The Importance of Early Childhood Education

“SEL is the foundation for developing a healthy and thoughtful generation of individuals. If we want children to thrive, we need to meet their social and emotional needs first.”

What You’ll Learn

What is social-emotional learning (SEL)?

Why is SEL important?

What does SEL look like?

Over the past few years, the term “social-emotional learning” became a buzzword in the field of education, and unfortunately, there is often a lack of understanding about what this term means. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of human development and I’m here to explain why. (Hint: it’s more than teaching children about their feelings and is just as important as teaching them about numeracy or literacy skills).

Social-Emotional Learning

Social-emotional learning (SEL) inspires learning and growth—it is the process through which all human beings acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become a thriving individual. These skills include managing difficult emotions, developing a healthy identity, making decisions, handling stress, setting goals, and maintaining supportive relationships. SEL is the foundation for developing a healthy and thoughtful generation of individuals.

5 Areas of Social and Emotional Competence

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a leader in the field of SEL instruction. CASEL identifies five broad and interrelated areas of competence of SEL:

Self-awareness : The ability to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.

Developing a healthy sense of identity

Identifying one’s emotions

Recognizing one’s strengths and needs

Developing a growth mindset

Self-management : The ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.

Managing one’s emotions

Feeling empowered to make choices and take action

Exhibiting self-control

Setting personal and collective goals

Social awareness : The ability to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts.

Taking others’ perspectives

Demonstrating empathy

Showing concern for the feelings of others

Understanding and expressing gratitude

Relationship skills : The ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.

Communicating effectively

Resolving conflicts in collaboration with others

Seeking or offering support and help when needed

Standing up for the rights of others

Responsible decision-making : The ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.

Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness

Considering the consequences of one’s actions

Identifying solutions for personal and social problems

Reflecting on one’s personal impact

These core competencies underscore one’s ability to be available to learn and help to create communities that are caring and just. If we want children to thrive, we need to meet their social and emotional needs first.

Social-Emotional Learning is Effective

Social-emotional learning is an opportunity to ensure long-term benefits for all children. Research continues to demonstrate that SEL can prevent problems and promote positive outcomes. Social-emotional learning:

Improves academic performance and achievement

Develops skills that promote future readiness

Creates safe and supportive learning environments

Advances educational equity

Cultivates protective factors to buffer against mental health risks

Helps reduce poverty and improves economic mobility

Social-Emotional Learning in Practice

Social-emotional learning does not occur naturally over the course of a child’s development, but these skills can be taught and learned across one’s lifespan. In educational settings, SEL competencies are integrated into students’ daily learning experiences and taught through explicit instruction. Explicit instruction often includes lessons on how to identify and label feelings, build emotional vocabulary, consider other people’s perspectives and experiences, and brainstorm solutions to problems. Consistent and differentiated instruction is essential for the development of a student’s social-emotional skills. At home, parents and caregivers can also reinforce SEL competencies through modeling these skills when interacting with their child and with others.

Empowering Takeaways

SEL is an integral part of human development and is the foundation for a healthy and thoughtful generation of individuals

There are five core competencies of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making

SEL can prevent problems and promote positive, life-long benefits

Be vibrant and keep thriving!

This article was last reviewed or updated on November 17, 2023.

About the author: Rebecca is the Head of Family Empowerment and Student Success at SolBe Learning. Rebecca has worked in the field of early education for over six years, with a passion for supporting the optimal development of young children and families. Rebecca holds a B.A. in early childhood education and sociology as well as an M.A. and license in school counseling.

References

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2023). Transformative SEL. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/how-does-sel-support-educational-equity-and-excellence/transformative-sel/

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2023). What is the CASEL framework? https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/#social-emotional-learning

Duffell, J. C., Weissberg, R. P., Williams, A., Eaton, P. D., Segneri, M., Carstarphen, M. J., Matheny, R. K., Amador, A., Koch, R., & Kranzler, D. (n.d.). How social-emotional learning helps children succeed in school, the workplace, and life. Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/mission-vision/what-is-sel/docs/sel-e-book.pdf

Gregory, A., & Fergus, E. (2017). Social and emotional learning and equity in school discipline. The Future of Children, 27(1), 117-137.

Jones, S. M., & Doolittle, E. J. (2017). Social and emotional learning: Introducing the issue. The Future of Children, 27(1), 3-11. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44219018

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2023). Social and emotional learning in Massachusetts. https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/sel/?section=all#topics

Posamentier, J. (2020, September 1). Supporting racial equity with culturally responsive pedagogy and SEL. Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/blog/2020/09/supporting-racial-equity-with-culturally-responsive-pedagogy-and-sel/?_gl=1*1ke2y67*_ga*MTAzMzg0MjY0LjE3MDAxOTM0MjE.*_ga_RCFK1P818T*MTcwMDE5MzQyMS4xLjAuMTcwMDE5MzQyMS42MC4wLjA

. Souza, J. (2023, June 2). What is social and emotional learning. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/what-is-social-and-emotional-learning/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=pub_ed_nl_2023-03-21&utm_content=what-is-social-and-emotional-learning

Tate, E. (Host). (2019, May 7). Why social-emotional learning is suddenly in the spotlight [Audio podcast episode]. In EdSurge On Air Podcast. EdSurge. https://soundcloud.com/edsurge/why-social-emotional-learning-is-suddenly-in-the-spotlight