SEL
Programs that work
Social and emotional learning
programs that work
Hundreds of controlled research studies conducted during the
●
Do SEL programs signifi cantly improve
past few decades indicate that social and emotional learning
participants’ skills, attitudes, behaviors,
and academic performance?
programs can improve students’ academic performance and
●
Are SEL programs effective in school
emotional development. Joseph Durlak and Roger Weissberg
and after school and for students with
problems (Indicated Review) and without
explore the evidence problems (Universal and After-School
Reviews)?
●
What features are associated with more
EDUCATORS, POLICY MAKERS, and the public and family initiatives, improving classroom effective SEL programs?
agree that young people should leave school management and teaching practices,
profi cient in academic subjects, but should and whole school community-building Methods and results from the three
also be responsible, respectful, and able to activities. The focus of many SEL programs scientifi c reviews
work well with others. Schools play a critical involves school-wide and classroom-based Each review evaluated published and
role in working with families and communities promotion and prevention activities for all unpublished studies in which children or
to raise knowledgeable, happy, caring, students. Some small-group SEL programs adolescents receiving an SEL intervention
contributing children when they successfully address the social-emotional skills of were compared to a control group and there
foster students’ cognitive, social, and children experiencing behavioral and was at least one quantitative outcome
emotional development. Because schools emotional diffi culties. assessing youths’ adjustment. Studies
have limited resources and are experiencing This article summarizes the key fi ndings conducted around the world were included
intense pressure to promote academic and implications of three large-scale (the majority were done in the U.S.) if they
performance, educators must identify systematic reviews of outcome research on appeared in English by the end of 2008
and effectively implement research-based the impact of SEL programs for school-age and involved students between
approaches that produce multiple benefi ts. children and young people (ages 5–18). kindergarten and high school. Collectively,
A growing body of research has
examined the impact on behavior and
Well-designed and carefully-executed programs can
school performance of educational,
increase positive student behavior and academic performance
youth-development, preventive, and
clinical interventions that promote social
and also reduce disruptive behavior and emotional distress
and emotional learning (SEL). Social and
emotional learning is the process through The Universal Review examined the the three reviews included 368 studies
which children and young people (as well impact of universal school-based SEL involving 322,245 children and young
as adults) acquire the knowledge, attitudes, interventions, that is, classroom-based people.
and skills to: or school-wide interventions that are Results of each review supported the
●
Recognize and manage emotions; appropriate for all students. value of SEL programs in signifi cantly
●
Set and achieve positive goals; The Indicated Review focused on school- enhancing multiple aspects of students’
●
Demonstrate care and concern for others; based early intervention or indicated adjustment. For example, compared to
●
Establish and maintain positive programs, meaning interventions that controls at post-test, students in SEL
relationships; identify and work with students who are programs demonstrated superior SEL
●
Make responsible decisions; and displaying early signs of behavioral or skills and prosocial attitudes, higher levels
●
Handle interpersonal situations effectively. emotional problems. of prosocial behavior, reduced levels of
There are a variety of ways to promote The After-School Review evaluated SEL conduct problems and emotional distress,
students’ social-emotional competence. SEL interventions conducted in after-school and enhanced academic performance
skills may be taught, modeled, and practiced programs, which primarily involved students including up to an 11 percentile gain in
so that children and young people use without identifi ed problems. school achievement. In each review, SEL
them as part of their behavioral repertoire In other words, we evaluated SEL programs were effective for students of all
in dealing with daily life challenges. Some programs across two different time periods ages and from different ethnic groups, and
programs teach students to apply SEL skills and settings (during the school day and in the Indicated Review were successful
to prevent risky behaviors (e.g., substance after school) and for two different types for those beginning to show behavioral or
abuse, violence, and bullying) or to of student populations (those without any emotional problems. In other words, fi ndings
contribute to their class, school, and identifi ed problems in the Universal and provided positive answers to our fi rst two
community (e.g., service learning). Other After-School Reviews and those with early research questions.
approaches foster social-emotional identifi ed problems in the Indicated Review). To answer our third research question,
development through establishing safe, Each review addressed the following we carefully examined which of several
caring learning environments involving peer research questions: possible methodological and procedural
4 Better: Evidence-based Education winter 2010
Better(US)Win10 pp04-05 Social.indd 4 23/2/10 16:58:39
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