Description:
Explicit teaching of expected social skills is a Tier 1 practice that involves directly instructing, modeling, and practicing the social, emotional, and behavioral skills students need to be successful across school settings. Rather than assuming students will “pick up” these skills naturally, schools intentionally teach skills such as listening, cooperation, respect, asking for help, and following directions—just as they teach academic content.
This instruction is embedded within daily routines and aligned with schoolwide expectations, ensuring that all students have access to clear examples of what success looks like across settings.
Importance:
Many students enter school without consistent exposure to or practice with expected social skills across diverse settings. Without explicit instruction, misunderstandings can lead to behavior challenges, disengagement, and inequitable disciplinary outcomes.
Teaching social skills directly supports prevention by:
- Increasing student success in meeting behavioral expectations
- Reducing reliance on reactive discipline
- Strengthening classroom climate and peer relationships
- Supporting equity by ensuring all students are taught “the hidden curriculum” of school behavior
- Improving academic engagement and instructional time
Critical Features:
- Clearly defined skills aligned to schoolwide expectations (e.g., “respect” becomes “listen when others are speaking”)
- Direct instruction of skills: Teachers explicitly explain what the skill is, why it matters, and when to use it
- Modeling and demonstration: Adults and peers show both appropriate and inappropriate examples
- Opportunities to practice: Students actively rehearse skills in structured and authentic settings
- Feedback and reinforcement: Students receive specific feedback when using skills correctly or needing correction
- Re-teaching embedded in routines: Skills are revisited regularly, not taught as one-time lessons
- Generalization across settings: Skills are practiced in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and other environments
Implementation Tips:
- Break broad expectations (e.g., “be respectful”) into observable, teachable behaviors
- Teach social skills the same way academic content is taught: I do → We do → You do
- Embed instruction into daily routines, morning meetings, advisory periods, or opening activities
- Use brief, consistent mini-lessons rather than lengthy, infrequent sessions
- Reinforce skill use throughout the day with specific, positive feedback
- Revisit and reteach skills after breaks or when data shows a need
- Collaborate across staff to ensure consistent language and expectations schoolwide
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Self-regulation and emotional management skills are Tier 1 social-emotional skills that help students recognize, understand, and manage their emotions, energy levels, and reactions in ways that support learning and positive relationships. These skills include identifying feelings, using coping strategies, managing frustration, and returning to a calm and ready-to-learn state.
At Tier 1, these skills are taught proactively to all students as part of a comprehensive approach to building safe, predictable, and supportive learning environments.
Importance:
Many behavioral challenges in school are closely tied to difficulties with emotional regulation and stress responses. When students lack effective self-regulation skills, they may struggle with attention, impulse control, peer interactions, and persistence with academic tasks.
Explicit instruction in self-regulation supports:
- Improved student readiness to learn and engage
- Reduced frequency and intensity of behavioral disruptions
- Increased student independence in managing emotions
- Stronger classroom climate and safety
- More equitable outcomes by teaching skills that may not be learned outside of school
Critical Features:
- Explicit instruction in emotions and regulation strategies: Students are taught to identify emotions (e.g., frustration, anxiety, excitement) and understand how they impact behavior
- Teaching of concrete coping strategies: Examples include deep breathing, break requests, positive self-talk, movement breaks, or use of calming spaces
- Modeling by adults: Teachers demonstrate how they regulate emotions in real time (“thinking aloud” strategies)
- Practice in authentic contexts: Students use strategies during real classroom situations, not just lessons
- Use of consistent language and routines: Schoolwide terminology (e.g., “ready to learn,” “regulation tools”) supports consistency
- Proactive and preventative focus: Skills are taught before escalation occurs, not only after behavior incidents
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Social communication and relationship skills are Tier 1 social-emotional competencies that help students effectively interact with peers and adults in a variety of school settings. These skills include initiating and maintaining conversations, listening actively, showing empathy, collaborating with others, and using respectful communication across contexts.
