Social and Emotional Learning Activities in Special Education

The Importance of Social and Emotional Learning Activities in Special Education

Written by: Wilson College • Jul 16, 2026

A Special Education Teacher Sits With Students on the Floor and Reads Them a Book.

U.S. schools are recognizing that students have much to gain from participating in social and emotional learning activities. In the 2023-2024 school year, 83% of schools incorporated social and emotional learning into their curricula, according to school principals surveyed for a 2024 report from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, a nonprofit organization dedicated to incorporating social and emotional learning into education programs).

Every student can use help in building their social and emotional skills, and it is particularly critical for students in special education. Strengthening social skills and the ability to manage emotions can help special education students get the most out of their education and successfully navigate the world outside of the classroom.

Anyone who is considering working in special education and enrolling in a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Special Education degree program can benefit from exploring the concept of social and emotional learning and its significance in special education.

Just as educators need expertise in learning styles and classroom management techniques to successfully engage their students, they also need knowledge of social and emotional learning to help their students develop their social and emotional skills.

Social and emotional learning is the process through which students can improve their ability to form their own identities, enter into relationships, manage emotions, and make good decisions. This type of learning helps students gain a solid foundation to help them succeed in school, at work, and in their personal relationships.

CASEL has identified five key social and emotional competencies that students should develop. These competencies are:

Self-awareness
Self-management
Responsible decision-making
Relationship skills
Social awareness

Educators can help their students build these competencies through social and emotional learning activities specifically designed for this purpose. These types of activities include mindfulness exercises, empathy-building activities, and group discussions about social and emotional topics.

All students can benefit when schools prioritize social and emotional learning in their curricula, but special education students can benefit in particularly significant ways. For example, special education students who participate in social and emotional learning activities can:

Learn how to cope with and conquer adversity. Students with disabilities are confronted with various factors that they may perceive as adversities. Through social and emotional learning activities, they can learn ways to handle difficult circumstances using their enhanced social and emotional skills.
Improve their academic performance. When students strengthen their social and emotional skills, they are often able to form better relationships with their teachers. The productivity of the learning environment can also improve, boosting students’ overall academic performance.
Advocate for themselves. By participating in activities focused on social and emotional learning, special education students can strengthen their ability to communicate, learn how to express their needs, and build self-esteem. These skills are empowering and can improve students’ ability to advocate for themselves.
Manage stress better. The enhanced coping skills and self-awareness that special education students can acquire through social and emotional learning have the potential to improve their ability to deal with anxiety and stressful situations.
Improve the quality of their lives. Ultimately, building social skills, developing self-esteem, and gaining the ability to form strong relationships can provide special education students with a deeper sense of human connection, which can go a long way toward enriching the quality of their lives.

Students can build their social and emotional skills in many ways. Participating in extracurricular activities , for example, is a great way for students to build their social skills.

In the classroom, educators can consider incorporating the following activities into their classroom instruction.

1. Explore and Identify Different Emotions

It can be helpful for educators to teach their students how to label their own emotions throughout the school day. For example, asking a student whether they feel mad or sad can help them identify and begin to understand their emotions. In reading books together, educators can ask students how they think the characters in a story feel. Educators can also consider using charts or bulletin boards with faces showing different emotions to help students identify what they are feeling.

2. Take Time for Behavior Reflection

Educators can help students build self-awareness and self-management skills by asking them to reflect on their behavior. Talking about or using a worksheet to describe a particular circumstance, detailing how that circumstance made a student feel, and listing all the people who were affected by that circumstance can teach students how to reflect on their behavior.

3. Conduct Mindfulness Activities With Students

Starting the school day with a little time for mindfulness can help students get in touch with their feelings. Activities such as journaling, listening to music, or meditation can help students establish a helpful routine for regularly noticing and reflecting on their feelings and emotions.

4. Work on Problem-Solving Activities as a Group

Educators can explain a scenario to students and encourage the class to discuss how they could resolve the problem. For example, describing a situation in which two students want to sit in the same chair can be a great opportunity for students to devise various solutions to the problem, talk about being respectful to each other, and understand how potential solutions could be fair to everyone.

5. Teach Students How to Compliment Their Peers

Students can learn ways to support their peers when teachers set up systems for them to extend compliments to each other. For example, allowing students to write anonymous notes of praise when they observe others doing something kind can give students experience in recognizing behaviors that are worthy of praise and offering kind thoughts to their peers.

Educators who weave social and emotional learning activities into their instruction have a unique opportunity to help their students build key skills they can use throughout their lives. This is especially important for those who teach special education students, as it can help these students succeed both in school and as they move throughout their lives outside of the classroom.

If you have an interest in acquiring expertise in special education, explore Wilson College Online’s B.A. in Special Education degree program to learn how it can help you reach your career goals. With a curriculum that covers subjects such as child development, educational psychology, and educating students with special needs, the program can enable you to establish a solid base for a meaningful career teaching special education students.

Start working to achieve your goals for a career in special education with Wilson College Online today.

Recommended Readings

6 Key Special Education Teacher Skills

Special Education Career Path

What Are Adaptive Skills in Special Education?

Sources:

Aperture Education, “4 Ways SEL Supports Special Education Students”

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, Fundamentals of SEL

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, Social and Emotional Learning in U.S. Schools

Head Start, Mental Health, Ideas for Teaching Children About Emotions

Schools That Lead, “15 Best Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Activities for High School Students”

Teach Hub, “Simple Social-Emotional Learning Activities for Every Age Group”