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Teachers' voices: SEL perceptions in a grade 9-12 school

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Teachers' voices: SEL perceptions in a grade 9-12 school

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Teachers’ Voices: SEL Perceptions in a Grade 9-12 School

Kelly M. Hamilton

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

December 2023

© Copyright by Kelly M. Hamilton 2023
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Kelly M. Hamilton certifies the approval of this Dissertation

Monique Datta
Courtney Malloy
Kathy Stowe, Committee Chair

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023

iv
Abstract
Despite decades of research pointing to the efficacy of SEL in learning acquisition for all
students, universal implementation remains unachieved, with some educators actively hesitant to
embrace it. Conducted at Vista School, the present study seeks to more deeply understand
teachers’ beliefs, perceptions, and experiences with SEL, from training to implementation,
potentially benefitting the study site and other schools wishing to provide their students with an
SEL informed curriculum. A focus on English learners helps shed light on which SEL
competencies provide this vulnerable subgroup with more academic support. The study also
gives teachers the opportunity to guide professional and cultural site development to further
support SEL implementation in the classroom. A qualitative methodology was employed to
collect data, in the form of semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed a teacher population
that generally favored SEL, though with some hesitancy. While participants were not always
confident regarding the individual competencies comprising SEL, all were able to provide
individual classroom strategies that aligned with each competency. Regarding English learners,
strategies which aligned with relationship building and empathy/social awareness competencies
were most cited. Moreover, respondents described factors that facilitated and hindered SEL
implementation. The data analysis revealed that the competencies themselves may warrant
review for the 2023 classroom, with specific consideration of adding “safety” as a classroom
competency. Additionally, more work needs to be done to create a distinction between a whole
child philosophy to teaching and SEL pedagogical strategies.
Keywords: SEL, social emotional learning, competencies, English learners

v
Dedication
To my family, thank you for sustaining me throughout this ride, and especially my son, who is
my motivation and inspiration.

vi
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank those who supported me from beginning to end of this
journey. To the three amazing women who started me off with time, reassurance, and support:
Robin, Diane, and Daisy, thank you! To Heather, who came through at the very end, you are a
hero to so many. Amy and Geoff, I am beyond grateful for you continuing to push when the
going got rough. This has truly been a group effort!
Second, I would like to extend my deep appreciation to my Trojan family. Many thanks
to Dr. Stowe, who both pushed and pulled me through. Dr. Datta and Dr. Malloy, thank you for
serving on my committee and for your supportive feedback, and helping me grow stronger.
Thank you also to Dr. Jimenez and Dr. M, whose kindness and grace were comforting sources of
strength. Brittany and Cydney, thank you for always being there; your students and families are
so blessed to have you! Many thanks also to the Wolfpack, Batman, and Jefe … you know who
you are. I am tremendously proud to fight on with you.
Finally, thank you to all my teachers and students who have come before and who I have
yet to meet. To those in the past, I am grateful for all you have taught me. To those in the future,
I am excited to begin our work.

vii
Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1
Background of the Problem ................................................................................................ 2
Organization of the Study ................................................................................................... 9
Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................. 10
SEL ................................................................................................................................... 10
SEL Benefits ..................................................................................................................... 12
Factors Influencing SEL Alignment ................................................................................. 22
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 27
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 29
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 29
Overview of Design .......................................................................................................... 29
Research Setting ................................................................................................................ 30
The Researcher .................................................................................................................. 30
Data Sources ..................................................................................................................... 31
Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................................... 33
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 33
Credibility and Trustworthiness ........................................................................................ 34
Ethics ................................................................................................................................. 34
Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................. 36
Participants ........................................................................................................................ 37

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Findings: Research Question 1 ......................................................................................... 38
Competency-Specific Classroom Alignment .................................................................... 45
Facilitating Factors ............................................................................................................ 52
Hindering Factors to Classroom SEL Alignment ............................................................. 55
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 59
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations ......................................................................... 60
Discussion of Findings ...................................................................................................... 60
Recommendations for Practice ......................................................................................... 65
Limitations and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 68
Recommendations for Future Research ............................................................................ 69
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 70
References ..................................................................................................................................... 72
Appendix A: Interview Protocol ................................................................................................... 82
Interview Script ................................................................................................................. 82
Interview Questions .......................................................................................................... 83
Closing Comments ............................................................................................................ 84

ix
List of Tables
Table 1: Five Classroom Competencies and Descriptions ........................................................... 12
Table 2: Participant Psuedonyms, Length of Classroom Experience, and SEL Association ....... 38
Table 3: Indentified SEL Classroom Strategies by Competency .................................................. 50

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Chapter One: Introduction
Social-emotional learning (SEL) intentionally aligns curriculum with research-based SEL
strategies and competencies. Within the past few decades, more educational systems, individual
educators, and policymakers have embraced SEL as data points to its use resulting in more
optimal student and teacher outcomes (Mercer et al., 2016; Temkin et al., 2020). Students benefit
academically, behaviorally, and emotionally, while teachers benefit emotionally and in their
career longevity (APA, 2015; Collie et al., 2015; Moskowitz & Dewaele, 2021). While all
stakeholders benefit from SEL, however, these strategies have increased impact on marginalized
students in general and English learners in particular (Cefai, 2022; King, 2021). Marginalized
students tend to gain more from the demonstrated success of SEL in mitigating some of the
effects of trauma (Schunk, 2020), amongst other reasons.
While much evidence exists to the benefits of SEL-imbued classrooms, not all educators
embrace it. Research has examined the contribution of work culture and SEL comfortability level
of teachers who do and do not practice SEL (Collie et al., 2015), though a gap exists in the
understanding of teacher awareness of the specific competencies. Kennedy and Walls (2022),
researched teachers’ perceived barriers to providing SEL-aligned strategies in general in the
classroom. Allbright et al. (2019) researched those factors which supported SEL, but we do not
have clarity on which factors supported specific competencies. Regarding unique subgroups,
such as English learners, effective strategies and competencies remain unresearched (Cefai,
2022).
The present study aimed to deepen the understanding of teachers’ perceived classroom
strategies to promote SEL for English learners as well as those factors which influence strategy
alignment. It focused on Grade 9-12 teachers who work in a school with a significant English

2
learner population, who research indicates benefit more than non-marginalized populations from
SEL-infused (Cefai, 2022). Examining teacher awareness of specific competencies, how those
different competencies may affect English learners, and factors which either hinder or facilitate
SEL may help encourage more SEL-informed classrooms, particularly for those classrooms
which include English learners.
Background of the Problem
SEL as an umbrella term referring to specific competencies is a relatively recent addition
to pedagogical terminology, though social-emotional learning has always been informally
present in some classrooms. During the 20th century in the United States, however, the
educational system started to prioritize student academic outcomes over student wellbeing,
contributing to student anxiety, depression, bullying, burnout, or dropout (Katsiyannis et al.,
2020; Prochaska et al., 2016). As a response to the student mental health crisis, policymakers,
parents, and educators moved toward the “whole child” approach (Temkin et al., 2020), which
equates academic, social, behavioral, and mental health. In 1994, the Fetzer Institute gathered
individuals from various fields to holistically assist children transition to beneficent citizens; this
gathering created the term “social-emotional learning” (Beaty, 2018). It also initiated the
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2022), which began
researching and identifying SEL competencies, with suggested classroom application. The
research identified the following five SEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management,
responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills (CASEL, 2022).
Despite the research connecting SEL with stronger student academic outcomes,
policymakers have largely chosen to not incorporate SEL language into their policies. As
recently as 2018, only eleven states in the United States had SEL standards for their K-12

3
programs, though all 50 states had SEL standards for their preschool programs (Eklund et al.,
2018). Today, 27 states have K-12 SEL language, implying increased acceptance of and
commitment to SEL instruction (CASEL, 2020). The California Department of Education
(2022), for instance, encourages SEL, and provides educators and families with links that they
deem helpful, but stresses that SEL is strictly voluntary. Without formalized standards and
policy, educators have neither direct guidance nor official impetus for SEL. The depth of
educators’ individual understanding of the differing competencies remains unknown.
The decision of whether to align classroom strategies with SEL heightens in importance
when discussion different subgroups within student populations. SEL-informed curriculum has
demonstrated ability to mitigate some of the effects of trauma (Immordino-Yang, 2018).
Historically, marginalized or vulnerable students (i.e., students of color, LGBTQIA+, female)
experienced trauma within the classroom (Gregg, 2017; Ladson-Billings, 2006; Orfield &
Frankenberg, 2014). SEL-informed curriculum helps those students reconnect more positively
with the classroom and with their teacher. Post-COVID lockdown, SEL strategies may benefit
both students and teachers, who experienced stresses ranging from ill-preparedness for the
lockdown to the over 140,000 children who felt the loss of a caregiver (Basilea et al., 2020;
Brown et al., 2021; Hillis et al., 2021).
For student English learners, who embody all the above traumas along with a few more,
SEL-informed curriculum seems less a matter of “should” and more a matter of “must.” Some
research suggests that for English learners, SEL is crucial to effective language acquisition
(Mercer, et al., 2018). Sugarman and LaZarin (2020) reported that in both Chicago and Los
Angeles Unified School Districts, English learners participated significantly less in remote
learning than their English-fluent peers¾a trend echoed in other urban districts, implying that

4
this already vulnerable subgroup felt disconnected from their formal education at a deeper level.
Cefai (2022) recommends more research into the efficacy of SEL strategies for English learners
specifically; currently, no data shows the efficacy of specific SEL competencies for English
learners.
Purpose of the Study
This study examined teachers’ understanding of SEL competencies and strategies with an
additional focus on English learners, while seeking to uncover perceived influences on classroom
SEL in a Grade 9-12 school site. Two research questions guided the study:
1. What is the general awareness of teachers regarding SEL practices and competencies
at Vista School for English learners?
2. Which factors do teachers at Vista School perceive either facilitate or hinder the
alignment of SEL competencies?
Importance of the Study
The data collected from this study supports SEL competency alignment in the classroom,
most specifically for teachers of English learners. Exploring teachers’ awareness of the
individual competencies will help create more fully developed SEL-informed curriculum, as well
as guide professional development opportunities. The study’s focus on English learners
contributes to a more efficacious pedagogy for this vulnerable student population. Finally,
understanding which elements influence SEL-aligned classrooms, either positively or negatively,
may help school sites adopt SEL on a systems level.
To fully utilize SEL and reap its benefits in the classroom, teachers must first grasp the
specific competencies. When teachers infuse curriculum with strategies meant to trigger self-
awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-

5
making, students tend to benefit academically (Frye, 2022). Teachers gain as well: studies
conclude that SEL curriculum leads to overall teacher happiness and job satisfaction, which leads
to higher numbers of teacher retention (Collie, 2015; Kruger, 2021). Increased retention means
that students benefit from more experienced teachers, a critical factor in student academic
success (Moskowitz & Dawaele, 2021). Other studies suggest that stakeholders outside of the
classroom also benefit, from other school site members to those within the greater community,
most specifically families of those students who experience SEL curriculum (Fiore, 2016; Honig
& Rainey, 2020; Immordino-Yang, 2018; Will, 2020). The positive data reflects fully classrooms
with strategies aligning to all competencies, however, and does not speak to partial alignment.
Cognizance of the different competencies will help focus SEL curriculum for teachers of
English learners. Research indicates that optimal learning conditions for English learners include
a curriculum informed by SEL strategies and competencies (Mercer et al., 2018). According to
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), English learners comprised over 10% of the
national student population in 2019 (nces.ed.gov, 2022), with some individual states almost
doubling that amount in their classrooms. Even more students have reclassified as fluent English
proficient (FEP); while classified as “proficient,” research has indicated that these students may
require lifelong lingual support (Rumberger & Gándara, 2014). These numbers reflect an
increasing trend in student populations, which speaks to the urgent need for effective curricula
for students and teachers. To engage in equitable and effective curriculum for all learners, but
particularly English learners, school sites must support classroom SEL systemically (Kennedy &
Walls, 2022).
School sites with the goal of universal classroom SEL alignment need to know which
cultural facets on their campuses either contribute to or prohibit that alignment; this information

6
cannot come from any other source than teachers. Teachers know best which practices in their
classroom have a positive effect on the whole child, which may extend to their families (Will,
2020). They know which strategies decrease stress at school, which research has shown tends to
lower stress in their home lives (Immordino-Yang, 2018). Listening to teachers will help district-
and site-level administrators deepen their understanding of teacher needs (Kennedy, 2019). They
may then use the information to determine how to best support and encourage SEL in the
classroom and can also provide additional guidance to support personnel (Honig & Rainey,
2020), creating a schoolwide culture of care. Professional development can then be tailored to
meet teachers’ needs; if those charged with presenting SEL to teachers do not know teachers’
beliefs and needs, then those presentations, as well as any attempted follow-up assistance, may
not actually help attain (and could unintentionally hurt) the desired goal.
Overview of Methodology
This study used a qualitative methodology with semi-structured interviews. Semi-
structured interviews with follow-up opportunities allowed the researcher to gain intimate
knowledge (Lochmiller & Lester, 2017; Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) of the
participants’ beliefs, perceptions, and needs regarding SEL. Interviews were the most appropriate
form of data collection, as they not only recorded teachers’ personal thoughts into practicable
information, but also helped the interviewees process and refine their thoughts through
intentional questioning (Rubin & Rubin, 2012; Seidman, 2013).
Definition of Terms
• Cognitive load is the amount of input (i.e., instruction) a brain can tolerate (Schunk,
2020).

