Teachers' Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in Enhancing Learners' Emotional and Intellectual Growth

Abstract

In recent decades, more emphasis has been placed on “soft skills” in education due to technological advancements that reshaped the skills required in workplaces in the 21st century. This study seeks to study teachers’ perspectives on the effectiveness of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in enhancing learners’ emotional and intellectual growth. Specifically, it investigates teachers’ awareness about educating “the whole learner”, sheds light on the challenges they face, and how to overcome them. To test the hypothesis that the acquisition and application of social and emotional skills can result in personal and academic growth for learners, as well as enable educators to facilitate learning, a quantitative research design was adopted in the process of collecting data. An online questionnaire was distributed to both middle, and secondary school English teachers to gain insight into their attitudes and experiences in the educational field. The research findings showed that the majority of educators recognize the significance of caring for learners’ social and emotional needs and believe in the potential positive impact it can have on students’ behaviour, relationship with peers, and overall learning atmosphere.