1. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) - Making it a success
Felicity Lettington – Four S Associate
National Behaviour and Attendance Strategy

2. Aim and Objectives To introduce SEAL
To know that SEAL starts with staff
A whole school approach
To understand that every area of school life can be an opportunity to develop SEAL skills
To explore how this can be done across the curriculum and share your implementation ideas
To feel more confident about putting SEAL into practice

3. What is SEAL? Secondary SEAL is a comprehensive
approach to promoting in schools the
social and emotional skills that underpin:
effective learning, positive behaviour,
emotional health and well-being.
SEAL is based on the notion that these skills will be most effectively learned when:
A whole school approach is adopted.

4. SEAL Principles Young people who…
‘…learn how to communicate their feelings, set themselves goals and work towards them, interact successfully with others, resolve conflicts peaceably, control their anger and negotiate their way through the many complex relationships in their lives today and tomorrow’.
Adapted from Reva Klein, Defying Disaffection
The quote sums up schools’ aims when they seek to develop children’s social , emotional and behavioural skills.
Most primary schools are already doing a great deal of successful work in this area.
The curriculum materials that are the focus of this meeting are designed to build on this work, not replace it.

5. Kevin Brennan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State DCSF)- says: “SEAL is deeper than examination results, and can really make a difference to achievement. It contributes to the whole ethos of the school secondary schools are to become beacons of good practice – there will be £10 million each year until 2011 to support this. It is not a quick fix – it needs to be a gradual change and it will take time to embed fully.

6. David Moore HMI Ofsted, says “Structure liberates” Ofsted evidence reports not on how ‘fluffy and nice’ a school is, but on how ‘outstanding the classroom/learning environment is’. All staff therefore must be FULLY on board SEAL must be linked to the SDP and schools need to revisit their core values and ethos. SEAL is not about doing – but engaging, therefore, monitoring and evaluation must be integral as: Schools will need to identify in their SEF the impact SEAL is having in the school and demonstrate this in relation to the ECM criteria.

7. Why are these central to school improvement?
Overwhelming evidence demonstrates that well-designed programmes to promote social and emotional skills result in:
Lower levels in stress and anxiety
Better academic results for all pupils and schools
More effective learning
Higher motivation
Better behaviour
Improved school attendance
More responsible pupils, better able to positively contribute to society
Higher morale, performance and retention of staff
A more positive school ethos

8. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Self awareness
Knowing myself
Understanding my feelings

9. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Managing my feelings
Managing my expression of emotions
Changing uncomfortable feelings and increasing pleasant feelings

10. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Motivation
Working towards goals
Persistence, resilience and optimism
Evaluation and review

11. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Empathy
Understanding other’s thoughts and feelings
Valuing and supporting others

12. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Empathy
Understanding other’s thoughts and feelings
Valuing and supporting others

13. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
Which SEAL skills did you use today?

14. WHY SEAL?
Because:
‘Every teacher knows that, to learn successfully, young people must feel happy and secure within the school environment.’
Hellaby, L. ‘Walking the Talk…’ (London, Fulton 2004)

15. Achievement and Emotions….
Because ‘Students who are anxious, angry or depressed can’t learn…’

16. ‘…young people in these states cannot take in information efficiently or deal with it well…’
Goleman, D. Emotional Intelligence (New York: Bantam Books, 1995)
… when emotions overwhelm concentration, what is being swamped is the mental capacity cognitive scientists call ‘working memory’ - the ability to hold in mind all information relevant to the task in hand.

17. Percentage of eleven to fifteen year olds who agree: “Most students in my class are kind and helpful.”
Switzerland
Sweden
Germany
Denmark
France
United States
Russia
England
Richard Layard ‘Happiness - Lessons from a New Science’ 2005

18. Managing behaviour Whole school ethos Management style
Department style
Curriculum development link with behaviour
Individual relationships
Class character
Individual pupils

19. What is the difference between SEAL and EHWB?
Emotional Health and Well-being is a state.
Social and emotional skills are the skills people need to take a full and active part in life.
They need these skills to ensure that they remain emotionally healthy.
It is only possible to learn if we have a reasonable level of emotional health and well-being.

