What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

According to Poortvliet et al. (n.d), Social and Emotional Learning refers to the process through which children learn to understand, manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and retain positive relations, and make wise decisions. There is a range of other terms that schools use that overlap with SEL (though have different emphases), including:

• Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing

• Character education

• Development of children’s resilience

• Bullying prevention

• Life skills