The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning UIC

Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success: SEL 101

Roger P. WeissbergCASEL

University of Illinois at Chicago

The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment

May 2, 2008

Objectives

What is social and emotional learning (SEL)?

Why SEL?

What are the latest research advances?

What are the latest practice advances?

Reflection Question:

What qualities or characteristics do we want young people to possess by the time they graduate from high school?

Essential Questions Each Community Must Answer

1. What do we want our children to know and be able to do when they graduate?

2. How can the entire community be organized to ensure that all students reach the stated goals?

Risky Youth Behaviors and Attitudes: Prevalence

Issues:Physical fight at school (12 months): 14%

Carried a weapon (30 days): 19%

Bullied at school (past 6 months): 28%

5 or more drinks in a couple of hours (30 days): 26%

Seriously considered attempting suicide: 17%

Sexual intercourse with > 3 people: 14%

Chronically disengaged from school: 40-60%

Law-related Education

Mental Health Promotion

Multicultural Education

Nutrition Education

Physical Injury Prevention

Sex Education

Suicide Prevention

Truancy Prevention

Violence Prevention

Typical Approaches by Schools

AIDS Education

Bullying Prevention

Career Education

Character Education

Civic Education

Delinquency Prevention

Dropout Prevention

Drug Prevention

Family Life Education

Health Education

Social and Emotional Skills and Attitudes: Prevalence

29%

45%

43%

29%

Assets:

How people you know well would rate you on:

• Thinking through the results of your choices, planning ahead

• Caring about others’ feelings, feeling sad when a friend is unhappy, being good at making and keeping friends

• Respecting the values/beliefs of people of different races/cultures

My school provides a caring, encouraging environment

Moving from here:

Categorical fragmentation in addressing learning barriers…

What’s Needed?

To here:

A coordinated approach to promoting students’ academic and life success

SEL as a Coordinating Framework

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Mission and Goals

Mission: To make social and emotional learning (SEL) an essential part of educationGoals:– Advance the science of SEL– Expand integrated, evidence-based SEL

practice– Strengthen the field and impact of SEL

www.casel.org

What is SEL?

CASEL Defines the Field of SEL (Elias et al., 1997)

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

SEL is the process whereby children and adults develop essential social and emotional competencies to:

Recognize and manage emotionsHandle oneself and tasks effectivelyDevelop care and concern for othersEstablish positive relationshipsMake responsible decisions

5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies

Self-awareness Social-awarenessResponsible

Decision-making

Self Other Decision-making

Self-management Relationship Skills

Social and Emotional Learning

A Framework for SEL Programming to Enhance Student Success in School and Life

Learning Environment

SE Skills Instruction

Positive Outcomes+ =

Social and Emotional Conditions for Learning

• Safe & well-managed• Respectful & supportive relationships• High expectations and challenging• Participation and leadership opportunities• Rigorous, relevant curriculum and engaging

instructional practices

SE Skills Instruction

• Explicit SE Skills Instruction• Self-awareness• Self-management• Social awareness• Relationships skills• Responsible decision-making

• Opportunities to practice• Modeling of skills• Reflection and acknowledgment• Evidence-based programs

Positive Outcomes

• Academically successful• Mentally and physically healthy• Positive social relationships• Prepared to join the workforce• Engaged citizenship

Why Social and Emotional Learning?

Why Implement SEL in Schools?

• Relationships provide a foundation for learning

• Emotions affect how and what we learn

• Relevant skills can be taught

• Positive effects on academic performance, health, relationships,

and citizenship

• Demanded by employers

• Essential for lifelong success

• A coordinating framework to overcome fragmentation of

prevention and youth-development programs

What are the Latest Research Advances?

Durlak, Weissberg et al. (2008) Meta-analysis: Enhancing SEL Promotes Success in School

SEL

Learning Environment

SE Skills Instruction

Positive Social Behavior

Coordinated School, Family, and Community Programming

SE Skill Aquisition

Improved Attitudes

Conduct Problems

Emotional Distress

Academic Success

Durlak, Weissberg et al. (2008) Meta-analysis:Core Questions and the Answers

1. Does school-based SEL programming positively affect students? – YES

2. Do the impacts on student functioning endure over time? – SOMEWHAT

3. Are SEL programs conducted by existing school staff effective? – YES

4. Do training practices and the quality of implementation affect student outcomes? - YES

Durlak, Weissberg et al (2008) Meta-analysis: Inclusion Criteria

School-based interventions that promote social and emotional competencies

K to 12th-grade students

Reported by June 2007

Employed a control group design

Assessed outcomes related to students’ behavioral adjustment or school performance

Sample of SEL Intervention Studies

Pre to post = 207 studies

Number of students: 288,221

Since 1990 = 75%

Randomized = 45%

Elementary (56%), middle (31%), and high school (13%)

Urban, suburban, and rural

< 1 year (76%), > 1 year (24%)

Social and Emotional Learning:How is it Taught?

