Successful Educational Actions

Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) are those actions that have been shown to improve academic success and social cohesion in any context in which they are implemented.

Principles of Successful Educational Actions

Mixture, Streaming and Inclusion are the three main types of classroom arrangements that have been identified as a result of a review of systems and practices across Europe through the European INCLUDE-ED project (Flecha, 2015). This understanding allows us to distinguish successful from unsuccessful educational actions.

SEAs are characterised by reorganising existing resources in the school and community to promote the academic improvement of all students, rather than segregating some students on the basis of their levels. There are six SEAs which are explained below.

The following text has been taken from a description of Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) in the ‘Learning Communities’ project – see this link for more detail.

Universality

SEAs are transferable to different countries and to many environments because they contain universal components.

Co-creation

This approach is particularly relevant for working with people from marginalised groups, whose voices are often absent from research and policy debates.

Based on Dialogic Learning

Based on the principles of dialogical learning, SEAs are used in more than 15,000 centres around the world and have proven effective in a wide variety of contexts, with groups of all ages and in difficult social and economic circumstances.

What are the six SEAs?

Interactive Groups Dialogic gatherings Dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts Dialogic teacher training Educative participation of the community Training of family members

Interactive groups

IG consist of grouping students in a class into small heterogeneous groups, each of them supported by an adult. Each of these groups is organised around four or five students, in a heterogeneous way regarding ability level, gender, culture, language and ethnicity. IG has two adult profiles involved in learning processes: teachers and volunteers. Volunteers are often family and community members -including illiterate persons or those with very low educational levels, former students, volunteer university students and other adults from community organisations. Volunteer as adult facilitator oversees promoting interaction among the students and …

Dialogic gatherings

A Dialogic Gathering (DG) is both an educational and a cultural activity where all participants discuss best universal works in literature, art, music, science and other domains, and together construct meaning. DGs enable anyone to have direct access to the universally recognised “best works”, regardless of their age, gender, culture or ability.

Dialogic learning is based on the theory that learners develop a deep understanding of a subject through discussions which build upon each person’s cultural intelligence and support shared creation of meaning.

DG have been identified as one of Successful Educational Actions in INCLUD-ED Project (FP6) for their proven capacity to improve learning, emotional self-regulation, and the overall learning climate. DGs help to raise the quality and extent of interactions of all participants.

Training of family members

Family education means opening the school to families in order to improve their instrumental education. The educational centres’ training offer is open not only to students and teachers, but also to families. Family education is based on training in successful actions and responds to the interests and needs of families.

The programmes and contents of the family training are decided by the families themselves and the community, so that the programme responds directly to their needs and interests, based on the principles of the dialogic learning approach.

Educative participation of the community

This is realised in a variety of ways:

(a) Dialogic reading

More spaces for reading and writing at more times and with more people. In the classroom (interactive groups, shared reading…), in the centre (tutored library, study rooms, tutored digital classrooms…) and in the community (family training, reading at home…), the practice of dialogic reading is carried out in a more diversified, shared and coordinated way between the educational centre, families and the educational community in general.

(b) Extension of Learning Time

This offers additional learning opportunities for learners to benefit from Successful Educational Actions, such as DLGs or, for example, Tutored Libraries where learners do school work and can get answers to any questions they may have about it. This accelerates learning for all learners and at the same time offers additional support for less able or disadvantaged learners.

(c) Mixed Working Commissions

The families and the community collaborate directly with the teaching staff in the organisation of the educational centre through the mixed commissions made up of teachers, students, volunteers and/or other educational professionals (integrating the diversity of profiles that make up the educational community). These commissions are responsible for carrying out the transformations towards the successful actions that the centre has set out to develop. Some possible mixed committees include: voluntary work, learning, communication, coexistence, etc.

Dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts

This is a model for preventing and dealing with conflicts through egalitarian dialogue involving the whole community. In dealing with conflict, consensus among all parties involved, especially students, on the rules of coexistence takes centre stage, generating a dialogue shared by the entire community throughout the normative process (procedural ethics).

The dialogic model focuses on creating a better space for learning in schools that is free of violence from the outset, adopting a preventive approach to conflict. It is considered more effective for conflict prevention and resolution than disciplinary models (based on hierarchies and the role of an authority that maintains coexistence) and mediation models (based on the involvement of an “expert” who mediates between the parties according to established rules).

