Self-regulation and social development

2. Why self-regulation is critical in Bangladesh (BD)

In Bangladesh, early years classrooms operate within complex realities. Teachers often manage large groups of very young children. Parents expect visible order and calm. Schools face pressure to prioritise academic readiness from an early age.

In this environment, it is understandable that behaviour is sometimes approached as something that must be controlled quickly so that lessons can continue. However, international and regional research consistently shows that:

• External control does not automatically develop internal self-regulation.
• Silent classrooms do not always indicate emotionally secure children.
• Compliance is not the same as emotional maturity.

Bangladesh has clear legal and policy guidance around child protection and safe school environments, and physical punishment is prohibited. Many schools are working hard to align practice with this guidance and to develop more positive approaches to behaviour.

But removing older disciplinary practices alone is not enough. If traditional approaches are simply replaced with raised voices, public correction or emotional withdrawal, children still do not learn how to regulate themselves.

Many children entering early years settings in Bangladesh are:

• Encountering formal schooling and group routines for the first time.
• Adjusting to new authority structures and expectations.
• Experiencing stress at home linked to economic or social pressures.
• Having limited opportunities to practise emotional expression in structured ways.

For these children, self-regulation is not a “soft” or optional idea. It directly affects their ability to learn, to form friendships, to cope with academic pressure and to stay engaged in school over time.

In the EBTD Early Years Framework (Bangladesh, BD), self-regulation is therefore positioned as a foundation for learning, a foundation for wellbeing, and a foundation for safe schooling – not a behaviour add-on.

3. Emotion vocabulary in Bangla classrooms

Children cannot regulate emotions they cannot name. Language gives shape to feelings; without words, emotions often come out through actions. Early years classrooms in Bangladesh should therefore intentionally teach emotional vocabulary in Bangla.

Core examples include:

• খুশি – happy
• দুঃখ – sad
• রাগ – angry
• ভয় – afraid
• লজ্জা – embarrassed
• উত্তেজিত – excited
• চিন্তিত – worried
• হতাশ – frustrated

These words should not only appear during conflict. They can be included during storytelling, circle time, play reflection, morning check-ins and peer discussions. Over time, children learn that all feelings are nameable and manageable, not something to hide or fear.

Example teacher language:

• “তুমি এখন একটু রাগ অনুভব করছো, তাই না? চল দেখি আমরা কীভাবে শান্ত হতে পারি।”
• “তোমার মুখ দেখে মনে হচ্ছে তুমি খুশি – কী কারণে?”
• “এই অবস্থায় কেউ চিন্তিত বা হতাশও অনুভব করতে পারে – তুমি কী ভাবো?”

The goal is to normalise emotional talk, not only emotional correction. Children gradually move from expressing feelings only through actions to expressing them in words.

4. Developing self-regulation through modelling, not control

Children learn how to regulate themselves by watching how adults regulate themselves. If teachers respond to stress with shouting, stiffness or withdrawal, children quickly absorb those strategies. If teachers respond with calm, language and structure, children absorb those instead.

Effective modelling in Bangladeshi early years settings includes:

• Speaking slowly and calmly during tense moments.
• Narrating emotional processes: “আমি এখন একটু বিরক্ত অনুভব করছি, তাই আমি ধীরে শ্বাস নিচ্ছি।”
• Separating behaviour from identity: “এই কাজটা ঠিক হয়নি” rather than “তুমি খারাপ।”
• Demonstrating repair and reconciliation after conflict.

Self-regulation is relational before it becomes internal. Children do not need teachers who never feel emotions. They need teachers who show how emotions are handled safely and constructively.

This approach connects closely with the culture and leadership work within the BRIDGE Framework – Early Years , which supports whole-school behaviour expectations and adult modelling.

5. Classroom routines and emotional scaffolds

Self-regulation does not grow well in unpredictable environments. Children feel safer and more able to manage themselves when routines are stable and visible. Practical scaffolds for Bangladeshi classrooms include:

• A simple visual daily timetable with symbols or pictures.
• A short “emotion board” or chart for daily check-ins.
• Brief breathing or stretching routines before demanding tasks.
• Predictable transitions between activities (“আগে আমরা..., তারপর আমরা...”).
• A small calm corner or quiet space, even if only a mat in one part of the classroom.

Example practices:

• Morning emotional check-in – each child points to a picture or word that matches how they feel that morning, and the teacher acknowledges it.
• Calm routine before difficult tasks – “এখন আমরা ৫ সেকেন্ড চোখ বন্ধ করে গভীর শ্বাস নেবো। এক… দুই… তিন… চার… পাঁচ… এখন আমরা শুরু করবো।”
• End-of-day reflection – “আজকে কেউ কখন একটু কষ্ট পেয়েছিল? কীভাবে ঠিক হয়েছে?”

These routines do not require expensive resources. They require consistency and a shared belief that emotional development is part of core teaching, not separate from it.

6. Practical tools for Bangladeshi early years teachers

Schools and teachers can start strengthening self-regulation through a small number of focused tools that fit within existing routines.

6.1 Emotion charts (low-cost)

Create simple posters with drawn faces and Bangla emotion words. Children can point to a picture instead of acting out their feelings physically. Over time, this becomes a bridge to using the words themselves.

6.2 Calm scripts for adults

Agree on a small set of calm phrases teachers will use during difficult moments, such as:

• “আমি বুঝতে পারছি তুমি বিরক্ত। আমরা এক মিনিট থামি।”
• “চল আমরা দু’জনেই গভীর শ্বাস নিই, তারপর আবার কথা বলি।”

Using shared scripts helps create consistency for children and reduces the risk of reactive responses from adults.

6.3 Emotion through stories

Use folk stories, picture books and local examples where characters face emotional challenges. Ask questions like:

• “এই চরিত্রটা এখন কেমন অনুভব করছে বলে তোমার মনে হয়?”
• “তুমি হলে কী করতে?”
• “তার জায়গায় তুমি কীভাবে শান্ত হতে পারতে?”

This helps children practise emotional understanding in a safe, indirect way.

6.4 Turn-taking and waiting games

Short, simple games that require waiting, listening and coping with not always winning are powerful tools for building emotional control. These can be done with minimal equipment, for example:

• Passing a ball and speaking only when holding it.
• Simple counting games where children wait for their number.
• Team activities where children must plan together before acting.

7. Active ingredients and common pitfalls