SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AS A DIDACTIC TOOL FOR ADAPTING NATIONAL EDUCATION TO MILITARY CHALLENGES

Abstract

The article analyses social and emotional learning (SEL) as a didactic tool for adapting the national education system of Ukraine to military challenges. The relevance of introducing SEL in formal school education in the context of Russian military aggression, which has been ongoing since 2014 and escalated into a full-scale invasion in 2022, is revealed. It is emphasised that the war has caused significant risks to students' safety, psychological well-being and academic achievements, so it is necessary to integrate social and emotional learning into the educational process in the current realities.

The article analyses current research and publications of Ukrainian scientists (2022-2025), regulatory documents of the New Ukrainian School reform and practical experience implementing the SEL. The main focus is on how the SEL contributes to the formation of resilience and emotional safety of students (Matvienko, 2024), reduces negative phenomena (stress, bullying, aggression) and supports learning despite traumatic circumstances. The article outlines the scientific novelty in combining SEL with measures to adapt education during the war. It presents an analysis of the effectiveness of such adaptation measures in Ukrainian schools and ideas for further implementation (Elkin et al., 2024).

It is concluded that integrating SEL in the context of the reform of the new Ukrainian school is key to creating a safe, supportive environment that will ensure the emotional well-being of students and the sustainability of Ukraine's educational system.