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Essent ials

of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

The Complete Guide for Schools and Practitioners

Provides a practical and comprehensive look at the evidenced support for SEL in schools and communities

Examines issues in education that often lead to inequities and create barriers to learning for many students

Addresses learning from a whole-child perspective and extends the domains of learning beyond that of academic achievement

Includes the tools needed to guide schools through a multi-phased, systemic approach to whole-school implementation of SEL

A lan S. Kaufman & Nadeen L . Kaufman, Series Editors

Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Essentials of Psychological Assessment Series

Series Editors, Alan S. Kaufman and Nadeen L. Kaufman

Essentials of 16PF® Assessment by Heather E. P. Cattell and James M. Schuerger

Essentials of Adaptive Behavior Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders by Celine A. Saulnier and Cheryl Klaiman

Essentials of ADHD Assessment for Children and Adolescents by Elizabeth P. Sparrow and Drew Erhardt

Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties by David A. Kilpatrick

Essentials of Assessment Report Writing, Second Edition by W. Joel Schneider, Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Nancy Mather, Nadeen L. Kaufman, and Alan S. Kaufman

Essentials of Assessment with Brief Intelligence Tests by Susan R. Homack and Cecil R. Reynolds

Essentials of Autism Spectrum Disorders Evaluation and Assessment by Celine A. Saulnier and Pamela E. Ventola

Essentials of Bayley Scales of Infant Development–II Assessment by Maureen M. Black and Kathleen Matula

Essentials of Behavioral Assessment by Michael C. Ramsay, Cecil R. Reynolds, and R. W. Kamphaus

Essentials of Career Interest Assessment by Jeffrey P. Prince and Lisa J. Heiser

Essentials of CAS2 Assessment by Jack A. Naglieri and Tulio M. Otero

Essentials of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Second Edition by Linda Wilmshurst

Essentials of Cognitive Assessment with KAIT and Other Kaufman Measures by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Debra Y. Broadbooks, and Alan S. Kaufman

Essentials of Conners Behavior Assessments™ by Elizabeth P. Sparrow

Essentials of Creativity Assessment by James C. Kaufman, Jonathan A. Plucker, and John Baer

Essentials of Cross-Battery Assessment, Third Edition by Dawn P. Flanagan, Samuel O. Ortiz, and Vincent C. Alfonso

Essentials of DAS-II® Assessment by Ron Dumont, John O. Willis, and Colin D. Elliott

Essentials of Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling

Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions by Barbara J. Wendling and Nancy Mather

Essentials of Executive Functions Assessment by George McCloskey and Lisa A. Perkins

Essentials of Forensic Psychological Assessment, Second Edition by Marc J. Ackerman

Essentials of Gifted Assessment by Steven I. Pfeiffer

Essentials of IDEA for Assessment Professionals by Guy McBride, Ron Dumont, and John O. Willis

Essentials of Individual Achievement Assessment by Douglas K. Smith

Essentials of Intellectual Disability Assessment and Identification by Alan W. Brue and Linda Wilmshurst

Essentials of KABC-II Assessment by Alan S. Kaufman, Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger, Elaine Fletcher-Janzen, and Nadeen L. Kaufman

Essentials of KTEA™-3 and WIAT®-III Assessment by Kristina C. Breaux and Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger

Essentials of MCMI®-IV Assessment by Seth D. Grossman and Blaise Amendolace

Essentials of Millon™ Inventories Assessment, Third Edition by Stephen Strack

Essentials of MMPI-A™ Assessment by Robert P. Archer and Radhika Krishnamurthy

Essentials of MMPI-2® Assessment, Second Edition by David S. Nichols

Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Assessment, Second Edition by Naomi L. Quenk

Essentials of NEPSY®-II Assessment by Sally L. Kemp and Marit Korkman

Essentials of Neuropsychological Assessment, Second Edition by Nancy Hebben and William Milberg

Essentials of Nonverbal Assessment by Steve McCallum, Bruce Bracken, and John Wasserman

Essentials of PAI® Assessment by Leslie C. Morey

Essentials of Planning, Selecting, and Tailoring Interventions for Unique Learners by Jennifer T. Mascolo, Vincent C. Alfonso, and Dawn P. Flanagan

Essentials of Processing Assessment, Second Edition by Milton J. Dehn

Essentials of Psychological Assessment Supervision by A. Jordan Wright

Essentials of Psychological Testing, Second Edition by Susana Urbina

Essentials of Response to Intervention by Amanda M. VanDerHeyden and Matthew K. Burns

Essentials of Rorschach® Assessment by Tara Rose, Michael P. Maloney, and Nancy KaserBoyd

Essentials of Rorschach Assessment: Comprehensive System and R-PAS by Jessica R. Gurley

Essentials of School Neuropsychological Assessment, Third Edition by Daniel C. Miller and Denise E. Maricle

Essentials of Specific Learning Disability Identification, Second Edition by Vincent C. Alfonso and Dawn P. Flanagan

Essentials of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5) Assessment by Gale H. Roid and R. Andrew Barram

Essentials of TAT and Other Storytelling Assessments, Second Edition by Hedwig Teglasi

Essentials of Temperament Assessment by Diana Joyce

Essentials of Trauma-Informed Assessment and Interventions in School and Community Settings by Kirby L. Wycoff and Bettina Franzese

