School Social Work

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is 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.

Social and emotional skills play a role in determining how well-equipped children will be to meet the demands of the classroom and if they are able to engage fully in learning and benefit from instruction. Social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student. students’ ability to learn well depends not just on instruction, but also on factors such as the school climate, a sense of belonging with peers, positive relationships with educators, and the feedback they receive.

Research shows that SEL can have a positive impact on school climate and promote a host of academic, social, and emotional benefits for students. Durlak, Weissberg et al.’s recent meta-analysis of 213 rigorous studies of SEL in schools indicates that students receiving quality SEL instruction demonstrated:

„ better academic performance: achievement scores an average of 11 percentile points higher than students who did not receive SEL instruction;

„ improved attitudes and behaviors: greater motivation to learn, deeper commitment to school, increased time devoted to schoolwork, and better classroom behavior;

„ fewer negative behaviors: decreased disruptive class behavior, noncompliance, aggression, delinquent acts, and disciplinary referrals; and

„ reduced emotional distress: fewer reports of student depression, anxiety, stress, and social withdrawal.

SEL is critical to developing competencies besides academic content knowledge that are necessary to succeed in college and in careers.

(Information taken from NEA Backgrounder Newsletter)