Teacher- or researcher-led SEL instruction

Guided practice opportunities with feedback and reinforcement

A supportive classroom context

Multi-component with school-wide and family collaboration

Does SEL programming positivelyaffect students?

23 (.60)

9 (.23)

9 (.24)

9 (.22)

10 (.25)

11 (.28)

Social-emotional skills

Attitudes

Positive social behavior

Conduct problems

Emotional distress

Academic performance

OutcomesPercentile Imp & (ES)

SEL Improves Academic Outcomes

Improvements in:Attitudes– Motivation, commitment

Behaviors– Participation, study habits

Performance– Grades, subject mastery

Source: Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg (2004). Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): What Does the Research Say?

Do Impacts on Student Functioning Endure over Time?

Follow up: 6 months to many years.

SEL students showed significant improvement on all 6 outcome areas.

The effects were smaller than at post.

SEL is beneficial but not a permanent inoculation.

What Influences Positive Student Outcomes?

School staffs

SAFE programming

– Sequenced development of skills

– Active instruction (e.g., behavioral rehearsal)

– Focused on SE skills

– Explicit targeting of specific SE skills

Implementation

Implications for Practice & Policy

SEL works– Multiple positive outcomes including academic

achievement– Across grade levels– In all contexts

SEL is doable– Good results from programs run by existing school staff

SEL needs support– Evidence-based training procedures are better– Implementation matters– Supported by federal and state policies, leadership, and

professional development

What are the Latest Practice Advances?

5 Core Social and Emotional Competencies

Self-awareness Social-awarenessResponsible

Decision-making

Self Other Decision-making

Self-management Relationship Skills

Safe and Sound: An Educator’s Guide to Evidence-based SEL Programs

© CASEL 2008 39

22 “SELect” Programs

Outstanding SEL Instruction of five SE competencies

Evidence of Effectiveness with at least one rigorous study demonstrating positive SEL outcomes for students

Outstanding Professional Development that provides training and ongoing follow-up support

Three-level Prevention/Intervention Services

SEL is for ALL Students

Treatment:

Provide intensive interventions for a few children

Early Intervention:

Intervene early for some children

Universal Prevention:

Focus on SEL skill instruction and learning environment

Some

Few

All Students

Adapted from Osher, Dwyer, Jackson (2004)

What Does Schoolwide SEL Look Like?

SEL School

Classrooms

Lunchroom

Hallways

Teacher’s Lounge

Afterschool/Extracurriculars

PlaygroundFront Office

Bus

Bathrooms

Sporting Events

Parent/teacher conferences

An Integrated Schoolwide Model forAcademic, Social, and Emotional Learning

After-school and community activities that are coordinated

with SEL efforts

Coordinated mental health and health services that reinforce

SEL instruction

Planned, systematic classroom-based SEL

instruction and a supportive school climate

School-Family-Community partnerships to enhance social,

emotional, and academic competence

Integrated Schoolwide SEL

Schoolwide SEL

CASEL’s Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Implementation Guide and Toolkit

3 Phases10 steps7 Sustainability Factors

3 Illinois Social & Emotional Learning Goals

SEL Goal 31

Develop self-awareness and

self-management skills to achieve school and life

success.

SEL Goal 32

Use social-awareness and interpersonal

skills to establish and

maintain positive relationships.

SEL Goal 33

Demonstrate decision-

making skills and responsible

behaviors in personal, school, and community

contexts.

Self Other Decision-making

Summary

SEL is the process whereby children and adults develop essential social and emotional competencies.SEL improves school-related attitudes, behaviors, and academics and provides the foundation to life success.Well-designed, well-implemented SEL programming produces the best outcomes.Sustainable, effective schoolwide SEL requires 3 Ps: Policy, principals, and professional development.