Social and Emotional Learning Research Review

BY VANESSA VEGA Numerous research reports show that social and emotional learning (SEL) can have a positive impact on students' academic performance. Edutopia's SEL research review explores those reports and helps make sense of the results. In this series of four articles, learn how researchers define social and emotional learning, review some of the possible learning outcomes, get ourrecommendations of evidence-based programs, find tips for avoiding pitfalls when implementing SEL programs, and dig in to a comprehensive annotated bibliography with links to all the studies and reports cited in these pages. What is Social and Emotional Learning? How do we define social and emotional learning (SEL)? Researchers generally agree upon five key competencies of SEL (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor & Schellinger, 2011). These competencies provide the foundation for maintaining high-quality social relationships and for responding to the challenges of life. 1. SELF-AWARENESS What are my thoughts and feelings? What causes those thoughts and feelings? How can I express my thoughts and feelings respectfully? What different responses can I have to an event? How can I respond to an event as constructively as possible? How can I better understand other people's thoughts and feelings? How can I better understand why people feel and think the way they do? How can I adjust my actions so that my interactions with different people turn out well? How can I communicate my expectations to other people? How can I communicate with other people to understand and manage their expectations of me? 5. RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING What consequences will my actions have on myself and others?

2. SELF-MANAGEMENT

3. SOCIAL AWARENESS

4. RELATIONSHIP SKILLS

How do my choices align with my values? How can I solve problems creatively?

Learning Outcomes A meta-analysis of 213 programs, primarily covering three decades of research, found that social and emotional learning interventions that address the competencies listed above increased students' academic performance by 11 percentile points, as compared to students who did not participate in such SEL programs (Durlak et al., 2011). The social and emotional learning programs also reduced aggression and emotional distress among students, increased helping behaviors in school, and improved positive attitudes toward self and others (Durlak et al., 2011). Effective SEL programs addressed the five key competencies listed above, explicitly and sequentially, and used active-learning techniques to engage youth in developing understanding of them. Specific practices and programs shown by multiple, rigorous, peer-reviewed studies to benefit K-12 youth are described on the Evidence-Based Programs page of the SEL research review. SEL Skills and Academic Success Relationships and emotional processes affect how and what we learn. By reducing misbehavior and the amount of time spent on classroom management, SEL programs create more time for teaching and learning. SEL also strengthens students' relationships with their peers, families, and teachers, who are mediators, collaborators, and encouragers of academic achievement. Researchers have documented the importance of caring teacher-student and student-student relationships in fostering students' commitment to school and in promoting academic success (e.g. Blum & Libby, 2004; Hamre & Pianta, 2006; Hawkins, Smith, & Catalano, 2004; Jennings & Greenberg 2009; cited in Durlak, et al., 2011). Safe and orderly environments that encourage and reinforce positive classroom behavior have been identified by research as one of the necessary conditions for academic achievement (Marzano, 2003). There are also several person-centered reasons SEL can promote academic success. Self-regulation, the ability to control and manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, has been linked to academic achievement in numerous studies. Students who are more self-aware and confident about their learning capacities try

harder and persist in the face of challenges (Aronson, 2002; cited in Durlak et al., 2011). Students who set high academic goals, have self-discipline, motivate themselves, manage stress, and organize their approach to work learn more and get better grades (Duckworth & Seligman, 2005; Elliot & Dweck, 2005; cited in Durlak et al., 2011). Finally, students who use problem-solving skills to overcome obstacles and make responsible decisions about studying and completing homework do better academically (Zins & Elias, 2006; cited in Durlak et al., 2011). According to a national survey of middle and high school students, less than one third indicated that their school provided a caring, encouraging environment, and less than half reported that they had competencies such as empathy, conflict resolution and decision-making skills (Benson, 2006; cited in Durlak et al., 2011). By strengthening students' social support networks and their skills in selfmanagement, SEL can help to unleash the potential within academic environments to support students' well-being and success.

Social and Emotional Learning Research: Evidence-Based Programs Choosing the best program to implement social and emotional learning in your school can be daunting. Edutopia's research analyst recommends these research-proven programs. BY VANESSA VEGA Given the strong evidence that social and emotional learning can contribute to academic success, how do educators choose the right SEL programs? We've compiled a chart with our recommendations for some of the most effective research-proven SEL programs available. -Based SEL Programs* EVIDENCE-BASED SEL PROGRAMS Practices
Roots of Empathy K-8 Classroom sessions over a twenty-seven-week program involve nine family visits with a baby (ages 6-12 months). The trainer facilitates the curriculum, and can be anyone except the teacher who participates in a training program with Roots of Empathy.

Outcomes & Evidence

Decreased aggression (approximately half as many youth getting into fights each year) Increased prosocial behavior Immediate and long-term effects, lasting up to three years after intervention

Positive Action K-12

Thinking and doing positive actions

Academic achievement gains, averaging 14 percentile points

Based on the premise that you feel good about yourself when you think and do positive actions, and that there is always a positive way to do things.

