Educational Strategy to Strengthen the Socioemotional Development of Third-Grade Basic Education Students

Abstract

Introduction: Socio-emotional development in childhood is crucial for well-being and learning, a challenge that is particularly pronounced in rural contexts in Ecuador. This study, conducted at the "Pedro Vicente Maldonado" Educational Unit in Mindo, aimed to design and validate an educational strategy to strengthen these skills in 23 third-grade students who exhibited impulsivity, low frustration tolerance, and limited empathy. Materials and methods: The mixed-methods research employed descriptive and observational methods, along with interviews with teachers and families. The diagnostic results showed that 61% of the students reacted impulsively to frustration, and 70% presented dysregulated emotional responses. Results: Based on this evidence, a three-phase strategy (Recognize, Understand, and Integrate) was designed, grounded in Hodelin and Tremont's Pedagogy of Emotional Conflict and the contributions of Vygotsky, Piaget, and Ausubel, and integrating playful and reflective activities. Discussion: The proposal was validated by five specialists, who awarded high scores for relevance (96%), applicability (92%), and sustainability (90%). Conclusions: It is concluded that the strategy, by framing emotional conflict as a pedagogical opportunity within a socio-constructivist approach, constitutes an effective and viable way to enhance socio-emotional development and transform the classroom climate in the early years of schooling.