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51 Country Overviews

Latvia  

Author(s)

  • Kaat Verhaeghe, Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences & Arts

Reviewer

Mart Achten, Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences & Arts

Abstract

In September 2020, schools in Latvia started to gradually implement the new national curriculum for all ages, which takes a competence approach to curriculum (European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2020). Social and emotional learning (SEL) are considered to be important to gain certain transversal skills like critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and entrepreneurship, self-regulated learning, collaboration, civic participation and digital competence (SEED Project Consortium, 2018). More specifically, in recent years Latvia started with the implementation of The Latvia SEL program. Theoretical insights from current SEL programs in other countries were used as the foundation of this program (Martinsone, 2016). Latvia takes an integrated approach to the implementation of SEL into the curriculum. SEL is implemented into everyday teaching practices in every subject (Ferreira, Martinsone & Talic, 2020). The Latvia SEL program is a preventive, universal school-wide program from 1st to 12th grade, including pre-school. Well-developed and structured SEL sessions of 40 minutes are implemented by the classroom teacher. It was concluded that a program persistently facilitating the development of social and emotional skills would be very important for all children, but perhaps even more so for children with learning difficulties, because the behavioural and emotional problems could be both contributing factors as well as sequel of the learning difficulties (Martinsone, 2016, p. 59). There was no literature found about an assessment tool for social and emotional skills of the SEL programme in Latvia. Generally, to assess the quality of education in Latvia, observation based on a checklist is one of the methods recommended by educational guidelines for ECEC in Latvia. The programme itself has been evaluated on different levels with a focus on how the programme is implemented, what teachers need to implement in practice and how they perceive the programme.

References

  • Berzina, Sabine & Martinsone, Baiba. (2021). Changes in Teachers and Students’ Perceived School Climate Through the Implementation of the Social Emotional Learning Program: A Longitudinal Study. 44-59. 10.22364/htqe.2021.03.
  • Ferreira, M., Martinsone, B. & Talic, T. (2020). Promoting Sustainable Social Emotional Learning through Relationship-Centred Learning Environment, Teaching Methods and Formative Assessment. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 22(1), 21-36.
  • European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice (2019). Key data on Early Childhood Education and Care in Europe 2019 Edition. Eurydice Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
  • Martinsone, B. (2016). Social Emotional Learning: Implementation of Sustainability-Oriented Program in Latvia. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 18(1). 57-68.
  • Martinsone, B. & Vilcina, S. (2017). Teachers’ Perceptions of Sustainability of the Social Emotional Learning Program in Latvia: A Focus Group Study. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 19(2). 5-20.
  • OECD. (2020). OECD Skills Strategy Implementation Guidance for Latvia: Developing Latvia’s Education Development Guidelines 2021-2027, OECD Skills Studies. Paris: OECD Publishing.
  • SEED Project Consortium (2018) The Psychosocial Well-being of Young Children in ECEC Settings: Research Report of the SEED Project (2017-2019). Leiden: SEED Project.

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CO-124-Latvia.pdf