Literature shows how Outdoor Education represents a learning based on direct experience, that improves both physical skills, such as the body perception, and physical awareness. Furthermore it reduces emotional distress, promotes empathy, contributing to socialization and promoting respect for the surrounding environment.

Research highlights how outdoor learning places can promote inclusive teaching, through the design and organization of learning environments, that allow the student to participate in an active and autonomous way.

The present research analyzes the relationship between the level of students' socio-emotional adaptation and the teaching styles and strategies in two primary school classes, comparing a class that implements the outdoor education method with a class that carries out traditional teaching activities.

The experimental group consists of 51 students aged between 7 and 9 years (M = 8.55, SD = .58), of which 67.3% are male and 32.7% are female. The experimental group consists of 50 students aged between 7 and 10 years (M = 8.44, SD = .99), of which 58% are male and 42% are female.

The participant group fills out the following instruments: ECAD-EP (Assessment teaching scale for primary school teachers) in order to investigate teaching styles and strategies and BFQ – C (Big Five Questionnaire for Children) to analyze the socio-emotional adjustment in the student group.

Preliminary analyses conducted on the control group show a correlation between the following dimensions: friendliness and emotional intelligence, energy and conscientiousness. Differently, in the experimental group there are correlations respectively between: energy and open-mindedness, friendliness and open-mindedness, conscientiousness and open-mindedness. The t test for independent groups shows a higher level of emotional intelligence and conscientiousness in the experimental group.

Results of the research confirm that outdoor education represents an opportunity to improve emotional adaptation, to support learning and to broaden the curriculum, with the help of processes characterized by socializing, active and experiential methods, in contexts that promote knowledge of the territory and that make the student responsible for carrying out activities in contact with nature.

Keywords: Outdoor education, socio-emotional adaptation, teaching strategies.