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The Case for Social and Emotional Learning:

Powerpoint template*

* don’t forget to explore the notes

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WHAT IS SEL…

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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.

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SEL is…

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BENEFITS

OF SEL…

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An overview slide for those who want only one slide, with research highlights. It combines findings from several studies on one slide. Note that the citations are not on the actual slide, but they are here in case you are asked:

Benefits of SEL

•We know from a large body of research on SEL that high-quality SEL programming leads to improved academic performance, decreases in anxiety and behavior issues, among other benefits.

•We also know from research beyond the traditional SEL field that there are additional insights to be gained that are relevant to SEL.

Meta-analysis source (first 3) Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development: 82 (1), 405-432.

Financial investment (bottom): Belfield, C., Bowden, B., Klapp, A., Levin, H., Shand, R., & Zander, S. (2015). The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning. New York: Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education.

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Science Links SEL to Student Gains: �Landmark study documented multiple benefits of SEL

Science Links SEL to Student Gains:

Social-emotional skills
Improved attitudes about self, others, and school
Positive classroom behavior
11 percentile-point gain on standardized achievement tests

2011 meta-analysis of 213 studies involving school-based, universal SEL programs including over 270,000 students in K-12 revealed:

Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K. (2011) The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development: 82 (1), 405-432.

Reduced Risks for Failure:

Conduct problems
Emotional distress

This is a great slide on the most cited and compelling research on SEL, the 2011 meta-analysis. Findings from this are incorporated into the previous slide, but if you have time to spend on just this, it’s a great slide.

Specifically, you can talk about each of the bullets as their own compelling piece of evidence. Depending on your audience, you may want to emphasize certain points. For example:

Not only did we learn from this meta-analysis that SEL programming leads to improvements in SEL skills, we also see some other important outcomes:

Improved attitudes about self, others, and school (extremely important and cited by educators as one of the main reasons they value SEL, so it’s good to emphasize this if audience is school-based folks).
Positive classroom behavior (this is important, but be careful not to over emphasize this point for fear that people think SEL is primarily a behavior-management solution, which is a common misperception).
11 percentile point gain on academics: This is a significant data point that warrants emphasis. This kind of improvement on academics is frankly what has gotten the attention of so many. This data point can foster the transition from a belief that these are “soft skills,” nice-to-haves, to the idea that these are critically important and to be taken seriously.

And don’t forget about the data points in red:

Reductions in conduct problems is an important finding, but once again, it’s important to be wary of folks who think of SEL as behavior management and are looking to “fix broken kids.” See note above.
Reductions in emotional distress warrants significant emphasis. We’re living in a time when emotional distress, depression, anxiety, and suicide are at an all-time high. Understanding that SEL can have an impact here is important, but with a word of caution: SEL should not be viewed as a solution for mental illness.

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A 2017 research study finds that SEL programs benefit children for months and even years.

different programs reviewed �(38 outside U.S.)

82

97,000+

Students, kindergarten through middle school

6 mo – 18 yrs

after programs completed

SEL Students Benefit in Many Areas

Academic performance
SEL skills
Positive attitudes
Positive social behaviors

Conduct problems
Emotional distress
Drug use

Source: Child Development (July 2017). “Promoting Positive Youth Development Through School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects”

Higher social and emotional competencies among SEL students at the end of the initial intervention was the best predictor of long-term benefits.

Benefits were the same regardless of socioeconomic background, students’ race, or school location.

Impact of SEL:

long-lasting and global

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SEL benefits adults, too�Positive impact on teachers

Source: Jennings, P.A. & Greenberg, M.T. (2009) The Prosocial Classroom: Teacher Social and Emotional Competence in Relation to Student and Classroom Outcomes. American Educational Research Association.

Teachers with high levels of social competence are better able to protect themselves from burnout by:

Developing and managing nurturing relationships with their students
Serving as behavioral role models for children
Regulating their own emotions

Teachers who possess social and emotional competencies are more likely to stay in the classroom longer.

