Psychology Research and Behavior Management (May 2021)
Exploring the Challenges of Social-Emotional Learning Integration in Secondary Schools: A Phenomenological Research in Vietnam
Abstract
Van-Son Huynh,1 Thien-Vu Giang,1 Thi-Tu Nguyen,1 Duc-Hoi Dinh2 1Psychology Department, Chi Minh City University of Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 2Early Childhood Department, Thai Nguyen University of Education, Thai Nguyen, VietnamCorrespondence: Thien-Vu GiangPsychology Department, Chi Minh City University of Education, No. 280 an Duong Vuong St., Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, VietnamTel +84 903056816Fax +84 838398946Email [email protected]: With the advantage of the restructured education in Vietnam, the social-emotional learning (SEL) framework has been gradually piloting applied into the educational curriculum. However, the SEL integration is only effective in primary school.Methods: This study applied qualitative phenomenological research, which used in-depth interviews with students and core teachers who have experienced SEL from previous studies to explore and explain the SEL integration is not successful at the secondary level.Findings: Four findings showed the current challenges of SEL’s integration in Vietnamese educational curriculum: 1) the incompatibility between the current curriculum and the teachers’ pedagogical capacity; 2) the perceived difficulties in integrating SEL into educational activities; 3) the limited focus on understanding the students’ psychology; and 4) students cannot develop their social-emotional competence.Discussion: When the challenges can be solved, corresponding to the solutions discussed, can the SEL framework be properly integrated into Vietnamese education, as well as designing an integrated continuous SEL-orientated curriculum across school levels, meeting the requirements of the new educational curriculum.Keywords: social-emotional learning, SEL, social-emotional competence, SEC, secondary school students, phenomenological research, SEL integration
