THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING ON CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Social-Emotional Learning on the emotional well-being and classroom engagement of English Language Learners within the multilingual educational context of Kazakhstan. Employing a systematic literature review of 25 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025, the research synthesizes global and regional findings on SEL implementation. The results indicate that SEL practices significantly enhance students’ emotional regulation, reduce language anxiety, and improve motivation and participation in ELL classrooms. A three-level framework universal, targeted, and individualized support emerges as the most effective structure for integrating SEL into language education. The study also identifies a geographic imbalance in SEL research, with the majority of publications concentrated in Western countries, while Central Asia shows emerging but limited activity. By contextualizing SEL for Kazakhstani ELL settings, the study highlights the need for culturally responsive approaches, teacher training, and systemic support. The findings contribute to bridging the gap between global SEL theory and local pedagogical practice, offering practical guidelines for fostering emotionally supportive and inclusive language learning environments