Multicultural voices: socio-emotional learning in the context of Israeli schools

This qualitative study explored educational counsellors’ perceptions regarding promoting and inhibiting factors for implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) in Israeli schools across diverse educational settings. Through in-depth interviews with 18 female educational counsellors from Arab (Muslim and Christian) and Jewish communities, we examined the complexities of implementing SEL within Israel's multicultural context. SEL involves developing skills to understand emotions, set positive goals, maintain relationships, demonstrate empathy, develop healthy identities, and make responsible decisions. Findings revealed that SEL implementation encounters structural challenges (inadequate resources, large classes, insufficient training) and conceptual complexities stemming from tensions between Western individualistic foundations of SEL and collectivistic values prevalent in the Arab society. While SEL promotes skills such as self-awareness, emotional expression, and assertiveness, these practices may pose cultural dilemmas for students from collectivistic backgrounds and may be interpreted as challenging established authority structures. Our thematic analysis illuminates’ strengths in current educational practices alongside tensions, benefits, opportunities, and challenges experienced by diverse stakeholders across the two communities. Results suggest the need for culturally responsive and contextually sensitive approaches to SEL that respect traditional values while fostering essential skills for success in a contemporary multicultural society.