Effect of Social and Emotional Learning Approach on Development of Executive Functions (EF) for Students with Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities have been reported to have difficulty in a number of different executive functions, this study aimed to examine the effect of a social and emotional learning approach on executive functions in students with learning disabilities. The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test on 207 middle school students enrolled in the third grade. Students were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was taught using a social and emotional learning approach, while the control group was taught using a traditional teaching approach. Executive functions development was measured using a questionnaire we assessed three aspects of EF at the beginning and end of classes. These included the following: (a) working memory with a recall and sequencing task (number of items recalled and correct sequence), (b) inhibitory control with a flanker task (reaction time and accuracy), and (c) cognitive flexibility with the dimensional change card sort task (reaction time and accuracy). T-test results showed that students in classes using a social and emotional learning approach demonstrated significantly better executive functions performance compared to students in the traditional teaching group. Therefore, the social and emotional learning (SEL) approach provided important insights into how students can integrate and apply Social and Emotional Learning strategies to enhance executive functions. The implications of integrating a social and emotional learning approach into teaching and learning for students with learning disabilities are discussed.