Social and emotional learning (SEL)

Social and emotional learning, also known as social-emotional learning or simply SEL, describes both a type of educational program in a school setting and a developmental process that begins in childhood and progresses through adolescence and adulthood. The purpose of SEL is to develop emotional awareness and skills to manage emotions and behaviors and express them appropriately; communicate effectively with others; develop positive relationships; feel and express empathy and compassion for others; and make good decisions based on values, impact, and concern for the long-term well-being of one's self and others. When children can learn and develop these key life skills throughout their education, research shows that they tend to achieve more academically, experience more positive emotions and related positive behavior, become more engaged citizens, and make healthier choices in life than those who do not.

Background

SEL is a relatively new concept in the fields of education and social psychology. Research into SEL began in the 1990s, primarily as a method of tackling a specific problem in a school, such as violence, drug abuse, or unwanted teen pregnancy, and reducing the dropout rate. When schools began implementing SEL programs to target these specific issues, researchers and educators often noted improved academic performance and well-being among the students who participated in the programs (though not all the programs were successful).

Researchers determined that the most successful SEL programs were ones that existed for every school year and grew along with the students with lessons and practices appropriate to their level of development. The concept of SEL is rooted in the idea that, for a child in school, learning is a social process as much as it is an academic one. With this concept in mind, SEL programs attempt to make the classroom and school itself a positive environment that is conducive to learning. Through the programs, students increase their level of emotional intelligence by focusing on specific key skills in self-control and relationship building, such as self-awareness, empathy, and cooperation, among others. Beyond developing emotional skills, studies have shown that SEL enhances academic learning ability. When students are less distracted by negative emotions or challenging relationships, they are able to focus greater energy and attention on lessons in the classroom, absorb and understand what they are hearing, and enjoy what they are working on. Neuroscience research has confirmed this theory, and many schools now implement SEL programs for students of all ages.

Overview

Researchers argue that SEL will only continue to grow in importance as schools become increasingly diverse, serving students from different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. According to psychology professor Roger Weissberg in the article "Why Social and Emotional Learning Is Essential for Students," SEL improves academic achievement by an average of 11 percentile points, measured through grades and test scores, and fosters pro-social behaviors. A nonprofit organization, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), leads the way in conducting ongoing research into SEL programming and advocates for schools to implement SEL programming into their complete curriculum, from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Often visually represented as a wheel, the SEL curriculum includes five key skills. These are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Each skill includes many other emotional skills. When a person is self-aware, for example, he or she understands his or her emotions, values, strengths and weaknesses and has a belief in his or her own abilities. Self-management skills are related to self-control, specifically with regard to regulating behavior and controlling impulses that may be destructive. Self-management is a key skill in developing perseverance. Social awareness is related to perception of other people—particularly the ability to develop empathy and compassion and to show respect for those who are different. Relationship skills are related to behavior with others, such as communicating effectively, listening, cooperating, resolving conflict, and even asking for help. Finally, responsible decision-making entails the ability to make positive choices about one's own actions both independently and in social settings—taking into account factors such as the health or safety of one's self and others, ethics, and the consequences of a behavior.

When implementing SEL programs in schools, researchers argue that the programs should incorporate four particular elements, which can be identified by the acronym SAFE: sequenced, active, focused, and explicit. The acronym means that in an SEL program, the activities should be coordinated and participatory and should build on one another to promote the development of specific emotional skills.

A key component of most SEL programs is a series of lessons designed specifically to help students identify and name emotions and consider how other people might be feeling similarly or differently in the same situation. The structure of these lessons necessarily becomes more complex as students age. Another common lesson is for students to identify a goal, develop a plan, track their progress and motivation, and receive instruction in learning new techniques for persevering despite challenges and breaking a goal into manageable tasks. Lessons in conflict resolution, conversational and listening skills, and problem-solving are also presented at every stage of a child and adolescent development.

However, SEL does not exist only as a form of discrete lessons. Educators and school administrators also have the power to foster a positive environment that promotes SEL by clearly voicing expectations and classroom rules that establish social norms that are guided by positivity and respect and by promoting positive relationships among students and teachers by establishing structures that allow for a predictable daily routine and conflict resolution when necessary. Some schools choose to incorporate elements of SEL into their standard curriculum. For example, they may include a history lesson that explores racism and prejudice while encouraging students to increase their own self-awareness and acceptance of diversity.

Studies have demonstrated several benefits for students who participate in SEL programs throughout their school years. These include improved grades and attendance; a reduction in problems and risky behaviors; and a more positive attitude, which is related to more positive social interactions, connections to others, and commitment to schoolwork and school activities. Over the long term, these key social and emotional skills have been shown to increase the rate of high school graduation and lead to success in college or graduate school and family relationships. They even have been shown to reduce criminal behavior and increase involvement in the community.

Bibliography

Dusenbury, Linda, et al. "What Does Evidence-Based Instruction in Social and Environmental Learning Actually Look Like in Practice?" Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Oct. 2015, youtheconomicopportunities.org/sites/default/files/uploads/resource/CASEL%2BBrief--What%2BDoes%2BSEL%2BLook%2BLike%2Bin%2BPractice--11-1-15.pd‗.pdf. Accessed 7 Feb. 2018.

Elias, Maurice J., and Harriett Arnold, editors. The Educator's Guide to Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement: Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom. Corwin Press, 2006.

"Social and Emotional Learning." American Institutes for Research, www.air.org/topic/social-and-emotional-learning. Accessed 7 Feb. 2018.

"Social-Emotional Learning." Task Force on Student Achievement, New Jersey School Boards Association, 21 Mar. 2017, www.njsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Chapter-9-Social-Emotional-Learning.pdf. Accessed 7 Feb. 2018.

Weissberg, Roger, et al. "Social and Emotional Learning: Past, Present, and Future." Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning, Research and Practice, edited by J. A. Durlak et al., Guilford Press, 2015, pp. 3–19.

Weissberg, Roger. "Why Social and Emotional Learning Is Essential for Students." Edutopia, 15 Feb. 2016, www.edutopia.org/blog/why-sel-essential-for-students-weissberg-durlak-domitrovich-gullotta. Accessed 7 Feb. 2018.

"What Is Social-Emotional Learning?" Committee for Children, www.cfchildren.org/mission-vision/what-is-sel/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2018.

Zins, Joseph E., et al., editors. Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What Does the Research Say? Teachers College Press, 2004.