EU NESET Framework for Social and Emotional Education

Students are able to recognise their emotions, describe their interests and values and accurately assess their strengths and weaknesses. They are able to reflect on their thoughts and learning process. They have a well-grounded sense of self-confidence, self efficacy, agency and autonomy. They are hopeful about the future and have a sense of meaning and purpose. More specifically, this content area includes the following competencies.

• Recognition of emotions: identifying and labelling feelings.
• Knowledge and recognition of strengths: identification and cultivation of one’s strengths and positive qualities, and using strengths to address limitations/weaknesses and maximise potential.
• Confidence and self-efficacy.
• Self-determination: autonomy, agency.
• Self-advocacy and awareness of one’s rights as an individual.
• Hope and optimism about one’s learning and life in general and hope for the future.
• Sense of meaning and purpose in life, self-actualisation.

Students are able to manage their thoughts, emotions and behaviour, manage stress, engage in positive talk, control impulses, and persevere in overcoming obstacles. They can set goals and monitor progress towards the achievement of personal and academic goals, persisting in the face of difficulties and overcoming adversity. They are able to engage in critical thinking, to solve problems effectively, and to make good and informed decisions. They express their positive and negative emotions appropriately in a wide range of situations and demonstrate mindful attention and focused awareness. They are actively engaged in social and academic tasks through their strengths and are able to use self-management and problem-solving skills in academic learning. More specifically, this content area includes the four sets of competencies below:

Emotional regulation, expression, and mindfulness:

• Self-regulation, emotional expression and dealing with negative emotions (including anger management, stress management, dealing with negative thoughts);
• Appreciation of one’s positive emotions, such as happiness and excitement;
• Development of mindful attention and focused awareness (exercising mindfulness, sharpening awareness of self, others and environment through focused attention).

Goal setting, problem solving and decision making:

• Goal setting and self-monitoring (establishing, planning and working towards achieving short- and longterm goals, including academic achievement);
• Problem solving and decision making (analysing situations accurately, perceiving when a decision is needed and assessing factors that influence decisions, generating, implementing and evaluating positive and informed solutions to problems, taking necessary decisions).

Resilience skills:

• Resilience to overcome difficulties and setbacks and keep thriving (determination, persistence, sense of purpose, self-control, hopefulness, positive self-talk).

Success oriented engagement and metacognitive skills:

• Critical, creative and lateral thinking: thinking critically about learning and thinking, learning about learning and developing better thinking skills;
• Success oriented engagement (particularly in relation to educational challenges: self-motivation, making use of one’s strengths, self-regulation, goal setting, persistence and problem solving).

Students are able to take the perspective of and empathise with others, and recognize and appreciate individual and group similarities and differences, diversity and social inclusion. They have a sense of connectedness and belonging to the community. They are able to seek out and appropriately use family, school and community resources in age-appropriate ways. They demonstrate prosocial values and behaviours, and are motivated to contribute to the wellbeing of their schools and communities. They also appreciate and care for the physical environment. More specifically, this content area includes the following competencies:

• Perspective taking (identifying and understanding thoughts and feelings of others);
• Empathy;
• Appreciation and celebration of individual and group cultural and social differences and similarities;
• Awareness of resources and support networks (family, school and community);
• Prosocial values, attitudes and behaviour (honesty, respecting rights of others, feeling responsible for and supporting the well-being of others);
• Respect for, and protection of, the physical environment.

Students have good relationship skills, being able to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships based on co-operation and collaboration. They resist inappropriate social pressure; constructively prevent, manage and resolve interpersonal conflict; and seek and provide help when needed. They demonstrate ethical behaviour and responsible decision making in the various contexts they operate, considering the needs and rights of others in their behaviour and decisions. More specifically, this content area includes the following competencies.

• Healthy and rewarding relationships with individuals and groups, appreciating equality and diversity in relationships;
• Effective communication to express oneself and positive exchanges with others, using both verbal and nonverbal skills;
• Cooperation and collaboration with others;
• Leadership skills (motivating others, teamwork, negotiation, decision making);
• Dealing with peer pressure (refusing to engage in unwanted, unsafe and unethical conduct);
• Constructive conflict resolution (achieving mutually satisfactory resolutions to conflict by addressing the needs of all concerned);
• Dealing with negative relationships such as bullying, harassment and violence;
• Seeking and providing help and support;
• Ethical and responsible behaviour and decision making (considering ethical standards, safety concerns, and respect for others, and the likely consequences of various courses of action when making decisions);
• Contributing to the wellbeing and flourishing of the community.