As parents, we all want our children to grow into happy, healthy and caring adults. We want to see them thrive, make good decisions and achieve their long-term goals. That’s where important social and emotional skills come in — skills like empathy, communication and self-management. These life-long skills help children overcome day-to-day challenges and to connect with people around them.
While kids first acquire these skills at home, some schools actively teach them as part of the curriculum. This means that aside from mathematics, sciences, physical education, languages and the arts, students also learn how to set goals, empathise with others and make informed decisions. This process is called social-emotional learning, and it comes with a multitude of benefits for children.
Read on to know more. You can also click on the shortcuts below to access each section of this guide.
- What is Social-Emotional Learning?
- Types of Social-Emotional Learning skills
- How Social-Emotional Learning benefits kids
- Sample activities for Social-Emotional development
What is Social-Emotional Learning?
To put it simply, social-emotional learning is the process of developing and applying social and emotional skills. It aims to develop students into caring individuals who can:
- Cultivate healthy identities
- Set and achieve goals
- Understand and manage their emotions
- Show empathy and care for others
- Form and maintain supportive relationships
- Make responsible decisions
Social-emotional learning, or SEL, begins from a very young age and continues through adulthood. In the classroom setting, SEL is not taught as a single subject. Rather, it’s integrated into lessons throughout the day.
For example, during an art class, your child may be assigned to paint a picture with a classmate. This activity encourages turn-taking and sharing with others. Some activities may appear simple, but these intangible skills will help your child overcome future challenges and allow them to thrive in school and long after.
Just like physical skills need to be practised, social-emotional skills also need to be developed into lifelong habits. Parents, schools and communities can all help students learn and practice these skills through various activities.
Types of Social-Emotional Learning skills
The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) lists five fundamental competencies that make up SEL:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Responsible decision-making
- Relationship skills
- Social awareness
Each competency spans a wide range of skills:
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness involves understanding one’s own emotions, abilities, values and goals. Children with a strong sense of self-awareness are better able to express their needs and assess their capabilities.
Self-awareness skills include:
- Identifying one’s emotions
- Recognising strengths and weaknesses
- Expressing one’s needs
- Being honest
- Having a growth mindset
Self-Management
Self-management involves the ability to control one’s emotions, thoughts and actions in different situations. Children with self-management skills are more likely to take the initiative and set their own goals.
Self-management skills include:
- Setting goals
- Managing emotions
- Planning and organizing
- Taking initiative
- Motivating oneself
Responsible Decision-Making
Responsible decision-making involves the ability to make caring decisions and understand the consequences of one’s actions. Children with this skill tend to be more curious and empathetic.
Responsible decision-making includes:
- Demonstrating curiosity and inquiry
- Using critical thinking skills
- Identifying solutions to problems
- Weighing risks before making a decision
- Understanding the consequences of one’s behaviour
Relationship Skills
Relationship skills help children form and maintain supportive relationships and effectively navigate in diverse social settings.
This competency spans a wide range of skills, such as:
- Communicating effectively
- Demonstrating leadership
- Forming positive relationships
- Practising teamwork and collaboration
- Offering and asking for help when needed
Social Awareness
Social awareness is the ability to empathise and understand the perspectives of others, including people from different cultures and backgrounds. Children with strong social awareness are more compassionate, understanding and supportive of their peers.
Social awareness skills include:
- Understanding others’ perspectives
- Recognising others’ strengths
- Showing compassion
- Considering the feelings of others
- Saying thanks
These five competencies are strongly interrelated and can be taught and applied at various developmental stages. To help students hone their social and emotional skills, schools use a combination of active instruction and age-appropriate activities.
Research shows that this approach has a positive impact, and not just on students’ academic performance. Let’s dive into the benefits of SEL for your child.
How social-emotional learning benefits kids
At its core, SEL equips children with the skills they need to navigate school and life successfully. And you don’t have to wait long to see its benefits. Research shows that SEL can lead to:
- Better academic performance — Children with SEL competencies are more engaged during lessons and adept at self-motivation, which leads to higher grades and test scores.
- Increased participation and attendance —SEL helps children build confidence and communication skills, leading to active class participation. It also has a positive impact on daily attendance.
- Fewer behavioural issues — Teaching and modelling appropriate behaviour is a key aspect of SEL. This leads to fewer disciplinary incidents and encourages positive attitudes among students.
