With the rapidly changing landscape of technology and social media—along with a renewed focus on mental health and classroom climate—social and emotional learning (SEL) is in the spotlight for K–12 educators.
So what is social and emotional learning, and why is SEL important for 21st century schools to address?
Dig into CASEL's definition of SEL
SEL stands for "social and emotional learning," which the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines as:
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.
The five social and emotional learning competencies developed by CASEL are crucial to students’ learning and development.
- Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s own emotions and their effect on behavior.
- Self-management: Regulating one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors; managing stress, setting goals, and staying motivated.
- Responsible decision-making: Making constructive decisions in social situations based on ethics, safety, and social norms.
- Relationship skills: Developing positive relationships with diverse groups and individuals; communicating clearly and cooperating with others.
- Social awareness: Empathizing and understanding the views of others, including those of other cultures or backgrounds.
What is SEL in education?
Now that you have a better sense of the meaning of SEL, let's look at its role in education. Learning is social and emotional. A whole-child approach to education moves beyond focusing on academic achievement alone to incorporate life skills—building relationships, controlling emotions, making responsible decisions—that children must develop for long-term success.
Schools are one of the main sources of SEL in children’s lives. To ensure students thrive, they should get opportunities to practice SEL skills throughout the school day, in their academic work, and in personal interactions.
“SEL can’t be addressed only in a 10-minute morning meeting or every Thursday, fourth period,” said Marc Brackett, director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. “It can’t be isolated in occasional assemblies for students or in workshops for teachers. SEL—which includes the principles, tools, and strategies that build self- and social awareness, healthy emotion regulation, and responsible decision making—has to be an everyday thing and part of the school’s DNA. There needs to be a common language among all stakeholders. It has to be integrated into leadership, instruction, faculty meetings, family engagement, hiring procedures, and policies.”
How can SEL help students?
There are many benefits of social emotional learning as it has been shown to improve school safety along with student skills, attitudes, and behaviors. When students learn SEL skills, they are better equipped to resolve conflict, manage emotions, and react to stressful events. Additionally, one 2022 study shows that increased SEL skills leads to improved academic achievement. Teachers, school administrators, and families should work together to support students in social and emotional learning and build an effective SEL program.
Why is SEL important?
In our current educational climate, when long-term academic recovery and emotional regulation concerns are paramount, more leaders and educators are prioritizing SEL than ever before. In a national survey, 83% of principals reported using an SEL curriculum in their schools during the 2023–2024 school year, a significant increase from 46% in the 2017–2018 school year.
Additionally, educators teaching SEL were more likely to report high levels of student interest in learning and positive school climates. “At a time when the nation faces teacher shortages, safety concerns, and attendance crisis, these data suggest that the focus on SEL is making an impact,” said CASEL’s senior director of research and learning Dr. Alexandra Skoog-Hoffman. “Our data reinforces decades of evidence that show SEL can contribute to more positive school climates and increase student interest in learning, while supporting educators themselves.”
How do educators view SEL in schools?
A 2022 EdWeek Research Center survey found that nationwide support among teachers remains strong, with many seeing SEL as essential for improving academic performance.
When asked how they viewed social and emotional learning, teachers responded with the following:
36% One of the many strategies available to me
27% Transformational way to improve public education
24% Promising idea
9% Passing fad
2% Not on my radar screen
1% Threat to public education
When asked about the effect of SEL on students, 83% of educators reported a positive impact on academic outcomes, and 84% reported a positive impact on students’ ability to collaborate, communicate, and think critically and creatively. The evidence is clear that SEL is something that teachers believe in and are actively thinking about, although not all teachers view it as poised to transform public education.
How do teachers incorporate SEL into instruction?
Approaches to SEL instruction vary widely from one district to the next, depending on which curriculum, if any, is used, and how it is implemented. One important commonality is that most educators (86% according to the EdWeek survey) reported an emphasis on social and emotional learning in their instruction.
When asked about their district or school’s specific approach to social and emotional learning, 29% of educators said time is set aside during the school day to explicitly teach social and emotional skills, 33% said social and emotional learning is integrated into academic subjects, and 38% said both of these approaches were used together.
What does research show about implementing social and emotional learning in schools?
The benefits of SEL are well researched. A large volume of research also indicate that well-implemented SEL truly work.
A 2022 review of meta-analyses on universal, school-based SEL programs involving more that one million students in Grades PreK–12 showed that:
- SEL has a positive long-term impact on students’ academic achievement.
- Students participating in SEL at school have higher grades, test scores, attendance, and homework completion.
- SEL interventions addressing the five core competencies increased students’ academic performance by 11 percentile points, compared to students who did not participate.
- Participation in SEL programs is linked to decreased emotional distress, more positive attitudes about self and others, and fewer externalizing behaviors and discipline problems.
A 2023 report by the Learning Policy Institute indicated that students who engage in SEL programs see consistent improvements in social and emotional skills and are more likely to reach milestones including high school graduation; postsecondary enrollment and completion; and stable, full-time employment.
Learn more about SEL in education
Before you implement SEL in your school or district, check out the following SEL training resources:
- CASEL provides school-level and district-level SEL resources such videos, guides, and reports.
- The Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning (EASEL) Laboratory, part of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, provides resources to support social-emotional development and positive school climate.
- Our blog Shaped features blog articles detailing how to create effective SEL professional development training and how to become an SEL teacher or specialist.
Explore our professional development offerings and social-emotional learning curriculum for support in incorporating SEL into your and other great social and emotional learning resources from Shaped. Including SEL activities for elementary, middle, and high school students as well as SEL writing prompts.
References
Bushweller, K. (2022, November 7). How Educators View Social-Emotional Learning, in Charts. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/how-educators-view-social-emotional-learning-in-charts/2022/11
Durlak, J. A., Mahoney, J. L., & Boyle, A. E. (2022, November). What We Know, and What We Need to Find Out About Universal, School-Based Social and Emotional Learning... ResearchGate; American Psychological Association. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366301585_What_we_know_and_what_we_need_to_find_out_about_universal_school-based_social_and_emotional_learning_programs_for_children_and_adolescents_A_review_of_meta-analyses_and_directions_for_future_research
Greenberg, M. (2023, October 2). Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning in Schools. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/evidence-social-emotional-learning-schools-report
Prothero, A. (2022, December 22). What Does SEL Mean Anyway? 7 Experts Break It Down. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-does-sel-mean-anyway-7-experts-break-it-down/2022/12
Skoog-Hoffman, A., Miller, A. A., Plate, R. C., Meyers, D. C., Tucker, A. S., Meyers, G., Melissa Kay Diliberti, Schwartz, H. L., Kuhfeld, M., Jagers, R. J., Steele, L., & Schlund, J. (2024, September 17). Social and Emotional Learning in U.S. Schools: Findings from CASEL’s Nationwide Policy Scan and the American Teacher Panel and American School Leader Panel Surveys. Rand.org; RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1822-2.html
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.
***
Looking for a social and emotional learning curriculum for your school or district? Discover how SEL embedded throughout our core, intervention, and supplemental programs can help your students thrive.
This blog, originally published in 2019, has been updated for 2025.
Get our free SEL guide full of research-backed information.
