PALS Peer Assisted Learning and Support

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PALSPeer Assisted Learning and Support
Mentoring Program for Children
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Mission Statement

• This program is aimed at the child who, without
  this intervention, would be left feeling ALONE.
  
• It has been shown that one friend, one contact
  person, in this childs life can make all the
  difference in their future mental health.
• Popularity of a child in 4th grade is the best
  indicator of their mental health at age 18 than
  any other.

4th grade dark blue Age 18 lt. blue
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Program Design

• Paired peer learning in content areas
• Social support outside of the classroom
• promotes emotional literacy
• Reduce the emotional stress that causes
• an inability to think
• Keep distress from hindering learning

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PALS Outline

• Staff orientation and training
• Early identification and selection
• School-wide implementation
• Family involvement is encouraged
• Lessons are routine
• Monitored assessment and growth

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The Research Supports PALS

• Research in the field of affective neuroscience
  or how emotions are regulated in the brain, shows
  that brain activity improves in children who have
  been exposed to Social and Emotional Learning.
• Research of Emotional Intelligence says that
  continual stress cripples the ability to learn.
• Studies done on Multiple Intelligences and Social
  and Emotional Learning say that test scores in
  content areas go up when children receive
  mentoring.

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Findings on Performance

• Improved math, literacy, and social studies
  skills
• Higher achievement test scores and grades and no
  decreases in standardized test scores
• Improved learning-to-learn skills
• Better problem solving and planning ability
• Use of higher level reasoning strategies
• Improvements in reading comprehension

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Under NCLB, schools must establish plans for
NCLB Compliance

• Being safe and drug-free (teaches skills for
  making good decisions)
• Closing the achievement gap between high- and
  low-performing students and between disadvantaged
  children and their more advantaged peers (the
  Collaboration for Academic, Social and Emotional
  Learning, proved this type of program increases
  student scores equally among socio-economic
  groups)
• Preventing at-risk students from dropping out of
  school (intervention Emotional Literacy reduces
  drop out rates and increases test scores)
• Implementing prevention programs that are
  grounded in scientific research and provide
  evidence of effectiveness (PALS does this)

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Familiar SEL Programs

• Character education
• Violence prevention
• Anti-bullying
• Drug prevention
• School discipline

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Schools, Districts, and States Embrace Emotional
Literacy

• Every grade can demonstrate SEL skills, K-3
  should be able to name the emotions that led to
  actions.
• Intermediate grades should understand compassion
  and demonstrate empathy, use and read nonverbal
  clues.
• Jr. High students should be able to analyze what
  creates stress, and what promotes or motivates
  best behavior.
• High School focus is on anger management, the
  ability to tell what leads to a win-win solution,
  active listening, words used in conflict
  resolutions, and negotiations.

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How Valid is Emotional Learning?

• In 2002 UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
  Scientific and Cultural Organization) sent 10
  basic principles of SEL to the ministries of
  education in 140 countries.

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Places that Embrace Emotional Learning

• United States, districts, and states, Illinois
  for example
• UK Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia,
• Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea
• Latin America and Africa also embrace SEL

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Proven Scientific Results

• Improved behavior and a decrease in discipline
  problems.
• Measured higher academic achievement
• Data indicates better mental health in children
  at age 18 for the emotionally literate.
• Safer schools and increased attendance.

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The Impact on Neuro-Circuitry

• Emotional Intelligence challenges the prefrontal
  cortex which inhibits impulsive destructive
  behaviors.
• Increases working memory related to learning.
• Temporal lobes in the cortex controls mood and
  movement.
• Amygdala (structural) part of the Limbic system
  (functional) is where much or most of the
  learning is done in the brain.

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Neuro-plasticity, the Reshaping of the Brain

• Retell, reteach, practice, and reinforce the
  lessons to create new neuro pathways.
• New skills allow students to change behaviors and
  attitudes.
• While the brain changes, so will the school
  climate and the community.

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Changing Paradigms

• SEL/EI/EQ principles transfers into business
  -shattering the paradigm.
• Skills are used in employee selection,
  recruiting, and promoting employees.
• It is not uncommon to have people with a 100 IQ
  managing people with 150 IQs.

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Implementing PALS

• Lessons need to be explicitly taught and
  practiced in the classroom.
• Invite identified students to participate and
  help shape the program.
• Monitor and assess outcome often.
• Adapt and change the curriculum to meet the needs
  of the students.
• Work as a team, include the entire school.

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Benefits from Ingraining Emotional Learning into
Education

• Understanding, Anger management, Self-awareness
  and Empathy would lead to safer communities and
  schools
• Scope of thinking would extend from what happens
  within a person to how people interact.
• Leadership skills would be introduced early and
  nurtured and not something new in High School.
• Jobs and communities would become more humane.

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In Conclusion

• Whatever you call it Emotional Quotient, Social
  and Emotional Learning, or Emotional
  Intelligence, or Peer Assisted Learning, research
  supports lessons designed to teach the child, not
  just the content.