Unpacking SEL: How What We Know Informs a New Model

Abstract Book of the 10th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2026

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Unpacking SEL: How What We Know Informs a New Model

Alli Cipra, Kelly Rosenthal

ABSTRACT:

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has made its way into school curricula throughout the United States and numerous other countries in recent years, though the skills are not new. Social and emotional learning is a lifelong process that begins in childhood and is paramount for positive development. Social and emotional skills are part of identity development, emotional management and regulation, positive interpersonal relationships, and responsibility to self and others (CASEL, 2026). Since the COVID pandemic, SEL needs have greatly increased, though few strides have been made. During mandatory and recommended quarantine periods, many children were unable to learn and practice social skills common to school and other social settings. Individuals interact differently with various groups of people, particularly familial groups compared to friend and less familiar social groups (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). As such, interactions with family during quarantine were not sufficient to practice some social and emotional skills. Indeed, research has concluded that children experienced increased negative psychological impacts of COVID and quarantine (Holmes et al., 2020), including depression and anxiety (Samji et al., 2020). In the post-COVID world, many youth still experience trouble developing and improving social skills, including coping mechanisms, conflict resolution, and personal regulation. The current study examined available literature and proposes a new model for implementing and assessing SEL models.

Keywords: Childhood; Development; Emotional Regulation; Social Emotional Learning; Social Skills