Research School Network: Playing it SAFE: Features of Effective SEL Programmes The elements of an effective Social and Emotional Learning Programme

Teaching Social and Emotional Learning through planned programmes can improve attitudes to learning, relationships in school, and a range of other outcomes including academic achievement. Recommendation 4 of the EEF’s Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools guidance report suggests that, to do this, we should ​‘Use a SAFE curriculum: Sequential, Active, Focused and Explicit’.

The evidence

We love acronyms in education, don’t we? This particular one comes from Durlak et al (2011).

This was an meta-analysis of 213 school-based, universal social and emotional learning programmes. They looked at outcomes over a range of measures: social and emotional skills, attitudes towards self and others, positive social behaviour, conduct problems, emotional distress, and academic performance. One aspect the researchers were keen to explore was the ability for schools to effectively implement a SEL programme:

Hypothesising that SEL programs which contained the recommended practice from the SAFE acronym were effective, one way that they examined the data was by using four questions to code studies.

(a) Does the program use a connected and coordinated set of activities to achieve their objectives relative to skill development? (Sequenced);
(b) Does the program use active forms of learning to help youth learn new skills? (Active);
© Does the program have at least one component devoted to developing personal or social skills? (Focused); and,
(d) Does the program target specific SEL skills rather than targeting skills or positive development in general terms? (Explicit).

They ultimately conclude,

How to keep things SAFE

The guidance report covers each of these things in detail, and we would also recommend reading the accompanying evidence review if you are going to implement a SEL programme. The questions the researchers used above may also be useful.

Sequence lessons to build skills progressively:

• Build skills that are appropriate for each year group in a structured way.
• Consider structure across years and within years.
• Revisit key concepts progressively.

Use active forms of learning

• Use a range of strategies in conjunction with active approaches.
• Tailor approaches to the particular area you want to improve.
• Role-play, games and group tasks can be effective in the right context.

Focus your time

• Short but regular instruction is more effective than infrequent lengthier sessions.
• Long-term programs (e.g. over a year) are generally more effective than short-term, although some shorter programs (8−10 weeks) have shown positive impact when targeted at specific skills or pupils.
• Quality is better than quantity.

Be explicit about the skills you want children to develop

• A general approach to SEL is less likely to be effective.
• Pupils should be clear about what they are expected to learn.
• Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making should be targeted.

One final point we would note about this particular metaanalysis – they also looked at whether implementation was successful e.g. where teachers reported no problems with implementing the intervention as intended. And when theree were implementation problems, the programmes were less effective. So, SEL programmes must be SAFE, but implementation must be sound.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates in evidence-informed practice.

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D. & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1): 405 – 432.

Wigelsworth, M., Verity, L., Mason, C., Humphrey,N., Qualter, P., Troncoso, P. (2019). Primary Social and Emotional Learning: Evidence review. London: Education Endowment Foundation.