7
• Culture reflects the basic assumptions, values, and artifacts and creations (including
behaviors) of a social group (Spencer-Oatey, 2012).
• Culture of caring was generated in the medical arena to describe patient-nursing
student relationships; the term is now used in educational field to describe dynamics
between school sites, classrooms, and districts that value social-emotional needs of all
(Kruger et al., 2021).
• English learners are students whose English language skills are not considered
proficient or fluent by diverse measures, such as grades, targeted language tests, etc.
(Umansky, 2016).
• Fluent English proficient (FEP) reflects students whose English language skills are
considered proficient or fluent by diverse metrics such as grades, targeted language
tests, etc. (Umansky, 2016).
• Relationship skills are one of five identified classroom SEL competencies, described
as “the abilit[y] to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to
effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups” (CASEL, 2020,
What is the CASEL Framework? section).
• Responsible decision-making is one of five identified classroom SEL competencies,
described as “the abilit[y] to make caring and constructive choices about personal
behavior and social interactions across diverse situations” (CASEL, 2020, What is the
CASEL Framework? section).
• Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a term developed from CASEL (2020) with five
identified student-centered competencies; Allbright et al. (2019) identify the
following school site-centered competencies: growth mindset, self-efficacy, self-

8
management, social awareness, culture-climate construct, support for academic
learning, sense of belonging and school connectedness, knowledge and perceived
fairness of discipline rules and norms; and safety.
• SEL-centered classroom practices characterize classroom behaviors and attitudes
practiced by the teacher that preemptively and responsively includes relevant social-
emotional competencies with the desire to increase learning of all present; CASEL
(2020) identifies five competencies that teachers intentionally model and build in
their students: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills,
and responsible decision-making.
• SEL alignment/imbuing/informed captures the intentional employment of SEL
classroom practices attributed to one or more of the five identified competencies
(Collie et al., 2015).
• Self-awareness is one of five identified classroom SEL competencies, described as
“the abilit[y] to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts and values and how they
influence behavior across contexts” (CASEL, 2020, What is the CASEL Framework?
section).
• Self-management is one of five identified classroom SEL competencies, described as
“the abilit[y] to manage one’s own emotions, thoughts and behaviors effectively in
different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations” (CASEL, 2020, What is the
CASEL Framework? section).
• Social awareness is one of five identified classroom SEL competencies, described as
“the abilit[y] to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including

9
those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts” (CASEL, 2020, What is the
CASEL Framework? section).
• A whole child approach is a frame that equally prioritizes a student’s academic,
mental and physical health, and wellbeing (Griffith & Slade, 2018).
Organization of the Study
This study is organized into five chapters. The first introduces the topic, providing a
broad scope of its history and describing the study’s purpose as well as the theoretical
framework. Chapter 2 follows with a more in-depth examination of classroom SEL
implementation through a literature review, examining how historic U.S. pedagogy, current
policies, SEL research and environmental factors potentially influence the study. Chapter 3
describes the qualitative methodology used to acquire data on perceived classroom SEL
strategies and potential barriers to competency-alignment. Chapter 4 reflects on the study’s
findings. Chapter 5 provides a summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations for
further study.

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Chapter Two: Literature Review
The purpose of this study is to examine teacher awareness of the specific SEL
competencies with a focus on their practical use with English learners, and to gain perspective on
various factors which influence competency-alignment curriculum. It seeks to understand how
core subject high school teachers infuse their curriculum with strategies which reflect the
individual competencies. It will also gather information about teachers’ experiences with the
specific competencies while instructing English learners. Finally, it will provide insight to those
elements which either promote or hinder SEL.
This review will first briefly define SEL and describe how it affects students, teachers,
and others in the community. It will next explore teacher awareness of the specific SEL
competencies and their intentional application in the classroom. Third, it will look at the historic
and current influences on the English learner educational experience. Next, it will explore factors
which influence SEL alignment. A summary will complete the chapter.
SEL
First named in 1994 by CASEL, a gathering of scholars from various fields with the
intention of finding what makes “good” citizens (CASEL, 2020), researchers have since studied
SEL and its impact on various stakeholders within school sites and beyond. When fully imbued
in the classroom and supported by the school site, all students benefit, as does the entire
surrounding educational community (Meyers et al., 2018). SEL serves as an umbrella term to
include the five identified classroom SEL competencies.
SEL Defined
Identified student-based competencies differ from identified site-based competencies.
Research provided by CASEL (2020) concentrated on attributes which would promote learning

11
acquisition, while Allbright et al. (2019) focused on cultural values of school sites. Both
contribute to more desired student academic and behavioral outcomes (Meyers et al., 2018).
Competencies tend to focus on mental-wellness, empathy, and personal security. CASEL
(2020) centered its research on students and identified the following five competencies: self-
awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-
making. Allbright, et al. (2019) researched components which contributed to a strong SEL school
site culture and identified the following competencies: growth mindset; self-efficacy; self-
management; social awareness; culture-climate construct; support for academic learning; sense
of belonging and school connectedness; knowledge and perceived fairness of discipline rules and
norms; and safety. School sites which intentionally embraced these competencies tended to have
classrooms which promoted student-centered competencies (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016).
According to Meyers et al. (2018), these strategies have great success with appropriate support,
quality, and consistent alignment. Table 1 provides an overview and descriptions of the five
CASEL competencies.

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Table 1
Five Classroom Competencies and Descriptions
Competency Description
Self-awareness “The abilit[y] to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts and values
and how they influence behavior across contexts” (CASEL, 2020,
What is the CASEL Framework? section).
Self-management “The abilit[y] to manage one’s own emotions, thoughts and behaviors
effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and
aspirations” (CASEL, 2020, What is the CASEL Framework?
section).
Responsible decision-
making
“The abilit[y] to establish and maintain healthy and supportive
relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse
individuals and groups” (CASEL, 2020, What is the CASEL
Framework? section).
Relationship-building “The abilit[y] to make caring and constructive choices about personal
behavior and social interactions across diverse situations”
(CASEL, 2020, What is the CASEL Framework? section).
Social awareness/
empathy
“The abilit[y] to understand the perspectives of and empathize with
others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and
contexts” (CASEL, 2020, What is the CASEL Framework?
section).

SEL Benefits
Research shows that when an educational community commits to SEL culture, all
stakeholders experience greater growth. Within the classroom, academic content infused with
SEL strategies enhances relevancy and motivation (Kruger et al., 2021), which increases the
likelihood of desired outcomes for students. The reciprocity of the teacher-student relationship,
positively influenced by SEL, increases engagement and satisfaction with both parties (Collie et
al., 2015; Geiger et al., 2016; Schunk, 2020). This happens outside of the classroom as well,
wherever mentorship or coaching occurs (Hebard et al., 2021; Pagnoccolo & Bertone, 2021).
SEL fidelity depends not only on individual teachers but on the entire school site culture

13
(Kennedy, 2019). The effects of intentional and consistent SEL-informed pedagogy reach even
the greater community outside of the school site (Fiore, 2016).
SEL Benefits to Students
Studies suggest that instruction aligned with SEL competencies encourage whole child
growth. Self-awareness, social awareness, building relationship skills, self-management, and
responsible decision-making combine to promote learning and engagement for students, which
influences academic and behavioral outcomes (APA, 2015). Bailey (2019) indicates that these
benefits remain for individual students for up to 3 years upon conclusion of the SEL intervention.
Academic Benefits to Students
SEL-informed instruction both connects students more deeply to their learning and helps
the brain’s ability to absorb instruction. Kruger et al. (2021) describes increased motivation and a
willingness to be pushed outside of comfort zones as critical sources of academic stimulation.
Improved academic outcomes has a variety of effects, including a reduction in stress. This,
combined with SEL’s ability to counter the academically obstructive impact of trauma
(Immordino-Yang et al., 2018) means that SEL gains importance for vulnerable students. For
language learners, Mercer et al. (2016) indicate that SEL is crucial to effective language
acquisition.
SEL-informed instruction can lessen the impact of school-related stress. Students identify
stress as prominent reason for lower-than-expected academic outcomes (Basilaia & Kvavadze,
2020). Fiore (2016) concurs, stating that if children are unhappy at school, their parents will be
unhappy as well, leading to increased school-related stress. According to CASEL, another
benefit of SEL instruction is that it helps students process stress in a healthy way (casel.org).
Research indicates that these academic outcomes may have a ripple effect outside of school, as

14
students who improve in school may experience reduced stress at home (Immordino-Yang et al.,
2018). This reduction of stress-related cognitive load allows the brain more flexibility to learn
(Schunk
Behavioral Benefits to Students
SEL-informed strategies tend to encourage students to behave in ways that increase
positive interactions while also decrease negative interactions. CASEL (2020) indicated that
utilizing strategies which focus on the competency of responsible decision-making and empathy
help support students in engaging in desired behaviors. Competencies such as social awareness
and relationship skills help engender student empathy, leading to fewer undesired interpersonal
behaviors and consequential disciplinary events (APA, 2015).
Competencies which develop students’ sense of self foster positive behavior as well.
Bailey et al. (2019) found that SEL-informed classrooms have a noticeable effect on students’
self-esteem. According to CASEL (2020), self-awareness and self-management help students to
both become more aware of their own learning and anxiety and increase their ability to manage
these learning-inhibitors, as well as take ownership over their own learning by focusing on self-
identified goals. Relationship skills and social awareness help reinforce these competencies, as
the classroom community supports individual students (CASEL, 2020).
SEL and English Learners
Historically marginalized students, most critically English learners, have improved
academic outcomes when enrolled in schools trained in SEL competencies and with a culture of
caring. Vulnerable students receive the trauma-mitigating effects that SEL strategies impart
(Cefai, 2022). Immordino-Yang (2018) demonstrates the imperative connection between positive
brain function and academic engagement. A brain preoccupied with processing traumatic events

15
cannot accept more cognitive load (Schunk, 2020) and may be less likely to engage in SEL
competencies (i.e., self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, etc.) without intentional
SEL intervention. SEL strategies tend to center students’ assets, which increases positive
engagement for marginalized students (King, 2021). Cuocci and Arndt (2020) found that SEL
strategies help lower English learner student stress and anxiety while also increasing resiliency,
allowing for increased language acquisition. For example, SEL strategies grounded in the social
awareness competency (i.e., empathy) may inhibit fear of failure and allow for students to make
necessary mistakes when learning a language.
Teachers’ perceptions of SEL strategies for English learners and the potential challenges
facing SEL alignment determine the extent of their use. Santibañez and Guarino (2021) stated
that SEL is crucial for English learners. Cefai (2022) agrees, noting that more research is
necessary to understand how SEL strategies may differ for English learners and non-English
learners.
SEL Benefits to Teachers
Multiple studies have asserted that SEL supports teachers as well. Collie et al. (2015)
found that teacher adherence to SEL results in increased self-efficacy, career longevity, and
positive student interaction. These different factors interweave with and augment each other; for
instance, positive student interactions will reinforce teacher self-efficacy which encourages
career longevity (Barnes & McCallops, 2019). Some evidence suggests that SEL can be viewed
as a mental health aid for teachers: the reciprocal nature of the teacher-student relationship help
sustain teachers through challenges (Barnes & McCallops, 2019). Mercer et al. (2016) posited
that teacher psychology is more important than student psychology in some academic respects,
with the teacher providing guidance, modeling, and setting the classroom culture (including SEL

16
practices). Students tend to emulate the emotions and behaviors of their instructor (Moskowitz &
Dewaele, 2021). Teachers who feel successful in eliciting positive student outcomes tend to also
feel more efficacious (Ingraham et al., 2018).
Self-efficacy is crucial to effective teaching. Teachers who report higher levels of self-
efficacy are more likely to be effective (Erozkan et al., 2016). This self-efficacy cycle helps
increase teacher retention rates (Collie et al., 2015). Research supports the idea that the
“meaningful work-meaningful relationships-job satisfaction” triad operates as a closed loop,
encouraging greater and deeper meaningfulness and satisfaction (Lavy & Bocker, 2018). Other
research indicates positive interaction between teacher and student increase both stakeholders’
self-efficacy, self-esteem, and subjective happiness (Erozkan et al., 2016). Moskowitz and
Dewaele (2021) concluded that teacher happiness leads to increased student-focused teaching
and even more creative and successful teaching strategies.
SEL promotes teacher self-efficacy with discussing challenging subjects. Kruger et al.
(2021) state that a classroom informed by SEL competencies can allow teachers to engage in
more challenging conversations regarding current events, which in turn tends to increase a
teacher’s self-efficacy. Conversations concerning race, gender, sexuality, and other topics
important to discuss but difficult to negotiate have improved outcomes, influenced by SEL
competencies which promote empathy, relationship-building, social awareness, and self-
management (Cefai, 2022). SEL as a pedagogical tool is particularly important in this context
when considering the oft-present cultural and lingual gaps between teachers (primarily white)
and their students (primarily persons of color), as shown by data through the California
Department of Education (https://www.cde.ca.gov). Navigating these topics in a way that
promotes deeper understanding and empathy amongst students and teachers may influence

