Social-emotional learning: Avoiding the ‘summer slide’

As children and teens are returning to school, some may have experienced a phenomenon known as the “summer slide.” The “summer slide” refers to the decline in academic knowledge and skills students have learned during the academic year before summer break. Reports show that, on average, most children lose 20 percent of their reading comprehension skills and 27 percent of their math knowledge each year, according to a study from NWEA Research. 

​Experts from the Expanded Learning Academy (ELA)  offer insight on how social-emotional learning (SEL) can help children and teens retain their knowledge well through high school graduation. 

​Founder and CEO of ELA, Ronald Robinson, spoke to Our Weekly about social-emotional learning. “Every child deserves the opportunity to build confidence, manage emotions, create healthy friendships, and make good choices. Social-emotional learning gives children these skills, helping them succeed in school today and in life tomorrow.” 

​SEL methods that parents and instructors can implement involve labeling and validating emotions, daily check-ins, fostering self-awareness, daily practices, and responsible decision-making skills. 

​Program Director of ELA Denise Sainz said, “SEL is an important part of children’s development because students need more than academic skills to succeed. We build SEL into our enrichment programs to help students develop confidence and resilience while learning how to handle challenges. When SEL is woven into daily learning, students have opportunities to practice these skills and grow into confident, resilient learners.” 

​She continued, “SEL is an important part of children’s development because students need more than academic skills to succeed. SEL helps students develop confidence and resilience while learning how to handle challenges. When SEL is woven into daily learning, students have opportunities to practice these skills and grow into confident, resilient learners.”

​Operations Manager Jasmine Vang said, “At the end of the day, every child is going to face challenges. Social-emotional learning helps them recognize and understand what they’re feeling, giving them the confidence to keep moving forward. Those are skills that don’t just help children succeed in school, but will help them navigate life.”

​Other methods of SEL that ELA suggests are below – 

​Manage Screen Time and Electronics:

* Remove all electronics before bedtime. 

* Consider restricting tablet and phone use entirely during the school week, treating device access as a reward rather than a pastime.

* Replace screen time with alternative activities such as outdoor play, sports, gardening, reading, learning an instrument, cooking together, board games, or puzzles.

* Restrict social media access until at least age 16 to protect children from negative social and emotional impacts.

Engage in Academic Support:

* Review homework, particularly math and writing, and guide children through corrections. If needed, utilize YouTube as a tool to help understand the problem-solving process rather than just obtaining the final answer.

* Read the assigned books that they will read in class with your child to encourage discussion and increase their engagement.

Foster Critical Thinking: 

* Ask open-ended questions (how, what, why) that require more than a one-word answer to stimulate deeper thinking.

* Identify and support your child’s interests in drawing, painting, music, sculpting, or building and engineering projects.

* Encourage children to keep a journal and write or draw in it before bed, which helps reduce stress, manage anxiety, improve sleep, and support social-emotional growth.