Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is more important now than ever before as educators need tools to navigate student well-being in remote or hybrid classrooms. Learn how to look for student SEL needs, and how to provide support as a special education professional in this three-part SEL series.
SEL has become a buzzword in our current education landscape, but what is it really? A leader in the SEL space, The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), defines SEL as “…the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” While this is not the only definition, it is used by many to help provide a framework for SEL education.
Accordingly, CASEL developed five widely-used competencies for understanding and teaching SEL:
These competencies can provide areas for teachers to focus on when determining student SEL needs and planning instruction.
In short, yes. Multiple studies have shown that SEL is effective at improving student social and emotional skills, leading to both short- and long-term improvements in behavior and academics. This article from Phi Delta Kappan, sums up four of the major meta-analyses that have been done on hundreds of SEL studies. The meta-analyses showed that studies were multi-cultural and international, included rigorous scientific research, and results were replicated. Results showed, among other things, that students who received SEL support saw increased positive social behavior, a decrease in conduct problems, and an increase in academic performance across studies.
In the past, many SEL skills have been thought of as “soft skills” or things to fit in when educators needed filler activities. Now, many educators have come to see SEL as a necessary part of instruction that should be incorporated throughout the school day. Students need SEL skills to be successful not only at school, but also in their relationships and future careers. Here is an informative video from Edutopia that discusses how SEL should be a part of all we do in the classroom instead of a filler activity.
The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but it has been especially difficult for students with disabilities. Their schedules have been changed, their school safe places may be inaccessible, and remote or hybrid learning could be very challenging for them, adding multiple new stressors. Students who struggle with social skills may be more impacted than others, as they are not getting peer-to-peer interaction like they would in the traditional school setting. Many students have also experienced trauma related to the pandemic, including but not limited to the death of a family member, food or housing instability, or domestic violence and may need additional supports. Students need tools and supports for managing their changing world now, not just when we return to in-person teaching.
I get it—it can be so hard to feel you are including everything you need to do on a daily basis for students, from teaching the standards to taking behavior data to communicating with families, especially if you are also still transitioning your teaching to remote learning or a hybrid model. While it may take some initial planning to implement SEL tools or activities, in my experience the outcomes can be significant. The more you focus on implementing SEL in your classroom, the easier it becomes to integrate SEL into your daily activities. Many SEL activities that are done in person are also easily translated to remote learning.
While more districts and schools are committing to utilizing SEL programs or frameworks on a macro level, it is still important to self-reflect on your own classroom and students in order to discern individual and small group SEL needs and implement strategies. Helpful places to look for your student SEL needs are discussed below.
What mental health red flags should you watch for?
While we are working remotely on SEL skills, it is important to be aware of mental health red flags from our students. The pandemic could heighten feelings of loneliness, confusion, or lack of safety in home environments. COVID-19 has been stressful for most people, and could put students who have mental health histories such as depression, anxiety, or past suicidal behaviors at high risk. If a student appears to be exhibiting behaviors such as the ones below, follow your school or district protocol (for example, if you have a student risk assessment or team), communicate with the appropriate family or guardians, and report issues to child or adult services if necessary. While SEL tools can help with these signs and symptoms, these can be more serious and may require more advanced interventions. The red flags shared below are compiled from Mentalhealth.gov and the National Association of School Psychologists.
Students may exhibit:
Look for Part II in this SEL series to learn about helpful tools and resources to address SEL needs in our in-person, remote, and hybrid special education classrooms.