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Self-Management, Self-Awareness, Social-Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making.

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This website shares a list of the top 10 social skills that students need to succeed and reasons why.

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Top 10 social skills students need to succeed

Reading, writing, 'rithmetic and... good manners? Researchers have found that 10 basic social skills such as taking turns, listening and simply being nice are just as important to children's academic success as the subjects they study, and that students can and should be learning these skills in the classroom.

"If we increase social skills, we see commensurate increases in academic learning. That doesn't mean that social skills make you smarter; it means that these skills make you more amenable to learning," Stephen Elliott, Vanderbilt Peabody education and psychology researcher and co-author of the newly published The Social Skills Improvement System-Classwide Intervention Program, said. "In our research, we found that elementary kids and teachers value cooperation and self-control. When we teach and increase those behaviors, we reduce problem behaviors and maximize learning time."

Elliott and co-author Frank Gresham identified the top 10 skills that students need to succeed based on surveys of over 8,000 teachers and over 20 years of research in classrooms across the country. They are:
1. Listen to others
2. Follow the steps
3. Follow the rules
4. Ignore distractions
5. Ask for help
6. Take turns when you talk
7. Get along with others
8. Stay calm with others
9. Be responsible for your behavior
10. Do nice things for others

"Our new publication is based on a survey we did in 2006, but we found almost exactly the same list of desired social skills when we did the survey in 1989," Elliott said. "Society has not changed what it values as fundamental social behaviors."

In the new book, Elliott and Gresham present a detailed 10-week program that teachers can use to incorporate teaching of these skills into pre-school through middle school curriculum. The program devotes a week to each of the 10 skills, with each section building upon what is learned in the previous unit. In addition to the guide for teachers, the program includes student workbooks, videos and other supplemental materials.

Elliott believes that rather than adding on to a teacher's already heavy workload, the program will in fact help them reach children more effectively.

"Many teachers feel pressured by the demands of the No Child Left Behind Act and see this as an add-on," Elliott said. "But we have found after this program they can teach these skills at the same time as they are teaching science and math, and it will help them be more effective across the board."

The program includes a simple screening tool that teachers use at the beginning of the year to assess their individual students' social and basic academic skills. The tool allows them to provide specific assistance in a particular area based on the student's needs, and also to assess progress. It includes communication with parents throughout the process to encourage their involvement in supporting these skills at home.

Elliott is professor of special education, Dunn Family Chair in Educational and Psychological Assessment and interim director of the Learning Sciences Institute at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of education and human development. Gresham is professor of psychology at Louisiana State University's Department of Psychology.

Pearson, Inc. published the SSIS. More information is available at http://www.PearsonAssessments.com.

Media contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu

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Dunn Family Chair in Educational and Psychological Assessment

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The Social Skills Improvement System-Classwide Intervention Program

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Top 10 social skills students need to succeed

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Reading, writing, 'rithmetic and... good manners? Researchers have found that 10 basic social skills such as taking turns, listening and simply being nice are just as important to children's academic success as the subjects they study, and that students can and should be learning these skills in the classroom.

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The Art of Social - Emotional Learning (SEL)

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The Art of Social - Emotional Learning (SEL)

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A video on how important it is to incorporate SEL into subjects because it teaches children to empathize and fight against bullying, racism, and discrimination.

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The Art of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

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Strategies for Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning 

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Strategies for Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning 

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This website shares 5 strong, important strategies to help teachers incorporate social and emotional learning in the classroom.

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by Meg Price, theeiexperience

Social emotional learning (SEL) by definition is a process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and work in an effective manner. Although there are many great SEL programs, SEL can also be incorporated into each lesson as a way of teaching for students to really understand how to action the skills in a variety of situations and form positive habits.

All students start school with some level of social and emotional skills and all will develop their social and emotional skills at a different rate. Parents and teachers are both responsible for teaching students life skills and certainly much of what they learn will be by watching our actions.