Essentials of WAIS®-IV Assessment, Second Edition by Elizabeth O. Lichtenberger and Alan S. Kaufman

Essentials of WISC®-IV Assessment, Second Edition by Dawn P. Flanagan and Alan S. Kaufman

Essentials of WISC-V® Assessment by Dawn P. Flanagan and Vincent C. Alfonso

Essentials of WISC-V Integrated Assessment by Susan Engi Raiford

Essentials of WJ IV® Cognitive Abilities Assessment by Fredrick A. Schrank, Scott L. Decker, and John M. Garruto

Essentials of WJ IV® Tests of Achievement by Nancy Mather and Barbara J. Wendling

Essentials of WMS®-IV Assessment by Lisa Whipple Drozdick, James A. Holdnack, and Robin C. Hilsabeck

Essentials of WNV™ Assessment by Kimberly A. Brunnert, Jack A. Naglieri, and Steven T. Hardy-Braz

Essentials of Working Memory Assessment and Intervention by Milton J. Dehn

Essentials of WPPSI™-IV Assessment by Susan Engi Raiford and Diane L. Coalson

Essentials of WRAML2 and TOMAL-2 Assessment by Wayne Adams and Cecil R. Reynolds

Essentials of Treatment Planning, Second Edition by Mark E. Maruish

Essentials of the California Verbal Learning Test by Thomas J. Farrer and Lisa Whipple Drozdick

Essentials of Psychological Tele-Assessment by A. Jordan Wright, Susan Engi Raiford

Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL): The Complete Guide for Schools and Practitioners by Donna Lord Black

Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

The Complete Guide for Schools and Practitioners

Donna Lord Black

Assessment Consultant at Western Psychological Services, President of the Social-Emotional Learning Alliance for Texas, and Former Appointed Member of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP), Frisco, Texas, USA

This edition first published 2022 © 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Name: Black, Donna Lord (Psychologist), author.

Title: Essentials of social emotional learning (SEL) : the complete guide for schools and practitioners / Donna Lord Black.

Description: Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, [2022] | Series: Essentials of psychological assessment series | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021028407 (print) | LCCN 2021028408 (ebook) | ISBN 9781119709190 (hardback) | ISBN 9781119709237 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781119709220 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Affective education. | Social learning.

Classification: LCC LB1072 .B63 2021 (print) | LCC LB1072 (ebook) | DDC 370.15/34–dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021028407

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021028408

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: © Greg Kuchik/Getty Images

Set in 10.5/13pt Adobe Garamond Pro by Straive, Pondicherry, India

PREFACE

In the Essentials of Psychological Assessment Series, we have attempted to provide the reader with books that will deliver key practical information in the most efficient and accessible style. Many books in the series feature specific instruments in a variety of domains, such as cognition, personality, education, and neuropsychology. Books like this Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), focus on crucial topics for professionals who are involved with any aspect of assessment and intervention with school-age children. For the experienced professional, books in the series offer a concise yet thorough review of a test instrument or a specific area of expertise, including numerous tips for best practices. Students can turn to series book for a clear and concise overview of the important assessment tools, and key topics, in which they must become proficient to practice skillfully, efficiently, and ethically in their chosen fields.

Wherever feasible, visual cues highlighting key points are utilized alongside systematic, step-by-step guidelines. Chapters are focused and succinct. Topics are organized for an easy understanding of the essential material related to a particular test or topic. Theory and research are continually woven into the fabric of each book, but always to enhance the practical application of the material, rather than to sidetrack or overwhelm readers. With this series, we aim to challenge and assist readers interested in psychological assessment to aspire to the highest level of competency by arming them with the tools they need for knowledgeable, informed practice. We have long been advocates of “intelligent” testing-the notion that numbers are meaningless unless they are brought to life by the clinical acumen and expertise of examiners. Assessment must be used to make a difference in the child’s life or adult’s life, or why bother to test? All books in the series- whether devoted to specific tests or general topics- are consistent with this credo. We want this series to help our readers, novice, and veteran alike, to benefit from the intelligent assessment approaches of the authors of each book.

In Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), the author captures the essence of why SEL is not only important, but necessary in preparing students for a future that envisages far more than academic achievement. Donn Black- a national expert on SEL, a long-time public servant, and a school practitioner with extensive knowledge and experience in the educational systems- offers a comprehensive approach to SEL that examines the logic for it in schools, the underpinnings of successful implementation (including the role of assessment and data), and the evidence that supports SEL as a positive and sustainable approach to educational reform.

This book is grounded by an exhaustive review of the research and science on SEL, children’s mental health, and the neuroscience of learning. It examines the far-reaching implications of issues that have long plagued our educational systems, including the barriers to learning that have led not only to underachievement, but to gross inequities and injustices as well. The book covers these issues and more, and asserts that SEL can be the great equalizer in education. It offers an approach to SEL that can be implemented in phases that are practical, yet manageable, and are complemented by a complete set of tools and templates to aid in the process. At a time when the world is struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, this book offers a timely examination of the important role SEL will play in schools. As education systems face the challenges of reengaging students and recovering the learning losses resulting from school closures, the need to integrate SEL with existing school structures has never been greater. With this book, the author provides schools with a realistic and thorough guide for implementing SEL in a way that is meaningful and sustainable.

