Social-emotional skills are an integral part of arts education, and arts instruction is a vehicle for addressing social-emotional learning (SEL) in schools, according to a report released Tuesday from the Consortium on School Research at the University of Chicago and Ingenuity, a nonprofit organization.

With a review of research and examples from Chicago Public Schools, the report describes how arts experiences help students develop self-management and self-discipline, interpersonal and relationship skills, and self-expression.

An overall message from the Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional and Academic Development’s two years of work was that academic learning is a social and emotional process. Artistic endeavors — whether performing, creating or responding to others’ work — likely involve even more social-emotional skills and opportunities for students to practice them. The new report has implications for school leaders who are looking for ways to reach schoolwide SEL goals or are required to show how those goals are being addressed on report cards.

The authors stress, however, that there is still much to learn about the links between the arts and SEL.

Other organizations focusing on expanding arts in schools as part of a well-rounded education are also drawing connections between arts education and SEL.

Read the full article about arts can help teach social-emotional learning skills by Linda Jacobson at Education Dive.