Document Type

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Publication Date

12-14-2024

Keywords

social-emotional learning, newcomers, Middle East, preschool, professional development

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Presentation: 21:15

Presentation completed in partial fulfillment of a Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree at Thomas Jefferson University.

Abstract

The United States is the destination for many individuals to take refuge from the Middle East (Arab American Institute Foundation, 2021; Shryock & Abraham, 2000). Many of the refugees and immigrants (newcomers) have fled war and political oppression (Mossad, 2016; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2016), and thus may be at higher risk of developing adverse mental health outcomes (Mawani, 2014). Core stressors related to the newcomer status for many students in a metro-Detroit public school district can contribute to the overall mental health needs and interfere with performance in the educational setting. Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are a typical way to address these mental health needs (Chafoules, 2020). At the preschool level, the HighScope curriculum within Michigan's state-funded Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is one option for preschool SEL programming. However, HighScope’s Social and Emotional Development content area does not explicitly address the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) and newcomers from the Middle East (Beyer, 2017; Jagers et al., 2018; Sciuchetti, 2017). As a result, a curriculum development project was conducted to respond to priority needs for SEL professional development identified by GSRP teachers in a metro-Detroit public school district. Priority needs included increased content and more strategies specific to conflict resolution, cooperative play, and emotional identification/regulation. Thus, this project aimed to develop and establish the content validity of an in-person workshop series for teachers to promote the implementation of HighScope’s Social and Emotional Development curriculum and integrate the key considerations of ELL and newcomer students from the Middle East. The project was composed of two phases: (1) workshop curriculum development and (2) content validation via an expert review and refinement process. Kern's 6-Step Approach to Curriculum Development (Thomas et al., 2022) and adult learning theory was used to guide curriculum design. Content experts reviewed the curriculum through a structured review process until agreement was made that the curriculum aligned with GSRP’s HighScope Social and Emotional Development curriculum, was developmentally appropriate, and adhered to key considerations of ELLs or newcomers from the Middle East. Both curriculum development and content validation review phases yielded actionable recommendations and non-actionable positive comments. The curriculum development, refinement, and validation of the SEL workshop series resulted in three 90-minute professional development sessions for teachers of the metro-Detroit public school district’s GSRP. The workshops were designed to be delivered in-person and supplemented by an online collaborative learning platform to share workshop materials, resources, and experiences and to encourage on-going discussions and problem-solving activities. Occupational therapy strategies that meet the social-emotional needs of ELLs and newcomers were embedded throughout the workshops.

References:

Arab American Institute Foundation. (2021). National Arab American Demographics. 2021. http://www.aaiusa.org/demographics

Beyer, L. N. (2017). Social and emotional learning and traditionally underserved populations. American Youth Policy Forum, 25. 1–25. https://www.aypf.org/resource/sel-special-populations/

Chafouleas, S. (2020, August 10). Four questions to ask now in preparing your child for school. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/promoting-student-wellbeing/202008/4-questions-ask-now-in-preparing-your-child-school

Jagers, R. J., Rivas-Drake, D. & Borowski, T. (2018). Equity & Social and emotional learning: A cultural analysis. CASEL Assessment Work Group Brief Series. Available from: https://measuringsel.casel.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/11/Frameworks-Equity.pdf

Mawani, F.N. (2014). Social determinants of refugee mental health. In L. Simich & L. Andermann (Eds), Refuge and resilience: Promoting resilience and mental health among resettled refugees and forced migrants (pp. 27-50). Dordrecht: Springer.

Mossaad N. (2016). Annual Flow Report: Refugees and Asylees: 2015. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Refugees_Asylees_2015.pdf

Sciuchetti, M. B. (2017). Addressing inequity in special education: An integrated framework for culturally responsive social emotional practice. Psychology in the Schools. 54(10), 1245–1251. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22073

Shryock, A. & Abraham, N. (2000). On margins and mainstreams. In N. Abraham & A. Shryock (Eds), Arab Detroit: From margin to mainstream (pp. 15-35). Detroit: Wayne State University Press.

Thomas, P.A., Kern, D.E., Hughes, M.T., & Chen, B.Y. (Eds.). (2022). Curriculum development for medical education: A six-step approach. (4th ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2016) Refugees & Asylees 2015 Data Tables. https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-statistics/refugees-asylees.

Synopsis: This project provides a model of interprofessional collaboration to develop and validate a workshop series to mediate risk factors of complex social-emotional needs. The content will enable GSRP teachers to address the needs of ELL and newcomer preschool students in their classrooms. It facilitates OT involvement in school-based mental health awareness and student-centered care as social-emotional interventions are integrated into best practice in the school environment.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Elif Gokbel, EdD, Curriculum & Instructional Design Specialist at Thomas Jefferson University, for the consultation and collaboration during the curriculum development. The authors also thank the three content experts who collaborated during the development and validation phases of the project: Rola Bazzi-Gates, Ph.D., ACSW, LMSW and Mariam Alaouie, MSW (Special Education Coordinators); and Amy Modica, MA (Principal/Early Childhood Coordinator).

Language

English

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