Alan S. Kaufman, PhD, and Nadeen L. Kaufman, EdD Series Editors

Yale Child Study Center

Yale University School of Medicine

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Writing this book was the most exciting, painstaking, glorious, nervewracking, challenging thing I’ve ever experienced. Without the patience, encouragement, and support of my family, friends, and colleagues, I’m quite sure the emotions would have gotten the best of me. Before I express my heartfelt gratitude to those who helped make this book possible, I’d like to acknowledge my granddaughters, Kayla and Kelsi. You are my hope and my inspiration. You are the reason for this book, so I dedicate it to you.

I begin by thanking my wonderful husband, Greg. For more than 48 years, you have cheered me on and made me feel there was nothing I could not do. We often have jokingly said that the only reason we are still married is because neither of us wanted a divorce on the same day. Well, this book tested that theory and proved it wrong! Neither of us could have imagined how challenging the book would be while living through a pandemic and enduring two surgeries in 10 months. Despite this, you were there to support and encourage me. I am blessed to have you by my side, and I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you, and look forward to many more years together.

I also could not have done this without the patience and understanding of my loving family. To my son Jason and his fiancée Melinda, you stepped up when your dad and I were not able. You were there after my surgeries to lend a hand. You ran errands, brought us food, and helped with the granddaughters. For all this, I am forever grateful. To my daughter Allison and my son-in-law Chris, you were so patient with me during a time when I knew you desperately needed relief. You were parents, teachers, and playmates to your children, while also juggling the demands of working full-time from home. I cannot imagine how hard this has been for you, and I owe you some relief time. When it is safe, there will be sleepovers and outings with the girls once again, I promise. To my sister Yolanda and my brother-in-law Darryl, I can’t thank you enough for helping keep the family connected. You were

always there for the virtual happy hours and the family game nights because you knew how much they sustained us through these challenging times. Your being there supported me in ways you could not have known. To my nephew Aaron and his fiancée Lyndsey, your interest in my passion for SEL is inspiring and gives me hope for the coming generation. I thoroughly enjoyed our virtual discussions, and I thank you immensely for your support. To my nephew Kyle, just seeing you with your new fiancée during our virtual gatherings reminded me of how important it is to have hope and why this book is so necessary.

This book never would have been possible without the support of friends and colleagues. To my dearest friend and mentor Gail Cheramie, no words can express how much your support has meant to me. You have been there for almost 30 years, first as my professor and now as my dearest friend. If a teacher’s success is measured by the success of her student, then I hope I have honored you well. There would not have been successes without you. You have taught me that anything is possible if you believe it is possible. Thank you for everything you do for me, and by the way, thank you also for helping review parts of the book. You are a true friend! I also want to thank my dear friend Ginger Gates for her help in reviewing the work. You inspire me every day with your humor and your positive nature, and I am always striving to become a better trainer because of you. You are the best. To Debbie Blackmon, thank you for sharing your knowledge of equine-assisted learning and your applications of SEL to this specialized area. You are an incredible therapist and educator, and I am lucky to have you as a colleague and a friend. To my partner in crime, Angela Downes, I thank you for keeping me grounded and helping me see that the dirt at the end of the road is worth more than a pot of gold. Your co-counsel, Ashton, brought me a breath of fresh air when I needed it the most. To my physical therapist, Monica, and her assistants, Rishi and Courtney, not only did you get me through a tough recovery, you also lifted my spirits and kept me going. Through your relationship-centered approach to therapy and your caring, nurturing environment, you model the principles of SEL every day in the work you do with your patients. I would be remiss if I did not thank Jeff Manson and Amanda Wynn at Western Psychological Services. Not only did you support me in writing this book, but your belief in SEL and your vision for its future strengthened my commitment, and I am forever grateful. I also want to thank Clark McKown for his willingness to share some of his work in this book. Your expertise in SEL assessment offers support for an area in which schools have a tremendous need, and I truly am grateful for your contributions. Lastly, I want to thank all the wonderful people at Wiley who have helped make this process as painless as possible. For Monica, Darren, and all the editing and production group, you were exceptionally patient in allowing me to work through this at my own pace, and I am especially grateful. Without you, there would be no book.

The intent of this book is to provide schools and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of SEL and a practical but systematic approach for implementing it in schools. The book also offers suggestions for how local communities can support schools through alignment of efforts and shared accountability. Please note that the information in the book is applicable to individual schools as well as to whole school systems, such as local education systems, state or regional education systems, or national education. Therefore, in the interest of clarity and consistency, the terms school and school systems are used interchangeably.

SEL is a global concern, so the information provided in this book is grounded in research from around the world. While a large part of the research focuses on schools within the United States, this book strives to offer ideas and information that can be applied to a global audience. Where there are gaps in research or information, there will be limitations to how applicable it is for international purposes. Thus, readers should be mindful of this and use their own judgment in how the information is applied. Nonetheless, the research contained in the book is the latest available at the time of this publication. Given the gaps between research and practice, however, it is expected that more research will be forthcoming and hopefully will expand beyond the United States.

.

This book is accompanied by a companion website:

www.wiley.com/go/black/essentialsofsel

This website includes fillable versions of forms included in the print book for the reader’s download and practical use.