17
teacher self-efficacy and increase positive teacher-student interaction, which in turn promotes
teacher longevity (Erozkan et al., 2016).
Teacher career longevity, influenced by SEL, benefits the entire school community.
Increased longevity at a single site allows teachers to familiarize themselves with the culture,
develop deeper relationships, and hone their craft in situ, amongst a myriad of other positives
(Zee & Koomen, 2016). Higher rates of job satisfaction led to reduced burnout and increased
rates of teacher attrition, particularly for veteran teachers (Collie et al., 2015). In fact, Admiraal
et al. (2019) suggest that teachers’ relationships with their students is their main source of job
satisfaction over their entire career.
SEL Benefits to School Site and External Community
Educators who prioritize SEL-strategies in the classroom may see its value reflected in
the entire school site. Many studies conclude that overall motivation and engagement for
teachers results in overall motivation and engagement for students, the site itself, and encourages
teacher retention (Collie et al., 2015; Zee & Koomen, 2016). Late-career veteran teachers in
particular experience these benefits (Admiraal et al., 2019). Moskowitz and Dewaele (2021)
explore the concept of emotional contagion, in which one person’s emotions influence others
around them. Having a solid foundation of enthusiastic and engaged veteran teachers helps to
maintain optimal financial, cultural, and academic school site culture (Geiger & Pivovarova,
2016).
Additionally, practitioners of classroom SEL may see its effects on the students’ home
environments. Research indicates that the classroom environment impacts the greater
community. Fiore (2016) presents the idea that every single teacher-made decision and action
impacts school-community relationships. SEL-imbued classrooms have shown to have a positive

18
impact on academic and behavioral outcomes, which often translates to fewer stressors and more
sources of pride at home (Immordino-Yang, 2018). Teachers who promote self-management and
self-awareness techniques give their students tools for handling stressful situations, which has
potential to benefit not only the student but others in their immediate social and familial group.
Finally, some research supports the notion that SEL benefits communities beyond home
and school. Encouraging development of SEL competencies in historically marginalized students
helps them better navigate their hegemonic surroundings, which in turn increases SEL-informed
dialogue amongst hegemonic and non-hegemonic students, leading to what DePadua and
Rabbitskin (2018) call the ethical space of engagement. As disparate cultures and worldviews
engage with each other, cultural gaps compact, which may diminish opportunity gaps in greater
society (King, 2021). More social and cultural awareness can help mitigate some of the effects of
media-initiated unconscious bias (Arendt & Northup, 2015).
SEL in the Classroom and School Site
SEL competencies tend to focus on student metacognition and environmental interaction.
CASEL (2020) identified five different student-centered components that reflect a classroom
engaged in SEL: student understanding and managing of their emotions, creating and achieving
positive goals, demonstrating empathy, creating and nurturing positive relationships, and making
responsible choices. Allbright et al. (2019) focused on school site culture and cited nine distinct
areas of SEL competency: growth mindset; self-efficacy; self-management; social awareness;
culture-climate construct; support for academic learning; sense of belonging and school
connectedness; knowledge and perceived fairness of discipline rules and norms; and safety. Full
SEL alignment intentionally addresses all these areas.

19
Classroom SEL was largely interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, as
school campuses closed, and classes went online. The often-challenging general re-opening of
schools for the 2021-2022 school year presented an opportunity for SEL-informed strategies.
Kruger et al. (2021) proposed that post-COVID-19 lockdown, classrooms seeking optimal
teacher and student outcomes ought to rely heavily on SEL practices. Cummings et al. (2022)
recommended adopting an SEL-informed curriculum to help assuage some of the primary and
secondary impacts of COVID-19. While it is difficult to gauge the full impact of COVID-19 on
students, teachers, and learning in general, knowing the full impact is less important than
knowing that it is there and that educators have a responsibility to address it.
Competencies Focused on Self-Development
Teachers who foster SEL competencies give students opportunities to develop various
aspects of themselves. Both CASEL (2020) and Allbright et al. (2019) identified self-
management as a critical SEL component. CASEL (2020) emphasizes students’ ability to
understand their own emotions as separate from managing them. Students may demonstrate self-
management by managing stress and motivating themselves (Allbright et al., 2019). For
example, teachers may allow students to manage their emotions and motivation by giving
students the opportunity to redo assignments, which alleviates some pressure and gives students
the opportunity to grow (Allbright et al., 2019).
SEL-aligned classrooms focus not only student learning but teaching students how to
direct their own learning. CASEL (2020) advises giving students opportunities to create and
achieve positive goals (academic and otherwise). This aligns with Allbright et al. (2019) in
stating the importance of cultivating a growth mindset, reframing learning from a pass/fail
perspective. These provide a pathway to increased self-efficacy, another one of Allbright et al.’s

20
(2019) identified strategies. The same study emphasizes the need for teachers, as well as the
entire school site, to provide academic support, for example through advisory periods or by
initiating support programs for struggling students, particularly those who come from historically
marginalized backgrounds.
Competencies Focused on Community and Social Interaction
Classroom SEL competencies gives students opportunities to interact positively with
others in their learning community and an appreciation of their own positionality as well as
others’. CASEL (2020) identifies exhibiting empathy as one of the main hallmarks of SEL.
Allbright et al. (2019) contribute social awareness, which also includes empathy, and culture-
climate construct, which helps students develop awareness of the interplay between their culture
and the culture around them.
Feeling comfortable in a school environment is also a critical necessity to SEL. CASEL
(2020) recognizes creating and nurturing positive relationships as a key component of SEL.
Allbright et al. (2019) state the importance of inculcating a sense of belonging and school
connectedness. Suggested strategies to achieve this include having teachers greet students
personally and offering programs either over the summer or outside of school hours to create
more of a community. The same study also points to safety as a measure of SEL. One suggested
strategy is to adopt anti-bullying measures. Post-lockdown schools have had to intensify cleaning
routines to address COVID-19 concerns (Lambert et al., 2020).
Finally, SEL encourages cultural awareness, particularly with expectations and rules.
CASEL (2020) focuses on students exhibiting responsible choice-making. Allbright et al. (2019)
discusses students having a knowledge of and perceived fairness of disciplinary rules. Regarding

21
discipline, it is not enough that students are aware of the rules, they must also perceive them as
fair. Perceiving rules as unfair works against gains made by SEL-informed environments.
Teacher Awareness of SEL Competencies
While many teachers report awareness of SEL, awareness level of the specific SEL
competencies is less clear. Teachers have the most direct influence on the SEL methods used in
their classrooms though school site administration influences implementation significantly as
well (Allbright et al., 2019; Collie et al., 2015). Schools with high percentages of historically
marginalized students need an experienced teaching force able to provide effective learning
strategies, and yet often have a teaching staff with less experience and training than schools with
a higher hegemonic population (Papay et al., 2017). Ideally, teacher training with SEL would
begin in the pre-service stage (Katz et al., 2020).
Providing teachers with a foundation in SEL would facilitate its incorporation into
schools. New teachers could more easily align curriculum with strategies while also sharing their
practices with more veteran teachers. Most in-service and pre-service teachers nationwide
believe that SEL is an effective pedagogical tool, however, they also report low rates of
comfortability and training in SEL alignment (Murano et al., 2019). In 2015, Schonert-Reichl et
al. observed that most teacher preparation programs did not include SEL as part of their
curriculum. In 2020, Katz et al. repeated this finding, stating that most teacher preparation
programs either present SEL in part (i.e., not the entire suite of competencies) or not at all.
Consequently, many classroom teachers rely on districts and sites to provide SEL training and
support, who themselves may lack a solid knowledge base.
Teachers themselves influence other teachers’ SEL competency awareness. SEL
experienced practitioners may share their strategies and views with others, encouraging more

22
competency alignment and a more positive perception (Will, 2020). Teachers confident with
SEL Collie et al. (2015) report high positive correlation between teachers who are comfortable
with SEL, who have a culture that supports SEL, and have higher job satisfaction with
minimized stress levels. The same study identified and named three distinct types of teachers
who operate with some SEL-positivity: SEL-thriver, SEL-striver, and SEL-advocate. These
types were created based on self-reporting based on three criteria (personal comfort, personal
commitment, and school site culture); teachers reported feeling either “high” (positive) or “low”
(negative). SEL-thrivers reported feeling high in all three categories; SEL-strivers reported high
commitment but low comfort and culture; SEL-advocates reported high comfort and
commitment, but low culture. Katz et al. (2020), found that not all competencies received the
same prioritizing, noting self-awareness and self-management as the most-often neglected
competencies.
Factors Influencing SEL Alignment
A variety of sources contribute to the SEL-informed classroom. Beyond teachers, district
and school administration, culture, and government (both de facto and de jure) can influence
SEL administration. Some uncontrollable environmental factors, such as the COVID-19
pandemic, may also affect SEL adherence. These components may either hinder or facilitate
administration.
Environmental factors also impact successful SEL alignment. COVID-19 and the
consequent lockdown resulted in many veteran teachers choose not to return to the classroom
post-lockdown, which means fewer experienced teachers knowledgeable in SEL (Basilaia &
Kvavadze, 2020; Lambert et al., 2020). Of those who did return, many had their own fatigue and
mental health issues to contend with, making it difficult to embrace potentially new pedagogical

23
strategies (Kruger et al., 2021). Likewise, the increasing number of school shootings presents a
challenge to Allbright et al.’s (2019) identification of a feeling of safety as crucial to SEL.
School Site and District Influences
Teachers have the most direct influence on classroom SEL strategies, though school site
administrators and the district may also govern its usage. One potential reason a teacher may not
intentionally imbue their teaching with SEL is that they may not know strategies. The ability to
teach teachers how to integrate SEL competencies is an important part of school site culture,
directed by administration (Kennedy, 2019). While successful SEL strategies produce more
desirable academic, behavioral, and mental health outcomes, unsuccessful SEL strategies,
unintentional or otherwise, could cause harm to both teacher and student (Beaty, 2018; Eccles &
Wigfield, 2020; Kruger et al., 2021; Papay et al., 2017). Continued training and support for
teachers provided by school site and district administration is crucial for teacher success
(Kennedy & Walls, 2022).
Researchers have provided several means on how administration and school culture could
better support the classroom. Kendizora (2016) stated administration needs to take more
ownership of emphasizing the need for SEL for academic outcomes and the embedding of it
within curriculum. Among teachers, collaboration needs to be both less structured and more
intentional with discussing equity and SEL definition (Kennedy, 2019). Classroom applications
must be more specific and normed between the classrooms with significant levels of teacher buy-
in (Hattie, 2015).
The school site itself can create a culture informed by SEL. Kennedy and Walls (2022)
discuss the importance of site administrators providing ongoing training. Offering onsite support
for teachers’ mental health (Geiger & Pivovarova, 2018) ultimately supports SEL in the

24
classroom. Promoting a schoolwide culture imbued with SEL competencies, such as adopting a
growth mindset, increases the likelihood of classroom SEL (Allbright et al., 2019; Kennedy &
Walls, 2020). Kennedy (2019) detailed aspects of a school that had equity and caring as its center
with leadership who embodied SEL; many of those aspects could be categorized as:
collaborative; proactively inclusive; intentionally anti-prejudiced; and data based. While these
goals seem concrete, however, there is danger in some sites merely using the words without
providing the actual behaviors to concretely achieve them (Ingraham et al., 2018).
Administrators who foster a strong SEL culture value whole child development. Allbright
et al. (2019) recommends sites provide opportunities outside of instructional time to build
community, such as a variety of student clubs and sports, and support academically struggling
students. This is particularly important for students of historically marginalized communities.
Conversely, school administrators who do not encourage a culture of high fidelity to SEL, who
do not inculcate buy-in from practitioners, who do not provide practitioners with enough on-
going support (i.e., time, feedback, training) and who do not integrate SEL within the entirety of
educational practice (i.e., beyond curriculum), do not tend to have school sites that embrace SEL
(Kennedy & Walls, 2022).
SEL in National and State Policy
Policymakers and constituents may affect SEL in the classroom in various ways.
Policymakers influence classroom SEL through legal means. Constituents, meanwhile, operating
out of cultural beliefs and attitudes, may influence SEL ranging from personal power (i.e., a
parent pressuring a teacher) to speaking at school board meetings to voting. By not having a
national policy regarding SEL, aligning teaching strategies with competencies becomes a state or
district issue. A minority of states have formally recognized SEL as integral to learning, and

25
even fewer have codified SEL language in official policy. In some areas, some people equate
SEL with critical race theory, and, as such, reject SEL approaches in the classroom (Blad, 2020).
Official policies determine educational priorities within districts. CASEL created a
framework (Beaty, 2018; Frye et al., 2022) in 1994 for potential SEL policy. National
policymakers have recognized the role of SEL in promoting optimal academic outcomes but
have not incorporated SEL into educational mandate. Increasing numbers of state policymakers,
however, are choosing to adopt SEL language (CASEL, n.d.).
State policymakers see the value in adding SEL language to educational policy. In 2018,
only 11 states in the United States had SEL standards for their K-12 programs, though all 50
states had SEL standards for their preschool programs (Eklund et al., 2018). In 2022, that
number has grown to 27 (CASEL, 2022). Eight states, including California,
(https://www.cde.ca.gov), have joined the Collaborating States Initiative (CSI), led by CASEL,
with eleven other states having access to the work produced by this body. The CSI shares best
practices and tools to incorporate SEL in the classroom (Blad, 2016).
In California, for example, state policy does not include SEL-informed instruction
(California Department of Education, n.d.). Some officials point to the difficulty in creating
appropriate accountability measures as a rationale to avoid such language (Blad, 2016). This
leaves districts in California to determine the role of SEL on their own through the 2016 Local
Control and Accountability Plan.
Potential Influences on SEL for English Learners
Bias against immigrants and English learners may influence teachers’ perceptions of
employing SEL strategies in the classroom. Hainmueller and Hopkins (2014) concluded that
while people in the United States viewed immigrants with high levels of education and