The 5 strategies below are will not only benefit students SEL but will also be beneficial to teacher's well-being.
5 Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom 1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness is: paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non- judgmentally.*

We are hearing more and more about the benefits of mindfulness for children - increased attention leads to better performance academically and increased emotional and social intelligence. Children are better able to learn, to nurture themselves, and to be aware of their emotional needs.

Mindfulness practices helps students pay attention to their breath, body, thoughts, feelings and the world around them. When they can observe their thoughts and feelings they have the freedom to choose how they will speak and act. And this can lead to a happier, more harmonious classroom.

There are many mindfulness activities on the Internet or via apps today - why not start each lesson with a different mindfulness activity.
2. Challenge Thinking - thoughts influence feelings
Research shows that students who are more resilient are more academically successful. Resilient students bounce back quicker, they are mindful of their thinking, understand their beliefs and importantly are able to challenge their beliefs and thoughts to create more positive outcomes.

This is an important concept because we may not always be able to influence what happens to us but we do have a powerful influence in how we interpret what happens to us and how we deal with it. Many students are unaware that their thoughts play a large role in influencing how they feel. No matter what happens to you, nobody can take this away from you and it is an empowering lesson to teach when ever you hear a student express frustration, anger and other negative emotions - listen for the emotion, catch the moment and help your student challenge their thinking.
3. Persistence & Determination
A really important aspect of wellbeing and SEL is the ability to accomplish things in life. Many students naturally strive to better themselves in some way, whether they are seeking to master a skill, achieve a valuable goal, or win in some competitive event. Other students need some coaching in this area. Teaching students each and every lesson that to accomplish things takes effort, patience and perseverance is really important. Praise for effort is critical in this area of SEL. Each student will need to be encouraged to set stretch goals during lessons to feel a sense of accomplishment. By being mindful, and challenging negative thoughts students can be encouraged to dig deep to find the determination to succeed.
4. Empathy - listen to be surprised
Part of SEL is an understanding of the importance of positive relationships. To have these relationships we need to have empathy. Teachers have a wonderful ability to model empathy. Encourage students to listen to others, ask them to listen to be surprised and try to understand how other students might be feeling. What opportunities do you have each class to find ways for students to help each other and learn something new about other people's ideas? Use the opportunity in class to teach students to ask questions framed to encourage response not encourage defensiveness. For example when John says "Sam, why can't you just follow the instructions"- encourage John to re-frame his question for a better understanding of what Sam is seeking "Sam, can we work through these instruction together to ensure they make sense?
5. Gratitude
Once again research is showing us that a really important aspect of well-being is gratitude. This research indicates those who regularly express gratitude have more energy and enthusiasm, less stress and better physical wellbeing. There are some very simple ways to increase your experience and expression of gratitude; however, this may require that we train ourselves to think differently. For students this can be done by incorporating some simple exercises into each lesson.

At the end of each class ask students to reflect on the class using these three questions:

- What aspects of this class did you enjoy today?

- Who did you enjoy working with today?

- What areas of this topic would you like to learn more about?

Most importantly above all have fun each and every class - learning should be fun and play is a really important part of SEL!
*Kabat-Zinn, 1990; image attribution flickr user anjagraphy
by Meg Price, theeiexperience

Social emotional learning (SEL) by definition is a process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and work in an effective manner. Although there are many great SEL programs, SEL can also be incorporated into each lesson as a way of teaching for students to really understand how to action the skills in a variety of situations and form positive habits.

All students start school with some level of social and emotional skills and all will develop their social and emotional skills at a different rate. Parents and teachers are both responsible for teaching students life skills and certainly much of what they learn will be by watching our actions.

The 5 strategies below are will not only benefit students SEL but will also be beneficial to teacher's well-being.
5 Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom 1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness is: paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non- judgmentally.*

We are hearing more and more about the benefits of mindfulness for children - increased attention leads to better performance academically and increased emotional and social intelligence. Children are better able to learn, to nurture themselves, and to be aware of their emotional needs.

