The best strategy for encouraging social competence with a group of school-age

children is to
A. reassure the students about positive behavior.
B. punish students for antisocial behavior.
C. use external rewards.
D. model good social skills.

Modeling behavior is the best and most effective strategy. Listening, frankness, courtesy, respect, rights of privacy are things that children learn and form orientation to by seeing others successfully model those behaviors.

Many elementary teachers do role playing with the children to teach social competences. But without the teacher practicing these skills daily, role playing has minimal effect.

By modeling good social behavior and reassuring them

The best strategy for encouraging social competence with a group of school-age children is to D. model good social skills.

Explanation:
Modeling good social skills is an effective strategy for encouraging social competence among school-age children. Children learn by observing and imitating the behavior of others, especially adults and authority figures. By consistently demonstrating positive social skills, such as active listening, showing empathy, and resolving conflicts peacefully, adults can provide children with examples of appropriate social behavior.

To implement this strategy, adults should consciously model desired behaviors in their interactions with others, including children. For example, they can actively listen when children speak, demonstrate empathy by understanding and acknowledging their feelings, and provide constructive feedback when conflicts arise. By consistently displaying these positive social skills, adults create a conducive environment for children to learn and practice social competence.

It is important to note that while the other options may have some impact, they are not as effective as modeling good social skills. Reassuring students about positive behavior can help boost their confidence and self-esteem, but it does not necessarily impact their social competence directly. Punishing students for antisocial behavior may discourage such behavior temporarily, but it does not teach children how to develop appropriate social skills. Using external rewards, such as stickers or prizes, can create extrinsic motivation but does not necessarily foster internalization of social competency skills. Therefore, modeling good social skills is the most effective strategy for encouraging social competence with a group of school-age children.