Integrating SEL and academics
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is defined as
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 (CASEL, 2023 p 1).
(CASEL, 2023 p 1)
A meta-analysis study, which analyzed over 484 previous studies of SEL, found that students participating in SEL programs do better socially, behaviorally, and academically. Additionally, students demonstrated improved attendance and reported increased perceptions of safety and inclusion in schools (Cipriano, 2023). However, with the multitude of responsibilities educators are tasked with, it is often challenging to teach students skills such as collaboration, perseverance, and effective communication directly. Nevertheless, these are essential skills for successfully completing academic tasks in and out of the classroom. Through the academic integration of SEL, it is possible to teach students the academic standards and the skills that will further support their academic growth.
Academic integration, or the integration of social-emotional learning and academics, improves all outcomes. It begins with the development of positive teacher-student relationships. Fostering these relationships includes using students’ names, greeting students at the doorway, affirming students’ efforts, and meeting students’ needs. The next foundational step toward academic integration is teaching expectations and routines explicitly. Followed then by fostering classroom communities using community-building circles and modeling a warm, inclusive environment. Once this foundation has been established, it is possible to teach routines and procedures for specific instructional activities that promote collaboration, social interaction, and effective communication skills. Including opportunities for student voice and choice in their learning can also promote these skills.
Additional considerations for the academic integration of SEL can be found in these resources:
- How to Embed SEL Into Your Instruction
- The Social-Emotional Learning Playbook: A Guide to Student and Teacher Well-Being First Edition
- Three Keys to Infusing SEL Into What You Already Teach
- Virginia Department of Education’s Fundamentals of Social Emotional Learning Videos
References
CASEL. (2023, October 9). Fundamentals of SEL. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/
Cipriano, C., Strambler, M. J., Naples, L., Ha, C., Kirk, M. A., Wood, M. E., Sehgal, K., Zieher, A. K., Eveleigh, A., McCarthy, M. F., Funaro, M. C., Ponnock, A., Chow, J., & Durlak, J. (2023). Stage 2 report: The state of the evidence for social and emotional learning: A contemporary meta-analysis of Universal School-based SEL interventions. Child Development, 94(2), 1181–1204. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/mk35u
For more information, contact Whitney Jones ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
Categories Behavior, Inclusive Practices