26
employment (i.e., engineer or doctor) positively, they view immigrants who do not fit this
description poorly, particularly if they do not speak English. Some research indicates that
regarding members of the Latino community specifically, “language” and “immigrants” become
almost synonymous (Shin et al., 2015). Chen et al. (2020) described the increased violence,
verbal and physical, experienced by English learners of Asian descent prompted by the COVID-
19 pandemic. Arendt and Northrup (2015) show how exposure to media outlets may create or
reinforce biases against already marginalized people.
Cultural Gap
Another possible barrier is the cultural gap that exists between many teachers and their
students. Some aspects of SEL competencies, such as relationship skills, may look different from
one culture to another. Unless these teachers are trained in culturally relevant pedagogy, they are
at risk of perpetuating hegemonic-oriented pedagogy, which does not help address the
educational debt (Martin & Mulvihill, 2021). In the United States, student populations are
increasingly diverse, both racially and ethnically (USCB, 2019), while nationally, roughly 79%
of teachers are White (NCES, 2022). According to the California Department of Education, 54%
of Californian students identify as Latino, while 63% of the teacher population identifies as
White (https://www.cde.ca.gov).
Even systems designed to support English learners (EL) may inadvertently harm them.
Research suggests that an EL designation may trigger hidden bias, leading to poorer academic
outcomes for those students (Umansky, 2016). Conversely, the designation of FEP (fluent
English proficient) may lead teachers to assume those students fully fluent in English, though
research shows that those students likely need some form of lingual support for their entire
academic career and possibly beyond (Rumberger & Gándara, 2014).

27
National and State Policies Impacting Marginalized Students, English Learners
Historic systemic policies targeting students of color may influence SEL for students of
color today. Largely bereft of culturally relevant pedagogy and feelings of safety, de jure and de
facto policies have long contributed to an “educational debt” owed to students of color (Griffith
& Slade, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 2006). National examples of these policies include Brown v.
Board of Education (1954; Orfield & Frankenberg, 2014). Modern state policies target
marginalizing factors beyond race, which may affect ELs where intersectionality or perceived
intersectionality occurs (Goodrich, 2022; Martin & Mulvihill, 2021).
U.S. law has attempted to establish primacy of English by reducing use of or eliminating
altogether non-English languages. For example, in the 19th and 20th centuries, Native American
children and their families experienced assimilation policies, which relied on removing those
children from their homes, culture, and language, and “educating” them (Gregg, 2017), with a
legacy of harmful effects that exist to this day. In 1998, California voters supported Proposition
227, which eliminated bilingual instruction in favor of an “English only” approach. Though
voters repealed the law in 2016, harm had already occurred to a generation of Californian
families (Garcia, 2020), and potentially to a generation of teachers. That harm may continue to
impact classrooms for an unquantifiable amount of time.
Summary
This study is designed to explore strategies to promote SEL integration as well as to
examine the perceived barriers that inhibit it. Chapter 2 discussed relevant literature on historic
classroom harm experienced by students, current SEL policies on a national and state level, SEL
benefits to stakeholders, research-based classroom SEL strategies and research-based factors that
may prevent effective use of those strategies. Chapter 3 describes the research design, setting,

28
researcher, data sources, and data collection and analytical methods. It also examines credibility
and trustworthiness, ethics, limitations, and delimitations.

29
Chapter Three: Methodology
This purpose of the present study was to explore teacher perceptions of strategies used to
promote SEL for ELs in their classrooms as well as examine their perceived barriers to
classroom SEL alignment. This chapter first reviews the research questions, followed by a brief
look at the study design. Next comes a brief examination of the researcher’s positionality.
Following that is a summary of the data collection processes, including participant description.
Finally, the chapter ends with a presentation of ethics, credibility and trustworthiness, and data
analysis procedures.
Research Questions
Two questions guided the present study:
1. What is the general awareness of teachers regarding SEL practices and competencies
at Vista School for English learners?
2. Which factors do teachers at Vista School perceive either facilitate or hinder the
alignment of SEL competencies?
These foundational questions provided a pathway to deepen understanding of teacher
perceptions of utilizing SEL competencies with specific regard to ELs and may provide
educators with more tools to encourage its usage. It adds to the body of knowledge of the historic
impacts of SEL on present-day practitioners, useful to anticipating needs amongst other
practitioners. It also increases what we know about the practical challenges to aligning teaching
with SEL competencies.
Overview of Design
This study used qualitative methods. Interviews, with the option for follow-up interviews
to provide further clarity, if necessary (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), served as the data source. A

30
semi-structured interview style is most appropriate, as it gives the interviewer direction and
focus, while also providing room for further information pursual (Maxwell, 2013).
Research Setting
The study took place at Vista School in Southern California. The school is in a densely
populated, low-socioeconomic city, with the median household income roughly $30,000 less
than the median household income in the state as of 2020 (USCB, 2021). The school chosen has
a student population with over 30% ELs and a high percentage of FEP students (over 90% of
reclassified English learners as Fluent English proficient need some form of language support). It
is reflective of schools with an increasing population of diverse learners (including English
learners; California Department of Education, 2022).
The Researcher
My cultural background, my formative years, and my evolution as a teacher have all
contributed to possible assumptions and biases. First, my familial background placed high value
on education and shaped my views on teachers. Even now, after almost two decades in the
educational field, I still assume that all teachers have the same approach to their craft as I thought
so many years ago¾even though I know that is not necessarily correct. Second, my formative
years were marked by some trauma in my personal life; as such, I found solace in my school and
with my teachers. This has left me with a keen desire to see classrooms as safe places where
students may thrive.
Finally, my feelings toward SEL have figured immensely in my evolution as a teacher,
even prior to learning about SEL as a pedagogical tool. I attended a master’s program that
emphasized a “you must love them before you can teach them” philosophy. After 16 years of
teaching in Mariposa District and designing a curriculum for a course targeted to intervene with

31
students who experienced more academic challenges (i.e., long-term ELs, or LTELs), this
philosophy has only grown in stature in my teaching approach.
To counter some of my potential biases, I practiced distance and open-mindedness, using
curiosity as my frame. I reminded myself that there are many paths to effective teaching, and that
not everyone has had the same experiences as I have had. Consistent reflection hopefully helped
lessen some effects of unintended bias, as was the reminder to myself that this study existed to
deepen knowledge, not engage in discussion. I approached this study with curiosity and a desire
to understand. I also asked other researchers to examine my interview protocol prior to the
interviews themselves, to check for unintended lingual bias.
Data Sources
This qualitative study relied on semi-structured interviews as primary data sources.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) recommend semi-structured interviews for qualitative studies as the
instrument presupposes that all respondents will have individual perspectives on the target topic.
The nature of the semi-structured interview allows the respondent to provide deep information
under the guidance of the researcher. Initial recruitment occurred via email outreach to core
subject matter teachers, with additional recruitment occurring through email or virally, with
initial participants recommending participating in the study to other participants.
Interviews
Semi-structured interviews were appropriate, as they provided the researcher with
flexibility to be responsive to the emerging viewpoint of the data provider (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). With proper attention to interview setting and carefully structured questions, increased
trust was built for a more thorough understanding of respondent information. The interview
protocol followed a format consisting of an introduction, followed by questions about the

32
background of the interviewees. It then continued with questions aligned to the research
questions, touching on topics such as the individual competencies, site-specific support for SEL,
and an openness to topics broached by participants themselves. The protocol provided space for
additional probing questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Many questions included follow-up
questions asked at the discretion of the interviewer, and respondents were made aware of a
possible follow-up interview.
Participants
Participants in this study consisted of seven core subject teachers from Vista School with
over 3 years of experience teaching by spring 2023. All participants identified themselves as
having taught ELs. Confining the study to one school meant that any differences in perceptions,
beliefs, and needs regarding SEL strategies was less likely to be attributed to difference in study
sites. Pulling participants from different departments helped mitigate some of the concerns that
the data is primarily department or content-area specific. Initial recruitment occurred via email
asking for participation, with further recruitment happening via the snowball effect (i.e., one
participant helped recruit other participants). These participants all had experienced schoolwide
professional development focused on SEL led by the instructional coach, who is familiar with
the SEL competencies.
Instrumentation
The semi-structured interview requires a protocol (see Appendix A) which features some
rigidity and some flexibility (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Questions will be listed in a preferred
order, though more probing questions may occur as appropriate to respondent statements.
Questions will be aligned to the study purpose, and peer reviewed to mitigate any potential bias.

33
Data Collection Procedures
Data collection occurred at Vista School during the Spring of 2023 upon securing
institutional review board (IRB) approval. Zoom provided the online platform for the interviews
to take place. Two respondents chose to speak in their classrooms, with the rest speaking from
their homes. Interviews took 60-95 minutes. I used Zoom’s transcription services as well to gain
a richer account of the interviews. I also took additional notes to address potential failure of
recording device, observations potentially not captured by recording, and reminders for further
probing, amongst others. These choices were made in the interest of providing as much
comfortability as possible to the participants, honoring their participation, and getting the richest
data possible in the most efficient manner possible (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Data Analysis
Responses to the semi-structured interview protocol were analyzed thematically. Each
interview recording and transcription was reviewed for common themes and responses, as well
as any outlier information. I approached the study with a set of predetermined themes, such as
information pertaining to ELs, but also examined the transcripts for other language and its
frequency across the interviews, such as “safety.” Common themes provided the basis for
analytical coding. Additional reviewing of the transcriptions occurred with the intention of
placing data into the various groups as determined by the analytical coding (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). Electronic data was stored in a password protected computer unconnected to any other
network. Non-electronic data will be stored in a secure location inaccessible by anyone involved
in the study other than the researcher.

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Credibility and Trustworthiness
Credibility and trustworthiness were increased by minimizing reactivity, collecting rich
data and seeking respondent validation. To minimize reactivity, I first asked others to review my
questions to try and eliminate as much bias as possible. This process also helped me identify any
unconscious bias I may have. During the interview itself, I maintained curiosity, so that no
matter what the response, I pursued the information from a frame of wanting to know more.
Collecting rich data, in the form of recording sessions, allowed me to capture verbatim and
visual (i.e., body language) data that I may have missed during the interview itself.
Seeking respondent validation by member checking also helped support credibility. By
reviewing the information prior to ending a session with the respondent, I endeavored to ensure
that I received the information correctly. Member checking helped build trust with the
respondent, that I wished to ascertain the intended communication. This trust is important, to
show that I mean no harm by conducting the data (Tillman, 2002). This process could provide
even deeper information than what was revealed in the initial interview.
By interviewing seven respondents from different departments at Vista School, I
increased the input so that the data would capture a fuller view of the perceived strategies used
and challenges extant to SEL alignment, rather than limit it to data from one department. I could
then compare responses to see if the different core departments differ in their perceptions of
SEL. This helped identify outliers and provided a point of potential follow-up.
Ethics
Treating the participants and the information they provided in an ethical manner was of
utmost importance. IRB granted approval prior to engaging in the study. Participation occurred
on a voluntary basis. Every effort was made to minimize any perceived pressure to participate or

35
respond in a non-authentic way. Some may feel the need to “watch what they say,” and so I
framed my language, written and oral, to ensure that there was no ulterior motive to the study.
Participants gave informed consent and were provided with information about the study in a
variety of ways, verbal and oral, several times prior to beginning the study. All names were
replaced with pseudonyms, and quotes that may have included identifying information was not
used. Participants were asked to be recorded at the initial stage of participant recruitment with
the intention of capturing accurate data.
The data provided by participants was treated as ethically as possible. Any data with
identifiable information was kept safely away from District P, and stored electronically on
devices that do not share a network with District P. All data was presented as broad trends to try
and ensure confidentiality.

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Chapter Four: Findings
This qualitative study sought to shed light on teacher awareness of specific SEL
competencies, particularly as the competencies pertain to teaching ELs, as well as the factors
which influence alignment. The research addresses the problem of practice wherein data supports
the wide range of benefits from an SEL-aligned curriculum, particularly for EL students, but
universal adoption remains elusive. These findings may offer insight to teacher-centered
experiences, beliefs, and attitudes to classroom SEL, and could help guide future professional
development opportunities. Districts which seek to vertically align themselves with SEL
competencies (i.e., from classrooms to sites to district) may also use the information to audit
themselves for policies which either add to or detract from their intended culture. To facilitate
those ends, this chapter describes participants and reports the interview findings culled from the
two research questions that framed the study:
1. What is the general awareness of teachers regarding SEL practices and competencies
at Vista School for English learners?
2. Which factors do teachers at Vista School perceive either facilitate or hinder the
alignment of SEL competencies?
This chapter opens with a brief description of the interview subjects. Next, I present the
findings related to Research Question 1, followed by a discussion of those findings. Research
Question 1 focused on teacher understanding of SEL, with resultant themes including general
perceptions, blurred lines between whole child approach and SEL, safety in the classroom,
English learners’ experience with SEL, and competency-specific classroom alignment. The same
format will then apply to Research Question 2, which focused on factors which either hindered
or facilitated competency alignment. The chapter will end with a summary of its contents.

