From Theory to Practice: Effective Social Emotional Learning Tips for More Impactful Teaching
When we think of the skills students need to thrive in school and beyond, academics often come to mind first. However, research has shown that social and emotional skills that help them manage their feelings, build relationships, and navigate challenges are just as important.
That’s where social and emotional learning (SEL) comes in. Focusing on SEL not only helps students feel more connected to their peers and teachers but also creates a positive, supportive classroom community where everyone can succeed.
In this article, we’ll define SEL and explore how you can weave SEL into your daily teaching routines to foster a place where students feel safe, confident, and ready to learn.
What Is Social Emotional Learning?
CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) defines social emotional learning 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.”
There are five competencies of SEL:
- Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding one’s emotions, thoughts, and values.
- Social awareness: Understanding others’ perspectives, showing empathy, and recognizing social norms.
- Responsible decision-making: Making choices based on ethical standards, and safety.
- Self-management: Managing stress, controlling impulses, and working toward personal goals.
- Relationship skills: Building and maintaining healthy relationships through clear communication and collaboration.
Benefits of Social Emotional Learning
A growing body of research shows that SEL has a lasting, positive impact on students’ success.
In a meta-analysis of 213 studies, students who participated in SEL programs experienced significant improvements in their academic performance, averaging 11 percentile points higher than peers who didn’t have SEL instruction.
A follow-up meta-analysis has shown that students who engage in SEL programs continue to experience benefits up to 18 years later, regardless of their race, socioeconomic background, or location. These students are more likely to excel academically, build healthy relationships, and maintain mental well-being.
According to Positive Action, other long-term outcomes include:
- Reduced bullying: SEL programs have been shown to reduce bullying by 51%.
- Reduced absenteeism: SEL reduces absenteeism by instilling a sense of responsibility and lowering the number of “mental health” days students take.
- Decreased suspensions: A 73% reduction in suspensions has been observed in schools with strong SEL programs.
Implementing SEL in the Classroom
Integrating SEL into the classroom doesn’t need to be complicated. Evidence-based programs are a great way to introduce SEL, but even small efforts can have a big impact.
Start with the five competencies of SEL and think about how you might be able to weave these concepts into your routines, discussions, and activities.
7 SEL Teaching Strategies to Engage Students
Here are some practical activities that build essential social emotional skills in students of all ages:
1. Hold Daily Check-Ins
Daily check-ins help students express their emotions in a safe, supportive environment. These can be done through circle time, individual conversations, or anonymously written notes.
Scheduling a regular morning meeting provides a dedicated time for students to reflect and collaborate. This fosters a supportive classroom community where students feel heard and can work together.
2. Build Emotional Vocabulary
Helping students understand and articulate their emotions is key to SEL. Using visuals and hands-on tools makes it easier for students, especially English Language Learners (ELLs), to identify and communicate emotions.
3. Use Brain Breaks
Brain breaks help students reset and return to learning with a refreshed mind. Though they’re often associated with younger students, brain breaks are an effective strategy for students of all ages.
4. Create Classroom Jobs
Assigning classroom jobs teaches students responsibility and self-management. These tasks help students build organizational and self-regulation skills. Plus, it’s a great way to develop a sense of ownership in the classroom.
6. Read SEL Stories
Books are a powerful tool to model social emotional skills and introduce students to new scenarios. For younger students, picture books can open discussions about characters’ emotions and choices. For older students, novels with SEL themes help them explore deeper emotional experiences and challenges.
7. Use Choice Boards
Choice boards are a great way to incorporate independent, responsible decision-making in the classroom.
By weaving these activities into daily routines, educators can help students build emotional intelligence and practice key SEL skills in meaningful, hands-on ways.
SEL for English Language Learners
While the strategies for integrating SEL for ELLs are similar to those for other students, there are unique considerations to keep in mind.
Build Relationships and Understand Student Experiences
One of the most important aspects of teaching ELLs is building strong relationships and learning about their diverse backgrounds. ELL students often come from varied experiences; it’s important to tailor SEL activities to be culturally relevant and sensitive to their unique needs.
