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The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perspectives of Indonesian primary school teachers regarding SEL implementation. The aim was to establish significant recurring ideas regarding the importance of SEL in enhancing students' social-emotional skills, the concrete strategies used to develop SEL skills, and the challenges that teachers encountered in promoting SEL. The target population for the research was Indonesian primary school teachers. The inclusion criteria were actively teaching and being able to read and write in English (since the research was conducted in English). The participants were initially recruited by convenience sampling using the WhatsApp platform, which involved selecting individuals who were already known to the researcher. Subsequently, snowball sampling was employed, whereby participants were asked to recommend other potential participants. Recruitment was also conducted via sharing information on LinkedIn and emailing schools. The study included thirty teachers, consisting of 21 females and nine males with ages ranging from 24 to 54 years. This sample included those with experience teaching spanning from less than a year to 29 years. The study employed a socio-constructivist approach, which recognises the significance of diverse perspectives. Therefore, an online qualitative survey with open-ended questions was used to gain a comprehensive understanding of the teachers' views and experiences. The data was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to find recurring ideas in the survey responses and categorise them into themes. The analysis revealed three themes: teachers' valuation of SEL, navigating SEL promotion practice, and recognising SEL promotion challenges. In this context, subthemes arose within the main themes. Regarding teachers' valuation of SEL, teachers emphasised the significance of SEL for both students and themselves. Regarding the SEL promotion practice, teachers implemented classroom management strategies, utilised a personal approach, and involved key settings in order to foster SEL in students. Regarding the challenges, teachers reported encountering difficulties with personal challenges, parental involvement, students' diverse characteristics, and a lack of knowledge and resources. The findings of this study are broadly consistent with previous research, have interconnected explanations between the themes, and provide new insights for further investigation. The background research identified several significant factors that influence the strategies used to promote SEL in students, as well as the challenges teachers faced during this process, which are similar to the findings. Furthermore, this study not only supports previous research on SEL implementation in Asian countries but also provides a deeper understanding of how Indonesian teachers perceive SEL. These findings suggest further implications, highlighting the need for training development and resources to support teachers' SEL implementation in the classroom. Improved collaboration between key settings should also be addressed in order to increase the effectiveness of SEL promotion. Future research might involve a larger and more diverse sample of Indonesian primary school teachers in order to gain deeper insights into the implications for educational practices and policies in Indonesia.

This research may have benefits for teachers, students, parents, the community, and those responsible for policy decisions that influence the development of curricula that incorporate SEL and related topics. These findings imply the need for providing teachers with training programmes to equip them with SEL skills and the knowledge of integrating these subjects into their teaching in order to enhance the effectiveness of SEL implementation in the classroom. The Indonesian Ministry of Education could use this information to establish nationwide SEL training programs for teachers. Furthermore, the findings recommend schools initiate activities and programmes that involve parents, such as arranging workshops to educate parents about SEL practices, to ensure consistency of SEL implementation between school and home environment. Parents need to be mindful of their responsibilities at home, as they have a significant impact on the socioemotional development of students. Schools might also need to initiate collaborations with the community, as they could potentially provide additional support for both schools and families. For example, the community could organise teacher training and provide societal settings where students can practice their SEL skills. Finally, these findings implicate the need for the Indonesian government to improve the quantity and quality of initiatives and policies that explicitly target social and emotional health in school environments.