A recent study by Lam and colleagues investigated the effects of a 3E (early prevention, early identification, early intervention) social and emotional learning program for second-year kindergarten students in Hong Kong. A total of 18 kindergartens were recruited evenly from three socioeconomic strata based on district monthly median household income. Participating schools were randomly assigned to the intervention (9 schools, n=624) or the waiting-list control (9 schools, n=375) conditions.
The Little Garden curriculum, comprising 28 30-40-minute weekly lessons plus extended school and home activities, was delivered to the intervention schools in 2017-18. It targeted socioemotional skills through play, stories, hands-on exploration, and life themed activities. A second stage of intervention was conducted for children who underperformed in the first stage. The 9 treatment schools were randomly split into new intervention (4 schools, n=84) and wait-list control (5 schools, n=50) groups with similar socioeconomic statuses. Students with socioemotional competence scores below a pre-set threshold were identified from both groups. The Little Greenhouse curriculum comprised 16 30-40 minute weekly lessons conducted in the following school year for students assigned to the second stage of intervention.
Classroom teachers who implemented both curricula received a 120-minute training workshop and 90-minute on-site coaching for every 3-5 lessons. Children’s socioemotional competence and behaviour outcomes were rated by their classroom teachers using self-report questionnaires. After controlling prior scores and characteristics, analysis results are shown below.
- Students completing the Little Garden curriculum outperformed the control group on all four socioemotional competence aspects (ES = +0.18 to +0.29), improved most behaviour problems (ES = -0.12 to -0.26), and Chinese word reading (ES = +0.11) but not arithmetic skills.
- The Little Greenhouse curriculum enhanced empathy and prosocial behaviour (ES = +0.43), cognitive control (ES = +0.23), hyperactivity/attention (ES = -0.21), reading (ES = +0.11), and arithmetic (ES = +0.21) versus the wait-list control group.
While the 3E program was generally effective, children with greater socioemotional difficulties gained limited Little Greenhouse curriculum benefits. The authors suggested longer and tailored interventions for at-risk students. Notably, potential bias exists as classroom teachers conducted the interventions and evaluated the outcomes.
Source (Open Access): Lam, C. B., Li, X., & Chung, K. K. H. (2024). Improving Chinese children’s socioemotional competence, behavioral adjustment, and pre-academic skills: Impacts of the 3Es Program. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 68, 13–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.03.002