Increasing Social Emotional Learning for ELLs

Abstract

This capstone project aims to support school counselors, administrative staff, and teachers who work with English Language Learners (ELLs). In the United States, the number of ELLs enrolled in public schools is 4.6 million and only increasing (Ortiz, 2021). To increase social emotional learning for ELL and non ELL students, teachers can implement explicit social emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom. This can result in closing the achievement gap that ELLs face compared to their non ELL peers, increase well being, increase supportive relationships, promote conflict resolution, and ease the challenge of learning new cultural norms. Most importantly, social emotional learning can result in easing ELLs transition into the community and school. Explicit social emotional learning is being considered to address the problem that ELLs are not receiving social emotional learning to support academics and well being for elementary ELL students within Warsaw Elementary School. Solutions to the problem at Warsaw Elementary School include an implementation of a committee that directly supports SEL by informing teachers of different strategies and benefits of supporting ELLs through social emotional learning. This is supported by the committee educating elementary staff about each of CASEL’s social emotional competence. Included in this solution are a variety SEL strategies and lessons that committee members will implement; social emotional lessons through picture books that support social awareness, relationship building activities, self management skills to identify emotions through cool down kits, self awareness skills to identify one’s emotions and feelings, reflection of social emotional learning throughout the year. Several conclusions can be made about implementing explicit social emotional learning in the classroom. But the most profound conclusion is creating an equitable education for ELLs to succeed in an academic and social setting.