Mindfulness practices helps students pay attention to their breath, body, thoughts, feelings and the world around them. When they can observe their thoughts and feelings they have the freedom to choose how they will speak and act. And this can lead to a happier, more harmonious classroom.

There are many mindfulness activities on the Internet or via apps today - why not start each lesson with a different mindfulness activity.
2. Challenge Thinking - thoughts influence feelings
Research shows that students who are more resilient are more academically successful. Resilient students bounce back quicker, they are mindful of their thinking, understand their beliefs and importantly are able to challenge their beliefs and thoughts to create more positive outcomes.

This is an important concept because we may not always be able to influence what happens to us but we do have a powerful influence in how we interpret what happens to us and how we deal with it. Many students are unaware that their thoughts play a large role in influencing how they feel. No matter what happens to you, nobody can take this away from you and it is an empowering lesson to teach when ever you hear a student express frustration, anger and other negative emotions - listen for the emotion, catch the moment and help your student challenge their thinking.
3. Persistence & Determination
A really important aspect of wellbeing and SEL is the ability to accomplish things in life. Many students naturally strive to better themselves in some way, whether they are seeking to master a skill, achieve a valuable goal, or win in some competitive event. Other students need some coaching in this area. Teaching students each and every lesson that to accomplish things takes effort, patience and perseverance is really important. Praise for effort is critical in this area of SEL. Each student will need to be encouraged to set stretch goals during lessons to feel a sense of accomplishment. By being mindful, and challenging negative thoughts students can be encouraged to dig deep to find the determination to succeed.
4. Empathy - listen to be surprised
Part of SEL is an understanding of the importance of positive relationships. To have these relationships we need to have empathy. Teachers have a wonderful ability to model empathy. Encourage students to listen to others, ask them to listen to be surprised and try to understand how other students might be feeling. What opportunities do you have each class to find ways for students to help each other and learn something new about other people's ideas? Use the opportunity in class to teach students to ask questions framed to encourage response not encourage defensiveness. For example when John says "Sam, why can't you just follow the instructions"- encourage John to re-frame his question for a better understanding of what Sam is seeking "Sam, can we work through these instruction together to ensure they make sense?
5. Gratitude
Once again research is showing us that a really important aspect of well-being is gratitude. This research indicates those who regularly express gratitude have more energy and enthusiasm, less stress and better physical wellbeing. There are some very simple ways to increase your experience and expression of gratitude; however, this may require that we train ourselves to think differently. For students this can be done by incorporating some simple exercises into each lesson.

At the end of each class ask students to reflect on the class using these three questions:

- What aspects of this class did you enjoy today?

- Who did you enjoy working with today?

- What areas of this topic would you like to learn more about?

Most importantly above all have fun each and every class - learning should be fun and play is a really important part of SEL!
*Kabat-Zinn, 1990; image attribution flickr user anjagraphy

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Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom

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5 Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom

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by Meg Price, theeiexperience Social emotional learning (SEL) by definition is a process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and work in an effective manner.

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A video about how the words and comments of others can effect your emotional and social well being; thus, effecting your academic success. Demonstrated by the teacher.

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Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning into Classroom

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Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning into Classroom

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This PDF shares ways to incorporate social and emotional learning into classroom instruction. It includes specific standards that follow along with teacher practices and student behaviors.

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Five Simple Techniques to Incorporate Social and Emotional Learning

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Five Simple Techniques to Incorporate Social and Emotional Learning

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An in depth look to five simple ways to incorporate Social and Emotional Learning.

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Note: Mary Kate Land teaches Montessori grades 4-6, and is the new facilitator for our Social and Emotional Learning group. She's got some excellent ideas and years of experience working with SEL. We hope you'll join us for some practical, supportive and inspirational discussions.
When I first began working in the field of Social/Emotional Learning more than twenty years ago, the term SEL had not yet been invented, and that made it somewhat challenging to talk with teachers and parents about promoting these skills. Since that time, the educational landscape has evolved to the point that most educators realize how important the psychological aspects of the learning environment can be for individual student progress as well as group cohesiveness. Though we'd like to jump up and cheer, this may actually be a more perilous situation for our field than the total obscurity we've thus far endured.