20. Comprehensive whole school approach
Is a model in which:
Every subject explicitly identifies the SEAL skills in their scheme of work, to provide:
Direct and focused whole class/group learning opportunities:
(tutor time, across curriculum and outside formal lessons)
Teaching and learning approaches that support the acquisition and consolidation of social and emotional skills
Whole staff engagement in continuing professional development

21. Whole school approach to the introduction of themes
Staff meetings - to focus
Assembly - to introduce
Tutor groups - to develop
PSHE to establish
Across the curriculum/extra curricula activities - to enhance
Across the school - to embed

22. How well do you know the people with whom you work?
Let’s Get Moving……
How well do you know the people with whom you work?
MINGLE BINGO!

23. Find someone who…
1. Joined your organisation what was their experience of being new?
2. Has recently read a good book
3. Has recently seen a good play or film
4. Has recently been dancing
5. Enjoys singing
6. Joined your organisation what support was useful and what could have been added?
7. Has had a massage
8. Has recently cooked a meal for friends
9. Has recently done some enjoyable exercise

24. SEAL impacts on… Academic achievement Self-esteem
Personal responsibility
Tolerance of difference
Workplace effectiveness
Classroom and school behaviour
Inclusion
Emotional health

25. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Self-actualisation
Self-esteem
Love, affection and belonging
Safety
Physiological or survival needs

26. Social and emotional aspects of learning (adapted from Goleman)
Thinking Skills
Reasoning
Evaluation
Creativity
Enquiry
Problem solving
Information processing
Developing Thinking Skills at Key Stage 3
SEAL Focus
Self-awareness
Managing feelings
Motivation
Empathy
Social skills
Daniel Golman - Emotional Intelligence (1995)

28. Creating a Positive Learning Environment for all
Factors that make up the learning environment
Physical
Relationships
Structures and expectations
Language and communication

29. Self-awareness of stress points
What are your key stress times/places?
Discuss/jot down key times of the day that are stressful for you.
E.g. inability to get a comfort break, blood sugar level, dehydration, unprepared lesson…

30. Awareness of stress points
Teaching staff
Support staff
Pupils

31. Hain Ginott noted:
‘As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a [pupil]’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a [young person] humanised or de-humanised.
‘I’ve come to a frightening conclusion: that I am the decisive element in my classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather’.

32. Staff social and emotional skills
Consider these examples from an SE Inventory:
Managing feelings -
“I have good strategies to help me cope when I get angry”
Motivation -
“When I am faced with a difficult challenge I generally rise to it”
Empathy -
“I care what happens to people”

33. What is a SEAL lesson?
Teaching in the style of SEAL- every lesson is a SEAL lesson when staff:
are aware of their power and the responsibilities that this confers
strive to create a safe teaching and learning environment
plan lessons/learning opportunities with SEAL outcomes
model SEAL behaviour i.e. explicitly demonstrate emotionally intelligent behaviour
recognise and praise appropriate behaviour

34. SEAL: the materials Website: www.bandapilot.org.uk
Guidance booklet
CD-ROM
Online resources (850 pages)
Staff development activities and further reading
Topics for profiling, monitoring and evaluation
Case studies
Year 7/8/9 resource
Anti-bullying resource

35. Theme 1 A Place to Learn (self-aware) Belonging Feeling new
Our human needs
Threats
Change

36. Theme 2 Learning to be Together (social skills and empathy)
Listening skills
Conflict resolution
Peaceful problem-solving
Empathy

37. Theme 3 Keep on Learning (motivation) Planning to reach your goal
Locus of control
What’s my style?
It’s up to me
Internal motivation
Encouraging self-motivation

38. Theme 4 Learning About Me (managing feelings) Understanding emotions
How do our brains work?
Calming down when our emotions take over
Feelings, mood, temperament
The basic emotions
Positive self talk

39. Key areas which relate closely to SEAL
Behaviour & Attendance Core Day 1-3: useful start points
Emotional Health and Well-being (Behaviour & Attendance Core Day 4)
Bullying/violence/anti-racism/diversity Guidance
Inclusion - SEAL skills create inclusive learning environment
Personalised Learning
Assessment for Learning
Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and Learning in Secondary School
PSHE - SEAL skills are a key component
National Healthy Schools Programme
Every Child Matters Agenda
Leading in Learning and Developing Thinking Skills at Key Stage 3

40. The real reason we are in education is to have a significant impact on the whole development of the young person - isn’t it? SEAL is concerned with the whole person and that includes you.