Strengthening cognitive and socioemotional resources at the initial level: A naturalistic school intervention

Abstract

The first 5 years of life is a stage of great growth, enhancing the development of cognitive and socioemotional skills essential for psychosocial well-being during childhood and later adult life. This chapter describes a naturalistic intervention program developed with the objective of strengthening such skills in early-level children, administered by their teachers under real-world conditions. Strengthening such skills from an early age prepares children to face the challenges and demands arising in different interactional contexts. This contributes to comprehensive development in childhood, promoting well-being and preventing future psychosocial and emotional imbalances. The application of naturalistic intervention programs in early education recreates experiences close to children’s daily life, allowing them to face challenges typical for their age, acquiring domains and skills in interaction with their peers through recreational activities within an environment encouraging cognitive and socioemotional well-being. The application of such programs must be sustained over time, with highly trained teachers who are strongly involved in the scaffolding processes of learning in conditions that, without a doubt, contribute to enhancing the capabilities of children, narrowing the gap of sociocultural inequalities.