Shared Book Reading and Children’s Social-Emotional Learning in Asian Schools

There is increasing attention on young children’s mental health and general well-being that serve as the foci of positive psychology and positive education, such as emotions, engagement, and relationships. A growing number of studies in recent years have examined the development of social-emotional skills in early childhood because of its lasting effects on their mental health, well-being, social relationships, and academic performance. Shared book reading (SBR), one of the most popular educational activities in the classroom, has been recommended to facilitate children’s social and emotional learning (SEL). This chapter features a systematic review that provides insights on the effectiveness of SBR in promoting SEL in Asian countries. Findings of five studies on school-based SBR and preschoolers’ SEL demonstrated the usefulness of SBR in promoting children’s social-emotional understanding, racial acceptance, and prosocial skills in Asia. There is a need for more studies about SBR and SEL on children’s multifaceted social-emotional competence in schools to be conducted in other Asian countries. Additionally, children’s perception of teachers’ instruction during SBR and reading materials should be explored.