Social and emotional learning in schools

Although parents and educators have identified student social and emotional development as an important educational outcome, this domain has not received as much emphasis in educational policy or practice as academic achievement. Recognition of the contributions of social and emotional learning (SEL) to students' social and academic success, however, has increased interest in promoting SEL in schools over the last decade. This chapter begins with a brief introduction to SEL constructs and definitions, followed by a synopsis of current SEL assessment and intervention practices. We also highlight the current state of empirical evidence for these practices and then turn to several important necessary future directions to advance school-based SEL practices.