The Connection between Executive Functioning and Social Emotional Learning
If you have read my previous three blogs on Executive Functioning (EF), you would have seen EF defined, its impact on students with disabilities in school, and finally suggestions for accommodations.
If you have not had the chance, a quick recap, Executive Functioning (EF) is a set of skills we use daily. It consists of three broad areas: emotional regulation, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. These skills can be seen in both behavioral and academic areas. None of us are born with EF skills, they must be taught and don’t fully develop until around 25-30 years old.
In recent years, schools have been directing more intentional attention to the development of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in students. SEL is a set of skills we use in life to comprehend emotions, achieve our goals, and build relationships.
The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) identifies five areas of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Self awareness-Recognizing one’s emotions
Self management-Managing emotions and behaviors
Social awareness-Recognizing social cues and adapting behavior
Relationship skills-Skills to foster relationships
Responsible decision making-Ability to solve problems and hold oneself accountable
SEL prepares the brain and body to learn, and both it and EF play critical roles in shaping the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of students’ development. SEL and EF skills overlap in multiple ways, are located in the same area of the brain, and help improve academics.
Sometimes students may encounter struggles or challenges as they learn new academic and behavioral skills. However, they will continue to succeed if they develop age-appropriate EF and SEL skills. Self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness are critical for regulating emotions and effectively executing EF tasks.
When students continue to develop their relationship skills, they will see improvements in their interactions with peers during group work or games. If they have strong working memory, they will be able to hold onto small pieces of information and manipulate it. If their working memory needs further development, they may struggle with impulse control and find it difficult to work with others due to frustration or other emotions.
When students can navigate tasks with cognitive flexibility, they are also enhancing their decision-making skills within SEL.
When students struggle with skills related to SEL or EF, it is important to address this. Sometimes, this can be achieved through everyday parenting and teaching at school. For students with disabilities such as ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Learning Disabilities, or Emotional Disabilities, a more focused approach may be necessary using goals and/ or accommodations. There may be times, particularly in early childhood, when the adults in a child's life need to co-regulate with them. Co-regulation occurs when the child who is unregulated is with an adult who is regulated and able to help the child to a calm state. This can occur both when the child is upset, out of control, or on the other end of the emotional spectrum. For the adult to be able to co-regulate, they need a solid foundation in SEL skills.
Poor emotional regulation can lead to meltdowns, negative behavior, anxiety, difficulties with conflict resolution, empathizing with others, and transitioning between tasks in life.
Strong SEL skills can enhance EF by fostering focus, managing distractions, and adapting to changing situations. These skills can lead to improved academic and work performance
It is important to remember that our emotions are not bad; there will be times when we feel happy, sad, angry, disappointed, scared, and a host of other emotions. Recognizing all of our feelings is healthy. What we need to remember, and what will help children learn, is that we need to identify the emotion we are experiencing, manage it, recognize emotions in others, develop skills to foster appropriate relationships, and make responsible decisions. Strong growth in both EF and SEL benefits both learning and life. When SEL skills are developed, they provide the emotional foundation for effectively using EF in life.