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Students go to school to learn math, science and reading, but it’s also a place where they can practice managing emotions, making thoughtful decisions, resolving conflicts and working with others. One particular instructional method can help teachers build those interpersonal skills into everyday learning.

Social emotional learning (SEL) is an educational framework to teach students how to recognize and manage their emotions, extend empathy and build meaningful relationships. It focuses on interpersonal and emotional skills that students can apply in school, at home and in other settings throughout their lives.

The approach is different from traditional instruction, where teachers focus on academic content and subject-based knowledge. Instead, teachers may weave social emotional learning concepts into planned lessons, daily routines, group work or even classroom conversations. For example, a teacher may use a group discussion to help students consider different perspectives or practice respectful disagreement.

Schools often introduce this framework as early as preschool or kindergarten and may continue teaching it through high school. Instruction can include formal lessons on emotional skill development, such as conflict resolution, or activities incorporated into academic subjects, like reading or math.

This approach to social and emotional skill development isn’t new. It was introduced in the 1990s when researchers, educators and child advocates formed the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). The organization published educational guidelines that helped create the framework for teaching the skills in schools.

CASEL developed an approach to SEL focused on five core competencies. The skills can contribute to how students understand emotions, respond to situations and interact with others.

The five competencies of this framework are:

• Self-awareness: Through self-awareness, students learn to recognize emotions, identify personal strengths and understand how thoughts and feelings may influence their behaviors.
• Self-management: This skill focuses on regulating emotions, managing stress, controlling impulses and staying centered on personal or academic goals.
• Responsible decision-making: When students make responsible decisions, they analyze information, apply critical thinking and consider how their choices may affect themselves and others.
• Social awareness: With a sense of social awareness, students can consider other people’s perspectives and show empathy to others, regardless of background or culture.
• Relationship skills: This competency can help students communicate clearly, listen to others, work cooperatively and resolve conflict effectively to build and maintain positive relationships.

The five competencies can overlap. A student who disagrees with a classmate, for instance, may use self-awareness to identify their emotions, social awareness to consider the classmate’s point of view and responsible decision-making to choose how to respond.

Research has shown that SEL programs and activities in schools can lead to academic improvements, positive behavioral outcomes and stronger social and emotional skill development in children.

of such programs analyzed 40 studies involving more than 33,000 students in first through 12th grades. It found that students who participated in school-based SEL programs had stronger academic performance, better standardized test scores and higher grade point averages than students who did not participate. The same review also found that students in those programs showed measurable improvement in other academic subjects, including reading and math.

Other education research has underscored the benefits of implementing these programs in schools. Social emotional learning activities can lead to significant improvement in interpersonal skill development and positive behaviors while also supporting academic performance, according to published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

At the same time, some gaps may exist in understanding how these programs affect students from marginalized or underrepresented groups. As noted, researchers studied the effects of SEL on a national basis. This approach did not include statistically significant samples to compare outcomes based on gender, race, language, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or disability status, which may or may not differ from the average.

While more research may be needed to understand outcomes among different groups, the existing data suggests that introducing this learning framework in schools may help students develop interpersonal skills at an early age. When students can practice skills like teamwork, empathy, self-control, conflict resolution and problem-solving in the classroom, they may be more likely to carry the skills into their relationships, communities and future careers.

Educators can incorporate this educational approach through lesson plans, dedicated instruction and classroom routines. A social emotional learning curriculum may include structured lessons on different competencies, such as one lesson about managing emotions and another on practicing effective communication.

Teachers can then reinforce the concepts when teaching academic subjects or through interactions with students. For example, teachers can model the positive behaviors they want students to practice, such as listening respectfully and thinking through problems critically. The approach can give students an opportunity to practice the skills, whether they’re participating in class discussions or completing a math assignment.

Schools may also choose to integrate the framework more broadly. A whole-school approach may include not only teachers but also administrators and staff who work to create an inclusive culture centered on social and emotional development. The approach may involve training staff on how to create a welcoming environment, so students feel supported both emotionally and socially. It may also include integrating social and emotional learning into schoolwide programs or initiatives.

CASEL recommends a continuous improvement process for schools to assess students’ progress in developing social and emotional skills. This process can involve:

• Collecting data from students or focus groups
• Asking teachers for reports on students’ progress
• Seeking feedback from caregivers and family members
• Reviewing other data, such as attendance records, to identify trends
• Observing students directly in the classroom

Through such practices, educators can measure the impact of learning activities. Schools or teachers can then use that information to decide how to improve their approach or adjust it to meet students’ specific needs.

For instance, if a teacher recognizes that students struggle with listening during class discussions, they may ask students to summarize the previous speaker’s thoughts before stating their own. That can help students practice active listening and respectful communication.

In the classroom, teachers can use age-appropriate exercises to help students build interpersonal skills, develop self-awareness and practice responsible decision-making. Some activities may focus on the five competencies, while others can become part of the existing curriculum and instruction. Teachers can adjust the exercises based on students’ ages or developmental needs.

Some classroom activities can include:

• Emotional vocabulary: To help students practice recognizing emotions, teachers can use stories or prompts to guide discussions. For example, a kindergarten teacher reading a story to the class may stop to discuss the emotions a character is feeling.
• Breathing and visualization: Before working on a challenging task, such as a tough math problem, teachers can lead students through breathing and visualization exercises. That can help teach children how to manage stress and stay focused when solving problems.
• Perspective discussions: During discussions on historical events or topical issues, teachers can ask questions that encourage students to consider different perspectives. This activity helps them understand how other people may feel or think differently than they do.
• Group problem-solving: A teacher may assign group projects to help students become comfortable collaborating and building relationships. For example, students may complete a science project in small groups, rather than individually.
• Peer mediation: Instead of stepping in when students have a conflict, teachers can designate peer mediators to help guide discussions and work toward solutions. Peer mediation can help students practice listening, communication, empathy and accountability.
• Journaling and reflection: Teachers may ask students to journal about their emotions or challenges. They can also provide prompts to encourage deeper reflection, such as asking students to write about a time when they felt angry, how they responded and what they might do differently next time.

Schools may segment these activities for different groups. For example, a whole class may participate in some activities, such as perspective discussions and group problem-solving. A smaller segment of students who need extra help with certain competencies, such as self-management to regulate their emotions or handle stress, may receive additional instruction or support in those areas.

For teachers and educators, understanding the social emotional learning framework can help them support students’ interpersonal development and overall well-being. If you’re interested in this teaching method and would like to learn more about other instructional approaches, �鶹��ý offers education programs in several levels:

• Bachelor’s degrees in education
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