Five years ago, the coronavirus pandemic saw an education system rattled and rearranged as a result of mandated public shutdowns and quarantine protocols. Today, parents, educators, and policymakers are voicing concerns about students’ mental health and social skills following an extended period of technology-mediated interaction. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs have risen in popularity to address these concerns.
What is Social Emotional Learning?
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a term for the way students acquire social and emotional skills, or the skills required for productive socialization, strong social self-efficacy, and the development of a positive self-image in students. Skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making are necessary for students to build strong friendships, communicate effectively, and regulate their emotions in and outside the classroom. These skills not only help students manage their social lives, but they also aid in academic performance.
Why do SEL Programs Matter?
Social and emotional learning has often been thought to develop naturally over the course of a student’s life, but with growing concerns about a lack of SEL development in students, there is a renewed push to incorporate SEL programs into schools.
SEL skills include things like managing difficult emotions, making responsible decisions, handling stress, setting goals, and building healthy relationships. When children do not master SEL skills, they may struggle with behavioral problems that increase the difficulty of school. For that reason, many programs that teach SEL skills have now been adopted in schools, from prekindergarten through high school.
What Skills do SEL Programs Teach?
- Self-awareness: The ability to identify and recognize one’s own emotions and understand how they impact behavior.
- Social awareness: Having empathy, respect for others, and the ability to take on different perspectives.
- Responsible decision-making: The ability to make ethical and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions.
- Self-management: Being able to manage one’s emotions and impulses, manage stress, and set personal goals.
- Relationship skills: Having the capacity to establish and maintain healthy, supportive relationships.
Benefits of SEL Programs
Social and emotional learning programs set students up for success by allowing them to gain skills needed to be successful in school and life. Students learn to set goals, self-manage their workload, make decisions, solve problems, and manage conflict in productive ways.
These students often adopt more positive attitudes toward themselves, others, and school. They are more likely to have higher self-esteem, more trust in teachers and peers, and to be more oriented toward helping others, social justice, and anti-violence. Likewise, SEL programming can decrease conduct problems like classroom disruptions, bullying, fighting, and school suspensions. Rates of anxiety and depression are rising among children and adolescents. SEL programs can help equip students with tools to manage stress, build resilience, and seek help when needed.
SEL programs can help students with mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, leading to improved mental health outcomes. Finally, studies have consistently demonstrated that SEL programs can lead to improved academic performance. Students who participated in an SEL program scored thirteen points higher than their peers three and a half years later and had six percent higher graduation rates.
Beyond Academics
SEL programs go beyond academics by addressing students’ social and emotional well-being. SEL skills are essential for success in all aspects of life, not just academics. By learning self-awareness, empathy, and healthy coping mechanisms, students are better prepared for challenges they’ll face throughout their lives.
“We’re not just reducing problem behaviors or improving attitudes; we’re shaping a healthier, more positive, more fulfilling kind of life course,” said Tim Shriver, CASEL chair and cochair of the Aspen Institute’s National Commission on Academic, Social, and Emotional Development. “This is marking a shift from SEL as a program to SEL as critical to education.”
Publishing Solutions Group
Publishing Solutions Group is dedicated to keeping up with changing trends and research surrounding PreK-16 and adult education. Our content development is driven not only by the needs of our clients but also by the current issues that affect our students, teachers, and schools.
At Publishing Solutions Group, our mission is to be more than a content provider; we are a strategic partner in education. Our commitment to keeping pace with the evolving educational landscape is the cornerstone of everything we create. This means our content is not just accurate—it’s relevant, impactful, and designed for the real-world classroom and learner.
In essence, Publishing Solutions Group builds bridges. We bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical classroom application. We connect the specific goals of our clients with the broader needs of the educational community. And ultimately, we help build a bridge to success for every learner.
