3 schools in Asia addressing mental health through social and emotional learning initiatives

Children between the ages of 10 and 19 years old are going through a unique and formative time. This is a period of profound physical, emotional and social changes, whether their health is just as important as their socio-emotional learning (SEL) and psychological well-being.

The best schools understand how critical SEL is to one’s health and well-being during adolescence and adulthood. They go above and beyond to help children develop the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital, both now and for their future. They ensure their students learn about healthy sleep patterns, the importance of regular exercise, emotional management as well as coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

This is the future of education — and it’s taking shape at the pioneering international schools below:

Hong Kong International School

Hong Kong International School (HKIS) is a private, co-educational college preparatory school for students from reception one (Pre-K) to grade 12. Across all grades, compassion and community service are emphasised. There is a Student Services programme that provides support throughout different stages of a child’s personal, social, and educational development.

In Lower Primary, students receive guidance in areas such as literacy, oral language, math, and social skills, including classroom behaviour, developmental counselling, and parent education.

In Upper Primary, counsellors run a proactive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programme, individual counselling sessions, family consultation, parenting workshops and more. As a team with learning specialists, a school psychologist and a nurse, they work with students, teachers and parents with matters related to curriculum, co-curricular activities and student well-being.

The Middle School is supported by three counselors, one for each grade level. The counsellors proactively attends to social and emotional needs with individual counselling sessions, group counselling, or a family meeting. Counselors also provide support to parents through individual consultation, as well as parent education opportunities such as a 5-week parenting course, or monthly coffee mornings.

Throughout their High School years, each student and family are paired with the same counsellor who delivers individual planning and responsive services. These include college and career planning and various initiatives that equip students with knowledge and skills to contribute at the highest level as productive members of a global society.

All new students get assistance during their transition from another country or another international school to HKIS. No matter where a student is from or what grade they’re in, all students work with experts. All HKIS counsellors are a member of the International School Counselling Association. All High School counsellors are members of the National Association of College Admission Counselling, the International Association of College Admission Counselling, and the International School Counseling Association. Each year, they join conferences, college tours, and various other professional development opportunities to ensure all students receive the best support available.

Bangkok Patana School

Thailand’s oldest British international school, Bangkok Patana School, understands that every learner is on a unique journey. This is why it combines blended and holistic approaches to nurture creative, mindful thinkers who take charge of their own learning. By providing Foundation Stage through to Senior Stage learning, this school supports pupils of all backgrounds and abilities.

At Bangkok Patana School, highly qualified and experienced specialists support children both academically and social-emotionally. Targeted at primary-level students. the Inclusion team is divided into five independent but interrelated areas: Support for Learning, Speech and Language Therapy, Enrichment, English as an Additional Language, and Counselling.

Support for Learning allows teachers to plan and provide further resources that enable students to discover and develop their talents outside of a formal classroom setting. Students who require a speech therapist, on the other hand, may rejoin  the Speech and Language Therapy programme. For exceptional learners, the Enrichment programme provides suitably challenging experiences for them to take themselves to the next level. If a student is less fluent in English, the English as an Additional Language programme helps develop their English language proficiency and confidence.

Finally, the school’s Counselling programme provides up to six sessions, depending on the student’s case. Counsellors here collaborate with teachers and other staff to help and guide participants to find their true selves, all while protecting confidentiality.

Singapore American School

Counselling services are an integral part of Singapore American School. The school believes that a student’s success is not only determined by a strong academic foundation but also by the development of their SEL skills. Its core values include compassion, fairness, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

The Singapore American School adopted The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework that identifies five core competencies: self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self-management, and relationship skills. Using this framework, the school educates hearts, inspires minds, and helps students navigate the real world more effectively.

Counsellors here take a proactive, child-centred, and developmental approach in working with students, parents, and teachers. They teach character education lessons, provide individual and family counselling, facilitate small group workshops for students, lead parent coffees, conduct entry and exit family transitional programs, and coordinate student services in the school.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International