Teaching SEL

student surrounded by names of SEL competencies

SEL can be taught explicitly and can also be embedded into any curriculum. Both are critical to helping students understand the social-emotional skills that will let them become ready to think, learn, and grow in a changing world.

Competencies & Measures

Specific competencies – such as growth mindset, self-efficacy, self-management, and social awareness – have a significant impact on students’ academic performance and school persistence, as well as a variety of health, wealth, and well-being indicators in adulthood.

Information regarding formative measures (such as the SEL Report Card items), and summative measures (such as the SEL Survey) can be found by here.

The Highlights From Schools and Research page provides important research behind these constructs.

Teaching SEL

Teaching SEL Explicitly

Teachers can explicitly teach the attitudes and skills of social-emotional skills. School leaders can coordinate team- and school-wide initiatives to teach SEL explicitly.

Teaching Across the Curriculum

Teachers can incorporate SEL learning measures and competencies into everyday teaching. Follow the link to learn more about what strategies for building SEL skills during content lessons.

Health Education Resources

SFUSD Health Education: Resources by Grade Level

SEL is a component of comprehensive Health Education. View and request resources for lessons on SEL or other Health topics.

This page was last updated on October 9, 2023