Selecting Programs

Research clearly demonstrates that social and emotional skills can be taught through school-based programs. Today numerous nationally-available, evidence-based SEL programs provide systematic classroom instruction that enhances children’s abilities to recognize and manage their emotions, appreciate the perspectives of others, establish pro-social goals and solve problems, and use a variety of interpersonal skills to handle the challenges of growing up. In addition to skills-building components, a number of SEL programs also feature elements designed to create supportive climates in the classroom and throughout the school—for example, by nurturing the relationships between students and teachers and others important to the child, and establishing practices that build trust and rapport among and between students and adults.

Although an SEL program is only one component of evidence-based schoolwide SEL programming, it can be the cornerstone of the entire effort. A well-designed program implemented in all classes will ensure all students receive consistent and developmentally appropriate skill instruction. Schoolwide classroom instruction allows all faculty and staff to share a common language and approach for addressing social, emotional, and behavioral issues. In addition, many programs include components for involving the family, community, and school mental health and support personnel in promoting SEL, and provide the necessary professional development for using the program.

Find information from our guide Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader’s Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning Programs that reviews 80 multiyear, sequenced SEL programs designed for use in the general education classroom.  We also have a specific Illinois Edition of Safe and Sound.

Read our Call for Evaluation Studies of Social and Emotional Learning Programs – updated August 2011.