Social-Emotional Learning curriculum. Select, briefly summarize, and critique ONE Social-Emotional Learning curriculum, instructional material, OR intervention.
According to a 2020 update from CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning), the definition of SEL is as follows:
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities. |
Social-emotional learning (SEL) describes the mindsets, skills, attitudes, and feelings that help students succeed in school, career, and life. At its core, SEL focuses on students’ fundamental needs for motivation, social connectedness, and self-regulation as prerequisites for learning. Educators may also refer to SEL as “non-cognitive skills,” “interpersonal skills,” “soft skills,” “21st century skills,” “character strengths,” and “whole child development.”
Social-emotional learning is an important part of a well-rounded education, and research shows that it is linked to academic success:
The research is also promising when it comes to SEL curricula and programs:
Social-Emotional Learning: From Assessment to Action
Effective SEL programs support the development of core competencies, including but not limited to: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making. Some are more focused on developing explicit SEL skills—such as emotion regulation—while others are designed to develop certain mindsets or character traits.
When paired with a valid and reliable assessment to measure students’ social-emotional learning skills, SEL curricula can help districts understand and respond to student needs while measuring the impact of investments. Using data-driven insights to implement (and continuously improve) SEL curriculum is correlated to increases in perceptions of school climate, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy in students.