Summary
Emotional ABCs Premium Schools, offered by Emotional ABCs Inc., provides a lesson-based approach to SEL. It includes programming for grades 1-3 and demonstrated evidence of effectiveness at grades 1-2.
The Emotional ABCs Program is a sequential, skill-building educational curriculum for children ages 4 -11 developed in collaboration with psychologists, therapists, and educators. The curriculum, which does not require teacher training, includes a set of 20 classroom workshops consisting of short modules for flexible teacher use. Each workshop uses interactive online activities, videos, printables, as well as in-classroom teacher modeling, teacher-student interactions, and student-student interactions. The curriculum is divided into four units, and each workshop builds on skills introduced in previous workshops. All resources needed per workshop are provided by Emotional ABCs either as online content or as downloadable printables, and each workshop includes a clear SEL Teaching Goal, a Teaching Point with suggested modeling ideas, relevant Group Discussion and Group Activities, plus Individual Self-Reflection sections. A main feature of the curriculum is the Emotional ABCs Toolbar, which shows children how to quickly figure out what they are feeling (Pause), why they are having that emotion (Rewind), and how to make a good choice (Play).
Strategies supporting educational equity (CASEL)
Emotional ABCs Premium Schools features strategies for understanding context, working with bias, and customizing for context. This includes professional learning sessions designed to give teachers strategies for understanding their students’ lived experiences and unpacking their own implicit biases. Additionally, lessons provide guidance and flexibility for teachers to customize lessons to better meet the needs of their students.
Implementation
Below are key implementation details for this program. These specifications help determine if the program is a good fit for your school or organization.
Grade(s)
Elementary (K-5)
Setting
Classroom, Schoolwide, Home
Language
English
Cost
Pricing available through provider
# Lessons
20
Program Design
Tier 1 (Universal)
Technology Requirements
Computer and/or whiteboard
Staffing Requirements
Teacher or school counselor uses the program to instruct students in the classroom or remotely via live screenshare.
Professional Development
No teacher training needed
Outcomes
Improved SEL skills and attitudes
Reduced Emotional Distress
Improved Identity Development/ Agency
Improved Academic Performance
Reduced Problem Behavior
Improved School Climate
Improved School Connectedness
Improved Prosocial Behavior
Improved Teaching Practices
Improved SEL Skills and Attitude
Evidence of Effectiveness
Results from a quasi-experimental evaluation conducted in the 2019-2020 academic year (unpublished report written in 2020) supported the effectiveness of Emotional ABCs Premium Schools for early elementary students. This evaluation included 473 grade 1 and 2 students in urban, suburban, and rural school districts in the U.S. Northeast, Midwest, and West region (67% white, 14% Black/African American; 45% of student body eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) at participating schools). This evaluation found that students receiving instruction using Emotional ABCs Premium Schools showed significantly greater growth in teacher-report positive social behaviors compared to students in the control group (outcomes reported approximately 24 weeks after baseline, while controlling for outcome pre-test).
Strong Relationships
Moderate
Published Studies
Ehret, P (2020). Emotional ABCs accelerates social and emotional learning among first and second grade students. Unpublished report.