37
Participants
Seven classroom teachers, all from Vista School, provided the basis for this study. All
seven are core subject teachers, hailing from English, social science, math, and science
departments. The following information was provided via Zoom interviews, as outlined in
Chapter 3. Each participant has had over 10 years of experience in the classroom; all would be
considered experienced teachers. All have held leadership positions at various points in their
tenure. The interviewees independently acknowledged SEL-specific training via site provided
professional development, with four expressing generally positive feelings toward SEL and three
displaying some mixed feelings toward SEL. Diana, Mark, and Amelia grew up around
educators, and all three discussed hearing stories about teaching and working with students
throughout their lives. James decided to become a teacher while in college after self-examining
their priorities and place in the world, intentionally pursuing teaching as a means to create
change. Mark, Kiki, Tommy, and Shel had no “calling” to become teachers but were encouraged
to enter the field by other educators, with those other educators identifying the participants’
strong potential for effective teaching. All consider themselves teachers of ELs. I will withhold
any other further identifying information to protect anonymity and will use pseudonyms
throughout for the same reason. Table 2 visualizes participant levels of experience and feelings
about SEL.

38
Table 2
Participant Pseudonyms, Length of Classroom Experience, and SEL Association
Pseudonym Experienced
teacher status
(10-19 years of
experience)
Veteran teacher
status
(20+ years of
experience)
Positive
association with
SEL
Mixed feelings
about SEL
Diana X X
Mark X X
James X X
Amelia X X
Kiki X X
Tommy X X
Shel X X

Findings: Research Question 1
Research Question 1 provided insight into teachers’ awareness of SEL conceptually,
thoughts on SEL for ELs, and how teachers align competency-informed strategies in the
classroom. Questions ranged from asking participants about general descriptions of SEL to SEL
for English learners to competency-specific strategies. Findings are presented accordingly, under
the themes teacher understanding of SEL and competency-specific classroom alignment.
Teacher Understanding of SEL
The first interview question asked participants to describe SEL in general terms. The
questions which followed asked teachers to more precisely illustrate how SEL competencies
manifest in their classrooms. A deeper understanding of how Vista teachers perceived SEL and
its place in their classrooms started to emerge. First, all participants considered themselves
having had SEL training, though not all agreed to what extent they were fluent in SEL definition.
While discussing SEL strategies, all respondents also included intervention strategies and tools
to address students’ mental or emotional distress outside of SEL parameters. Furthermore, while

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discussing SEL strategies, all respondents also mentioned valuing students’ well-being beyond
the purely academic. In another universal trend, all participants did emphasize the importance of
safety in their classrooms, which is not a classroom competency identified by CASEL, but is a
sitewide competency identified by Allbright et al. (2019). Regarding ELs, while teachers employ
multiple strategies to bridge lingual gaps, intentionality with competency-alignment could
increase. Second, all teachers employ strategies that align with all competencies in their
classrooms, though no respondent referred directly to “competencies” or a specific competency
(i.e., responsible decision-making). The findings, along with evidence, are presented below.
General Perceptions of SEL
Four participants reported positive associations with SEL. One participant leaned closer
to the camera and became visibly and audibly more animated as he expressed his view that “SEL
is more than just an educational trend; it’s an ethical imperative, active resistance toward a better
world.” Three of these respondents emphasized the emotional aspect. One stated that SEL was
understanding “how emotional wellbeing affects learning” while another said that it was the
ability to “help students communicate and express their emotions.” An additional participant
added that SEL was “something we should have done all this time.”
Mark, Diana, and Tommy expressed mixed feelings toward SEL. Mark noted the thought
that social emotional learning “was a bit of an odd phrase,” not clearly reflecting its definition
and purpose, but also felt that it was “important that students understand their own feelings”
(aligning with self-awareness) and “be able to communicate and [be] given mechanisms to affect
their own feelings” (aligning with self-management). Diana expressed both concern around and
appreciation of SEL:

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I feel like it’s become kind of a buzzword even, or even the initials just within …but it’s
like trying to connect with the whole child, like a kid doesn’t come into my classroom,
and he’s only an academic robot. There’s more to that kid socially and emotionally, and it
kind of comes as a package. It’s that combination of being able to connect with a kid in
their social world and their emotional feeling.
Tommy posited that they “[didn’t] really know what it is,” that they felt that they “never
had a full, honest explanation” of SEL. He did, however, later refer to the “wonderful ideas”
associated with SEL. These responses showcase a wide disparity among people who attended the
same trainings.
Responses were again divided when discussing SEL’s relationship with academics,
indicating an overall lack of clarity on SEL as a pedagogical frame. James said that SEL is
“different from academics but should be embedded into the curriculum,” while Mark stated
emphatically that “SEL and academics should not be compartmentalized but instead cohesive.”
Five of the seven, though, depicted SEL as separate from academics, which tended to coincide
with hesitancy in accepting SEL.
Determining participant awareness of the different competencies proved more
challenging. I did not use the word “competency” in the interview protocol to help prevent
influencing responses. None of the seven participants referred to the competencies, used the
word “competency,” or used competency titles (i.e., “relationship-building skills”) in their
responses. Many, however, used some of the language of the competencies: four of the seven
used the word “relationships,” for example, when describing SEL, and others mentioned
assignments or classroom practices that aligned with one or more competency. This finding does
not necessarily demonstrate lack of knowledge about the existence of the competencies, but may

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indicate that when asked to describe SEL, neither the competencies nor the idea of competencies
are primary facets.
Blurring the Line Between SEL and a Whole Child Approach
All seven participants demonstrated some blurring between a whole child approach to
teaching and classroom SEL competency-based pedagogy. An analysis of the interviews found
that the wellness center was the most frequently mentioned non-pedagogical tool, with all
participants viewing the wellness center as an integral part to Vista’s commitment to SEL. Other
non-competency-related supports external to the classroom were mentioned, such as Capturing
Kids Hearts, a professional development provider; Mr. Z, who works in the wellness center; and
the counselors. While all seven participants spoke outside of the competency guardrails when
discussing SEL, every individual also demonstrated clear concern for student emotional and
mental wellness.
Each respondent merged SEL and whole child approach to varying degrees; ultimately,
the analysis reveals a group of teachers who uniformly care deeply about their students’
wellbeing. Kiki, for instance, stated having a “whole child approach to teaching” when
discussing SEL in general. Another teacher expressed their belief that “SEL is caring for the
whole student, everyone is valued.” Shel, when asked to describe SEL, stated that “it comes
down to caring for students,” while James represented SEL as “a mindset.” One participant was
moved to tears when discussing the classroom relationships between teacher and student.
Of the non-SEL supports mentioned, none figured so prominently as the campus wellness
center, appearing repeatedly in six of the interviews, though with mixed perspectives attached.
Diana reported that the “message from trainings is to send students to wellness center.” Tommy
expressed some frustration while wondering if the wellness center was a “place to escape, not

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feel better.” Mark mused about the “missed opportunities in the wellness center,” while
describing student suggestions for improved services. Both Amelia and Kiki expressed gratitude
for the wellness center, with Amelia describing it as “a safe space that [students] are allowed to
go to … and we’re not gonna penalize them for it.” Two respondents were upset that the
wellness center experienced some staffing turbulence over the past year due to district level
conflict, with one asking herself, “Was it just this last month that all of the wellness center
coordinators were fired only to have to try and get rehired with the right whatevers?”
Five interviewees brought up Capturing Kids Hearts, a professional development
program external to the site, as an optional SEL training opportunity. Three respondents,
however, mentioned the concern that the school did not provide adequate time and explanation
prior to the summer break. As Kiki explained:
There was something called Capturing Kids Hearts that was offered. That sounded really,
really good to me, but the unfortunate thing was that it wasn’t planned in such a manner
that allowed everybody to participate because it started in summertime, and not
everybody could be there. And we weren’t given ample time to arrange [plans] if we had
already made arrangements, you know, as far as being out of town or whatever; there just
wasn’t enough time. So, unfortunately, I didn’t get to participate in that, and it sounded
pretty cool. But what I discovered was that a lot of the stuff that they were doing was
stuff that I already do anyway, right?
As Kiki stated, a perceived redundancy in classroom strategies reduced interest in the Capturing
Kids’ Hearts training for some. Furthermore, an analysis of interviewees’ account of strategies
presented in that training do not have necessarily have foundations rooted in the five
competencies (i.e., shaking students’ hands).

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Safety as Classroom Competency
Language showing a concern for students’ feeling safe came up frequently throughout the
interviews as an explicitly stated desire expressed by six of the seven participants. Though
CASEL (2021) does not include a feeling of safety amongst SEL competencies, Allbright et al.
(2019) does identify safety as one of the site SEL competencies. Participants mentioned striving
to create a classroom environment which featured: “reduction in stress,” “encourage[d] comfort,”
an “approachable” teacher, “a safe space.” Additionally, three stated that in their classrooms,
“learning is a shared experience,” wherein the students learn from the teachers and the teachers
learn from the students.
Two participants alluded to safety as a challenge to fully imbuing SEL in their classroom.
Amelia stated that they did not wish to engage in communication that “can cause a combative
relationship” with students. Tommy referenced events external to the classroom that made them
feel unsafe and less inclined to practice “one to one” communication with students or developing
deeper relationships with students. He strongly felt a need to impose stricter boundaries between
themselves and their students. The fact that only one participant expressed this particular concern
does not necessarily mean that only one participant feels this concern. Tommy’s belief that SEL
requires teacher emotional involvement and vulnerability prevent him from fully embracing the
practice.
SEL for English Learners
Two interview questions focused on English learners specifically, asking teachers if they
modified SEL strategies for EL students and to what extent SEL for English learners specifically
was discussed as a whole school site/department meetings. The purpose was to examine whether
certain competencies seemed more effective than others when engaging ELs in the classroom

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and to see how Vista School integrated their desire to align classroom SEL competencies
schoolwide with their status as a school with a significant English learner population. As little
data exists which explores SEL strategies specifically for ELs, I hoped Vista teachers could share
their thoughts and experiences. English learners constitute over 80% of the student population at
Vista School; as such, teachers there tend to have extensive experience working with ELs. All
seven teachers consider themselves teachers of ELs; for the purposes of this study, English
learners are students whose English language status ranges anywhere from EL1-RFEP.
Participants responded in a variety of ways on this topic. Some expressed interest in the
idea itself; one declared the concept of examining the influences of different competencies on EL
academic performance as “kind of novel,” reflecting on the fact that campus discussions
regarding SEL and ELs tended to remain separate. Mark felt that the conversation “could unite
departments,” that “departments [were] treated unequally in the SEL conversation.” Two
teachers explicitly stated their department did not discuss SEL for ELs.
When discussing EL students themselves, responses revealed conflicting thoughts. Two
teachers felt that some of the cultures represented in the EL populations “don’t want to share,”
and so SEL strategies become harder. Both of those participants also emphasized privacy for EL
students, stating that they did not want to push those students out of their comfort zones.
Conversely, two respondents do not change anything in their classroom delivery for ELs, one
citing that most if not all students in class are ELs. One teacher praised ELs over non-EL
students, saying that “they know how to be in class.”
Most teachers shared EL specific strategies. Five reported some means of translation,
whether in providing translated assignments, intentional seating next to a bi-lingual “buddy,” or
in allowing the use of Google Translate and other similar apps. Mark stated that his content

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“provides a pathway for non-English learners to more easily grasp concepts.” Other strategies
include using visuals, giving non-verbal ways to communicate ideas, checking for understanding,
and learning words of the native language of students. These strategies tend to align with
relationship-budling and empathy/social awareness competencies.
Competency-Specific Classroom Alignment
When asked directly about competency-specific classroom practices, all seven
participants provided classroom strategies that aligned with one or more of the competencies. Six
participants quickly identified at least one classroom strategy for all five of the competencies.
The other participant quickly identified at least one classroom strategy for four of the five
competencies and did not provide a strategy for the last competency.
Teachers who stated confusion about or outright denial of employing specific
competencies (i.e., self-awareness) in their classrooms do not necessarily lack strategies that
align with those competencies. In fact, the data indicates the converse, as all participants referred
to classroom strategies which align with all the competencies. Rather than an absence of SEL,
the research implies that most effective usage requires either intentionality or an increased level
of familiarity with the competencies to immediately connect strategy and competency. While a
lack of intentionality may affect efficacy, all respondents’ classes do include strategies which
align to all competencies to some degree.
Participant responses regarding SEL in the classroom identified modeling as a key
component to effective classroom SEL, with five of the seven stressing its importance. The
participants asserted the belief that students needed to see teachers authentically engage in the
competency (i.e., self-reflection) before the students would authentically engage themselves.
Shel shared this glimpse into her classroom:

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So when [the students] journal, I journal, and it’s like a running document, they keep it,
and then they’re gonna journal again. … It’s more like it becomes a diary that we do
together over the course of four weeks or something like that. So, when I have them
journal, because a lot of what they write is personal, and maybe they don’t want to share,
I actually share my journal with them on the same topic, so that then maybe eventually
they’ll get a little bit more comfortable with sharing their journals.
This mindset echoes the data presented in Chapter 2 that SEL must be genuine, that if students
feel that SEL is practiced inauthentically then the strategies reduce in effectiveness.
Self-Awareness
The first competency discussed in the interview, self-awareness as a concept also
prompted the most clarifying questions. Five of the seven expressed uncertainty with the term,
asking questions that ranged from “Do you mean about how they feel, what they know,
something like that?” to “What do you mean by that?” Shel, though, used language aligned with
self-awareness as foundational to SEL, describing SEL in general as a student’s ability to
“understand their own feelings.”
Similarly, of all the competencies, participants found self-awareness to be the most
challenging when asked about classroom strategies. One person responded, “I don’t do that.” The
fact that self-awareness was the first competency discussed, however, may have influenced those
responses. Four respondents stressed the importance of modeling self-awareness techniques.
Diana used self-awareness to teach life skills more deeply. In her classroom, she used self-
awareness strategies to identify what students wanted or needed, and then taught advocacy
methods to achieve those goals.