Avoiding the Soup du Jour Effect

We are at risk of becoming the Soup du Jour of educational concepts. If this is our "fifteen minutes" we need to be prepared to use it in such a way that SEL becomes an expected curriculum feature and not a trendy, but momentary focus which is forgotten as the reform effort moves forward. Perhaps the best way to do this is to help teachers acquire practices which promote Social/Emotional Learning as well as streamline classroom routines. Here are some commonly used SEL techniques which have the potential to become self-perpetuating due to their usefulness for teachers and the interest they invoke from students.

Technique 1: Implement Regular Class Meetings

Regular class meetings which allow students and their teachers to meet face-to-face to discuss challenges promote responsibility and thoughtfulness in students. Meetings can be developmentally appropriate for children as young as 3 or 4 if they are kept short and students have an active part. Often class meetings at the youngest ages involve students demonstrating or practicing certain social skills (greeting, apologies, requests, etc.). As children grow, they take a more active part in running meetings. Older students select meeting topics and help establish meeting routines. Once students reach upper elementary school, they can begin to coordinate meetings independently. Middle and high school students sometimes even formalize their meetings, using Roberts Rules of Order to guide the process.

Technique 2: Use Conflict Resolution to Teach Problem-Solving Skills

Having a protocol that students can use to guide discussions about interpersonal conflict helps students handle disagreements in positive ways. Conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction. Teachers often worry that time spent handling interpersonal conflict will rob the students of time on task. The goal is frequently to stop conflict situations as quickly as possible and get back to the real business at hand. Learning a conflict resolution strategy brings interpersonal conflict into the realm of "intentional curriculum" and legitimizes the time we spend learning these skills. When developing problem-solving techniques is seen as a vital aspect of healthy progress, our interpersonal challenges cease to be distractions and take on the color of opportunities for meaningful learning. We will be talking more about specific conflict resolution strategies in Edutopia's Social and Emotional Learning group.

Technique 3: Use Emotional Sandwiching

Students who see their classroom as a refuge come to school with light steps, anticipating their interactions with classmates and teachers. We can help promote this type of warmth by starting and ending every school day with a personal connection. This doesn't have to be an elaborate or time-consuming ritual. It can be as simple as providing a warm greeting to welcome each person as they arrive in the morning, and then closing with a short reflective circle before dismissal. Some classrooms like to appoint a student as the official greeter. Students enjoy suggesting topics for the closing group, and this can be a great time to focus attention on enriching events the class is planning for the near future. The main idea of this exercise is to help students to be mindful of the importance of their work, and the implications it has for all of their lives.

Technique 4: Build Emotional Capital in Ourselves

Perhaps the most important thing a teacher can do to promote healthy SEL development is to prepare him- or herself. When we are emotionally balanced and feeling appreciated and valued, we are better able to be present for our students and support their growth. Stress relief techniques and positive collegial relationships help us to feel calm and confident. We build emotional capital for ourselves by caring for our own needs.

Technique 5: Build Emotional Capital in Our Kids

We can also build capital for children through our interactions with them. Each time we have the opportunity to communicate with a child, we can use that interaction to support the child. Supportive messages (such as noting positive behaviors and making encouraging suggestions) communicate that students are on the right track and lead to greater student confidence. These types of interactions help students to trust their teachers, bringing us closer together. When conflicts arise, the strength of this relationship will often determine the level at which students will engage in honest dialog. If we can think of our interactions as a banking system, we want to be sure we are making plenty of deposits (emotionally supportive communications) in relation to the number of withdrawals (requests for self-control and cooperation) we require. Students whose accounts have been overdrawn by life may need many deposits before a single withdrawal can be expected.

Many of these ideas are widely practiced by educators, even without the awareness that they promote SEL. A wealth of classroom-tested ideas exist which teachers all over the country could include in their work if they were aware of the ease and importance of teaching these concepts. The way in which we rise to the challenge of disseminating this information could determine whether SEL fades into the background, or moves to the forefront of this wave of reform, becoming an essential aspect of curriculum at every level. If teachers perceive that these ideas are growing because they work to make classrooms function more smoothly and meet the needs of students more thoroughly, they will adopt SEL friendly practices.

