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    Enhancing the Social-Emotional Skills of Pupils in a Primary School Classroom


    Mather, Chloe Jennifer (2025) Enhancing the Social-Emotional Skills of Pupils in a Primary School Classroom. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

    Abstract

    In this self-study action research, the focus is on enhancing the social-emotional skills of pupils in a primary school classroom. This study arose from my own teaching experience and the core values that are central to my professional practice. The research for this study takes place in a DEIS Band Two Primary School with twenty-three first class pupils. The school is part of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity to Schools (DEIS) programme set up by the Department of Education and Skills. My experience teaching in this DEIS school has deepened my understanding of the importance of nurturing the holistic deve lopment of a child. The aim of this study is to foster the social-emotional skills of the children in my classroom, to ensure that both their social and academic needs are being supported. This is relevant as the focus of the new Primary Curriculum Framework for Primary and Special Schools (Department of Education, 2023) is to provide a holistic approach to a child's education. Throughout this research I cultivate a classroom environment that embodies my core values of care, respect and building positive relationships. The implementation of daily morning meetings is the intervention used m this study. Morning meetings are structured around four components, which are a greeting, sharing, activ ity and message. These morning meetings are held in my classroom every morning before the children start their academic work. The research is conducted over two cycles, lasting twelve weeks. Two reflective frameworks are used to critically examine my practice from different perspectives. In the first cycle, Schons reflection-in-action and reflection-onaction model ( 1983) is adopted and in the second cycle Brookfield's Four Lenses of Critical Reflection (20 17) is adopted as a reflective approach. The study uses multiple research methods, including student questionnaires, student journals, observations and a teacher reflective journal. These qualitative research tools provide an insight into the participants learning and develop my own learning as a researcher in this study. Using thematic data analysis, I explore three central themes in this study which include the importance of meaningful content, building relationships and using the voice of the children. Firstly, the content must be meaningful for the children to connect with and apply the socialemotional skills taught to them. Secondly, children develop positive relationships with their peers as they use the social-emotional skills being taught to them. The third theme explores the use of the children's voice in the study as they became more confident in using their voice. This research transformed me as a teacher, guiding me towards the holistic development of a child. With the recently published Primary Curriculum Programme for Primary and Special Schools (Department of Education, 2023), a shift in educational priorities is anticipated. The increased allocation of time given to Wellbeing in the new curriculum highlights the importance of focusing on the overall development of a child. I hope that this study will inspire teachers and educators to promote Wellbeing in the classroom through an intervent ion that can be used daily.
    Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
    Additional Information: A Research Dissertation submitted to the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, Maynooth University, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education
    Keywords: Enhancing the Social-Emotional Skills; Pupils; Primary School Classroom; M.Ed. Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education
    Item ID: 21454
    Depositing User: IR eTheses
    Date Deposited: 21 Apr 2026 14:13
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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