Play Your Way Through SEL

Social-emotional learning, or SEL, is the overall process by which children grow, learn and practice their emotional intelligence. Not only does SEL allow all people to thrive both personally, academically, and professionally, it also helps people maintain positive relationships and contribute to a more empathetic and understanding world. SEL curriculum also works to promote equity and empower people to work towards a safe, healthy environment. 

CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) is one of the most widely used frameworks and definitions for social-emotional learning in the world, empowering educators to understand SEL as it pertains to their local schools and communities. Not only does CASEL work to advance the field of SEL through academic research, they also partner with school districts nationwide to provide training on SEL curriculum, train leaders in education on best practices, and advance SEL policies and practices through legislation. 

The CASEL framework includes 5 core competencies (known as the CASEL 5):

• Self-Awareness is the ability to identify your own emotions. This includes recognizing your emotions, identifying a link between your feelings and thoughts, having a growth mindset, developing a sense of purpose, and examining your own biases.
• Social Awareness is the ability to understand the behaviors and cultural context of other people. This can be done by developing empathy, looking at things from someone else’s perspective, showing concern and care for others, and expressing gratitude.
• Relationship Skills allow you to build and maintain healthy relationships with people across contexts, cultures, and backgrounds. It includes communicating effectively, practicing teamwork, asking for help if you need it, and standing up for others.
• Responsible Decision-Making includes understanding potential effects of your decisions across different situations. When focusing on responsible decision-making, you will learn how to make a judgment based on facts and evidence in front of you, anticipate the consequences of your decisions, and reflect on your role as a member of your family, community, or school.
• Self-Management is the ability to manage your own emotions in different situations in order to achieve your goals. This includes using stress management techniques, setting personal goals, and showing self-discipline.

Here at Social Cipher, we use CASEL as part of our production practice in our games and our curriculum. The SEL framework that CASEL provides helps us create all of Ava’s adventures, from relationship building to decision-making to managing emotions. Our game, while blending SEL, provides autistic and neurodivergent youth a judgment-free zone to test out social situations and emotional responses. Read more about the CASEL Curriculum here.

Interested in getting Ava for your therapy center or school for engaging, empowering social-emotional learning? Schedule a chat with us!