School inclusion and social and emotional learning: results from a European research

Abstract

The article introduces the results obtained through the use of the first version of the assessment tool “Inclusive Process Assessment Scale”, developed by University of Perugia and University of Udine within the European project European Assessment Protocol for Children’s SEL Skills (EAP_SEL) which ended in 2016. The project has seen the involvement of 5 European countries:
Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Sweden, Croatia. Main focus of the evidence-based research was assessing the effectiveness of implementing social and emotional learning programs in different primary school contexts across Europe. The Italian partner also focused on assessing the impact of social emotional learning on the inclusive process promoted by Italian primary schools, while at the same time assessing its quality as well. The results gathered from this first version of the Scale, in addition to showing the efficacy of the intervention, provided a series of causes for reflection on the connection between social and emotional learning and inclusion in the Italian school context, thus inviting to further research in the field.