At Tier 1, these skills are explicitly taught, modeled, and practiced so all students can build positive, supportive relationships that contribute to a strong school community.
Importance:
Strong social communication skills are directly linked to positive school engagement, academic success, and healthy peer relationships. When students are not explicitly taught these skills, misunderstandings and conflicts can increase, often impacting classroom climate and instructional time.
Instruction in social communication and relationship skills supports:
- Increased positive peer and adult interactions
- Improved collaboration and group learning outcomes
- Reduced conflict and social isolation
- Stronger sense of belonging and school connectedness
- More equitable access to social expectations of school environments
Critical Features:
- Explicit teaching of communication skills: Includes listening, turn-taking, asking questions, and responding appropriately
- Instruction in perspective-taking and empathy: Students learn to consider others’ thoughts, feelings, and experiences
- Opportunities for structured interaction: Partner work, cooperative learning, and guided peer activities
- Modeling of respectful communication: Adults demonstrate tone, language, and body language expectations
- Feedback on social interactions: Students receive specific, supportive feedback on communication behaviors
- Practice across settings: Skills are reinforced in classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and other school environments
- Integration into academic instruction: Communication skills are embedded within group work and classroom discussions
Implementation Tips:
- Teach specific communication behaviors (e.g., “look at the speaker,” “ask a follow-up question”) rather than general expectations
- Use structured protocols for partner and group work to support skill development
- Model both effective and ineffective communication and discuss differences
- Provide sentence starters or visual supports for students who need scaffolding
- Reinforce positive peer interactions in real time with specific feedback
- Rotate groupings to provide varied social interaction opportunities
- Address communication breakdowns as learning opportunities, not just behavioral issues
Websites for Additional Information:
Description:
Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills are Tier 1 social-emotional competencies that help students identify problems, think through possible solutions, consider consequences, and resolve disagreements in respectful and productive ways. These skills support students in managing everyday challenges independently and appropriately across school settings.
At Tier 1, these skills are explicitly taught to all students as part of a proactive approach to reducing behavioral incidents and strengthening school climate.
Importance:
Conflict and problem situations are a natural part of school life. Without explicit instruction, students may rely on impulsive or ineffective responses that can escalate situations and disrupt learning.
Teaching problem-solving and conflict resolution skills supports:
- Increased student independence in handling everyday conflicts
- Reduced office discipline referrals and classroom disruptions
- Stronger peer relationships and classroom climate
- Improved student accountability and responsibility
- More equitable responses to behavior by teaching replacement skills rather than relying on punishment
Critical Features:
- Explicit instruction in a clear problem-solving process: Students are taught step-by-step strategies (e.g., identify the problem, think of solutions, evaluate consequences, choose a solution, reflect)
- Modeling and guided practice: Adults demonstrate how to work through real or simulated conflict scenarios
- Opportunities for rehearsal: Students practice skills through role-play, discussion, and authentic classroom situations
- Teaching of multiple solutions: Students learn that problems can have more than one appropriate resolution
- Emphasis on respectful communication: Students are taught to use calm language, listen to others, and avoid escalation
- Connection to schoolwide expectations: Problem-solving aligns with expectations for respect, responsibility, and safety
- Follow-up and reflection: Students are supported in reflecting on outcomes and adjusting future responses
Implementation Tips:
- Teach a consistent, simple problem-solving framework schoolwide (e.g., “Stop, Think, Choose”)
- Use real classroom situations (anonymized) as teaching examples during instruction
- Integrate problem-solving language into daily routines and academic instruction
- Role-play common school conflicts (e.g., sharing materials, group work disagreements, transitions)
- Reinforce and acknowledge when students independently use problem-solving strategies
- Coach students through conflicts in real time using prompts rather than immediate solutions
- Re-teach skills proactively after breaks or when data shows increased conflict patterns
Websites for Additional Information: