Social Emotional Skills

Social skills are the abilities we need to get along with others and to create and maintain satisfying relationships. Emotional skills are the ability to identify and manage our own emotions, as well as to recognize the emotions of others.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of learning these skills, and it is just as important as learning reading or math. It is usually organized into five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Emotions affect learning and behaviour, which is why more and more schools include SEL in their curriculum.

In this unit, you will find out what SEL is, how it can be implemented at school, and why it matters so much for children's future.

Step 1 – What is SEL?

• Listen and take notes

• Listen and fill in the gaps (with, then without the word list)

Step 2 – SEL at school

• Watch the video and fill in the gaps (with, then without the word list)

• Vocabulary: match the words with their translations
• SEL vocabulary: interactive slides
• The video comes from the YouTube channel of Teachings in Education.

Step 3 – Why SEL matters: Trish Shaffer at TEDx

• Watch the talk

• Watch the talk and fill in the gaps, with the word list
• Do it again without the word list
• The talk comes from the YouTube channel of TEDx Talks.

Step 4 – 15 social and emotional skills

• Read the definitions and find the skills: responsibility, persistence, empathy, trust, curiosity…

Step 5 – Go further

• Practical strategies for teaching social emotional skills (video)

• Video from the YouTube channel of Pyramid Model (NCPMI).