SECTION I

EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) AS A WORLD PHENOMENON

One DEFINING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) AND THE CRITICAL AREAS OF COMPETENCE

The realization that social and emotional skills matter as much as, if not more than, academic skills has captured the awareness of schools and communities around the world. Recognition of the critical role these skills play in educating children has swept across the globe and has created a wave of excitement, if not a worldwide phenomenon, that offers a promise of hope for the future of education. As SEL is embraced in schools throughout the world, educators are accepting that this is not simply another trend in education, but is the missing component in how students are educated and prepared for success, not only in school but at home, in the community, in the workforce, and in life. Unapologetically, schools are beginning to expand their focus beyond that of rigor and accountability for academic instruction to an educational program that focuses on the whole child, so that today’s students might be better prepared for life’s opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges.

While SEL is being embraced by more and more schools, implementation is not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges is understanding that SEL is more than simply a program. Interest in SEL has risen so sharply that it has spurred the development and availability of a plethora of programs and curricula, along with books, articles, websites, blogs, and a host of other resources. While schools earnestly attempt to address the social and emotional development of their students, the rapid emergence of these pre‐scripted programs and curricula (often claiming to offer a complete package for SEL) can be enticing to schools. These programs can sometimes make implementation appear oversimplified and may lead to the use of already limited resources in an

Essentials of Social Emotional Learning (SEL): The Complete Guide for Schools and Practitioners, First Edition. Donna Lord Black. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Companion website: www.wiley.com/go/black/essentialsofsel

ineffective and inefficient manner. It is not uncommon, for example, for a school or district to adopt a particular program or strategy to address behavior and classroom management and believe this to be the entire solution for SEL. Implementing this single program not only adds to an already fragmented process, but also places the school at risk of making causal connections between the program and any outcomes, especially if those outcomes have not been successful. In such a case, the school might blame the lack of success on the program rather than considering other factors, such as fidelity of implementation or skill of staff implementing the program, as possible reasons for the lack of success.

Take, for example, Program XYZ. Let’s assume this hypothetical program uses an application for tablet computers (commonly referred to as “tablets”) to improve students’ social awareness skills by connecting them to one another through wireless technology. The school obtains a grant and purchases tablets for each student with the program’s application installed on each tablet. Teachers and students are trained in how to operate the program and all is well, until they experience repeated failures with maintaining wireless connections between the tablets. Without a stable connection, the program won’t operate. Thus, many of the teachers abandon its use. While the problems experienced with the program were related to technology issues (i.e., getting the tablets to communicate with one another) rather than the program itself, the teachers became disheartened and lost interest in the program. Six weeks later, the school principal discovers that a large number of teachers are no longer using the program, claiming it was ineffective. While there clearly was a positive correlation between the teachers’ skills in using technology and the program’s implementation (i.e., both decreased), this did not prove the program was ineffective. It merely showed that teachers lacked the skills needed for resolving the technology issues, and thus were unsuccessful with implementing the program. The program was abandoned before effectiveness could be evaluated, thus wasting valuable time and resources. In situations like this, schools run the risk of making causal connections between a program and its outcomes when, in fact, the relationship between the two may only have been correlational at best. Therefore, schools may be less likely to pursue other efforts to address these critical areas of need and may have difficulty recognizing that SEL is more than a program.

CAUTION BOX

Poor program outcomes may not be the fault of the program, but may be due to other factors, such as fidelity of implementation or skill of the staff implementing the program. While there may be correlations between certain factors impacting the program’s outcomes, this does not mean these factors caused the outcomes.

It is important to point out, however, that the vast majority of SEL programs and curricula available to schools are of excellent design and may even be considered evidence‐based practices. Unfortunately, schools may not have methods or standards developed by which these products can be objectively evaluated, especially with regard to how the product aligns with the school’s specific needs. As a result, schools may make purchasing decisions based only on effectiveness claims touted by the products’ developers. Without established criteria to guide the selection process, schools are vulnerable to these attractive claims and may expend valuable resources without thoroughly reviewing whether the product complements and supports their existing efforts or if it duplicates (in whole or in part) those efforts. Questions—about how the product was developed, whether the developer applied scientific methods and principles in its development, and if field testing included a broad and diverse group of students—often go unanswered.

If this weren’t challenging enough for schools, they also must face other obstacles to implementation, such as gaining buy‐in and support from administration or staff who may not understand the full benefits of SEL. Many educators believe that adding SEL to a teacher’s plate of responsibilities is more than should be expected, given the numerous demands and accountability measures already required of them. What they struggle to recognize is that SEL is not another “add‐on” program. Rather, it is a systemic process that can ultimately strengthen the teachers’ plates.

SEL is not and never has been touted as a program that takes away from or supplants academic instruction. On the contrary, it has always been promoted as a process for enhancing instruction and improving the learning environment, and when implemented with fidelity, it contributes to improved outcomes for students and for the systems that serve them. Until educators recognize and accept that the benefits of SEL far outweigh the challenges of implementation, there will continue to be resistance.

There also may be obstacles to acquiring funding and resources, as well as to developing a SEL curriculum. Perhaps one of the most critical and often less recognized obstacles, however, is the need for staff training in SEL. Staff knowledge and skills in SEL are fundamental to a sustainable approach to implementation, but these are areas that are frequently overlooked. What are the knowledge and skills needed by staff? While there are a multitude of frameworks identifying critical social and emotional skills, the framework developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL 2017) is the framework most widely adopted by schools. The competencies identified by CASEL address five key areas: self‐awareness, self‐management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. A graphic illustration of the framework and a detailed description of the competencies are provided in Rapid Reference 1.1.

