Emotional Support

Teacher provides opportunities for communication and building relationships

• Talks to children often

• Comment on children's interest

• Actively engage with the children

• Listening and responding to encourage communication

• Provocatively engage with children alternative strategies for communicating with children who are nonverbal, have language delays, or dual language learners (DLL)

Teacher promotes positive peer interactions

• Encourage children to be aware of and care for peers

• Help children initiate and maintain interactions with peers

• Support peer interaction through positive comments

• Provide support when negative interactions occur

Teacher is responsive to children's expression of emotions and teaches about feelings

• Help children name and describe their emotions

• Use naturally occurring opportunities to teach about feelings (individualize based on children's development)

• Teacher labels and regulate own emotions in the classroom

• Utilize classroom resources e.g. Feelings posters, Feeling dolls, Breathing Techniques, Emotions buddies, songs.)

Environment is arranged to foster social emotional development

• Variety of materials available to meet the developmental needs of every child

• Play areas to support engagement and social interaction

• Availability of books and other materials to promote social awareness