- Improved mental health and self-esteem —SEL helps students form supportive relationships with peers and adults, which leads to improved mental health and a boost in self-esteem.
- Positive relationships with teachers and peers — By practising communication and collaboration, students can establish healthy relationships with their schoolmates, teachers and other mentors.
Additionally, SEL benefits families and wider communities — making it a critical part of early childhood development.
Sample activities for social-emotional development
Social and emotional skills can be taught in many ways and to students of all levels. Students benefit most from starting SEL in early childhood, but it’s also important to ensure that it continues throughout their schooling.
In the Early and Primary Years, we use various curriculum resources to support social and emotional learning, such as the following:
- IB Learner Profile
- Enfoques del Aprendizaje (ATLs)
- Documentos de Alcance y Secuencia de Educación Personal, Social y Física (PSPE) del PEP
- Estándares curriculares específicos para apoyar los documentos de Alcance y Secuencia, tomados de varias fuentes, incluyendo los estándares ACARA.
Además, ofrecemos programas integrales de tutoría y apoyo pastoral para promover el desarrollo académico, social y emocional de los estudiantes, permitiendo que cada uno alcance su máximo potencial. A través de estos programas de tutoría y apoyo pastoral, nuestros estudiantes adquieren y aplican eficazmente los conocimientos, actitudes y habilidades necesarios para comprender y gestionar las emociones, lograr metas positivas, mostrar empatía por los demás y tomar decisiones responsables. Asimismo, contamos con Líderes de Nivel de Grado, Líderes Pastorales y Orientadores Escolares que están siempre disponibles para reunirse con nuestros estudiantes.
Integramos el aprendizaje socioemocional en las Unidades de Indagación y en diversas actividades en el aula. Ocasionalmente, también desarrollamos lecciones independientes para cubrir contenido esencial que no encaja en las Unidades de Indagación. A continuación, se presentan algunos ejemplos de cómo su hijo podría aprender habilidades socioemocionales en XCL World Academy:
En Preescolar, pedimos a nuestros pequeños alumnos que hagan títeres con caras tristes y alegres. Durante la hora del cuento, les pedimos que compartan cómo creen que se siente un personaje y que levanten el títere con esa expresión. Los estudiantes también pueden usar estos títeres para expresar sus propias emociones.
En Jardín de Infantes, podríamos pedir a los estudiantes que dibujen en parejas y luego dar a cada equipo una taza de materiales de arte para usar. Esto les ayuda a aprender a compartir, a respetar los turnos y a escucharse mutuamente.
A través de la Unidad de Indagación "Compartiendo el Planeta", los estudiantes de Primaria aprenden a construir relaciones pacíficas mediante el respeto mutuo y la comprensión. Los orientadores co-enseñan la lección y guían a los estudiantes a través de estrategias de resolución de conflictos junto con los tutores.
Hacemos que los estudiantes de Secundaria debatan sobre algo que les apasione para enseñarles a formular argumentos, escuchar a la parte contraria y expresar su postura con respeto. Esta es también una excelente manera de fomentar la confianza y las habilidades para hablar en público.
En Bachillerato, pedimos a nuestros estudiantes que identifiquen sus fortalezas personales y escriban una reflexión sobre cómo cada fortaleza les ayuda en su vida diaria. También les pedimos que escriban sobre una debilidad que les gustaría mejorar. Esta actividad permite a los estudiantes desarrollar habilidades de autoconciencia y autogestión que pueden ayudarles a prepararse para la universidad y para el futuro.
El aprendizaje socioemocional ayuda a los niños a desarrollar las habilidades que necesitan para tener éxito en la escuela y en la vida. Como padre, puede apoyar el desarrollo socioemocional de su hijo dedicándole tiempo, escuchándolo activamente y practicando la empatía y la paciencia. También es importante colaborar con los maestros de su hijo.
El SEL también tiene una amplia gama de beneficios, incluyendo un mejor rendimiento académico y una mejora de la salud mental en los niños. Al practicar el SEL en casa, puede reforzar estos resultados positivos y ayudar a sus hijos a crecer como individuos compasivos y capaces.
Para saber más sobre cómo apoyamos el aprendizaje socioemocional de nuestros estudiantes, contáctenos hoy o reserve un recorrido personalizado por el campus.