Strengthen

Rapid Reference 1.1 CASEL’s SEL Framework

Source: Core SEL Competencies, from CASEL. © 2017, CASEL.

The CASEL 5:

Self‐awareness

The abilities to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one’s strengths and limitations with a well‐grounded sense of confidence and purpose.

Examples:

Integrating personal and social identities

Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets

Identifying one’s emotions

Demonstrating honesty and integrity

Linking feelings, values, and thoughts

Examining prejudices and biases

Experiencing self‐efficacy

Having a growth mindset

Developing interests and a sense of purpose

Self‐management

The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the

capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.

Examples:

Managing one’s emotions

Identifying and using stress management strategies

Exhibiting self‐discipline and self‐motivation

Setting personal and collective goals

Using planning and organizational skills

Showing the courage to take initiative

Demonstrating personal and collective agency

Social awareness

The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Examples:

Taking others’ perspectives

Recognizing strengths in others

Demonstrating empathy and compassion

Showing concern for the feelings of others

Understanding and expressing gratitude

Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones

Recognizing situational demands and opportunities

Understanding the influences of organizations and systems on behavior

Relationship skills

The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.

Examples:

Communicating effectively

Developing positive relationships

Demonstrating cultural competency

Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem solving

Resolving conflicts constructively

Resisting negative social pressure

Showing leadership in groups

Seeking or offering support and help when needed

Standing up for the rights of others

Responsible decision making

The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well‐being.

Examples:

Demonstrating curiosity and open‐mindedness

Identifying solutions for personal and social problems

Learning to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, and facts

Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions

Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school

Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well‐being

Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts

Source: From CASEL with permission. ©2017 CASEL. All rights reserved. Learn more at www.casel.org.

The degree to which teachers have knowledge and skills in these competencies is an area where concern is warranted, given that teacher‐preparation programs traditionally have not incorporated SEL into their curriculum. Likewise, many state certification requirements do not include knowledge and skills in SEL. A recent study of teacher preparation programs in the United States was conducted by the University of British Columbia’s Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education. The study scanned teacher education programs in colleges of education throughout the United States. The purpose of the scan was to examine what states require teachers to know about SEL for certification and what institutions of higher education actually teach these teachers. Results of the study showed that while all states require some level of SEL knowledge and skills for teacher certification, none of the states require knowledge and skills in all five of the SEL competencies. Greater than half of the states require teachers to have knowledge in teaching three of the SEL competencies—self‐management, relationship skills, and responsible decision making— but less emphasis was placed on the SEL competencies of self‐awareness and social awareness. While most pre‐service programs fell short of providing comprehensive training in SEL, there were three exemplary programs identified in the report (Schonert‐Reichl, Kitil, & Hanson‐Peterson, 2017). These are described in Rapid Reference 1.2.

Rapid Reference 1.2 Exemplary Programs Where SEL Content Is Included in Pre‐service Teacher Preparation*

Academy for Social‐Emotional Learning in Schools (Academy for SEL), College of Saint Elizabeth and Rutgers University

The Academy for SEL is a partnership between the College of Saint Elizabeth and Rutgers University. It offers an online credentialing program designed to help school professionals develop the competencies needed for successfully implementing social emotional learning, character development, and positive culture and climate initiatives schoolwide. Students earn a certificate in social emotional learning and character development with a concentration in either school leadership or classroom instruction. Participants in the program benefit from exclusive access to an online professional learning community (PLC), which provides resources, online discussion forums, access to a secure resource library, and access to program mentors. The program’s faculty and mentors include highly experienced teachers, principals, district leaders, superintendents, and higher education professionals who have significant experience in implementing social emotional learning and school culture and climate initiatives at the school and district levels. The program is co‐directed by Patricia Heindel, PhD, and Maurice Elias, PhD.

Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child (CRTWC), San Jose State University

The CRTWC views SEL from a systemic perspective, rather than as an add‐on program. The program seeks to transform teacher preparation by integrating SEL competencies and culturally responsive teaching practices into course content and field experiences. SEL is infused into the fifth year of the K–8 teacher certification program using a framework developed for the program called the Social, Emotional, and Cultural Anchor Competencies Framework. It focuses on a broad set of SEL competencies needed by teachers and students, along with specific strategies for teaching them, and refers to this as the Social‐Emotional Dimensions of Teaching and Learning (SEDTL). The program’s executive director is Nancy Markowitz, PhD.

Attentional Teaching Practices (ATP), University of Pittsburgh

The ATP program helps pre‐service teachers enrolled in the Master’s in Teaching program learn to focus on the psychological space for learning. Students who are getting certified to teach in middle and high school are taught mindfulness and

self‐regulation strategies to increase their own self‐awareness and recognize their own emotional triggers. The program focuses on how to create a classroom environment that is optimal for implementing other pedagogical practices. While not a complete SEL program, the ATP is a yearlong program that helps teachers learn how to manage and cope with the future stresses they might experience as a teacher. The program was co‐created and is co‐taught by Tanner Wallace, PhD, and Shannon Wanless, PhD.

Source: Modified from Schonert‐Reichl, K.A., Kitil, M.J., & Hanson‐Peterson, J. (2017). To reach the students, teach the teachers: A national scan of teacher preparation and social and emotional learning. A report prepared for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia.

