly in processes mediated by technology.