Promising Practices in Social & Emotional Learning

Posted by Susan Crown Exchange on February 8, 2016

Preparing Youth to Thrive: Promising Practices in Social & Emotional Learning

The verdict is in: Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills matter enough to be mandated. Social and emotional skills have always mattered to those who ascribe to positive youth development. Voluntary school and community-based programs have long been the places families and youth rely on, not only for safety and
relationships, but also for exploration and practical skill building. But, until recently, they were relegated to second-class status. So-called soft skills, non-academic skills, and non-cognitive skills hovered outside the realm of public accountability.

These skills were frequently acknowledged as useful by the big four (education, health, social services, juvenile justice) but either seen as not critical to the primary goals mandated by public funding (academic achievement, pregnancy or substance abuse prevention, violence prevention) or not enforceable. Even if all agreed that social and emotional skills mattered, lack of evidence that these skills were easily malleable or measurable made them unmarketable in public policy circles, even those focused on expanding out-of-school-time (OST) programs.

But this picture is rapidly changing with a growing body of research studies proving social and emotional skills matter and will increasingly play an important role as young people progress into adulthood. These skills are linked to increased academic performance and employability and decreased anti-social behavior and mental
health issues. Adolescent brain research also confirms that social and emotional skills are malleable well into young adult years. The flood of survey tools suggests that these skills are measurable.

http://www.scefdn.org/news/2016/01/the-sel-field-guide-is-live/