Students will return to school with a different set of challenges than previous years.  Research indicates unfinished learning has reached “epidemic” proportions. Unfinished learning is more than academic shortfall, but also how students may have difficulty interacting with one another and their community. Students have spent the last 18 months with only virtual interactions outside the home. Often they have experienced the loss of a family member, or in extreme cases, were in an abusive environment. Each student has their own social trauma brought on by the pandemic. Schools are working to address this as part of their curriculum using Social Emotional Learning standards (SEL).  

How is SEL addressing these unfinished learning gaps? 

Studies have found that students are less likely to retain information if they are in emotional distress. By integrating SEL into curriculum, it has been shown to help engage students and teach them how to become innovative in the face of challenge. With improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress, students can focus on academics and ideally recover from learning loss.  

Currently, SEL standards are defined in 29 states. Many other states and regions offer SEL instruction but have not yet adopted standards. As a publisher, navigating these ever-changing standards can be challenging. EdGate helps publishers optimize their content to address the needs of educators and learners in these demanding times. For example our subject matter experts understand the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) standards and can help integrate them into academic material to address state mandates. We maintain updated standards for all the United States. and continuously add/update standards such as SEL standards as they become available. 

Reach out to us to find out how we can help you optimize your content by aligning your digital offerings to SEL standards or hundreds of other market requirements.

By: Sharla Schuller
Marketing Manager