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Benefits of SEL:�Linked to young adult outcomes

Source: Damon E. Jones, Mark Greenberg, and Max Crowley. Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness. American Journal of Public Health: November 2015, Vol. 105, No. 11, pp. 2283-2290.

Statistically significant associations exist between measured social-emotional skills in kindergarten and young adult outcomes across multiple domains:

Kindergartners who were stronger in SEL competence were more likely to:

graduate from high school
complete a college degree
obtain stable employment in young adulthood

And less likely to be:

x living in public housing

x receiving public assistance

x involved with police

x in a detention facility

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Benefits of SEL:�Strong return on investment

Source: Belfield, C., Bowden, B., Klapp, A., Levin, H., Shand, R., & Zander, S. (2015). The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning. New York: Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education.

Wise financial investment according to cost-benefit research. The average return on investment for six evidence-based programs is:

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meaning for every dollar invested there is an $11 return, savings from costs not incurred for intervention

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Benefits of SEL:�Compelling local evidence

[School/district name] has seen improvements in:

Data point 1
Data point 2
Data point 3

… and declines in:

Data point 1
Data point 2
Data point 3

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Practical Benefits of an SEL Program:�Based on the 2011 meta-analysis

Adding an SEL program is likely to be a wise choice compared to students receiving current school services.

For example:

27% more students would improve their academic performance at the end of the program
57% more would gain in their skills levels
24% more would have improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress
23% more would have improved attitudes
22% more would show fewer conduct problems

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CASEL’s SEL

Framework:

What are the Core Competence Areas and Where are they Promoted?

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Five broad and interrelated areas of competence:

Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship skills
Responsible decision-making

�

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

The

CASEL 5...

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The abilities to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one’s strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.

Such as:

Integrating personal and social identities
Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets
Identifying one’s emotions
Demonstrating honesty and integrity
Linking feelings, values, and thoughts
Examining prejudices and biases
Experiencing self-efficacy
Having a growth mindset
Developing interests and a sense of purpose

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

SELF-AWARENESS

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The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.

Such as:

Managing one’s emotions
Identifying and using stress-management strategies
Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation
Setting personal and collective goals
Using planning and organizational skills
Showing the courage to take initiative
Demonstrating personal and collective agency

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

SELF-MANAGEMENT

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The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Such as:

Taking others’ perspectives
Recognizing strengths in others
Demonstrating empathy and compassion
Showing concern for the feelings of others
Understanding and expressing gratitude
Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones
Recognizing situational demands and opportunities
Understanding the influences of organizations and systems on behavior

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

SOCIAL AWARENESS

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The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.

Such as:

Communicating effectively
Developing positive relationships
Demonstrating cultural competency
Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving
Resolving conflicts constructively
Resisting negative social pressure
Showing leadership in groups
Seeking or offering support and help when needed
Standing up for the rights of others

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

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The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.

Such as:

Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
Learning how to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, and facts
Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions
Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school
Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being
Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING

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Our framework takes a systemic approach that emphasizes the

importance of establishing equitable learning environments and coordinating practices across key settings of classrooms, schools, families, and communities to enhance all students’ social, emotional, and academic learning.

@caselorg | #WhatisSEL

The Key Settings...

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Rings/settings

These competencies are not developed inside a vacuum but our learning and development is shaped by our interactions, relationships, and environments.
This is why CASEL’s framework also emphasizes the role of settings and authentic school-family-community partnerships that coordinate practices across learning environments.
While the core competencies have received more focus, we really want to make sure people are using the whole framework and are trying to elevate the importance of these rings, which represent the settings where students live and learn.
First, it’s important to understand that these settings are part of broader context of systems with inherent inequities based on race and other factors. SEL offers a way for adults and students to acknowledge and respond to these inequities.

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Indicators of Schoolwide SEL...

