Second Step Early Learning is a classroom-based intervention for children between 4 and 5 years. The intervention is delivered by preschool teachers to classes of children in short daily sessions of five to seven minutes for 28 weeks, with the aim of improving children’s socio-emotional and memory, attention, and planning skills.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
4 to 5 years old
Group
Second Step Early Learning (SSEL) is a classroom-based intervention for children between 4 and 5 years. SSEL is a universal intervention, but has been targeted at disadvantaged areas in its best-evidenced implementation.
SSEL is delivered by preschool teachers to classes of children in short daily sessions of five to seven minutes for 28 weeks. Core social-emotional and self-regulation skills are taught with weekly themes covering content from five units: skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, friendship skills, and transition to school. The weekly themes are presented on large photo cards featuring the daily activities, which are designed to be integrated into the normal preschool day. As well as the brief lessons, SSEL incorporates theme-related songs and Brain Builder games, which involve attention, following directions, and inhibitory control, and are designed to be played daily and increase in complexity across the duration of the intervention. Teachers are also encouraged to reinforce the skills throughout the day with suggested teaching strategies.
Six weeks are spent covering skills for learning, including listening and asking for help; six weeks are spent covering empathy, including identifying feelings and demonstrating caring towards others; six weeks are spent covering emotion management, including identifying strong emotions and calming down; seven weeks are spent on friendship skills, including inviting others to play and techniques for calming down and solving problems; and three weeks are spent reviewing the skills taught in preparation for school transition.
Each week the theme is introduced using puppets on day 1; on day 2 a theme-related situation and how to solve it is discussed; days 3 and 4 involve either small or large group reinforcement activities; and on day 5 the class read a book related to the theme.
4 to 5 years
Preschool children
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Problem behaviours can have a negative impact on school outcomes.
Science-based assumption
Social-emotional competence and self-regulation can improve readiness to learn.
Science-based assumption
Preschool children, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Intervention
Second Step Early Learning teaches skills that strengthen children’s ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions, and solve problems.
Short-term
Children have improved social-emotional competence.
Medium-term
Children have increased self-regulation.
Long-term
Children have increased school success, reduced aggression, and improved peer relations.
Preschool children aged 4 to 5 years.
Second Step Early Learning is delivered over 28 weeks of five- to seven-minute daily activities by one practitioner to classes of children.
SSEL is delivered by preschool teachers to classes of children in short daily sessions of five to seven minutes for 28 weeks, teaching core social-emotional skills using short activities, songs, games, and reinforcement throughout the day.
The practitioner who delivers this intervention is a preschool teacher.
The practitioners are provided with an online staff training toolkit, including a kick-off meeting agenda, four check-in meeting agendas, and a wrap-up meeting agenda. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
Supervision of practitioners is not required.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Organisation: Committee for Children
Email address: info@cfchildren.org
Websites: http://www.secondstep.org/
http://www.cfchildren.org/
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
The most rigorous evidence for Second Step Early Learning comes from a cluster RCT which was conducted in the United States.
This study identified statistically significant improvements consistent with Foundations’ Level 3 threshold in child memory, planning, and attention skills.
Second Step Early Learning can be described as evidence-based: it has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT or QED demonstrating a statistically significant positive impact on at least one child outcome.
Improved memory, planning, and attention skills
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
| Identified in search | 1 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 0 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 1 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 0 |
| Study design | Cluster RCT |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 770 4-year-old children from seven community and six Head Start preschools |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors |
|
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes | Improved attention, memory, and planning skills (Child report) |
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 3 |
| Citations | Upshur, C. C., Wenz-Gross, M., Rhoads, C., Heyman, M., Yoo, Y. & Sawosik, G. (2019) A randomized efficacy trial of the second step early learning (SSEL) curriculum. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 62, 145–159. Upshur, C. C., Heyman, M. & Wenz-Gross, M. (2017) Efficacy trial of the second step early learning (SSEL) curriculum: Preliminary outcomes. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 50, 15–25. (preliminary report) |
No other studies were identified for this intervention.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
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Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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