Helping children on the path to becoming successful and thriving adults can take on many forms. One of those is social emotional learning, or the ability to work collaboratively and maintain positive relationships with co-workers, friends, and loved ones. Learn more about social emotional learning.

What is social emotional learning?

Social emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which children develop the interactive and coping skills needed to be a successful adult. These skills fall into the following categories:

  • self-awareness
  • self-management
  • social awareness
  • relationship skills
  • responsible decision-making

The development of SEL skills begins in childhood and continues through adulthood--it is an example of lifelong learning.

What are some examples of social emotional learning?

Here are some examples of how each category of social emotional learning might look in the classroom.

Self-awareness

A student who is developing self-awareness learns how to identify and label emotions like happiness, sadness, anxiety and anger.

Self-management

A student who is developing self-management learns that different situations can lead to different emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. They learn different coping mechanisms to deal with the different situations. For example, a student may feel nervous when a pop quiz is announced in class, but they take a few deep breaths to calm their nerves.

Social awareness

A student who is developing social awareness learns that their peers can have perspectives that differ from their own. For example, a student, who is happy and excited for the holidays understands that their friend is having a hard time because the friend's mother recently died.

Relationship skills

A student who is developing relationship skills learns how to listen to others and communicate clearly. For example, when working on a group project during biology class, a student demonstrates the skills to cooperate and negotiate with others during the project.

Responsible decision-making

A student who is developing responsible decision-making skills learns how to solve problems and make healthy choices. For example, a student figures out the best course of action when deciding whether to try out for the soccer team when they are already playing lacrosse and juggling a demanding academic schedule.

What are the benefits of social emotional development?

SEL is necessary for adults to negotiate the interpersonal tasks of adulthood. SEL skills are associated with improved social relationships, greater resiliency or ability to cope with life's challenges, and successful academic performance.

How is social emotional learning taught?

Social emotional learning skills can be taught explicitly through classroom lessons. From there, modeling of the skills along with repeated practice and feedback are ways to enhance the learning. Integrating SEL skills into a variety of academic lessons helps students learn to apply the skills in various situations. For example, teaching self-awareness along with long division can help a student identify and label emotions that can be associated with learning a challenging math task. 

Are there specific challenges to teaching social emotional skills to children with developmental disabilities?

Children with developmental disabilities may need additional assistance to develop social emotional skills. Breaking down larger tasks into smaller and more manageable steps can help, as can increasing the opportunities for repeated practice and providing ongoing feedback.

How can I help my child develop social emotional learning skills at home?

SEL skills are not only taught in classrooms, but also developed and strengthened at home. Families and caregivers can teach and model the skills through activities and family time. Giving children opportunities to practice these skills and providing feedback and encouragement can help them understand how these skills are important not just at school but also in everyday life. 

For more parenting tips, visit the Grow section of the Be Well blog. 

Greta Francis, PhD

Dr. Greta Francis is a child psychologist and clinical director of the Bradley Schools.