This is a critical moment in time for SEL practitioners. Please join me on the Social and Emotional Learning group to explore specific ways in which to promote these important ideas. We are currently creating a wiki to archive the information shared in this group so that new participants have background on the programs and practices that have been helpful to other users. Let us take on the challenge of sharing the specific techniques we use for class meetings, conflict resolution, and promoting emotional balance for teachers and students.

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Five Simple Techniques to Incorporate Social and Emotional Learning

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Note: Mary Kate Land teaches Montessori grades 4-6, and is the new facilitator for our Social and Emotional Learning group. She's got some excellent ideas and years of experience working with SEL. We hope you'll join us for some practical, supportive and inspirational discussions.

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How to Integrate Social-Emotional Learning into Common Core

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How to Integrate Social-Emotional Learning into Common Core

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Different ways to incorporate Social-Emotional Learning into different Common Core Subjects

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Do the Common Core State Standards undermine social-emotional learning?

Many educators think so. In a recent Ed Week op-ed, an elementary principal argued that teachers were too busy teaching Common Core to address the social-emotional development of their students. I've heard the same argument from many teachers. This is troubling given that researchers strongly suggest that the learning process is 50 percent social-emotional and 50 percent cognitive.

Yet when I read through the Standards, I quickly realized that social-emotional skills are implicitly embedded in the Standards-whether or not teachers, school leaders, policy-makers, or even the creators of the Common Core realize it.

In other words, for students to successfully meet the Standards, they must possess social-emotional skills. And unless students magically come to school with all these skills in place, deliberate teaching of these skills will be necessary.

(For readers who are not familiar with the current U.S. public education landscape, the Common Core State Standards outline what students are supposed to know in language arts and math at each grade level so that they will be prepared for college and/or the workplace. While 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Standards, there is still much disagreement on how to implement and test them and whether they're appropriate at all.)

Predicting if the Common Core Standards will survive the multitudinous controversies currently raging in state legislatures is beyond my psychic abilities. But there are hundreds of thousands of educators striving to put the standards to work in classrooms-and it's worth exploring how the Standards naturally align with CASEL's framework of social-emotional learning outcomes. Here are some examples.
Common Core Math Standards and SEL
At first, math and social-emotional learning may not seem like natural allies. But if you think back to a time when a mathematical concept completely confounded you (like, ahem, proofs in high school geometry), social-emotional skills such as perseverance, hope, optimism, and asking for help would have come in handy.

The Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice outline "processes and proficiencies" that math teachers should help students develop. These qualities, in particular, align well with social-emotional learning. Here are a couple examples:
Common Core Math Standard:
Students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Corresponding SEL "self-management" skills:

Possess self-efficacy

Work toward goals

Attention control

Manage personal stress

Regulate emotions such as impulses, aggression, and self-destructive behavior

Seek help when needed

Exhibit positive motivation, hope, and optimism

Display grit, determination, or perseverance

Problem-solving (particularly word problems) is for many students the most challenging part of math. Often students will take one look at a problem and decide that it's too hard without even trying-especially those with "math phobia." This is where social-emotional skills can help.

Students need to first trust in their ability to solve a problem (self-efficacy) and then work towards that goal. They must be able to focus on the problem rather than get distracted by what the kid on the other side of the room is doing. If they get stuck, students must manage their stress-levels by regulating their emotions and, if necessary, ask for help. Staying optimistic throughout the process will help them persevere to the end.

