Elementary SELect Program

Program Design and Implementation Support

The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning is a school-wide approach designed for use in kindergarten through eighth grade to promote emotional literacy, which includes Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions (the “RULER” skills). RULER implementation involves systematic professional development for the adults involved in the education of children (school leaders, teachers, support staff, and families) so that emotions become central to learning, teaching, and parenting. In the first year, teachers learn and then teach the “anchors” of emotional literacy: four tools that were designed to help both adults and students to develop their RULER skills, self- and social awareness, empathy, and perspective-taking ability, as well as to foster a healthy emotional climate. Subsequently teachers learn how to integrate the approach into their standard curriculum and experience The Feeling Words Curriculum, a language-based emotional literacy program for students. In addition, RULER has an interactive training program designed to provide adult family members with strategies for extending and promoting social and emotional development at home. Initial training for RULER typically lasts at least two days and is required. RULER offers a train-the-trainer system to support sustainability.

Evidence of Effectiveness

RULER has been evaluated in a randomized control trial (n=273) conducted in grades 5-6. Students were followed over the course a single year.