Learning is an active process which builds on prior knowledge which occurs in a complex social environment that requires learners’ motivation and cognitive engagement. It is a continuous process that takes place throughout our lifespan. Education depends upon emotions for the motivation of learning and for personal development. It is now recognized that certain emotional conditions are favorable to learning. So what is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Social Emotional Learning is a process of learning social and emotional skills and it is equally important as gaining academic education. SEL skills are required to succeed in schooling, workplace, relationship and citizenship. In other words these skills are important in every walk of life. The Social Emotional Learning process is most effective when it begins early and continues through high school as, SEL skills emerge and change from first 10 years of life.
This process can be divided into mainly 3 domains:
- Cognitive regulation (Attention control)
- Emotional Process ( Behavior regulation)
- Social/ inter-personal skill ( Conflict resolution )
It teaches children to mange emotion, develop empathy, solve problems, make responsible decisions and maintain healthy relationship. SEL programs can occur in different contexts some focus on character traits such as honesty while some others focus on skills like understanding emotions, solving problems and identity development.
Children’s are the hopes of future and schools are responsible for nurturing these young hopes of future. Schools educate the young children with academic skills like reading, writing, and math, but students need more than academic skills to succeed in life. It is crucial for children to acquire social and emotional skills that should be taught in and outside the four walls of classroom. In the Unites States (U.S) students with strong social emotional competence are twice likely to earn a college degree and are nearly 80% more likely to graduate from high school and have a full time job by the age of 25. With the help of SEL children are better prepared to face the challenges in life as a result they know how to manage themselves and relate to others and become better contributors to public life.
Social Emotional Learning can be used with both children with or without learning and other disabilities as it provides them with both short and long term benefits. Children with learning disabilities often face difficulties while gaining academic education. Experiencing constant failure in turn develops negative self esteem inside them; it is similar in the case of children with other kind of disabilities. Children with disabilities are more likely to face bulling as they may feel less competent and less confident than their peers making them less able to stand for themselves. Social Emotional Learning intervenes at this point as it teaches self awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationships and responsible decision making.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) process shouldn’t only be limited to schools it should also be built in education policies, supported by families and community. While gaining educational equity with the help of social emotional learning might be a hard thing to achieve it is certainly to impossible. With the help of Social Emotional Learning individuals can create a better world to live in.
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