What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) – sometimes called socio-emotional learning or social-emotional literacy - is a process that begins at birth and evolves throughout our lifetime. The National Education Association (NEA) defines SEL as “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, establish and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. “

We are not born with this knowledge or these attitudes and skills but begin developing them as babies. Early examples of SEL include a two-month-old baby learning to cry to get their needs met, a nine-month-old baby developing stranger anxiety, or a toddler becoming more defiant as they try to assert their independence. 

Some people are naturally more capable of developing and cultivating these skills than others, and everyone develops them at their own pace. However, everyone can benefit from SEL.

Benefits of SEL

A large body of research confirms the benefits of SEL, and many schools now understand how crucial SEL is to a student’s success - socially, emotionally, and academically. They also recognize that SEL helps create safer schools because many unsafe behaviors - drug use, violence, and bullying - can be reduced with SEL.

“SEL programming is based on the understanding that the best learning emerges in the context of supportive relationships that make learning challenging, engaging, and meaningful,” the NEA states. “Social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and worker.”

According to the 2008 Meta-Analysis of SEL Programs, SEL achieved the following:

·      9% decrease in conduct problems, such as classroom misbehavior and aggression

·      10% decrease in emotional distress, such as anxiety and depression

·      9% improvement in attitudes about self, others, and school

·      23% improvement in social and emotional skills

·      9% improvement in school and classroom behavior

·      11 % improvement in achievement test scores

As beneficial as SEL is during our formative years, it can also benefit us as adults. Individuals with good social and emotional skills are better equipped to handle life’s daily challenges. SEL can be applied in the workplace to improve employee performance, develop leadership skills, and decrease employee turnover.

Bottomline: Anyone who wants to make positive life changes can benefit from SEL.

5 Key Competencies of SEL

There are five key competencies in SEL:

1.   Self-Awareness is the ability to understand your own values, thoughts, needs, and emotions and recognize how they affect your behavior. It’s recognizing your own strengths and limitations while maintaining healthy self-confidence and developing a growth mindset. 
 

2.   Self-Management is the ability to manage thoughts, emotions, and behavior. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, setting goals, being motivated, and delaying gratification. 
 

3.   Relationship Building is the ability to maintain healthy relationships and includes skills such as good communication, cooperation, active listening, problem-solving, conflict resolution, etc. 
 

4.   Responsible Decision Making is the ability to make good choices about your behavior and social interactions, including the ability to evaluate the benefits and consequences of different actions. 
 

5.   Social Awareness is the ability to understand and empathize with others from different backgrounds and in different settings. It’s the ability to see things through other people’s eyes and value their differences.

These essential social and emotional competencies allow you to set goals, work well with others, resolve conflict, cope with feelings, and develop healthy self-esteem.

Want to Learn More About SEL?

Solution Focused Counseling offers SEL to help individuals, school districts, and businesses develop leadership and self-care plans to become more successful individuals, students, and employees. If you want to learn more about SEL, contact us at 610-772-8851, find us online, or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.