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Self-Management
Though research presented in the literature review indicates that many teachers found
self-management one of the more challenging competencies to enact, Vista teachers provided a
wealth of different self-management strategies. Mark used language aligning with self-
management when describing SEL in general, asserting that students needed to “[be] able to
communicate and [be] given mechanisms to affect their own feelings.” He further stated that he
gave students “tools to handle [emotions] in the classroom,” scaffolding those tools at the
beginning of the year and gradually removing them, giving students more autonomy. He also
gave them space to self-manage, opting for no classroom rules and allowing them the “freedom
to fail.”
Diana reported that self-management “looks different at different ages.” With younger
students, she teaches how to reflect on choices in class and how to make responsible choices.
Older students, she acknowledges, are often tired and involved with other life demands, and so
she feels the need “to help push them and not let them slip.” Amelia concurred, noting that
“students seem to be staying younger for longer.” She continued to say that she was “confident
that students could perform better academically if they were better at self-management.” Diana,
Kiki, and three other participants expressed some overlap between self-management and
responsible decision-making.
Responsible Decision-Making
As stated above, several teachers linked responsible decision-making with self-
management. Three discussed academic counseling, holding “one to one” or group conversations
about whether academic schedules should be more or less challenging (i.e., how many AP
classes to take, which ones to take, etc.). Four respondents discussed assignment due dates. Two

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discussed responsible decision-making when determining grouping, with one saying, “I
encourage them to pick a partner that will motivate them to work”, and two described using
content to teach responsible decision-making.
Students’ undesired classroom behaviors figured prominently in six teachers’ discussions
about responsible decision-making. Four mentioned talking to students “one to one” after an
undesired classroom event, encouraging students to reflect and make decisions from there. Some
teachers felt conflicted about their role in helping students make responsible decisions. Tommy,
for instance, “wants students to realize that they are not making wise choices, doesn’t want to tell
them that [himself].” Diana noted that while some students are ready to take responsibility for
their own actions, some have been through traumatic experiences which may impede their
responsible decision-making process.
Relationship-Building
Respondents viewed relationship-building in one of two frames: either teacher-student or
student-student. Four of the respondents focused on teacher-student dynamics, particularly on
teacher modeling and relationships. One teacher, when discussing younger students discussed
“gaps in students’ emotional intelligence, some mature, others ‘children,’” and felt that the
disparity in maturity levels negatively influenced the relationship-building strategies employed.
All seven teachers mentioned group or partner work with relationship-building, though
had a variety of approaches to the competency. In Mark’s class, “success is measured by group
understanding, not individual.” If one student in a group has completed the work while the others
have not, he will ask the question: “Why do you have this done and they’re still working?” He
promotes individuals visiting other groups for more interaction. James utilizes specific roles
within groups and matches students with different mastery levels. Tommy encourages to pick

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partners that will help them stay focused and alert. One teacher approached group work
differently for younger and older students: younger students change groups frequently for
increased interaction, while older students keep their self-selected groups longer for
comfortability. Shel, addressing the fact that not every student likes group work or wants to work
with an assigned partner, pushes students to go outside of their comfort zones while
acknowledging “it’s not always easy.”
Empathy and Social Awareness
The empathy and social awareness competency had the most dichotomous responses,
hinging on the subject taught. One teacher felt that her content facilitated organic conversations
which foster empathy, such as systemic racism. Mark focused on the students themselves, stating
that no one in their class “gets left behind, helping others out is part of the classroom
expectation.” Tommy initially stated, “I don’t do much of that,” but then quickly provided a
strategy which aligned with the competency, though he did not explicitly connect the strategy to
empathy and social awareness.
The concept of teacher modeling again appeared when discussing empathy and social
awareness. Three teachers mentioned the importance of modeling this competency. One teacher
discussed modeling sharing personal stories with students, a strategy that the teacher
acknowledged that “not all teachers were good at.” Another teacher linked self-awareness to
social awareness, recommending that students first connect with their own identity prior to
connecting with others. James spoke passionately and at length about the fact that “students and
teachers provide mutual support” (aligning with relationship-building and empathy and social
awareness). He attributed this support to the reciprocal nature of teaching, becoming emotional
while relating a bonding moment he experienced with his students.

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Table 3 presents specific strategies gleaned from a cross-analysis of interviews according
to their alignment with different competencies. This table does not necessarily reflect all
strategies used by the participants, but only the strategies shared during the interviews. An
interpretive key above the table provides more information about the strategies’ frequency and
competency alignment.

Table 3
Identified SEL Classroom Strategies by Competency
Competency Classroom strategies
Self-awareness Encourage students to connect personally to content.
Focus on identity
Goal setting
Journaling, response to prompts (self-reflection)
Digital check-in at beginning of class
Writing assignment: personal narrative/identity
Encourage students to self-advocate.
Opportunities to improve

Self-management Class social contract/norms/behavior agreement
Goal setting
Journaling, response to prompts (self-reflection)
Reflect on academic/life choices/pathways.
Allow to use headphones when appropriate.
Encourage students to self-advocate.
Opportunities to improve
Semester-long due dates provided
Artistic expression
Provide manipulatives.
Teach how to break large tasks into series of smaller
ones.
Teach time management techniques.
Teaches stress-management breathing techniques

Responsible decision-
making
Goal setting
Reflect on academic/life choices.
Allow to use headphones when appropriate.
Opportunities to improve
Semester-long due dates provided

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Competency Classroom strategies
Curriculum provides opportunities for discussions
Will not take off late points with prior notification of
absence

Relationship-building Class social contract/norms/behavior agreement
Group assignments
Group sitting
Interact with students, in-person, via email.
Journaling, interactive/share with partner
Day 1 name-learning activity
Encourage socializing outside of class (i.e., attend a
game).

Empathy and social
awareness
Class social contract/norms/behavior agreement
Encourage students to connect personally to content.
Group Assignments
Group Sitting
Interact with students, in-person, via email.
Journaling, interactive/share with partner
Conversations designed to promote empathy
Day 1 name-learning activity
Double-entry/dialectical journals
Speak to students about permanency of virtual posts

Note. Bolded text indicates topics mentioned by multiple participants; italicized text indicates
topics that align with more than one competency; bold italicized text indicates topics mentioned
by multiple participants that align with more than one competency.

Findings: Research Question 2
The purpose of Research Question 2 was to understand teachers’ beliefs about which
factors either facilitated or hindered SEL alignment. The question sought deeper understanding
of the process between teachers learning about SEL in professional development trainings and
imbuing SEL in the classroom at Vista School. The findings will be presented accordingly:

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facilitating factors, hindering factors, and the influence of COVID-19 and mitigating tools on
SEL alignment.
Facilitating Factors
Data analysis found smaller learning communities, curriculum, and site-provided training
as the most frequently cited facilitating factors, while also yielding several suggestions for
improved SEL alignment. Interestingly, no data existed to directly link smaller learning
communities (SLCs) with SEL. Ample evidence pointed to curriculum and site-provided training
as directly correlated to more effective SEL-infused strategies. Vista School’s administration
seems to value SEL, giving SEL a significant portion of Vista’s training and professional
development time during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Six interviewees reported
that the “school wants it.” All teachers offered suggestions on how to increase SEL adherence.
Smaller Learning Communities and Curriculum
Five participants mentioned SLCs, such as academies or students with common “one-off”
courses (i.e., AP, sheltered) as facilitating SEL. SLCs often have grouped students travelling
together to and from multiple classes a day, with many teachers in common. Whereas no teacher
referred to SLCs as directly leading to SEL-informed curriculum, those five teachers all referred
to their experiences with smaller learning communities when discussing individual
competencies. The competencies “relationship-building skills” and “social awareness” tended to
provoke the most references to SLCs, although “responsible decision-making” also elicited
stories about SLCs.
Additionally, six of the seven teachers mentioned curriculum itself providing
opportunities for SEL. Shel, when asked to describe an effective classroom strategy which
promoted SEL, described:

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I think an example of that is pair-sharing thoughts. I tend to use that quite often. And so,
the student is very familiar with [it]. So, I give them some kind of prompt. They first
respond with their own feelings to the question. A specific quote or something, it can be
general, just something that the character is going to experience. But they’re making a
personal connection to it, and then they share that personal connection with their partner,
their partner shares with them, and then we have a share out with the class as well.
Kiki concurred, stating that their curriculum allowed them to teach culturally relevant topics
using strategies designed to encourage student exploration of identity (aligning with self-
awareness) and acting ethically (aligning with empathy and social awareness/responsible
decision-making).
Site Provided SEL Professional Development
Study participants reported strong initial support for SEL. All seven reported that SEL
conversations took place during whole school meetings, including whole school professional
development. Six described the instructional coach and/or the EL teacher on special assignment
(TOSA) as providing strong SEL support, including creating SEL-influenced classroom tools.
Diana appreciated the approach used by the instructional coach and EL TOSA, saying that they,
“were good at not shoving it down our throats.” When asked about SEL discussions in
department meetings, though, only two said that those conversations occurred. Three teachers
stated that the time devoted to discussing SEL in whole school meetings reduced for the
2022-2023 school year.
Some felt that SEL training had room to grow. Two teachers described “pockets of
success” on campus. Another teacher echoed that sentiment, expressing a desire for teachers to
have the ability to visit each other’s classrooms and observe. A fourth teacher thought that more

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voices involved in SEL could provide different perspectives. One expressed the thought that SEL
could become “box-checking” without more intentional development. One teacher praised the
“wonderful ideas,” but felt that the school “need[ed] more follow-through” to attain more
universal and effective SEL alignment.
Teacher Suggestions for Increased Site Support
The respondents had a few thoughts on how they would ideally experience further SEL
support. One teacher looked outside of the school site, suggesting a “someone from the district
who can provide training and support.” Similarly, another participant posited the idea of a “SEL-
focused pd [professional development] at the beginning of the year.”
Multiple respondents requested more dedicated and intentional SEL support for teachers.
Mark stated that he would like to “see techniques in action,” stating that he values “teacher to
teacher support.” Two discussed site-specific support, one stating a desire for “authentic
relationships between admin and teachers, [for administration to] get to know [teachers] and
support the person.” Another used the language of whole site SEL, voicing the thought that,
“SEL for teachers can influence how teachers feel about SEL in their classrooms.” Four wished
that Vista School would provide more support for discussion and conversation. Kiki suggested
more systemic inclusion of SEL practices; another teacher wanted SEL conversations “less
reactionary, more proactive”.
Multiple Vista School teachers seem to appreciate the values they associated with SEL to
the extent that they want sitewide SEL, not just for students, but also for teachers. Five
respondents voiced a desire for genuine relationships with administration and each other. One
participant stated that even though they felt supported, they recognized that “the support is not
universal.” Another participant explicitly stated that they “want SEL for teachers.”

