Today, more than ever, classrooms in the United States are full of English language learners (ELLs). In fact, about one in 10 students consider English as their second language. ELL and immigrant students have unique learning needs. Many are unfamiliar with U.S. cultural norms and learning a new language can be difficult. These students often [...]
4 Ways SEL Can Reduce Bullying Incidents in Your School Everyone is affected by bullying. Students who bully others are more likely to demonstrate violent or criminal behavior and abuse drugs and alcohol. Victims of bullying can experience depression, loneliness, and anxiety — all of which can last into adulthood. Even students who witness [...]
“Rater bias” is present when a significant amount of variation in an assessment’s scores can be attributed to factors related to the person completing the assessment, rather than factors related to the skills being assessed. For example, consider a teacher-completed assessment of students’ SEL skills. If all male teachers tend to rate students as exhibiting [...]
Spring is just around the corner, and soon students will be taking college entrance exams and planning for life after high school. Unfortunately, research shows that most schools are not adequately preparing students for college and/or their careers. Students often struggle with post-secondary coursework, and many lack the social and emotional skills needed to thrive [...]
Teach SEL on a Continuum: Ideas to Promote Strong Relationships with Infants – 8th Grade Students DECA/DESSA Blog Series, Part II This is the second in a series of posts from Aperture Education’s Senior Research Associate, Jennifer Robitaille. Before joining Aperture Education, Robitaille worked with the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. She has worked extensively [...]
DECA/DESSA Blog Series, Part I This is the first in a series of posts from Aperture Education's Senior Research Associate, Jennifer Robitaille. Before joining Aperture Education, Robitaille worked with the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. She has worked extensively on both the DECA and DESSA. How Early Can You Start SEL? (Earlier Than You Think!) [...]
As Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) continues to grow in prominence, more and more states and districts are adopting SEL standards. Just as with academics, SEL standards ensure accountability and help educators plan, implement, and assess student learning. For this reason, schools need access to well-researched, evidence-based assessments that align to SEL best practices and [...]
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has been a hot topic among researchers for some time, but it’s still a relatively new and somewhat mysterious concept for many educators in the field. There is a wealth of information out there about this important subject, but it can be difficult to know where to begin and how [...]
