Working Together: Leveraging Teacher Study Groups to Improve Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom - article

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

The article addresses barriers that teachers of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) face when implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) programming, including feelings of isolation and limited training. It presents teacher study groups (TSGs) as a practical structure for investigating problems of practice, sharing successes, and deepening professional learning. The discussion synthesizes research, reviews SEL programs using TSGs, and offers an applied example with guidance for early elementary teachers and supporting administrators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Scenario and Need for SEL

Challenges Prior to and During COVID-19

Definition and Importance of SEL

Gaps in Teacher Preparation and Ongoing Training

Implementation Role of Teacher Study Groups

Working Together: Leveraging Teacher Study Groups to Improve Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom Beyond Behavior 2023, Vol. 32(1) 24–35 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2022 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/10742956221143497](DOI: 10.1177/10742956221143497)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/10742956221143497)[journals.sagepub.com/home/bbx](journals.sagepub.com/home/bbx) Gregory J. Benner, PhD 1, Marcia L. Rock, PhD2, Lisa A. Strycker, MA3, Erica O. Lee, PhD 1, Pamela Bailey, MA 1, and Ashley S. Virgin, MA 1 Abstract Teachers of students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) may face obstacles and feel isolated when implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) programming with students. The teacher study group (TSG) offers an effective way to overcome barriers and improve SEL. These groups provide a gathering space for teachers to investigate problems of practice, celebrate points of pride, and strengthen professional learning in a focused area. In this article, we summarize existing research on SEL and TSGs and describe available SEL programs that incorporate TSGs. We provide an example of SEL-focused TSGs in practice, offering guidance and tips for early elementary school teachers—and the administrators who support them—who work with students with or at risk for EBD. Keywords professional development, teacher study groups, coaching, social and emotional learning, emotional and behavioral disorders Ms. Carpenter manages a second-grade general education class of 30 students. Several students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) frequently disrupt the class by being negative, being uncooperative, or not following directions. Their behavior angers classmates and creates stress for the teacher, while the whole class falls behind academically. Ms. Carpenter feels alone in dealing with these problems. She has heard that instruction in social and emotional learning (SEL) can help disruptive students improve their behavior, and foster a better classroom climate, but she has received no training in SEL and does not know where to turn for support. After 3 years as a teacher, she is burned out. This scenario is common and not limited to isolated groups or classrooms. Rather, it reflects the day-to-day reality confronting many teachers and students across diverse settings. In this article, we offer guidance for early elementary school teachers and their administrators to help them overcome the challenges that exist in teaching SEL skills to students with or at risk for EBD. We begin with a description of SEL. We then list challenges experienced by teachers in implementing SEL programming and describe how teacher study groups (TSGs) can be implemented to address obstacles and improve SEL. We briefly describe available SEL programs that incorporate TSGs. We then provide an example of SEL-focused TSGs in practice from one of these programs—Social and Emotional Learning Study Groups+ for Educators of Students with EBD (SELSG+) . The vignette is intended to help busy early elementary grade teachers see how they can successfully incorporate SEL instruction with TSGs into their current schedules and settings. Heightened Social and Emotional Learning Challenges Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (2009) estimated that one in five youth had been diagnosed with, or were at risk for, EBD, indicating a need for SEL development among a wide range of students. The pandemic heightened this issue (Galea et al., 2020; Yao et al., 2020) as the number of mental health-related emergency room visits in 2020 increased by 25% over the previous year among children ages 5 to 11 years (Leeb et al., 2020) . According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2022), SEL is defined as the process thro

FAQs

What problem do teacher study groups (TSGs) aim to solve in SEL implementation?

TSGs help teachers overcome barriers and reduce isolation while investigating real classroom practice problems, celebrating progress, and strengthening professional learning in a focused area.

Why is SEL development particularly important for students with or at risk for EBD?

The article emphasizes that these students’ social and emotional difficulties can affect classroom functioning and academic progress, making targeted SEL support especially necessary.

What challenges do teachers face when delivering SEL to students with or at risk for EBD?

Teachers often report insufficient SEL preparation, limited ongoing training, and difficulty providing explicit, differentiated SEL instruction, even though laws require appropriate instruction for students with disabilities.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr