As the focus on EQ (emotional quotient) is gaining far more importance vis-�-vis IQ, social and emotional learning (SEL) has become indispensable in the education system with an aim to develop the much needed social skills and emotional maturity in students.
SEL enables students to develop empathy, leadership skills, effective listening skills, relationship skills, life skills, decision making, problem solving abilities, social awareness, and positive attitude.
Schools and educational institutions are imparting the SEL programs via formative assessment as this type of assessment enable teachers to tailor their lessons to suit the requirements of students and help them grow as mature and responsible adults.
The formative assessment's objective is to give feedback to both students and educators as the learning program progresses. Formative assessment helps teachers in recognizing the gap between the desired performance of the students and their current performance so that measures can be implemented to eliminate the gap.
SEL practitioners can enable building the requisite skills in all educational institutions and students from all backgrounds by training, forming, and easing the applications of these skills in the day-to-day lives of students.
It has been found out that SEL programs increase academic achievement, classroom behavior, self-esteem, social and emotional skills, in students and decreases their chances of bullying, using aggression, indulging in antisocial activities and using drugs.
Imparting SEL Programs via Formative Assessment
SEL programs can be imparted via formative assessment by using a chart that helps in determining progress of students from high-level to low-level SEL skills.
The progress levels portrayed in the chart meets the standards set for formative assessment and the chart renders a definite objective, which is to be able to implement the higher level of it. The chart enables students to monitor their improvement in the course of the program.
Furthermore, the chart guides students to take the subsequent steps to rise up the levels in the SEL progression chart.
The SEL progression chart consists of four levels, those are score 0, score 1, score 2, score 3, and score 4, that help to measure the progress of students.
Score 4
In this level, students use the skills by making conscious efforts in suitable situations. In this level, they are capable of making amendments in their own beliefs, they understand how their beliefs can prevent them from articulating an understanding of others who have dissimilar views.
Score 3
In this level, students are able to implement the strategies and steps linked with SEL skills easily and without mistakes. Here, students actively listen to others, acknowledge their views even if those are dissimilar to their own. While making a point to contradict the views of others, students focus on their point's logic.
Score 2
In this level, students recognize that the important aspect of SEL skills is declarative knowledge and they are able to express the meaning of its expertise. Here, students are familiar with the meaning of respect, confrontation, disagreement, opinion, and conflict. They acknowledge that the skills exist and the importance of the knowledge of it.
Score 1
In this level, students have limited knowledge of particular skills.
Score 0
In this level students don't have any understanding of it whatsoever and achieve little proficiency in following skills.
Three assessments to develop SEL skills
Teachers can use these three assessment strategies to assist students in building their SEL skills.
Probing Discussions
In this assessment, teachers meet students and ask them questions on the topic. Here, teachers can ask as many questions until they are sure about the proficiency level of students.
Unobtrusive Assessments
In this assessment, students may remain unaware about the fact that they are being assessed. Here, teachers subtly assess a group of students when they are debating among themselves on a topic and have differing opinions on the subject.
Student-generated Assessments
In this form of assessment, students approach teachers and propose how they are going to show a particular performance level of the proficiency scale.
Yvonne Sim is freelance private tutor since 2003. She completed her Masters from SIM University, Singapore. She writes daily and publishes articles to help people know about the trends of education and learning. She writes for MyPrivateTutor Singapore. She strives to positively influence the youth about how to make the most of education as well as co-curricular activities.
By Yvonne Sim
Article Source: Building SEL Skills Through Formative Assessment
SEL enables students to develop empathy, leadership skills, effective listening skills, relationship skills, life skills, decision making, problem solving abilities, social awareness, and positive attitude.
Schools and educational institutions are imparting the SEL programs via formative assessment as this type of assessment enable teachers to tailor their lessons to suit the requirements of students and help them grow as mature and responsible adults.
The formative assessment's objective is to give feedback to both students and educators as the learning program progresses. Formative assessment helps teachers in recognizing the gap between the desired performance of the students and their current performance so that measures can be implemented to eliminate the gap.
SEL practitioners can enable building the requisite skills in all educational institutions and students from all backgrounds by training, forming, and easing the applications of these skills in the day-to-day lives of students.
It has been found out that SEL programs increase academic achievement, classroom behavior, self-esteem, social and emotional skills, in students and decreases their chances of bullying, using aggression, indulging in antisocial activities and using drugs.
Imparting SEL Programs via Formative Assessment
SEL programs can be imparted via formative assessment by using a chart that helps in determining progress of students from high-level to low-level SEL skills.
The progress levels portrayed in the chart meets the standards set for formative assessment and the chart renders a definite objective, which is to be able to implement the higher level of it. The chart enables students to monitor their improvement in the course of the program.
Furthermore, the chart guides students to take the subsequent steps to rise up the levels in the SEL progression chart.
The SEL progression chart consists of four levels, those are score 0, score 1, score 2, score 3, and score 4, that help to measure the progress of students.
Score 4
In this level, students use the skills by making conscious efforts in suitable situations. In this level, they are capable of making amendments in their own beliefs, they understand how their beliefs can prevent them from articulating an understanding of others who have dissimilar views.
Score 3
In this level, students are able to implement the strategies and steps linked with SEL skills easily and without mistakes. Here, students actively listen to others, acknowledge their views even if those are dissimilar to their own. While making a point to contradict the views of others, students focus on their point's logic.
Score 2
In this level, students recognize that the important aspect of SEL skills is declarative knowledge and they are able to express the meaning of its expertise. Here, students are familiar with the meaning of respect, confrontation, disagreement, opinion, and conflict. They acknowledge that the skills exist and the importance of the knowledge of it.
Score 1
In this level, students have limited knowledge of particular skills.
Score 0
In this level students don't have any understanding of it whatsoever and achieve little proficiency in following skills.
Three assessments to develop SEL skills
Teachers can use these three assessment strategies to assist students in building their SEL skills.
Probing Discussions
In this assessment, teachers meet students and ask them questions on the topic. Here, teachers can ask as many questions until they are sure about the proficiency level of students.
Unobtrusive Assessments
In this assessment, students may remain unaware about the fact that they are being assessed. Here, teachers subtly assess a group of students when they are debating among themselves on a topic and have differing opinions on the subject.
Student-generated Assessments
In this form of assessment, students approach teachers and propose how they are going to show a particular performance level of the proficiency scale.
Yvonne Sim is freelance private tutor since 2003. She completed her Masters from SIM University, Singapore. She writes daily and publishes articles to help people know about the trends of education and learning. She writes for MyPrivateTutor Singapore. She strives to positively influence the youth about how to make the most of education as well as co-curricular activities.
By Yvonne Sim
Article Source: Building SEL Skills Through Formative Assessment
