HLP 9

There have been hundreds of empirical studies conducted to date with respect to explicitly teaching social, emotional, and behavioral skills (Scott, 2023).  While the literature base has clearly demonstrated that SEB skills can be taught and mastered using explicit instruction, the challenge remains to promote maintenance and generalization of these skills across authentic contexts (Gresham, et al., 2001).  As underscored throughout the set of HLPs, teachers implement many HLPs in concert with one another to maximize the positive benefits of each.

A significant body of research supports instruction in social skills for all students (McLeskey et al., 2017; Nelson et al., 2022), demonstrating its effectiveness in improving various aspects of students’ social functioning across ages and ability levels. Individual studies vary from evaluating the effectiveness of specific SEB interventions or curriculums (e.g., McDaniel et al., 2016; Vernon et al., 2022) to embedding the use of instructional technology (HLP 19) to aid in the development of target social skills (e.g., Kellems et al., 2020).  In all, this body of evidence points to the overall effectiveness of explicit SEB instruction despite small changes in the curriculum or instructional medium.

In 2011, Durlak and colleagues made the case for universal, or school-wide, instruction and programming in social and emotional learning (SEL).  Findings from their meta-analysis indicated that teachers and other school staff were able to deliver SEL instruction effectively and that programs were effective across settings and developmental levels.  Further, Durlak and colleagues supported the strong connection between teaching social skills and explicit instruction as they found robust support for SEL instruction that included sequential, active, focused, and explicit (SAFE) practices.

Cipriano et al. (2023) provide a more recent review of school-wide SEL instruction, further reinforcing the need for systematic teaching, interventions, and programs focused on SEL and the need for components of explicit instruction within those programs.  An important caution raised by Cipriano and colleagues is the need for educators to attend to implicit bias toward minoritized individuals, variations in norms across cultures, and students’ experiences with trauma when providing SEL instruction.

Unlike teaching a mathematical function where all agree (e.g., a + within the problem signals addition), SEB skills are, by definition, culturally, contextually, and developmentally dependent.  Therefore, it is especially critical that SEB skills that are identified and taught using culturally inclusive pedagogies and practices (CIPP) are relevant to the individual.  Educators are encouraged to focus on key SEB skills, such as being respectful, then include a range of examples drawn from students’ local and cultural context.  Student’s families can be an excellent resource for teachers to provide meaningful examples and confirm that the skills and steps taught are aligned with their social and cultural norms.  Additionally, educators should ensure the target skills are appropriate within the students’ same age peer group.  Considering the cultural inclusiveness of the skills taught will support the student’s acquisition and generalization of the needed skills across all domains of their lives.