Children’s social-emotional learning (SEL) lays the groundwork for their later adjustment (Durlak et al., 2011). Although numerous SEL programs have been developed for children, few measures have been constructed to assess social-emotional competencies, namely self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making (CASEL, 2013). This study validated the 40-item Washoe County School District-Social-Emotional Competency Assessment (WCSD-SECA; Crowder et al., 2019) for use in Hong Kong. The sample consisted of 369 Chinese children (8-13 years old) and their parents. Children completed WCSD-SECA and International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form (Thompson, 2007). Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman et al, 1997). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the original 8-factor model fit well to the data, χ2(698)=1116.16, p>.001, CFI=.91, TLI=.90, RMSEA=0.04. WCSD-SECA was associated with emotions and behavioral problems, ps<.05, thereby demonstrating concurrent and predictive validity. Hence, WCSD-SECA could be used to assess children’s social-emotional competence in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2021 HKERA-APERA International Conference.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) in early childhood lays the foundation for children’s later adjustment (Bornstein et al., 2010). Among existing SEL programs, OpenMind (OM) is a mindfulness-based kindergarten curriculum that has demonstrated effectiveness in the United States and Korea (Jackman et al., 2019; Kim et al., 2020). To enhance children’s SEL in Hong Kong, this study adapted and implemented OM activities over a one-month period. Initial efficacy on children’s SEL was examined, alongside teachers’ attitudes toward OM. Fifty-two Chinese children in K1-2 (3-5-year-old; nintervention=27; nwaitlist control=24) and four trained kindergarten teachers participated in daily meditation practices. They also completed pretest, immediate posttest, and a four-week follow-up posttest. Results suggest that teachers find OM activities useful, particularly during disruptive incidents. Children also had greater improvements in emotional control and shifting than did children in the waitlist control group. Through these practices, we hope to build a stronger foundation for children’s social-emotional competence. Copyright © 2021 HKERA-APERA International Conference.

Objectives: Research shows that compassion from others and from the self may enable university students to face, overcome, and bounce back from adversity and generate a greater sense of thriving and meaning in life. However, the underlying processes are largely unknown. The present study aimed to examine the associations of compassion with psychological distress, flourishing, and meaning in life among university students and explore the mechanisms underlying these associations. Methods: A total of 536 Hong Kong university students completed questionnaires measuring their experiences of compassion from others, self-compassion, resilience, psychological distress, flourishing, and meaning in life. Results: Serial mediation analyses showed that compassion from others was associated positively with self-compassion, which was, in turn, linked to greater resilience and consequently lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of flourishing and meaning in life. Conclusions: Our findings reveal the associations of compassion from others and self-compassion with the well-being and life meaning of university students. The findings highlight the importance of being open and receptive to love and kindness from others. The findings also point to the importance of developing a caring attitude toward oneself. Copyright © 2022 The Author(s).

According to recent census figures, the number of ethnic minority and non-local Chinese youths has doubled from 27,322 in 2001 to 42,644 in 2011, many of whom are receiving secondary or tertiary education. Despite efforts in promoting diversity, equality, and cultural sensitivity, stigma towards ethnic and cultural minorities remains common in the local context. Minority members’ negative experiences give rise to stress and poorer well-being. Within the existing local teacher education curriculum, there are general education courses that focus on multicultural and race issues. However, they are elective courses and engage a relatively small number of students. We believe basic aptitude in multiculturalism should be cultivated in all student teachers. As such, this intervention study was conducted to enrich student teachers’ training to manage diversity in school setting. The intervention involved a three-hour guest lecture, a three-hour e-learning session, and a three-hour multicultural discovery tour. Participants were pre-service teachers from five undergraduate courses at a local University. Following the intervention, the participating course lecturers commented that the intervention boosted multicultural competencies in preservice teachers innovatively. In addition, 100% of the multicultural tour participants agreed that their learning performance has improved through the activity, and that they would continue to apply the knowledge in the future. Based on these findings, it is recommended that similar activities should be incorporated in the teacher education curriculum in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2020 International Conference on Learning and Teaching.

According to the Hong Kong Education Bureau, the number of students with special education needs (SEN) has been on the rise. In order to cope with an increasing demand for inclusive education, professional training programmes aiming for pre-service teachers to educate students with SEN have increased locally. Guided by the theory of planned behaviour, this study aims to investigate the relations between Chinese pre-service teachers' views and self-efficacy in implementing inclusive education in Hong Kong. A total of 94 Chinese pre-service teachers were recruited at a public university to complete an online questionnaire. Controlling for age, teaching experience, and relevant training, differential effects were found between pre-service teachers' views and self-efficacy. Specifically, teachers' positive attitudes towards inclusion were related to their greater self-efficacy in implementing inclusive instructions and managing students' behaviours. Teachers' fewer sentiments about inclusion were related to their greater self-efficacy in collaborating with parents and professionals. Teachers' fewer concerns about knowledge, workload, and overall feasibility were also related to their greater self-efficacy in collaboration and behavioural management. These findings broaden the literature and inform policy makers the need to strengthen teachers' efficacy by reducing practical barriers and increasing their positive attitudes towards inclusion. Copyright © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.