What this means is that although most states don’t require teachers to have knowledge and skills in SEL, teachers are required to teach and promote student SEL competencies. This gap between what teachers are required to know about SEL and what they are required to teach students is an area where schools must prioritize their efforts in order to implement a sustainable approach to SEL. These are but a few of the many challenges faced in implementing SEL, but these are by no means the only ones. Implementation of SEL is a comprehensive process involving many stakeholders and many aspects of a school’s or district’s operations. It is not a “one‐size‐fits‐all” model. Rather, it is a process through which a school or district must include all stakeholders and all systems involved. It requires a thorough analysis of all programs, resources, policies, procedures, operating guidelines, and other relevant data, which can then be used to inform a multistage plan for aligning all system components, allocating resources, identifying targeted areas of need, and implementing with fidelity and integrity. A detailed discussion of implementation planning will be discussed further in Chapter 14.

DEFINING SEL

One of the most difficult challenges at the outset of implementation is that of understanding and agreeing on what SEL is. The ambiguity in defining SEL has led to many terms being used to describe it. While some refer to it as soft skills, others use terms like non‐cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, or character education to describe it. Some prefer to describe SEL through programming models such as mindfulness education or through frameworks such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Not only is there a lack of common language in describing SEL, but also studies indicate there is a lack of understanding and agreement on the perceived

benefits of SEL. While parents and educators understand and agree that SEL skills are critically important, there is less agreement on the exact benefits of these skills. In a study conducted by the World Economic Forum (2016), more than 2000 educators and parents from around the world were surveyed regarding the perceived benefits of SEL. Results showed that educators and parents alike believed the primary benefit of SEL was to achieve better classroom management and discipline. In a large majority of those surveyed, there was less understanding of the broad benefits of SEL, such as how it impacts academic achievement, or college and career readiness. There also was less awareness of the role SEL can play in improving general health and in mitigating the negative effects that can occur from exposure to some of life’s most difficult challenges, such as poverty, violence, trauma, abuse, and neglect.

Take, for example, the Anchorage School District in Alaska. The largest district in a state that ranks among the highest per capita in rates of child abuse and domestic violence, this district has more students exposed to violence and trauma than in most other states (Boss, 2011). Exposure to these types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) places these students at risk for poor educational, social, health, and economic outcomes. The Anchorage School District recognized the need to combat these risk factors, and in 2006 it became one of the first school districts in the United States to adopt a set of SEL standards for both students and teachers (Education First, 2016). Since then, these standards have been implemented in kindergarten through 12th grade classes and have transformed the business of educating students in the Anchorage School District (Davis, 2018). Is it working? Educators and parents alike believe it is making a difference, but results aren’t that easy to quantify. That may be because the skills themselves aren’t easy to quantify, and without high‐quality assessment tools to help, educators won’t be able to determine which instructional strategies work and which ones are ineffective and may be wasting critical resources.

The science behind SEL recognizes the need for resources to help clarify and provide guidance in assessing and quantifying these skills, but this field is just beginning to grow, albeit rapidly. While data can and should be used to help inform and guide instruction (and, thus, ensure adequate use of resources), it’s also important to understand that the purpose for the data is not to detract from other important activities, but to enhance those activities.

Establishing the Critical Areas of Competence

Throughout the history of SEL, there have been ongoing challenges to understanding exactly what it is, despite the various definitions and descriptions provided in the literature. SEL has been described by many as a concept for

which it is difficult to “wrap one’s head around.” As previously mentioned, this may partially be due to the differences in terminology being used to describe it, but it also is largely due to a lack of agreement about how it should be conceptualized, defined, and quantified. This ambiguity translates into a host of challenges, particularly in communicating the concepts and how they are connected to specific skills, but also in successfully obtaining resources and funding, and adequately translating research into practice, among others.

There are more than 100 SEL frameworks identified in the research, and each has been developed for specific purposes, but primarily to facilitate social and emotional development. Each framework employs its own language that is aligned to that framework’s goals, so terminology is often different for each framework. This makes contrasting and comparing frameworks extremely challenging and complicated. Additional frameworks continue to emerge each year, adding to the already cluttered and confusing landscape.

In an effort to add clarity and address some of these dilemmas, Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education undertook the Taxonomy Project. One of the outcomes of the project was the creation of a web‐based platform that showcases areas where SEL frameworks align and areas where they diverge (Jones, Bailey, & Nelson 2019). The project examined more than 40 SEL frameworks and the non‐academic domains covered by each framework. The frameworks were selected for inclusion in the project based on three criteria: (a) being representative of a wide range of disciplines, (b) being widely adopted, and (c) including descriptive skills, traits, competencies, strengths, mindsets, and/or attributes that were defined and could be coded (EASEL Lab, 2020).

One of the goals of the project was to enable users to compare the skills within each framework and across the different frameworks so they could then be connected back to evidence‐based practices. Since skills may be labeled differently across the various frameworks, the project was especially mindful of the need for clarity and transparency in defining the skills so that decisions about interventions and strategies could be better informed. In other words, through the work of the project, specific skills were identified for six different non‐academic domains, and the skills were then connected to those that may be labeled differently in the various frameworks. For example, under the cognitive domain, the skill of inhibitory control is identified as self‐management under the CASEL framework, but under the Building Blocks for Learning framework, it is identified as executive functions. Categorizing skills according to the six non‐academic domains allows the skills to be connected across the frameworks and eliminates confusion created by the various terms used to describe the skills. Consequently, practices can be better aligned with the scientific evidence that supports them.

