Five of the biggest benefits SEL can provide students

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has been shown to benefit students in numerous ways. If you're interested in how to incorporate SEL in the classroom, you should be aware of what some of these benefits are. The benefits of SEL that you're looking to provide to your students can help you devise the right SEL educational programs and practices.

The following are five of the biggest benefits SEL can provide students. 

More motivation

Probably the biggest benefit brought by SEL and social-emotional development is the motivational benefit. One of the hardest parts of being an educator is motivating students. SEL can lead to greater levels of motivation because it helps students to feel more accepted and has a greater sense of purpose when they're learning. SEL uses social and emotional skill development to help kids learn. Being social in learning and emotionally engaged in the subject matter are important parts of feeling motivated. 

Friendlier classroom environment

SEL fosters an environment where students are encouraged to work together with one another. In this environment, students learn to respectfully express disagreement and to develop relationships. This creates a more friendly learning environment. Students feel more confident about participating and more comfortable providing their input. 

Improved classroom behavior overall

Behavioral problems can be among the biggest obstacles to learning for young students. Fortunately, SEL can help to prevent and stop behavioral problems. Students are taught to work productively with their teacher and their fellow students. Because they are more motivated and confident in their study, they are less likely to act out. 

Development of problem-solving skills

Another thing to focus on when exploring how to incorporate SEL in the classroom is developing problem-solving skills. SEL is effective for teaching young learners to be better problem solvers. That's because SEL is focused on identifying problems and finding solutions to them. Problem-solving skills are important for academic success. That's why SEL leads to better academic performance among students and entire classrooms. 

Higher levels of empathy among students

One way that SEL can not only facilitate learning but also develop life skills is by teaching students empathy. Unfortunately, young students often don't naturally grasp the concept of empathy but need to be taught it. SEL is focused on achieving a positive collaborative environment between students. This helps develop teamwork skills. It also encourages students to see things from the perspective of others. Empathy is not just important in academic environments, but also in personal and professional relationships later in life.