For example, before beginning a lesson, have the students practice a couple minutes of mindfulness. Research suggests that this will calm their emotions and focus their attention. For longer-term impact, help students see how their personal goals align with math outcomes. Scientists have found that this will help students develop hope-one of the most important factors in student academic success. Click here for specific science-based suggestions on cultivating hope in students.
Common Core Math Standard:
When constructing viable arguments, students justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to the arguments of others.
Corresponding SEL "social awareness" and "relationship management" skills:

Respect others (e.g., listen carefully and accurately)

Understand other points of view and perspectives

Identify social cues (verbal, physical) to determine how others feel

Predict others' feelings and reactions

Manage and express emotions in relationships, respecting diverse viewpoints

Emotions can run high when students try to defend their point-which can all too often lead to hurt feelings. Educators need to teach students how to transform "you're wrong!" or "that's a stupid answer!" into "from my perspective" or "I respectfully disagree."

Creating a caring and safe classroom builds respect among students. They learn to understand and accept that other people have different perspectives than them. Educators who build students' emotional literacy by teaching them how to identify emotions in themselves and others are giving students the tools to predict how others' feel and then respond appropriately-all of which will lead to much more effective (not to mention fun and engaging) academic discussions.

One of my favorite examples for building a safe and caring classroom comes from a Greater Good Summer Institute for Educators participant and is based on the RULER program. At the beginning of the year, she asked students how they wanted to feel in the classroom. After getting over their initial shock that a teacher actually cared about how they felt, students began to say things like "be respected" and "no laughing at each other."

Everyday, the students and teacher started class with everyone stating how they were currently feeling. Anyone who felt out-of-sorts was given a little bit of time to visit the "balancing table" where he or she could draw, write, or practice mindfulness to feel better. While many teachers may feel this practice would take too much time, in the long-run, the benefits far outweigh the time factor. Multiple studies show that students who are part of a safe and caring classroom where they feel seen, heard, and respected have better peer relationships and are more successful academically.
Common Core and English Language Arts Standards
Many SEL programs such as PATHS and RULER already use writing and literature as part of their lessons. And research indicates that reading literary fiction can help develop empathy-a wonderful justification for English teachers to assign more books like Crime and Punishment and Heart of Darkness.

While not explicitly calling them "social-emotional skills", many of the Common Core Language Arts Standards give teachers the opportunity to incorporate mini-lessons on emotions, communication, relationships, and other social-emotional skills directly into their language arts curriculum. Here are a couple examples:
Common Core English Language Arts Standard
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Corresponding SEL "self-awareness", "social awareness", and "responsible decision-making" skills:

Label and recognize own and others' emotions

Analyze emotions and how they affect others

Evaluate others' emotional reactions

Reflect on how current choices affect future

In order to identify feelings of other people-whether real or fictional-students need to have a well-developed emotion vocabulary. Being able to recognize and label these emotions as they occur within themselves helps students do so in others. Examining how emotions impact fictional characters' lives also provides a non-threatening opportunity for students to reflect how emotions affect their own lives and the people around them.

For example, have students create a double-entry journal to examine how the emotions of a character impact the world around him or her. Follow this up with a journal entry in which students self-reflect on their own emotional experiences. To make it easier for students to label emotions, hang an emotions poster in your classroom.
Common Core English Language Arts Standard
W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
Corresponding SEL "relationship management" skills

Exhibit cooperative learning and working toward group goals

Communicate effectively

Cultivate relationships with those who can be resources when help is needed

Provide help to those who need it

Demonstrate leadership skills when necessary, being assertive and persuasive

Prevent interpersonal conflict, but manage and resolve it when it does occur

Anyone who has ever had to collaborate on a group project for school knows that it's not exactly a bed of roses. Pulling one's own weight (and getting others to do so), agreeing to disagree, and compromise are all part of the process-but social-emotional skills can go a long way in smoothing the road for everyone.

Effective and respectful communication is key to collaboration, as well as motivating and helping each other along the way. Students who develop these kinds of skills in school will be considered the "cream of the crop" when it comes to future workplace success.

For example, rather than telling students your version of good teamwork, have them come up with their own rubric for evaluating their collaborative efforts. This will help them "own" the process and make them more accountable to each other. Then have students share with the class after each workgroup session what worked and what didn't. Ask them to role play possible solutions for any problems they might have encountered. Allow them to adjust their rubric as they gain deeper insight into what makes a good team.
What's Missing
Overall, I found the Common Core Standards provide an excellent excuse for the teaching of social-emotional skills. And I applaud teachers who make the effort to do so. But even then, there's still something missing.

No Standard and no SEL program can replace a teacher's enthusiasm and passion for the curricula being taught. To me, that is the magic of teaching-and what often separates the good teachers from the great ones. The truly gifted educators are those who care for their students and show them the "awesomeness" of the world around them-and then go the extra mile to help them find their unique and purposeful place in it.

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Greater Good Summer Institute for Educators

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Common Core English Language Arts Standard W.

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Crime and Punishment and Heart of Darkness

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Common Core English Language Arts Standard RL

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How to Integrate Social-Emotional Learning into Common Core

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Do the Common Core State Standards undermine social-emotional learning? Many educators think so. In a recent Ed Week op-ed, an elementary principal argued that teachers were too busy teaching Common Core to address the social-emotional development of their students. I've heard the same argument from many teachers.

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This PDF shares ways to teach many different social skills. The viewer can find the social skills listed on the Table of Content pages. Each social skill has resources that teachers are able to use as needed for certain lessons.

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This website shares 4 steps to help incorporate social skills into the everyday classroom.

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Educational Research Newsletter and Webinars

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Failure to meet social expectations early in their schooling puts children at risk for both peer rejection and academic failure, write a group of authors in a recent article in Preventing School Failure.

While educators face enormous pressures to boost student achievement, they say social skills are so important to students' success, teachers should find time to include social skills training into daily academic instruction.

"Classroom teachers have long recognized the importance of social and behavioral skills, viewing cooperating, self-control, and other social skills as critical to achieving academic and behavioral success," write the researchers. "Indeed, students who lack these skills are more likely to face a number of undesirable outcomes that include poor interactions with teachers and peers, diminished academic performance, and an increased number of disciplinary infractions."

Rather than setting aside a special time or removing students from the classroom, teachers can incorporate various social skills into daily instruction for the whole class, the researchers write.

The article in Preventing School Failure includes an appendix with resources for teaching social skills. The resources include DVDs, software and curriculum guides. Social skills deficits are as unique as the students themselves, so educators must take into account individual circumstances.

The authors outline the following steps for incorporating social skills training in daily classroom instruction:

Step 1: Select target students

Identify students who exhibit significant deficits. Take the time to closely examine students and observe how and with whom they interact.

Step 2: Determine desirable social skills

Before beginning instruction, it's important to identify skills a student needs. Does the student have difficulty coping with frustration, accepting criticism, cooperating with classmates, working independently or following classroom protocol? As the student population becomes more diverse, it's important for educators to take into account varying cultural values, community norms and parental expectations.

Step 3: Distinguish between can't and won't

To intervene effectively, it is important to distinguish between students who cannot perform a given skill because they have failed to acquire it and those who have the ability but don't use it. Students who lack the skill must be taught it, while students who choose not to engage in the behavior need to be motivated to do so.

Step 4: Instruct

A sound social skills program should teach students to identify alternative pro-social behaviors and strategies, provide opportunities to practice the behavior, reinforce the behavior and introduce concepts of self-control. Once an educator chooses a resource, it's best to use small increments of time within a lesson-beginning, middle and end-when infusing social skills instruction into the academic content, the authors write.
"ENGAGE: A Blueprint for Incorporating Social Skills Training Into Daily Academic Instruction," by Naomi et al., Preventing School Failure, Volume 52, Number 3, Spring 2008, pp. 17-27.

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Incorporating Social Skills Training Into Daily Academic Instruction

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Incorporating social skills training in daily academic instruction

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Failure to meet social expectations early in their schooling puts children at risk for both peer rejection and academic failure, write a group of authors in a recent article in Preventing School Failure. While educators face enormous pressures to boost student achievement, they say social skills are so important to students' success, teachers should find time to include social skills training into daily academic instruction.