Consensus About SEL

While the Taxonomy Project adds clarity and helps address some of the dilemmas in the field, there are individuals who have raised questions about the efficacy, legitimacy, and appropriateness of SEL in education. To be clear, many (if not most) educators have embraced the principles and practices of SEL and believe it improves learning and performance, while removing some of the barriers to educational equity in schools. These proponents advocate for SEL as a viable means of improving student and system outcomes. However, there are those who express doubts about the claims that SEL offers. There also are those who believe it to be more than an educational initiative, and therefore not appropriate in education. In general, opposing views of SEL can be categorized into two areas: (a) those in which the efficacy and legitimacy of SEL are called into question, and (b) those in which SEL is viewed as an ideological belief system.

Opponents of SEL who are not completely convinced of its effectiveness or its research‐supported legitimacy respectfully argue that SEL advocates have not clearly identified what it is and have oversold the research. Given the ambiguity in defining what SEL is and the confusion over terminology (as previously discussed), these arguments are valid, but not confirmatory. The existence of a vast number of SEL frameworks has not helped dismiss the argument either. Although efforts such as the Taxonomy Project might help diminish some of the confusion, a certain amount of ambiguity will continue, so long as there are more than 100 SEL frameworks from which to choose. The prominent work done over the past several decades by organizations such as CASEL (2017), the Committee for Children (2020), and the Search Institute (2020), among others, has helped increase the understanding of what SEL is, and may also be helping to propel some of these frameworks to the forefront in education. Indeed, the CASEL framework has become the most widely adopted framework in schools during the most recent years. As more schools adopt a framework for SEL, the level of transparency will continue to increase, leading to a corresponding decrease in the level of ambiguity and confusion in the field.

Opponents of SEL also argue that advocates have oversold the research and are promoting SEL as the solution for all the problems in education, including the disproportionate achievement gaps, the disproportionate disciplining of certain subgroups of students, and the overreliance on standardized test scores. These opponents further argue that disagreements in the field over how to measure and assess the outcomes of SEL make it challenging to prove effectiveness. Proponents of SEL, however, counterargue that SEL is based on a body of educational research spanning several decades. In fact, Shriver and Weissberg (2020) point out that “the evidence supporting SEL

doesn’t come from a single set of studies but from the coming together of many strands of rigorous research,” and “this research demonstrates that well‐implemented, universal SEL programming, both in and out of school, promotes a broad range of short‐ and long‐term academic and behavioral benefits for K‐12 students” (p. 54). Proponents further argue that SEL has not been driven by any federal mandates but has been “based on the emerging consensus of successful communities, convinced that this is the missing piece in American education” (NCSEAD, 2019, p. 8).

Other arguments in opposition to SEL raise concerns about the adoption of SEL standards. Essentially, opponents of SEL believe these standards will become the non‐academic version of the Common Core State Standards Initiative (2020) and that schools will be measured on how students feel and on students’ social behaviors (Gorman, 2016). Ideological opponents further argue that SEL is a “nationwide effort to develop government standards for kids’ feelings, social behavior, and relationships” (Pullman, 2016) and is nothing more than social engineering. Pullman (2016) likens SEL to a “liberal social agenda on race and sexuality” and states that “[it] is all about psychologically and emotionally manipulating children in order to push a certain political agenda.” Advocates for SEL contend that it is not ideological at all but is based on research and knowledge of strategies that support learning in a social context and promote healthy development. Advocates further argue that these strategies have proven far more effective than the traditional policies and practices that have long relied on blame, control, and punitive approaches.

Clearly, there is much work to be done to gain consensus on whether social and emotional development are two critical dimensions of learning. While healthy and respectful debate can be useful and can lead to constructive results, there also is the possibility that the debate will become one that is less focused on the educational benefits and more focused on political and ideological issues. Indeed, it has been suggested that critics are “gearing up for another education war, one that could easily become as nasty, divisive, and damaging as the reading wars, the math wars, and—the mother of all education wars—the war between progressive and conservative philosophies of education” (Zhao, 2020).

If SEL is to be successful, there must be ongoing research and evidence to support its efficacy, along with a commitment to the hard work needed to lay a foundation for success and ensure implementation with fidelity. Evaluating outcomes of SEL must include a comprehensive process for collecting, reviewing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative information, all of which can be undermined by inappropriate and incohesive data. Proven metrics and systematic methodology will be essential to the decision‐making process. Finn and Hess (2019) offer seven suggestions for avoiding pitfalls and delivering on SEL’s promise. A description of these suggestions is provided in Rapid Reference 1.3.

Rapid Reference 1.3 Seven Suggestions for Avoiding the Pitfalls of SEL and Delivering on Its Promise

1. Slow down and focus on getting it right. While the need for SEL may be high, going fast may not be the best approach. Growing the program steadily and slowly will make it possible to focus on doing it wisely and well. A calibrated rollout can increase the likelihood of positive change.

2. Be clear about what SEL is and is not. It can be tempting and much easier to build momentum and win allies by offering an inclusive or generic definition of SEL, but proponents need to make clear that SEL is not a replacement for rigorous instruction. Instead, it enhances instruction. It rests on legitimate research, and it is part of preparing students to become competent adults and responsible citizens.

