Meeting social-emotional needs amid pandemic
Keren Rosiane B. Alipio
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service collaborated with other organizations in conceptualizing a child-friendly program which provided psychosocial support to elementary learners amidst the remote learning setup.
The 11-episode show, titled TALA (Tuklasin, Alamin, Likhain at Alalahanin) incorporated elements and segments reminiscent of children’s shows like Batibot and Art Angel.
Through this web series, children recognized and managed their emotions, especially having been deprived of play and social interaction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because of limited interaction with peers, the opportunity to develop children's socioemotional skills has become rare. TALA was just one of the Department's ways to focus on the emotional and social development of our youth, officials said.
TALA made a mark on its audience because of its entertaining storytelling sessions and the presence of Arki (derived from Ready Kid), the official DRRMS mascot, who made each episode more enjoyable and relatable for children.
The program had four segments: Tuklasin, talks about discovery through songs and exercises; Alamin is the storytelling session; Likhain features art-based activities based on the episode’s topic and story; and Alalahanin serving as a synthesis of the whole program.
Moreover, the show leaves parents, guardians, and teachers with important tips on how to help improve their child’s mental health based on the episode and theme tackled for the day in a segment called “Tala Para Sa Mga Magulang.”
Each episode also featured a storyteller – a DepEd official from the Central or Regional Offices, a teacher, or a representative from the show’s external partners.
The lessons, storytelling and art activities of this program helped a lot; the lessons shared by TALA will last a lifetime for children as they face future trials. The DepEd will continue to be strong through cooperation and unity, and overcome any challenge, officials said.
TALA was made possible through a partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Komunidad X, University of the Philippines Los Baños – Department of Human and Family Development Studies, Save the Children Philippines, the DepEd Bureau of Learning Resources, and UPLB Tsikiting Stories.
The author
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is Secondary School Teacher School
II at Basa Air Base National High