Scaffold Instruction
For ELLs, introducing new SEL concepts requires thoughtful scaffolding. Pre-teaching key SEL vocabulary and concepts helps students engage more meaningfully with lessons. Teachers can support understanding by using visuals, hands-on objects, and bilingual resources when available.
Be Culturally Sensitive
It’s helpful to recognize that some SEL concepts, such as self-awareness or self-efficacy, may not easily translate across cultures. In many Latino cultures, for example, collectivism is more prominent than individualism. This means that when teaching self-efficacy, educators might need to focus on “we” statements and collective goals in addition to emphasizing individual achievement.
By implementing these strategies, we can ensure that SEL for ELLs is designed to help them succeed in ways that go beyond academic test scores.
SEL for Everyone
While social-emotional learning is vital for students, it is just as important for the adults who care for them. Without the well-being of educators at the forefront, even the best SEL program can fall short.
Teaching is an incredibly demanding profession, requiring you to juggle diverse student needs, manage behavioral challenges, and meet administrative responsibilities. This constant pressure can take a toll. By prioritizing your own well-being, you can prevent burnout.
Teacher’s Corner
We asked members of TAG, our Teacher Advisors Group, to share how they incorporate SEL into their daily classroom structures. Keep reading to see what they had to say.
How have you seen your students benefit from social-emotional learning activities?
Some ways that students benefit from social-emotional learning activities are having a common vocabulary to talk about their feelings, phrases to say to classmates when encountering a problem, and phrases to say to teachers when asking for help. Social emotional learning activities also build connections and develop relationships among classmates and between students and teachers. -Natalie Lau-Chien
The first step is building relationships with them and helping them build relationships with each other. With this strong foundation and an “I can do anything!” attitude, amazing growth occurs! -Amy Eanes
What are some of your favorite social-emotional learning games?
Some of the games that we play with our students are matching a feeling with a scenario on the smart board, role play, and Jeopardy. Our students especially love Jeopardy! -Benita Afonso
When doing an elementary English Learner unit on emotions, I have played Feelings Bingo with my students using a bingo board that has pictures of different characters in the books we have read. I print out the pictures onto little cards and students take turns picking a card. After students identify the emotion on the card, each player can place a bingo chip onto the corresponding picture on their bingo board. -Natalie Lau-Chien
What are some of your favorite social-emotional books?
Some books that I have used to talk about different emotions and ways to respond to emotions include: Sad Monster, Glad Monster: A Book About Feelings by Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda, Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban, and The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. -Natalie Lau-Chien
Some of our favorites are Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook, The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët, The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig, The Way I Feel by Janan Cain, and Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. -Benita Afonso
How do you focus on social-emotional learning with your ELL students?
Some ways that I focus on SEL with my ELL students is by teaching beginner-level students the words to describe different emotions using visuals and read-aloud. I reinforce lessons from their teachers or guidance counselors about ways to solve problems, ways to make friends, etc. I also make sure that they are included in their morning meetings in their classrooms by ensuring that the teacher provides translation to any questions or prompts. -Natalie Lau-Chien
Targeted questions are asked each week that refer to the SEL video and the students are engaged through these guided questions. For our ENL students, sentence stems are provided. -Benita Afonso
From the perspective of a veteran ESL teacher (over 25 years): SEL is the most important part of my daily classroom time with my elementary ESL students. My goal has always been to create a safe space for my students to learn and practice their English skills and build that necessary confidence for the regular classroom. -Dr. Amy Eanes
Student portfolio books for English learners (ELs) and all students use visual lessons to build content vocabulary and writing skills.
View Product →Thank you to our blog contributors: Benita Afonso, ENL/Building Point Person for grades 1 and 2 in Sleepy Hollow, New York; Dr. Amy Eanes, an elementary ESL teacher in Tennessee; and Natalie Lau-Chien, a K–12 ESL teacher in New Hampshire.