Abstract

First year college students are challenged both socially and academically in their transition to college life. The literature suggests that social and emotional competence skills can help with this transition. This article describes the course content for a University freshman seminar that teaches skills in social and emotional competence in order to ease the transition into college and facilitate academic success. This paper discusses instruction about five core components of social and emotional competence: knowledge of emotions in self and others; self-management, relationship, and tolerance skills; and behavioral and perceptual flexibility. Specific content, assignments, and pedagogical techniques are discussed and implications for helping freshman are considered.

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