Dialogic teacher training

This action encourages teachers to learn from the research available from the international scientific community and to develop their knowledge of the best educational theories. Reading, researching and discussing Successful Educational Actions supported by the international scientific community and sharing knowledge through this space are the most common actions to acquire the best and most up-to-date knowledge.

For more information about SEAs, see www.comunidaddeaprendizaje.com and www.comunidadesdeaprendizaje.net.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) includes any support internal or external to a community that aims to protect or promote psychosocial wellbeing and/or prevent or treat mental disorder.

Principles of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

All people have mental health as it is part of our health and impacts how we feel, think, and behave. WHO (World Health Organization) recognizes that mental health is about a person’s sense of wellbeing, ability to cope with daily stresses, realise their full potential and be active members in their communities.  Mental health is not static but exists on a continuum, where one can goes back and forth throughout life.

Psychosocial refers to the dynamic relationship between the psychological and social dimensions of a person, where the one influences the other. The psychological dimension includes emotional and thought processes, feelings and reactions. The social dimension includes relationships, family and community networks, social values and cultural practices. It is important to remember that what happens in one of these areas will affect aspects of the others. How we are feeling internally affects how we relate to the environment around us. Similarly, our traditions, customs and community affect how we feel.

Human Rights & Equity

Promote the human rights of all affected individuals, ensuring maximum fairness in the availability and accessibility of mental health and psychosocial supports for diverse demographic groups based on their identified needs.

Participation

Engage local affected populations extensively in the humanitarian response to enhance their resilience, foster a sense of ownership, and improve the quality, equity, and sustainability of the aid efforts.

Do no harm

Minimise potential harm by coordinating with others, designing informed interventions, committing to evaluation and external review, cultivating cultural competence, staying updated on effective practices, and consistently reflecting on human rights and participatory approaches.

Building on available resources and capacities

Strengthen local capacities and resources to support mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, focusing on building both government and civil society capacities for sustainable, effective supports.

Integrated support systems

Integrate mental health and psychosocial support activities into wider systems such as community support mechanisms, formal/informal school systems, and general health and social services to enhance reach, sustainability, and de-stigmatisation.

Multi-layered supports

Develop a layered system of complementary supports to cater to diverse needs, from basic services like food and shelter, to community and family supports, focused non-specialised supports, and specialised services for those with severe mental disorders and significant functional difficulties.

Cultural sensitivity

Recognise and promote the cultural diversity of all people while acknowledging and integrating overlapping intercultural and universal beliefs, values, and practices. Cultural awareness is included in project designs and creating an interactive space where all are able to learn from each other’s cultural groups while acknowledging cultural coping mechanisms and understanding of wellbeing.

This video with the linked worksheet offers an opportunity to learn more about the core principles of MHPSS and how it relates to the Educational sector.

Worksheets: Arabic, Bulgarian, English, Greek, Italian, Spanish.

Categories of Mental Health & Psychlogical Support

Creating a Safe Space Providing Psychoeducation Facilitate creative expression Multipronged approach

Creating a safe space

A safe space is an area where individuals do not encounter discrimination, criticism, harassment, or physical and emotional harm. A safe space can both refer to physical locations, emotional and ideological interactions. A safe space is important for learning and creating a sense of belonging and well-being among individuals and communities. While the perception of safety is personal, there are common principles and practices that help create safe spaces. This category includes the practices and...

Providing psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is an approach that combines support and education to help someone understand and manage reactions and emotional and psychological challenges. The aim of psychoeducation is to build the knowledge and reduce stigma and social exclusion related to negative mental health and psychosocial stress. It promotes understanding and healthy coping mechanisms for both individuals and their communities. These programs focus on promoting protective mechanisms (such as coping skills, building s...

Facilitate creative expression

Art, music, dance and theatre are forms of creative expression that can help individuals to process and cope with emotional difficulties. They provide a means to reconstruct meaning and identity, work with traumatic experiences, construct and retell stories and form social connections. Expressive therapy can take many forms, incorporating art, theatre, storytelling, music and dance. Below, are some examples of these types of interventions. Creative expression can offer: Improvements in and incre...

Multipronged approach

A multipronged approach recognizes mental health and psychosocial wellbeing needs to be supported by the context and structures individuals and communities are located within. Multipronged approaches bring together different elements to offer comprehensive and creative solutions to support mental health and psychosocial wellbeing within communities. These approaches recognize positive and negative factors impacting individuals and communities’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Multiprong...