Identifying and Responding to Students’ Social-emotional Learning Needs related to COVID-19

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ivy

Practice-oriented article providing teachers with tools to identify and respond to students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) needs during COVID-19 and beyond. It aligns guidance with whole-school principles, reviews SEL literature and research-based strategies, and presents two vignettes—pre-COVID-19 and peri-COVID-19. The work connects SEL strategies to school survey data gathered on student emotional support needs, aiming to enable an “SEL roadmap” to address stress, anxiety, and isolation tied to remote learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Literature Review

Defining SEL and its importance

Trauma-sensitive practice and toxic stress

Curriculum foundations

SEL Strategies for Students and Families

ISSN 1710-2146 Identifying and Responding to Students’ Social-emotional Learning Needs related to COVID-19 MollyAnne Light-Stevenson, PsyD Glassboro Public Schools, New Jersey Brent C. Elder, PhD Rowan University, New Jersey Abstract In this practice-oriented article, the authors aim to provide teachers with tools to identify and respond to students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) during COVID-19 and beyond. Related to the principles of whole schooling, this content connects with Principle 1: Creating Learning Spaces for All, Principle 4: Build a Caring Community, and Principle 6: Partner with Families and the Community. In this article, the authors provide an overview of SEL literature and research-based related strategies, then introduce two vignettes, one pre-COVID-19 and one peri-COVID-19 (i.e., during COVID-19), and conclude with a discussion connecting SEL literature and strategies to the data they received from surveying students’ SEL needs at their school. The authors hope that by sharing how they surveyed students to identify their SEL needs because of the pandemic, that administrators and teachers can recreate a similar “SEL roadmap” that they used to navigate students’ emotional support needs resulting from excessive stress, anxiety, and isolation connected to remote learning and the pandemic at large. Keywords: Social-emotional learning; COVID-19; inclusive education Introduction Throughout this practice-oriented article, the authors aim to provide teachers with tools to identify and respond to students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) during COVID-19 and beyond. Related to the principles whole schooling, this content connects with the following principles: Principle 1: Creating Learning Spaces for All, Principle 4: Build a Caring Community, and Principle 6: Partner with Families and the Community. This article provides an overview of SEL literature and research-based related strategies, then they introduce two vignettes, one preCOVID-19 and one peri-COVID-19 (i.e., during COVID-19), and conclude with a discussion connecting SEL literature and strategies to the data they received from surveying students’ SEL needs at their school. Literature Review Social-emotional learning can be defined in various ways. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) (2023), defines SEL as “how children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy for others, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”(p. 3). Embedding SEL in school practices is important because they can facilitate the development of supportive, caring, cooperative, and safe learning environments. These practices can create a positive school climate, promote high expectations for student learning, and facilitate parental and community involvement (CASEL, 2023; Reicher, 2010) . The authors also view SEL as an integral aspect of inclusive education because education broadly should focus not only academic learning, but also explicitly taught SEL strategies which can provide the foundation for an improved quality of life by student participation in a caring and safe school climate (Cohen, 2006) . Social-emotional learning is important for all children and adults, but especially critical for those facing a crisis. Social-emotional learning is often referred to as a trauma-sensitive practice. Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope and often causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel a full range of emotions and experiences. Long term effects of trauma often include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, and strained relationships, which can lead to toxic stress (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022) . Trauma affects kids’ social-emotional skills, such as their ability to identify, express, and manage emotions (Gulbrandson, 2018). Toxi

FAQs

What is the article’s main goal for teachers during COVID-19?

To provide practice-oriented tools for teachers to identify and respond to students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) needs during COVID-19 and beyond.

How does the article connect SEL strategies to whole-school principles?

It links SEL work to Principles 1, 4, and 6, including creating learning spaces for all, building a caring community, and partnering with families and the community.

What sources does the article use to support its SEL approach?

It reviews SEL literature and research-based strategies, references programs such as CASEL (2023) and the Clayton Pilot Model Program (2021), and connects strategies to data from a student SEL-needs survey at the authors’ school.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ivy