Social emotional skills in times of COVID-19

an integrative review

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic impacted the way of life in societies, routines underwent changes, and it was necessary to adapt to the measures imposed by health authorities. Social distancing was one of the strategies used to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 contamination and dissemination rates. Both teachers and students assumed new attitudes towards the adopted education model, remote teaching. In addition to the difficulties arising from this adaptation process, it is important to point out that inaccessibility to technologies and poor infrastructure jeopardized the teaching and learning process, especially in needy areas. Another aspect to be considered in this scenario involved the emotional factor, and in this research, we have sought to emphasize the role of teachers’ social and emotional competence. Understanding the role of emotions in all areas of life is not a simple task and, in this context of the pandemic, it is important to recognize the importance of these skills to help face adverse situations. We have therefore conducted an integrative review to establish connections between the implications of the pandemic, teaching praxis and the social emotional context with emphasis on papers published in 2020. The findings of this research show that teachers who have demonstrated mastery of their social emotional skills tend to be more efficient in the teaching learning process, have a better understanding of their students' feelings and can help them improve their social emotional skills, contributing to their educational success.