A play-based programme (Pillars of Society) to foster social skills of high-ability and average ability Primary-one students in Hong Kong

Abstract

This paper describes a social skills programme implemented to enhance the social competence of Primary-one students in order to ensure a smooth adjustment after transition from kindergarten to a formal school learning environment. The participants were 122 students (64 boys and 58 girls; mean age 6.17 years, SD = 0.29 years) newly enrolled in a Hong Kong primary school. The intervention involved 60 minutes of contact per week for 8 weeks, and focused on playing interactive group games led by trained parent volunteers. Raven’s (1980) Standard Progressive Matrices were used to identify high-ability and average-ability students. In order to assess the programme’s impact on social competence, parents and teachers completed the Early School Behavior Rating Scale. Results indicated that students in the programme made significantly greater progress than a comparison group of Primary-one students who did not go through the intervention. High-ability students showed significant improvements in social competence, sustained over time in both home and school settings. Students of average ability exhibited positive improvements in social competence in school, but this did not always transfer to home. Boys improved their social competence and narrowed the gender difference with girls. Implications for school intervention are discussed.