Decreased violent behaviors, averaging 19 percentile points

Practices
Responsive Classroom Approach K-5 Morning meetings Three to five positively stated school rules (developmentally and individually relevant to the child) for the whole school or classroom Responding to misbehavior with positive redirecting language and logical consequences Problem-solving strategies in class or small-groups; written agreements with individual students Modeling, role-playing and positive teacher language to teach expected behaviors Continuous evaluation of implementation and impact

Outcomes & Evidence

Increased math and reading test scores Improved student attitudes about schools, teachers, and peers Decreased misbehavior and improved social skills Teachers felt more effective and positive about teaching, offered higherquality instruction, and collaborated more frequently with other teachers

Practices
Second Step Pre-K-8 Skills in impulse control, (e.g. using self-talk), showing empathy, anger and emotional management, and problem-solving Brain Builder Games to develop self-regulation skills 4Rs (Reading, Writing, Respect & Resolution) K-5 Resolving Conflict Creatively Program K-12 Continual training of teachers Problem solving by using perspective-taking, decision-making, and negotiation techniques Peer mediation Parent training and coaching Meditation K-12 Mindfulness, or openmonitoring meditation, involves observing thoughts and emotions without reacting to them. Focused-attention meditation involves focusing on a single object. School-based meditation practices ranged from 10 to 40 minutes, daily to bi-weekly, over three to six months.

Outcomes & Evidence

Increased cooperative behavior Reduced aggression in the classroom, lasting up to six months.

Decreased hostility and aggression Increased reading and math test scores among high-risk students

Decreased aggression and rule infractions

Improved academic functioning on attention-skills tests

Decreased anxiety

Practices
Service Learning K-12 Involving students in designing, implementing, and evaluating service projects Community partnerships that provide real-world context for service, communication, and interaction Projects have clear educational goals and meet genuine community needs

Outcomes & Evidence

Can protect from negative life stresses Can improve relationships with peers and adults Can increase civic engagement

Social and Emotional Learning Research: Avoiding Pitfalls Based on the social and emotional learning research review, we've highlighted some best practices to follow when implementing SEL programs, along with some tips on how to address common challenges. BY VANESSA VEGA The most common problem when implementing SEL programs is a lack of teacher and administrator support for the program (Durlak, et al., 2011). Most teachers are concerned about their students doing well academically, and if teachers do not see the benefits of SEL programs for academic achievement, they are more likely to implement SEL lessons poorly or haphazardly, which results in the curriculum having less impact. The best way to address this problem is for a principal, champion of the program in the school or district, or one of the support staff to help teachers understand the research behind the program. Once they understand that SEL programs have positive impacts for students both socially and academically, teachers are more likely to implement the program with fidelity. Provide Adequate Professional Training and Support Teachers and administrators must practice SEL competencies in order to teach them. Generally, a dedicated curriculum specialist is needed to help ensure that SEL programs are delivered as intended. Teachers and socioemotional learning

specialists at Anchorage School District and Cleveland Metropolitan School District have years of experience implementing social and emotional learning curriculum, and Cleveland educators highly recommend the Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (McCarney & Wunderlich, 2006) as an ongoing invaluable resource. Teachers can refer to a creative list of evidence-based responses to behavior problems, which also can be used in consultation with a student to discuss best courses of action. Engage the Community in Collectively Defining SEL Standards The process of collectively defining standards provides a great way to address the first two pitfalls. Developing collective standards and engaging all stakeholders in the process of constructing the standard help to ensure that everyone understands and supports the implementation of the learning standards. Anchorage School District has clearly defined their districtwide SEL standards and developed an extensive library of learning materials for staff and students. Anchorage staff reported that through grappling with the meaning of the standards and reaching consensus about what they wanted students to learn, everyone involved felt a greater stake in the success of the program. Monitor Progress Continuous evaluation is necessary to test for desired implementation and impacts and to develop the collective practices toward those goals (Elias, 2003). Illinois has adopted statewide SEL standards, whileKansas has adopted Social, Emotional, Character Development standards. A recent report of Illinois's statewide social and emotional learning implementation provides a useful framework for understanding the three distinct phases of social and emotional learning programs: readiness, planning and implementation (Gordon, Mulhall, Shaw & Weissberg, 2011). Phases include steps to: Develop knowledge-building along with an SEL standard and framework; Ensure teacher capacity and readiness to implement SEL; Provide professional development and other support necessary to ensure that all lessons are delivered as intended; Provide a system for ongoing review of project implementation and impact. Generally, a dedicated curriculum specialist is needed to help ensure that SEL lessons are delivered as intended. In the final stage of development, it becomes appropriate to assess whether the SEL program is achieving the intended

outcomes and whether the program can be adjusted to best serve the needs of the local context. American Institutes for Research has reported on the DESSA as a tool to evaluate SEL programs and has also achieved sufficient reliability and validity by asking teachers to rate the SEL competencies of six randomly selected students in each classroom. Raikes Foundation recently released a report (2011) on various assessment tools to evaluate middle school SEL programs.