Dr. Sayeedul Islam
Fig-1: Social Emotional Learning (SEL)(from Net)
Social Emotional
Learning (SEL):
Social
emotional learning (SEL) is a methodology that helps students of all ages to
better comprehend their emotions, to feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate
empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make
positive, responsible decisions; create frameworks to achieve their goals, and
build positive relationships with others.
In the late 1960s James Comer introduced Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program at the
Yale School of Medicine in the Child Study Centre by focusing on the social and
emotional needs of the students. The program showed a great impact on academic
performance in schools by early 1980s which gave momentum to SEL movement. Comer’s
research marked an important milestone for SEL in schools, and in many ways
opened the door for other organizations, researchers, and policy makers to
contribute and shape what SEL is today.
Besides the knowledge of different disciplines,
several other skills like ability to identify and manage emotions, develop and
maintain positive relationships, make responsible decisions are also equally
important for an overall development of an individual. Nurturing emotional
resilience is more challenging than teaching addition or multiplication. The
monumental shift from industrial age to information and knowledge age has been
life altering. It is inevitable that more such transformations are yet to come,
and we need to nurture our students with more such skills that will help them
deal with the complex demands and challenges of the ever-changing society.
The goal of any school system should not be to merely
fill students’ minds with figures and facts but also to help students to become
thinkers and doers. We can do this by developing skills that will help them
navigate through all sorts of challenges.An organization devoted for student
social and emotional development, CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social,
and Emotional Learning)was formedin the year 2005 which defined Social and
Emotional Learning(SEL) as the process through which young and adults acquire
and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities,
manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show
empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships and make
responsible and caring decisions.SEL helps children to recognize and manage
their own emotions, accept and understand others’ emotions. For example, SEL
focuses on the skills which will enable children to calm themselves when angry,
make friends, work through the conflicts respectfully, and make ethical and
safe decisions.
The
five core competencies promoted by CASEL are:
1)
Self- Awareness 2)
Self-Management
3) Social Awareness 4) Relationship
Skills
5) Responsible Decision Making
Fig-2: Five components of Social Emotional Learning (from Net)
These five skills can be taught and applied at various developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and across diverse cultural contexts. There has been a focus only on the cognitive domain not only by parents and schools but also by the various entrance exams for higher education. Student-centred education some what went astray when the focus of school education shifted to learning outcomes, objectives, standards, and exam results. With the advent of 21st century and the extreme polarisation in views leading to violence, aggression, discrimination and intolerance across the world, the education system hasrealised that accomplishment of learning outcomes is not enough if the feelings, wants and needs of the students are not taken into account. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 also states- “We need a curriculum whose creativity, innovativeness and development of the whole being, the hall mark of a good education makes uniform tests that assesses memorised facts and textbook-based learning obsolete”.
The New Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) has emphasized on Social emotional learning (SEL). NEP 2020 clearly states that, the aim of the education system must be to “develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy.” New Education Policy (NEP, 2020) envisions that student should learn certain life skills along with other academic skills. The policy clearly states that ethical, moral reasoning and socio-emotional skills should be incorporated throughout the school curriculum. It adds on to state that scientific temper and socio-emotional values are equally important as constitutional values.
Teachers play a crucial role in social emotional learning (SEL) by actively pursuing positive behavior, creating a supportive learning environment, teaching students how to identify and manage their emotions, fostering empathy and providing opportunities for students to practice these skills through curricular integration and daily integrations. Teacher must play a role of friend, philosopher and guide for their students Institutions have a role to play in nurturing students to be socially and emotionally literate and fulfilled human-beings. It also improves the physical as well as psychological health of the student. Being emotionally and socially literate reduces the tendency to succumb to risky be haviours like drug abuse or substance abuse etc. Social and emotional skills also improve be haviour of students. Students learn to manage their emotions and consequently their behaviours. This reduces the rates of violence, aggressions and crimes in the society as well as improves their learning.
The purpose of SEL is to encourage the students and the teachers to develop a greater perception of ‘the self’ and ‘the world around them.’ This concept has the ability to transform the classroom environment by encouraging the students and teachers to reflect on the subject or topic at hand, while also being able to understand their own thoughts and emotions. SEL skills are easily transferable. The teachers and parents can use simple activities to teach these skills to their children. In a formal setup, these skills can be taught in the classrooms. Teachers can conduct activities such as, helping the students write a story together, enabling an environment where the students learn about each other’s interests, providing students with different scenarios where their emotions are challenged, etc. In an informal environment, the parents can be encouraged to have interactions with their children about different social or family related issues. The family of the child can also be encouraged to help the student interact with the community It is essential to keep in mind the three key aspects while designing and conducting these activities with the students. These are:
1. The students must be encouraged to understand the emotions of those involved with them in the activity as well as their own.
2. If the students experience extreme emotions, the teacher or parent present must assist the children to deal with the extremities and teach them ways to correct the reaction.
3. The students must be motivated to judge their own reactions and make socially responsible decisions based on their emotions. India has recently seen a diverse range of stakeholders—from researchers and educators to employers and parents—who have understood and realized that social-emotional learning (SEL) skills and non-academic skills matter in the lives of young people. With Covid-19, as we saw adults and young people report increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression across the globe, the importance of SEL was highlighted even more. There is enough evidence that SEL programmes have led to improvements among young people. The entire education system in India needs to gear up to tackle the systemic barriers arising out of caste, class, religion, social status, and gender, among other factors, that continue to push young people back. To really move towards inclusivity, we will need a change in the mindsets of all the people involved, including educators, school leaders, and parents, as well as changes in
curriculum and assessments.
Fig-3: Some Benefits of
Social Emotional Learning (from Net)
In conclusion, social and emotional learning (SEL) is a critical component of education that equips students with essential life skills like self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and relationship building, leading to improved academic performance, positive social interactions, and overall well-being, making them better prepared to navigate challenges and succeed in school and beyond.
“Happiness is not something
readymade. It comes from your own actions”
-
Dalai Lama
Lecturer (SG) Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Assam Engineering Institution
Guwahati-3
Published in AEIAN 43 Edition 2023-24, Page No 62