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Hindering Factors to Classroom SEL Alignment
Six of the seven acknowledged challenges in creating fully aligned SEL classrooms, with
one participant reporting no challenges. Interview analyses revealed challenges that tended to
center either students or teachers. It is interesting to note that during each interview, while
discussing the difficulties with classroom SEL alignment, the respondents still spoke positively
about SEL itself. This action indicates a teacher population that largely believes in the
importance of SEL but has reservations fully committing to SEL for both external and internal
reasons. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigating tools appeared in all
interviews.
Student-Centered Challenges
Cell phones and other similar devices (from here on, the term “cell phone” will act as an
umbrella term for all personal electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, and Chromebook
use unrelated to the classroom content) surfaced in six of the interviews as influencing SEL
alignment. Four interviewees brought up student cell phone use when discussing self-
management, two brought up cell phones as an impediment to relationship-building, and three
mentioned student cell phone use when discussing responsible decision-making. While most
references to student cell phone use revealed a negative association, teachers who connected cell
phone usage to responsible decision-making tended to view cell phone usage more as a learning
opportunity. Kiki shared that she “keeps her phone in her bag” and “adheres to the same rules” as
her students, modeling her desired behavior.
Additionally, four respondents expressed a struggle between providing academically
rigorous curriculum and SEL, seeing them as distinct from each other. Amelia observed that
students are “hyper aware of SEL, and if they know what you’re doing, they tune out.” Tommy

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reported a concern that Vista School had “little expectation of students academically, pushing
SEL but forgetting about the academic.” He further explained:
Expectations are non-existent. I understand if you gotta meet these kid’s needs, I mean,
[teachers are] expecting [the students] to re-write the Constitution when they’re dealing
with other things in their head. Is this an unreasonable expectation? So, let’s just deal
with social-emotional learning and we’ll throw everything else out the window.
Later, Tommy shared his viewpoint that there “needs [to be] more balance” between SEL and
academic curriculum, a goal he repeated twice more during the interview. James reflected on his
need to “make sure [he’s] not enabling students, that productive struggle is good.” He continued
by saying he often asked himself, “are they dealing with trauma or are they simply
procrastinating?” Amelia described finding herself having to “pick battles” and “know [her]
limits.”
Teacher-Centered Challenges
Several participants cited a lack of dedicated time devoted to SEL in department
meetings specifically as a factor influencing classroom alignment. As stated above, two
interviewees responded affirmatively when asked if they discussed SEL in department meetings.
One teacher stated that in their department meetings, the teachers tried to spend more time
“focusing on common assignments that can build communication with students,” while a
different teacher acknowledged that conversations primarily existed as “isolated techniques in
trainings,” further stating “not all departments” held the same conversations. Another participant
stated that they “use SEL in meetings but don’t discuss classroom techniques.” One shared that
their department will “do some initial discussion, but … then feel the pressure to move on to
other items,” which they assert “prevent[s] follow-through, development of ideas.” Two other

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respondents echoed the lack of follow-through. Even teachers with professed hesitancy to
accepting SEL expressed a willingness to support alignment with more fidelity if given time and
additional guidance: the teacher who referred to SEL as “repackaged jargon” was one of the
group who desired more follow-through.
Some teachers described departments which struggled to address all the different
demands placed on educators. One participant said that the “spirit has been willing, but schedule
has been weak” while another, referring to SEL trainings, said that “hopefully we’re just carrying
that through.” Diana summarized the conflict between time constraints and the desire to increase
SEL efficacy:
I think we get bogged down by IABs and ABCs and whatever other three-letter acronyms
that we don’t just take the time to talk to each other about “what do you do in your
classroom?” You know, “what are you noticing with your kids?” We don’t do that as a
department, and it’s so interesting because over the years, you’d think that all of us would
know each other a little better, but we just feel so busy. We feel so busy.
Two teachers expressed wariness that SEL was simply “the flavor of the month.” All
seven respondents could be viewed as experienced teachers, and a few spoke to having seen
educational trends in the past. Those respondents voicing a desire for more time dedicated to
SEL in whole site and department meetings may represent a staff who wish for further exposure
to the nuances of intentional SEL alignment.
The Influence of COVID-19 and Mitigating Tools on SEL Alignment
Another extremal factor which featured in all interviews is the COVID-19 pandemic and
the ensuing lockdown/masking period, collectively referred to as “COVID” for the duration of
this section. COVID both facilitated and challenged SEL awareness and alignment at Vista

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School. All participants confirmed that COVID increased both the awareness and willingness to
consider SEL. Participants reported that almost all the professional development training during
the 2020-2021 school year incorporated SEL to some degree (if not in entirety), with a heavy
emphasis during professional development over the 2021-2022 school year. In James’ opinion,
“prior to lockdown standards took priority, now people are more open to SEL.” By all accounts,
the amount of SEL-related professional development trainings reduced for the 2022-2023 school
year.
All participants also noted differences in pre-pandemic to post-pandemic students. One
teacher observed that “students are shut down…some students are not ready to engage.” Another
teacher, when discussing student academic performance, expressed that “especially coming out
of the pandemic, [you] can’t make students do things.” This teacher also noted that they must
“work harder for students to perform”, but “get less out of them.” A different respondent felt that
the students changed most in their behaviors related to self-management, while still another
presented the idea that COVID “has left many students who prefer to be alone,” making
relationship-building and empathy more challenging to encourage. Diana felt that student anxiety
levels “heightened because of COVID, but then there was anxiety before COVID, too.”
The interviewees indicated that their approach to teaching changed post-COVID, too.
Kiki, speaking positively about the outcomes of lockdown, explained:
So, I met with my team on every Tuesday and Thursday. One course met on Tuesdays,
the other met on Thursdays. We discussed not just implementing what we knew, but
asked, “How are we going to implement our curriculum given schedule?” And also, “how
are we going to support them?” What that social emotional component. It was more
prevalent and pressing when we were on lockdown, and now we still value that. It’s

59
become part of what we do. That’s the silver lining of being on lockdown is that it forced
us to reevaluate how we taught, it forced us to learn.
One recognized that COVID mitigating tools reduced their confidence in assessing
student body language, with “post-lockdown masks, [you] can’t see faces/eyes, [you] can’t
“read” students.” This teacher concedes that they need to “pick battles” more carefully now.
Another stated that they considered “grouping students who are lower-performing together to not
impact other students” a move in an attempt at “academic triage”. The same teacher feels the
need to “present concepts/assignments in ways that are least intimidating.”
Summary
This chapter presented the findings from the study guided by the two research questions.
Its design provided further detail to how teachers experience SEL from training to alignment,
and those factors which either fostered or hindered alignment. Regarding SEL for ELs, strategies
which aligned to the “relationship building” and “social awareness/empathy” competencies
factored most prominently in these teachers’ classrooms. Participants contributed practicable
SEL strategies. Among the many factors which influenced alignment, COVID, lack of
dedicated/enough time, and particularly supportive personnel appeared in many interviews.

60
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations
This study has served to deepen the understanding of teacher awareness of SEL
competencies and the various factors which influence alignment in the classroom. It sought to
illuminate to what extent the different individual competencies contributed to learning
acquisition for English learners. Two research questions guided the study:
1. What is the general awareness of teachers regarding SEL practices and competencies
at Vista School for English learners?
2. Which factors do teachers at Vista School perceive either facilitate or hinder the
alignment of SEL competencies?
The answers to the research questions were obtained using a qualitative methodology.
This chapter begins with a discussion of the findings which includes a closer look at intentional
and unintentional SEL, competency specific SEL in the classroom, and teacher wants/needs
when it comes to SEL. After the discussion are three recommendations for practice, followed by
an examination of limitations and delimitations. Recommendations for future research come
next, with the conclusion ending the chapter.
Discussion of Findings
An analysis of the interviews shows that though the respondents all affirm the importance
of SEL, particularly in a post-COVID-19 environment, alignment with fidelity to all
competencies remains elusive. Some of this may be attributed to an emphasis on the emotional
status of students as opposed to a grounding of pedagogical strategy to competencies. One
interesting finding, however, is that despite the lack of intentional competency alignment,
strategies which align to each of the competencies can be found in each of the classrooms
described. For example, though Tommy professed that he “didn’t do much of [self-awareness”

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strategies in his classroom, he described a multi-step assignment in his class which started with
students viewing an “inspirational” (according to him) video and then had students respond to
the video with their own thoughts about the topic. While he himself denied the presence of self-
awareness strategies in his classroom, there were strategies present.
Regarding ELs, however, learning strategies seemed primarily focused on bridging
lingual gaps rather than competency based. One exception is partnering ELs with a more fluent
peer, which has elements of the “relationship-building” and “empathy and social awareness
competencies.” Finally, all respondents expressed a desire for SEL sitewide culture, confirming
the results of other studies showing the importance of school culture (Collie et al., 2015;
Kennedy & Walls, 2022)
Intentional Versus Unintentional SEL
Findings revealed participants most closely aligned with SEL-strivers, a term coined by
Collie et al. (2015) to describe teachers who felt both a high commitment and comfortability with
SEL, but not necessarily a strong sitewide SEL culture. Ultimately, the strength of the sitewide
SEL culture was unclear, with different respondents expressing different views. Participants still
exhibited a range of commitment, however, with Tommy expressing the most hesitancy to fully
embrace SEL. Likewise, though all participants exhibited comfortability with SEL conceptually,
comfortability with the individual competencies as distinct fractions of SEL which together
comprise the pedagogical strategy was less clear. Moreover, they referred to both SEL-aligned
strategies and whole child interventions (such as the wellness center) throughout the
conversation.
The lack of clearly defined SEL parameters should not be interpreted as a lack of SEL-
infused instruction; all participants mentioned strategies which aligned with one or multiple

62
competencies. It is possible, however, that competency-aligned strategies are employed from
experience or intuition, perhaps related to the “veteran” status of respondents (Lavy & Bocker,
2018). Furthermore, as all respondents stressed the need to model the competencies authentically
for their students, these experienced teachers may have a more innate understanding of the
reciprocal nature of teaching and students’ tendency to emulate their teacher (Moskowitz &
Dewaele, 2021). Another source for unintentional competency-aligned instruction is
environmental: all participants referred to smaller learning communities as organically
supporting SEL, specifically with the relationship-building and social awareness competencies.
Smaller learning communities include academies and pathways which include the same students
by virtue of the master schedule and student interests (i.e., AP classes).
There are several reasons for a lack of universal intentional competency-aligned
instruction. One factor is the tendency of respondents to emphasize the mental health benefits of
SEL as opposed to the learning goals of SEL (Bailey et al., 2019, Immordino-Yang, et al., 2018).
For instance, several respondents referred to SEL as helpful in reducing student anxiety, but not
as helpful in promoting content relevancy for students or increasing motivation to do
assignments, as is the goal of SEL (Kruger et al., 2021). This outlook may be influenced by the
training or culture at the site (Kennedy & Walls, 2022).
Competency-Specific Instruction
Regarding classroom competency-aligned instruction, Vista teachers provided interesting
insight which both deviated from and supported other studies’ findings. The teachers appear
stronger with strategies aligning to self-management than other sites (Katz et al., 2020).
Responses also deviated slightly from the conclusions made by Allbright et al. (2019) and
CASEL (2022) in their separate assessments of site- and classroom-centered SEL respectively.

63
The responses did seem to confirm Cefai’s (2022) conclusions that more research is needed to
examine the efficacy of individual competencies for English learners.
Participants provided many examples of strategies aligning with the self-management
competency. Katz et al. (2020) concluded that the competencies which focused on the self (self-
awareness and self-management) received the least employment by classroom practitioners. This
implies that Vista teachers value teaching self-management as a pathway to mutual success.
Furthermore, all teachers described either modeling self-management or using the pacing plan
along with multiple sources of communication to encourage self-management in their students.
While the participants may not identify self-management as a major component of classroom
SEL, all of them intentionally build self-management into their pedagogical practices.
One area of growth identified by respondents, however, is SEL for English learners. One
major strategy reported by two participants is pairing English learner students with a bilingual
peer (if possible). This strategy includes aspects of relationship-building and empathy and social
awareness. It is possible that leaning into the other competencies in ways specific for English
learners (i.e., asking EL students to self-identify goals in learning acquisition) may lead to
greater academic outcomes. Both the desire on the part of the respondents to further examine the
influence of SEL on EL students and the need for more information on this subgroup align with
the findings of Mercer et al. (2015).
One finding puts Vista teachers at odds with identified distinctions between site-based
and classroom-based SEL, specifically with the issue of safety. All respondents described the
importance of providing a safe learning environment. They all intentionally foster safety through
daily strategies, beginning the 1st day of class. Some teachers stated that they forego content at
the start of a new school year in favor of techniques which help students feel safe and prioritize

64
safety for students throughout the year in various means. Although CASEL (2022) does not
identify “safety” as a classroom SEL competency, Allbright et al. (2019) does identify it as a site
SEL competency. While a myriad of potential reasons for the universal desire for a safe
classroom environment may exist, clearly these teachers strongly feel their role in creating safe
spaces for students.
SEL: What Teachers Need, What Teachers Want
One consistent finding which influenced SEL alignment was the lack of dedicated time to
focus on SEL-aligned curriculum. The lack of time was felt vertically, from the diminishing of
SEL-focused training during the 2022-2023 school year to the often-overburdened agendas in
department meetings. Many studies attest to the need for dedicated collaboration time between
teachers and departments on self-identified topics as opposed to topics given by administrators or
district (Hattie, 2015; Kennedy, 2019). As one respondent said, sometimes they were “just too
busy.” Some individuals sought to increase SEL conversations in department meetings, though
they did so on their own initiative, without the dedicated and intentional support of site
administration. As such, progression toward a deeper and more intentional SEL-informed
classroom halted in many cases, which led to frustration in at least one participant who
pronounced SEL as “flavor of the month” with cynical skepticism. Unsuccessful full alignment
of SEL may lead to negative feelings, leaving some educators reluctant to further harm the
learning environment by continuing to engage with SEL as pedagogical strategy (Beaty, 2018;
Papay et al., 2017).
Finally, all respondents, some explicitly, some peripherally, expressed a desire for whole
site SEL as support for classroom SEL alignment. It is unclear how the impact of COVID-19
influenced this desire, though COVID-related mental health concerns for both students and

