SEL Learning & Instruction

Connecting Schoolwide SEL with Other School-Based Frameworks

June 30, 2025

Some of the most common frameworks for organizing student supports are Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Adopting schoolwide SEL does not mean that a school must abandon these existing frameworks. Rather, schoolwide SEL offers an opportunity to enhance or refine existing systems of support. This guide from CASEL defines Schoolwide SEL, MTSS, and PBIS, then describes how these frameworks can align with and complement one another.

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Re-framing and Understanding Staff Resistance to Advance Positive School Climate

June 30, 2025

This guide examines some common root causes of staff resistance, such as burnout, a lack of trust, and fear. It offers actionable strategies for leaders to mitigate the effects of resistance by encouraging them to recognize such resistance as a source of vital information that productively illuminates important gaps or opportunities in initiative implementation. By reframing their approach as one of openness and curiosity, leaders can create favorable conditions for school staff to support the school climate initiative. Questions throughout the guide provide opportunities for leaders to reflect on the best staff engagement approaches.

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Applying Universal Design for Learning Supports Inclusive Education

June 30, 2025

Ensuring education is inclusive of young people with diverse needs and abilities takes intentional practice; UDL can help educators design experiences that benefit all students. This article provides some introductory examples of UDL practices that can be used in a variety of settings. This is not an exhaustive list but rather a starting point, because there is so much more we can do to design learning experiences that are more inclusive and equitable.

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Modeling and Instruction – Social & Emotional Learning Initiating Playlist

June 27, 2025

Schools play an important role in supporting young people’s social and emotional development. Districts and schools engage in many different practices to grow and develop students’ and staff members’ social and emotional competencies to help them be successful. Broad areas of social and emotional competence are: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

The resources in this learning playlist focus on SEL instruction and modeling and are recommended for schools or districts starting in this work. Your school or district may be exploring this work and wondering where to begin.

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Zones of Regulation

August 5, 2024

Curriculum that can be used in schools and classrooms to address challenges that students may exhibit in regulation skills, which impact their academic and social participation, as well as their sense of well-being.

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WhyTry Curriculum

August 5, 2024

WhyTry is an educational organization that provides social-emotional learning (SEL) programs to help youth overcome challenges, increase resilience, and improve academic outcomes. Their resources include multimedia tools, curriculum guides, and professional development for educators, all aimed at fostering student engagement and promoting positive life skills. The WhyTry approach emphasizes experiential learning and practical strategies to motivate students.

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What does the Research Say? Hundreds of Independent Studies Confirm: SEL Benefits Students

August 5, 2024

The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive outcomes for students, adults, and school communities. The findings in this paper come from hundreds of independent studies across multiple fields and sources that show SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to: social and emotional skills, academic performance, mental wellness, healthy behaviors, school climate and safety, and lifetime outcomes.

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Universal Design for Learning: Inclusive Education

August 5, 2024

Learning spaces are often designed as if all of us were alike, but our communities are rich in diversity, including a range of abilities and needs. By focusing on making spaces, content and learning activities accessible to those with disabilities, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can benefit all learners while creating more equitable and inclusive educational experiences.

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Transformative Social and Emotional Learning Framework & Standards (Oregon 2023)

August 5, 2024

Oregon’s Transformative SEL Standards help provide a well-rounded education that teaches to the whole child, builds on their strengths, perspectives, and contributions, and guides the interactions and relationships between students and adults. SEL equips students with the skills needed for
college, career, and life. Transformative SEL Standards help build capacity for strengthening equity-focused school cultures that support student and adult well-being. A focus on Transformative SEL enables students and adults to be affirmed in their identities, where they can develop a sense of agency and belonging, engage in collaborative problem-solving, and deepen their curiosity about the kind of society they want to make a reality.

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The Impact of Trauma on Students

August 5, 2024

This is a video series that explains how trauma affects students. The three videos in this series include:
-The Impacts of Trauma on Learning Part 1: Academic Performance
-The Impacts of Trauma on Learning Part 2: Classroom Behavior
-The Impacts of Trauma on Learning Part 3: Relationships

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