3. Make sure that character and civic education loom large in the SEL portfolio. The link between SEL, civic education, and character education is equally as important as the link between SEL and academic achievement. Promoting character formation and preparation for responsible citizenship should be critical elements of the SEL portfolio.

4. Making schools safer is an appealing facet of SEL, so long as the transcendent point is student safety, not adult agendas. The goal of SEL should not be about promoting political and legal debates over discipline policy and practices, but should adhere to the goal of making students feel safe and valued. Strategies for doing this should be held to the standards of evidence, not to standards that are ideologically friendly or politically useful.

5. Parental enthusiasm for SEL is healthy, but it ought not to become a free pass for academic frailty. Social emotional learning is inextricably linked to academic learning, and it is important to help parents understand this. Policy makers can help by making vivid connections between SEL and academic achievement on report cards and through accountability systems.

6. Make it a priority to develop valid, reliable, intuitive metrics for SEL—and be honest about their limits. More reliable instruments are needed for measuring SEL. This will improve credibility while also allowing schools to view SEL outcomes alongside academic data. School climate surveys are a start, but they are subjective and thus not sufficient. A relentless commitment to evidence will increase credibility, but when evidence is shaky, it should be acknowledged and not downplayed. Emphasis on transparency and integrity is critical and includes distinguishing between “solid evidence” and “thoughtful opinion.”

7. In celebrating “evidence‐based” practices and encouraging further research, be wary of analysts who give short shrift to how their findings translate to the real world. Evidence‐based recommendations often play out better in controlled environments than they do in the real world. SEL does not yet have large sets of data on implementation, and while this is needed, careful evaluation of efficacy will be critical. SEL researchers and advocates should seek feedback and evidence on what can go wrong in the real world when considering which interventions can make a difference and under what conditions.

Source: Finn, C.E., & Hess, F.M. (2019). What social and emotional learning needs to succeed and survive. Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute. Reprinted with permission of Finn, C.E., Jr., Hess, F. and EducationNext.

THE NEED FOR A COMMON LANGUAGE, A COMMON PERSPECTIVE, AND A COMMON VISION

Given the myriad of challenges in understanding what SEL is and how intervention approaches should be aligned with scientifically supported practices, the implementation process can be challenging. As with any new initiative, there must be a plan, but the plans used by many schools have not always been well prepared, nor have they been as comprehensive as they should be. This may be due to the nebulous nature of SEL, but it is more likely due to schools’ perceptions of SEL as an add‐on program or service. Developing an implementation plan for SEL involves so much more. It is effort‐intensive and must be viewed through a lens that extends beyond programming.

As a precursor to developing a school ‐ or district ‐ wide implementation plan, schools should begin by engaging a group of key stakeholders. The primary goal for this group is to focus on sustainable implementation of SEL. Accomplishing this goal would involve an in ‐ depth process whereby the school’s or district’s infrastructure is thoroughly examined to ensure it can sustain SEL efforts (this will be discussed in more detail in Section III). Given that most schools struggle with an imprecise understanding of SEL, the group’s first responsibility would need to focus on eliminating some of the common misperceptions and misunderstandings that obscure the real meaning of SEL and its potential benefits. A recommended approach for this involves three critical steps that can help lay a foundation for the group’s future successes. For a complete description of the three ‐ step process, read Rapid Reference 1.4.

Rapid Reference 1.4 Three‐Step Process for Developing a Common Vision

Step 1: Establish a common language. This first step focuses on clarifying the language and terms used to describe SEL and then defining it in terms that are understood by everyone. In this step, members of the stakeholder group identify the many terms used to describe SEL, then discern which of these terms better describe programs, frameworks, skills and competencies, or any other aspect of SEL. Differentiating between the terms should include references to scientific evidence when additional clarification is needed. The group strives to define the terms in clear and precise language, avoiding any jargon or acronyms, so the terms are observable and recognizable to everyone. The group then decides which term or terms will be used by everyone to describe SEL and its skills and competencies, along with any programs, strategies, or interventions that may be used as evidenced support. The group clarifies and articulates the importance of everyone using these terms consistently in all communications between staff, students, parents, and community members. For example, if “SEL” is the term that is chosen, then all stakeholders should agree on a definition of what it is, the skills and competencies on which it will focus (list them), and how it will need to be supported by various programs, interventions, and instructional strategies, all of which will need to be discussed when developing the implementation plan. See “Case Example: Texas Collaborative for Emotional Development in Schools (TxCEDS)” for a practical application of the importance of establishing a common language.

Step 2: Establish a common perspective and understanding of the issues. This second step helps identify the key issues needing to be addressed. In developing a clear understanding of these issues, stakeholders will need to give key consideration to the core values identified by the school or district, and how (or if) they are being reflected in the school’s or district’s vision, mission, policies, procedures, and guidelines. This step involves an open discussion about issues that impact school culture and climate, as well as equitable access to education (e.g., disproportionate practices), cultural considerations, and social and civic responsibility. More detailed information on current challenges in education will be discussed further in Chapter 4.

Step 3: Establish a common, or shared, vision . Once a common perspective of the issues has been clearly defined, understood, and articulated, a vision for SEL can be developed. In this step, key considerations should be given to aligning the school’s or district’s core values with the vision and mission statements. An elaboration on the role of core values will presented in Chapter 9.

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