65
teachers appeared in teachers’ reflections similarly to other studies on teacher post-COVID
mentality (Hillis et al., 2021). This desire supports the trauma-mitigating effects of SEL (Cefai,
2022). Research supports these teachers, with studies encouraging school sites to adopt SEL as
part of recovery from the COVID pandemic (Kruger et al., 2021).
Collie et al. (2015) identified culture as one of the three main aspects determining
successful competency alignment. Kennedy and Walls (2022) similarly suggested that classroom
SEL begins with the district. Whole site SEL competencies most frequently alluded to include
growth mindset; culture-climate construct; support for academic learning; and sense of belonging
and school connectedness (Allbright et al., 2019).
Recommendations for Practice
Based on the findings, I have included two recommendations which may help increase
effective and intentional SEL. The first recommendation encourages an examination of the
competencies themselves. The second stresses an overall need to emphasize the academic goals
of SEL while creating greater distinction between a whole child approach and SEL.
Recommendation 1: Review Classroom Competencies in General, Consider Adding Safety
The first question in the protocol regarding SEL asked participants to describe their
general understanding of SEL. As this open-ended question occurred prior to any interviewer-
initiated discussions about the specific competencies, responses captured uninfluenced
perceptions of SEL. All seven respondents mentioned safety as an important component of SEL,
stressing the importance of a safe learning environment. Interestingly, six of the seven teachers
referred solely to student safety, while the other teacher referred to both student and teacher
safety in the classroom. The universality of teacher identification of safety as a major factor in
SEL prompts the recommendation for a critical evaluation of the CASEL classroom

66
competencies, including considering whether safety deserves a place amongst the other
competencies.
CASEL identified the five competencies in 1994 (CASEL, 2020), almost 30 years ago at
the time of this writing. The Columbine massacre unfolded 5 years after in 1999; since then,
school shootings have occurred frequently enough that some school districts have added “Active
Shooter” drills to the fire (and other natural disaster) drills as part of the annual emergency
preparedness procedures. In the 29 years that have passed, economic and political events have
caused a range of emotions, from discomfort to fear in various sub-communities, but all students
and teachers were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing mitigation measures. The
loss of caregivers, loss of income, and trauma associated with lockdown all lend credence to the
inclusion of safety when discussing classroom competencies to achieve more optimal learning
goals.
Respondents described safety most frequently as a necessary precursor to the other
competencies. According to the data, safety promotes successful relationship-building, social
awareness, and aspects of self-awareness and self-management. Safety has its place in directly
encouraging knowledge acquisition, however, as a student who feels safe will take more risks, be
willing to make more mistakes, and approach higher-stakes assignments with reduced pressure if
allowed to re-do those assignments following a poor performance. Regarding English learners,
the most frequently cited useful SEL competencies, relationship-building and social awareness,
are only effective when students feel safe. Safety is second in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs;
though controversy surrounds the origination of Maslow’s theory, the importance of safety to a
person’s ability to survive/thrive remains unchallenged (McLeod, 2023).

67
As Vista teachers emphasized safety as an important factor in SEL, it is possible that
other factors exist that were not gleaned from this study or were overlooked in the data analysis.
In 2019, Allbright et al. identified eight SEL site competencies, including safety. A review of
classroom competencies is therefore warranted, to ensure that competencies first identified in
1994 still apply to the 2023 classroom and the students and teachers who populate them.
Recommendation 2: Emphasize Pedagogical Goals of SEL, Make Greater Distinction
Between Whole Child Approach and SEL
Educators and SEL advocates need to do more to emphasize the pedagogical goals of
SEL. While SEL has shown to have mental health benefits to students and teachers (Beaty,
2018), and while whole child approach advocates also often promote an SEL-informed
curriculum, the interests of SEL and whole child approach are not identical. The whole child
approach is a philosophy which equates academic, mental, and physical health, while SEL is a
pedagogical strategy which aligns academic content with identified pathways (competencies) to
gain knowledge and skills (CASEL, 2020).
Some of the data collected from the study indicated that some teachers felt they had to
choose between SEL and academics. With fully aligned SEL, there is no choice, only alignment
between competency(ies) and content. One of the concerns from this data point is that teachers
may not explore SEL if they feel that they must choose between it and offering content. For these
teachers, student mental health was less of a motivating factor in the classroom. They instead
placed a higher value on student content acquisition. For those teachers, equating SEL with
student mental health instead of academic pathway resulted in a lost academic growth potential.

68
Another concern over the over-emphasizing of the mental health benefits of SEL is the
inadvertent loss of pedagogical focus. Some data suggested that teachers were more likely to see
SEL as a means of caring for students’ mental health rather than a set of five competencies,
missing opportunities to align academic content with individual competencies. Instead, these
teachers spent more time tending to the mental health needs of students in the classroom.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations and delimitations have potential impacts on the study. Limitations are
boundaries placed upon the study outside of the researcher’s control. Delimitations are
boundaries placed upon the study decided by the researcher.
Limitations
Limitations included the length of time given for the study, the truthfulness of
respondents, and the bias of the researcher. The timeframe prevented a longitudinal study, which
could have impacted the depth and the breadth of the data collected. Another limitation is that
some respondents may have feared a breach of confidentiality and so may not have expressed
their full views. Moreover, some respondents may have felt pressured to respond in a way they
deemed more socially acceptable. Additional limitations which appeared throughout the study
involved teacher longevity, those teachers interested in SEL, and those teachers who felt
compelled to participate in the study. All seven participants have served in the classroom for
over 10 years; teachers who have served fewer than 10 years may have responded differently to
the prompts. Regarding teacher interest in SEL, all seven teachers felt some positivity toward
SEL, ranging from cautiously interested to embracing. Vista School may have teachers who have
neutral, hostile, or no knowledge of SEL, but those teachers did not choose to participate in the
study. Likewise, only teachers interested in participating, or having time to participate, related

69
their thoughts. At least one person expressed interest in participating but cited insufficient time
as a reason not to participate.
Delimitations
The delimitations included the small number of participants, the subjects taught by
participants, participant experience teaching ELs, and the location at a singular site. The small
number of participants allowed for more of the limited time to be spent on probing questions,
though it also precluded a latitudinal study which would examine more staff members’ views at
Vista School. Participants were selected from core subjects to provide some similar context (i.e.,
SEL alignment may look extremely different from English to physical education) and needed to
have at least 3 years’ experience teaching ELs to more capably assess influences. Focusing on
one site prevented the possibility of different site cultures impacting SEL alignment, adding
more credibility to the analysis. Choosing District P, located in a historically marginalized
community (high rates of poverty, primarily people of color, with many undocumented students
and families), reflects a choice to frame SEL as a pedagogical tool that can help mitigate some of
the impacts of trauma and educational debt, particularly as it pertains to English learners.
Recommendations for Future Research
This study has served to deepen the understanding of teacher awareness of SEL
competencies and the various factors which influence classroom alignment. It sought to
illuminate to what extent the different individual competencies contributed to learning
acquisition for English learners, if any. While the findings helped to further identify strengths
and areas of growth with SEL alignment, it produced limited information regarding how SEL
affects English learner academic gain. It also raised questions about how to categorize and how
frequently “intuitive” or “unintentional” SEL occurs in the classroom.

70
The first recommendation centers English learners and the challenge that many educators
face in providing equitable learning experiences for this subgroup. Some challenges include
potential cultural gaps, lingual gaps, and trauma, amongst others. Research involving the
students themselves would provide valuable perspective on which competencies are most
effective for learning. It is possible that different subgroups of ELs experience the competencies
in disparate ways; this data could help teachers bridge cultural and lingual gaps that may exist
between them and their students. A comparison study of teachers of English learners may then
provide greater depth of analysis. Finally, a study involving families of EL students could grant a
fuller view of what constitutes more effective EL teaching.
The second recommendation for study for an individual site is to determine the extent of
“intuitive” or “unintentional” SEL which occurs in classrooms. From there, an analysis of the
gap between unintentional and intentional SEL could provide a more accessible and personal
pathway to fuller SEL alignment. One limitation of my study was the similarity in length of
participants’ service time. It is possible that more experience in the classroom promotes the use
of pedagogical tools which naturally align with SEL competencies. Without representative
voices from individuals considered “beginning” teachers, or those who fall somewhere in-
between, identifying factors which may unknowingly promote strategies incorporating SEL
competencies remain unknown themselves. It is also possible that growing up with an educator
either in or close to the family, or being identified by a teacher as a potentially strong teacher
may contribute to intuitive SEL.
Conclusion
This qualitative study of one school’s experience in aligning classroom strategies to SEL
competencies endeavored to further the understanding of the process from training to practice.

71
The purpose was to help identify factors which influenced successful adoption so that not only
could Vista School increase the efficacy of its SEL-centered pedagogical direction but also to
potentially facilitate SEL adoption at other school sites. Findings from the study reveal
participants with mindsets that range from willing to enthusiastic, though looking for more
guidance, support, voices and experiences, and dedicated time to further the conversation.
Current research is insufficient to explain the reasons behind the reluctance to embrace
SEL, a practice which has been shown to greatly improve learning acquisition for all students
(Cuocci & Arndt, 2020; Immordino-Yang et al., 2018). While school sites can improve SEL-
alignment by adopting whole school SEL competencies, it is possible that educators of educators
and researchers can do more to increase interest and buy-in. An examination of the competencies
is warranted after 30 years. SEL as pedagogical strategy has at times become lost in favor of it
seen as a mental health support to student and teacher detriment. This post-COVID environment
forces all stakeholders, from student, to teacher, to researcher, to not only reexamine their own
approach to education in general but also to determine how to best keep learning, growing, and
moving forward positively even in the face of world-changing trauma.

72
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Appendix A: Interview Protocol
The following materials reflect the interview protocol for the present research. It includes
the interview script, questions, and closing remarks.
Interview Script
Thank you for participating in my study. I know that you are busy and appreciate you
contributing your time and knowledge. As mentioned before, the interview should take about an
hour, does that still work for you?
Before we start, I would like to describe the study to you, and answer any questions you
may have abut participating in this study. I am a graduate student at USC and am conducting a
study on teachers’ classroom practices that support social-emotional learning, or SEL, and the
factors that impact implementing those practices. I am talking to multiple teachers to learn more
about this.
Please know that I am here to gain knowledge through you sharing your experience and
perspective, and not to evaluate you in any way. My goal is to understand your perspective.
This interview is confidential. I will not share your name with anyone outside of the
research team, which does not include anyone at this site or in this district. The data from this
study will be compiled into a report and while I may quote some of what you say, nothing will be
attributed to you. If I do refer to you directly, I will use a pseudonym. I am happy to share a copy
of the final paper if you like.
I will store all data in a password protected computer and will destroy all of it after 3
years.

83
Please know that you have the right to stop participating in this study at any time; you
also have the right to stop or pause the interview at any time. If I ask you a question you’d rather
not answer, you have the right to say, “I’d rather not answer”.
Finally, may I record our conversation? It is solely for my purposes and our mutual
convenience and will ensure that what you say gets accurately captured. If you consent to the
recording, please let me know now. Thank you. Do you have any questions that I may answer
prior to starting the interview?
Interview Questions
Participants were asked a series of questions about their experiences with SEL.
1. First, tell me about your background in education:
• How did you become interested in the field of education?
• How long have you worked in the field?
• What roles or positions have you held?
2. How would you describe social-emotional learning? (RQ1)
3. What are the three most effective things you have done to promote SEL in your
classroom, if any, in the last year? In what ways, if any, do those things change for
English Learners? (RQ1)
4. To what extent, if at all, do you discuss SEL strategies for EL students at your
school? (RQ1/2) How about in your department meetings?
5. Tell me about ways you promote self-awareness in students. (RQ1)
6. Describe for me what self-management looks like for your students in your
classroom. (RQ1)

84
7. Can you think of a recent time when you talked to your students about responsible
decision-making? Tell me how that conversation went. (RQ1)
8. Walk me through what you do for students with relationship-building skills? (RQ1)
9. What strategies, if any, help students deepen their empathy and social awareness
skills? (RQ1)
10. What is your perception of the school’s view of SEL? (RQ2) How is this view
communicated to parents, students, teachers? (RQ2)
11. What, if any, professional development opportunities have been and are available to
you related to SEL? (RQ2)
12. What challenges, if at all, have you experienced in using SEL practices in your
classroom? (RQ2)
13. Please describe the level of support you receive from your school in using SEL.
• Ideally, what would support from your school look like?
• What resources do you believe are valuable?
14. Is there anything else that you think I should know about using SEL practices in
general? (RQ1/2)
Closing Comments
Thank you very much for your time, candor, and willingness to share! Everything you
have said helps further my understanding of how SEL is practiced in the classroom. If I have any
follow-up questions, may I contact you? What is your preferred method of contact? Again, thank
you very much for your participation; as an additional show of my appreciation, I will provide
you with a Starbucks gift card.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Hamilton, Kelly Michelle (author)

Core Title Teachers' voices: SEL perceptions in a grade 9-12 school

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Educational Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-12

Publication Date 09/11/2023

Defense Date 08/07/2023

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag competencies,English learners,OAI-PMH Harvest,SEL,social emotional learning

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Stowe, Kathy (committee chair), Datta, Monique (committee member), Malloy, Courtney (committee member)

Creator Email kellyham@usc.edu,tashima79@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113305037

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Legacy Identifier etd-HamiltonKe-12358

Document Type Dissertation

Format theses (aat)

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