5 Must-Read Articles From the SEL Journal

Key Points

• Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy (otherwise known as the SEL Journal) is the first independent, open-access peer-reviewed journal focused explicitly on social and emotional learning (SEL).
• The SEL Journal is meant for academics as well as practitioners and policymakers. Through articles spanning multiple settings such as school, home, community, out of school time, workplace, and higher education, the journal aims to spark innovation and inspire a more connected field.
• Selected by the managing editor of the SEL Journal, these five must-read articles examine topics including trauma-informed practices, resilience-building, and statewide SEL implementation.

Article 1: We Will Build Together: Sowing the Seeds of SEL Statewide

This article outlines a powerful approach to implementing SEL in public schools across California, showing how systemic change can occur at a large scale. The authors share the conditions that made this work possible, then highlight successes, ongoing challenges, and real-world lessons from education leaders in California.

Lessons learned focus on themes like:

• Build capacity for SEL, but also build capacity for change-making.
• Meet people where they are and differentiate support accordingly.
• Build relationships and navigate turnover.
• Embed SEL approaches within SEL implementation.
• Emphasize equity.

Shapiro, V. B., Duane, A. M., Lee, M. X., Jones, T. M., Metzger, A. N., Khan, S., Cook, C. M., Hwang, S. H. J., Malicote, B., Núñez, A., Lee, J., McLaughlin, M., Caballero, J. A., Moore, J. E., Williams, C., Eva, A. L., Ferreira, C., McVeagh-Lally, P., & Kooler, J. (2024). We will build together: Sowing the seeds of SEL statewide. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 3, 100014.

Article 2: Brief Interventions to Build Social and Emotional Strengths and Foster Resilience in Children: A Delphi Consensus Study

Phillips and Lakkadghatwala outline simple, evidence-based strategies that primary care providers can teach parents to foster social and emotional competencies and build resilience in young children. Because social and emotional competencies developed in childhood are among the strongest indicators of adult well-being, this is a brief yet meaningful add-on to well-child check-ups.

Incorporating strategies like interactive reading and emotional regulation into standard medical practice has the potential to address gaps in preventive care, build emotional strength, and positively impact long-term health.

Phillips, S. P., & Lakkadghatwala, R. (2023). Brief interventions to build social and emotional strengths and foster resilience in children: A Delphi consensus study. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 1, 100007.

Article 3: The Road Ahead: Moving Beyond ACEs in Transformative SEL

Duane and Winninghoff suggest that focusing on one measure of trauma, the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) framework, may hinder the effectiveness of trauma-informed, transformative SEL practices.

For educators looking for more holistic ways to engage in trauma-informed SEL, the authors offer several alternative frameworks and suggestions. For example, they suggest adopting a universal lens, recognizing that trauma can happen to all of us and that all students can benefit from trauma-informed approaches.

Duane, A., & Winninghoff, A. (2023). The road ahead: Moving beyond ACEs in transformative SEL. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 1, 100002.

Article 4: Understanding and Responding to the Effects of Trauma in the Classroom: A Primer for Educators

Learn more about the prevalence and effects of trauma in K-12 students, along with both proactive and reactive strategies educators can use to better support students. For instance, the authors suggest working to ensure that all members of the school community experience belonging (e.g., learning about students’ interests and hobbies, inviting them to contribute to the class community through classroom jobs).

The authors also share strategies to mitigate the potential effects of secondary traumatic stress on educators. For example, school leaders can support educators by providing contractual time for instructional planning, meaningful and relevant professional development, and collaboration.

Koslouski, J. B., Stark, K., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2023). Understanding and responding to the effects of trauma in the classroom: A primer for educators. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 1, 100004.

Article 5: Stretching Towards Social Justice: A Case Study of Transformative Social and Emotional Learning

Explore how one middle school in Chicago stretched from conventional SEL curricula to address community issues and social justice in their classrooms. The article offers four key strategies that teachers can use to “stretch” their own SEL work:

• Connect through language
• Connect to students’ social identities
• Address social issues
• Encourage civic engagement

When teachers integrate SEL with issues relevant to students’ families and communities, students can learn social and emotional skills and competencies (e.g., teamwork, perseverance, social responsibility) and connect their learning to real-world issues that matter to them.

McGovern, G., Pinetta, B. J., Montoro, J. M., Channey, J., Rosario-Ramos, E., & Rivas-Drake, D. (2023). Stretching towards social justice: A case study of transformative social and emotional learning (SEL). Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 2, 100018.

You can read these full research papers and more in the SEL Journal.

Interested in being published in the SEL Journal? Submit your work to the Journal’s special edition on “Integrating Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning.” Letters of intent due Feb. 15.

Disclaimer: The views in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CASEL.

Denise Buote is the managing editor of Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy and the director of Arbor Educational and Clinical Consulting Inc. She holds a master’s degree in clinical social work and a Ph.D. in education and has extensive experience in school and community-based research and evaluation. Her work spans provincial, national, and international levels, emphasizing the intersection of education, mental health and well-being, and social and emotional learning.

Related Posts:

• 30 Years of SEL Research: What’s New, and What’s Next?
• What Does the Research Say About SEL & Academic Integration?
• How Trauma-Informed Strategies Transformed My Classroom

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