Does Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Improve Academic Performance?
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) refers to the teaching of skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Research shows that when schools integrate SEL programmes, students tend to do better academically: one meta-analysis found gains of about 11 percentile points in achievement. The benefits seem to stem from improved attention, behaviour, emotional regulation and classroom climate. However, implementing SEL well requires adequate teacher training, sustained effort and adaptation to local context.
What is SEL and why does it matter?
SEL is not just “nice to have” — it’s about equipping students with competencies that enable them to manage emotions, interact positively, and make constructive decisions. These are foundational for learning: when students feel safe, understood and able to regulate themselves, they are more ready to engage in classroom tasks. According to a review, SEL comprises five core competencies: self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.
Evidence of academic benefits
The evidence suggests that SEL programmes can boost academic outcomes. For example, a large meta-analysis of 213 universal school-based SEL intervention studies involving over 270,000 students found participants outperformed control groups by about 11 percentile points. Another study found that across 200 high-school students, SEL competencies explained 55% of the variance in academic performance.
These findings suggest that SEL is more than a peripheral support—it has measurable impact on test scores, grades and general school success.
How does SEL translate into better grades?
There are several plausible mechanisms:
• SEL improves self-regulation (e.g., managing distractions, persisting with tasks), which supports learning.
• It fosters a positive classroom climate and better student-teacher relationships, which enhance engagement and reduce disruptions.
• Students with stronger social-emotional skills may move through challenges more effectively, reducing emotional distress and freeing cognitive resources for academics.
Caveats and practical considerations
While promising, SEL is not a silver bullet. Some studies highlight that:
• The impact on academic outcomes, though positive, is moderate (effect sizes range, fewer than 20% of studies assess academic outcomes).
• Implementation matters hugely — trained teachers, consistent programme delivery, and cultural/contextual adaptation are critical.
• Outcomes can vary by context; what works in one school or setting may be less effective elsewhere without tailoring.
Final thoughts
In modern schooling, academic success cannot solely rest on curriculum and instruction. SEL expands the definition of what it means to succeed: emotionally, socially and cognitively. The evidence indicates that SEL programmes, when well-designed and implemented, do improve academic performance, albeit alongside other benefits like better behaviour, resilience and classroom climate. Hence schools and educators would do well to weave SEL into the fabric of teaching—not as an add-on but as a core dimension of educating the whole student.