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CASEL’s Theory of Action

for Effective Implementation

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Our SEL Framework is guided by a Theory of Action across the school, district, and state to comprehensively

support quality SEL implementation.

It reflects years of field testing.

Our Theory of Action for Effective Implementation

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As demand for SEL has grown, importance of understanding the “how”
We’ve learned from CDI, CSI about the conditions that need to exist to support quality SEL implementation that’s informed our TOA
Outline four focus areas briefly,

Build foundational support and plan by establishing a collective vision and plan for SEL, and ensuring aligned resources and ongoing commitment.
Strengthen adult SEL competencies and capacity by cultivating a trusting community that enhances adults’ professional, social, emotional, and cultural competencies and their capacity to promote SEL for students.
Promote SEL for students by developing a coordinated approach across classrooms, schools, homes, and communities that ensures consistent, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate opportunities for all students to enhance and apply social and emotional competencies to daily tasks and challenges.
Reflect on data for continuous improvement by establishing an ongoing process to collect and use implementation and outcome data to inform decisions and drive improvements

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GROWING DEMAND FOR SEL

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Employers�value SEL

Of surveyed executives say skills such as problem-solving and communicating clearly are equally or more important than technical skills.

National Bureau of Economic Research, 2015

The Top 10 skills identified by the World Economic Forum all involve social and emotional competence.

And research shows that social and emotional skills and attitudes also contribute to the other skills such as critical thinking.

Source: Future of Jobs Report, World Economic Forum

Complex problem solving
Critical thinking
Creativity
People management
Coordinating with others

Emotional intelligence
Judgment and decision-making
Service orientation
Negotiation
Cognitive flexibility

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Employers�value SEL

7 top characteristics of success at the company are all SEL-related skills, such as communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others; and having empathy.

Priorities: Conflict resolution, leadership, and civic engagement

Wanted: Employees Who Can Shake Hands, Make Small Talk

Bank of America teaches empathy in-house; Subaru pays for soft-skills training (Dec. 10, 2018)

Of surveyed executives say they’d rather colleges build up students’ life skills.

High Point University survey, 2018

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Administrators, Parents, and Teachers�value SEL

The overwhelming majority of administrators (96%), teachers (93%) and parents (81%) believe that social and emotional learning is just as important as academic learning.

Teaching SEL skills in the classroom is most important for improving:

Negative student behaviors such

as bullying

– according to teachers

and administrators

Source: 2018 Social and Emotional Learning report, 2018

School safety

– according to parents

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Principals�value SEL

believe students from all types of background would benefit from SEL

Source: Ready to Lead, 2017

Social and emotional skills are teachable in a school setting.

I am very/fairly committed to developing students’ social and emotional skills in my school.

99%

Definitely teachable 74%

Probably teachable 25%

Very committed 69%

Fairly committed 26%

95%

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Parents�value SEL

say “being happy/not overly stressed”

is more important than academics.

Source: Learning Heroes, 2017

3 out 5 parents

*The research says this is a false choice: social and emotional well-being contributes to academic success, among other benefits.

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Teachers�value SEL

Teachers cite positive effects on:

want a greater focus on SEL in schools

Source: The Missing Piece, 2013

Workforce readiness

Life success

Attendance/graduation

College preparation

Academic success

87%

80%

78%

75%

In 2013, we learned that:

More recently:

Source: 2018 Social and Emotional Learning report, 2018

Report that they are devoting more time to teaching SEL skills today compared to five years ago.

74%

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Students�value SEL

Recent high school graduates see significant deficits in high schools preparing for life after school.

Source: Respected: Perspectives of Youth on High School & Social and Emotional Learning (2018)

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Join us to showcase, promote, advocate for and support SEL�SEL Day in March 11, 2022

Write an article, letter to the editor or blog post
Create a short video
Engage local or national news
Host a town hall event

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Contact local and state policymakers
Request a proclamation for SEL Day
Donate to an SEL organization
Launch a social media campaign
And more—get creative!

SIGN UP TODAY

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