Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL is an essential component of a well-rounded education and has been shown to improve academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being.

The five core competencies of SEL include self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. 

• Self-awareness involves understanding one’s own emotions, values, and beliefs, and being able to accurately assess abilities and limitations.
• Self-regulation involves managing one’s own emotions and behaviors in a way that is consistent with one’s values and goals.
• Social awareness involves understanding the perspectives of others and the social and cultural norms that shape their behavior.
• Relationship skills involve the ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with others, including the ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and cooperate with others.
• Responsible decision-making involves making decisions that are consistent with one’s values, goals, and the well-being of others.

SEL can be taught in a variety of ways, including through classroom instruction, small group activities, and individual counseling. Classroom instruction in SEL typically involves teaching specific skills and strategies, such as how to recognize and manage emotions, set and achieve goals, and communicate effectively with others.

While SEL isn’t a designated subject like history or math, it can be woven into the fabric of a school’s curriculum. When educators make academic lessons more personal and relatable to students, students may be more inclined to participate and may be less likely to mentally check out during their subjects. By fostering a sense of empathy, self-awareness, and feelings of safety and inclusiveness in the classroom, SEL can have a positive impact that lasts a lifetime.

There are several different approaches to SEL. Some teachers have a more formally designated portion of the school day devoted to SEL — sometimes taught in homeroom. These lessons become a recurring theme throughout the rest of the school day to help make the core competencies of SEL more real to students.

Teachers may want to have students journal or write about their thoughts and feelings on a particular SEL lesson, or even have younger students partner with an older “buddy classroom” (or vice versa) to help students across different age levels bond or find common ground.

SEL has been shown to have a wide range of benefits, including improved academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. Studies have found that students who receive SEL instruction have better academic outcomes, including higher test scores, better grades, and improved attendance. SEL has also been shown to improve mental health outcomes, including reduced anxiety and depression, improved self-esteem, and greater resilience in the face of stress. Furthermore, SEL can help to promote pro-social behavior and reduce problem behaviors, such as aggression and violence, which can lead to improved school climate. Read more about the benefits of SEL here. 

While SEL has gained widespread recognition as an important part of education, it is not without its challenges. One issue with SEL is that it can be difficult to measure the effectiveness of the programs, as outcomes may be subjective and difficult to quantify. Additionally, implementing SEL programs can require significant resources and training for educators, which can be a barrier to adoption according to an article written by Max Eden, funding expenses for SEL reached $765 million in April 2021 (a 45% increase from November 2019). There may also be challenges in addressing cultural and individual differences in social and emotional development, as each student may have unique needs and experiences. 

In conclusion, Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a process through which children and adults develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL can be taught in a variety of ways, including through classroom instruction, small group activities, and individual counseling. SEL has been shown to have a wide range of benefits, including improved academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being. Therefore, SEL should be an essential component of a well-rounded education.

Video on the impact of SEL: https://youtu.be/YMDp8FHvZt0

Quiz Questions:

1) How can a teacher effectively integrate SEL into their existing curriculum?

• A. By creating separate SEL lesson plans
• B. By incorporating SEL skills and concepts into existing subjects
• C. By assigning SEL homework in addition to regular homework
• D. By only teaching SEL during designated SEL class time

2) Select all that apply: Which of these are positive outcomes commonly experienced by students who have received SEL instruction?

1. A. Reduced anxiety
2. B. Better grades
3. C. Increased depression
4. D. Poorer class attendance
5. E. Aggression
6. F. Greater resilience when faced with stress
7. G. Improved pro-social behavior

3) Match the following SEL competencies with their corresponding definitions:

1. Self-awareness

2. Self-regulation

3. Social awareness

4. Relationship skills

5. Responsible decision making

1. The ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with others
2. The ability to manage one's own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations
3. The ability to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior
4. The ability to make responsible and ethical decisions
5. The ability to understand the perspectives and emotions of others and to empathize with them

1-C, 2-B, 3-E, 4-A, 5-D

Further Reading:

•  https://www.nu.edu/blog/social-emotional-learning-sel-why-it-matters-for-educators/
• https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/
•  https://kappanonline.org/social-emotional-learning-outcome-research-mahoney-durlak-weissberg/
• https://www.aei.org/op-eds/the-idea-of-social-emotional-learning-makes-sense-but-its-execution-doesnt/