SEL (social, emotional, and learning) is an important part of educational development. Students with low SEL skills may benefit from a variety of SEL group activities. These activities can help them build the skills necessary for success in the workplace. While students may need to work on academic skills, these activities develop “soft skills” required for many jobs. Positive behaviors will help students prepare for the workplace.
SEL group activities can teach students about empathy by incorporating physical activity. Empathy is built through seeing a situation from a different perspective. One activity is to place one student or teacher in the middle, with the other person’s shoes on the opposite side. This allows students to share their feelings, which will help them build empathy for the person who shares them. Alternatively, the students can talk about what they’re feeling in a diary.
Another way to integrate SEL into your classroom is by implementing a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. There are numerous strategies for integrating SEL into a classroom, but the most effective methods involve using a mix of strategies. This list includes simple SEL activities for younger and secondary school students. Try one or several of these ideas and see which ones stick best for your classroom or group.
