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When talking about social and emotional learning, what language works best?

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When talking about social and emotional learning, what language works best?

We all know that high quality afterschool and summer learning programs provide kids with the skills that they need to succeed in school and life. While the concept sounds simple, finding the best way to describe these skills and their development is anything but. Some people use phrases such as "social and emotional learning (SEL)" or "character development." Others refer to "21st century," "noncognitive" or "non-academic skills." With such a wide array of terms available, it can be hard to know how to best describe the set of skills youth develop in programs.

New research commissioned by the Wallace Foundation provides some helpful insights. For the study, EDGE Research performed desktop research, interviewed more than 45 leaders in the field, held focus groups with parents, and surveyed more than 1,600 professionals in the field. Their findings provide a valuable lens on how educators, afterschool and summer program leaders, policy makers, and parents think about these skills and what terms and messaging frames are most useful in communicating their value.

Key findings

Unfortunately, there is no “silver bullet” term for describing these skills.

Two terms—"social and emotional learning" and "social-emotional and academic learning"—are suggested as the likely best options because they were relatively familiar and clear to the audiences with which they were tested, and were generally viewed in a positive light.

The most compelling messaging strategy is to frame the skills in terms of how they benefit children by naming specific outcomes. For example, you could describe how developing social and emotional skills helps children succeed in school and in life by providing them with the ability to manage their emotions, build positive relationships, and navigate social environments, which allows them to fulfill their potential.

Interested in learning more about the study and the other terms and messaging frames that were tested? Read the full analysis and download the webinar recording on the Wallace Foundation website.

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

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Over the course of the last three years, thanks to the afterschool field’s generous nature and taking the time during an incredibly tumultuous period to respond to our surveys, the Afterschool Alliance has been able to track the changing landscape of the afterschool field. A recently released...

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

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BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

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In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

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BY: Sophie Kidd      02/02/24

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In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are...

BY: Guest Blogger      12/01/23

American Rescue Plan funds support afterschool programs for Native American families

Native Americans represent more than 570 tribes, 3.7 million people, and 644,000 students across the country. The America After 3PM for Native American Families fact sheet highlights how afterschool programs play an important role in Native American communities by providing comprehensive support...

BY: Liana Shivers      11/28/23

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In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

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BY: Sophie Kidd      11/07/23

New dashboard presents a retrospective of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey series

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/19/23

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

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BY: Guest Blogger      04/14/23

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BY: Emily Murtaugh      04/10/23

How are high-poverty school districts’ spending their American Rescue Plan funds on afterschool and summer programs?

In New Jersey’s East Orange School District, students from families with low incomes benefitted from expanded enrichment and academic support, thanks to the district’s investment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in afterschool and summer programs. For example, the district was able...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

New survey: Afterschool programs advance learning recovery efforts but face staffing and cost challenges

Based on a new national survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, programs are supporting students’ academic development, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and creating opportunities where they can practice life skills. At the same time, providers report grappling with issues such...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/25/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

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BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/30/23

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/31/23

Listening to Black voters: Afterschool is essential

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      03/13/23

Oklahoma afterschool program supports Native American youth

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BY: Sophie Kidd      01/12/23

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Survey results point to a summer of learning and engagement ahead for young people

As the temperature starts to rise, and in D.C., we start to feel the familiar humidity creep into the air, one’s thoughts can’t help but turn to summer—and for those of us at the Afterschool Alliance, that includes thinking about what the state of summer programming will look...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/17/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

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BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

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BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Best practices from school districts for advancing equity in expanded learning

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BY: Sophie Kidd      07/03/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

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BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23

New study examines how districts approached summer learning in 2021

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BY: Sophie Kidd      03/14/23

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BY: Sophie Kidd      11/10/22

Youth value voice, preparing for the future, and making a difference in afterschool

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BY: Ursula Helminski      07/16/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

Researchers at Westat released the second batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study. The Wallace Foundation is supporting the study. This release is the second in a series of three reports taking a closer look at summer learning in 2021 from the perspective of state...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23