Imagine a classroom where doodling, music, and drama aren’t just side notes; they’re at the heart of Social Emotional Learning (SEL). That’s what this handbook is all about: blending arts into core STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) subjects to make learning more human, engaging, and empathetic. SEL is more than just identifying emotions. It’s about building spaces where learners feel and are seen, heard, and valued. By integrating arts into SEL, you’re not just teaching skills, you’re fostering community, creativity, and compassion. This handbook gives you practical ways to do just that!

Who is this handbook for?

If you’re an educator, counsellor, or even a young adult supporting displaced teens, this handbook is for you. It’s also for non-governmental and community organisations working in education and mental health, especially in crisis contexts. To keep things simple, we’ll just call you all “educators” throughout this handbook.

How is this handbook meant to be used?

This handbook isn’t something you read once and put away… it’s more like a buffet where you can sample as per your requirements. After reading the first chapter, which gives you a quick look at SEL, you can explore any of the three arts-based chapters in any order:

Each chapter has

• reflection questions,
• additional resources for reading, watching , listening,
• examples and templates.

Whether you’re looking for a quick idea or planning a full class session, you will find this handbook handy.

Look out for these icons:

if you are accessing this content on pressbooks that means you have steady internet connection. However, incase you cannot access external hyperlinks or embedded links, you’ll You’ll find augmented transcripts of the videos and audios in the Annexure II.

What outcomes can you expect from this handbook?

This handbook is like a toolkit filled with creative, practical ideas to blend arts and SEL into your teaching. By the end of your journey through its pages, you’ll be able to:

• Identify opportunities to integrate doodling, music, and drama into core subjects, making lessons more dynamic and meaningful. Achievement of this outcome will help you create engaging, arts-infused lessons that foster social-emotional skills.
• Design creative, context-specific activities that use the arts to build empathy, communication, and self-awareness. Achievement of this outcome will help you nurture learners’ emotional intelligence while teaching core academic content.
• Develop SEL-based lesson plans that blend creativity with curriculum goals, promoting holistic learning. Achievement of this outcome will help you craft lessons that resonate emotionally while meeting academic standards.
• Empower your learners to express themselves through the arts, fostering a positive and inclusive classroom environment. Achievement of this outcome will help you build a compassionate learning space where every learner feels valued.
• Reflect on your teaching practices by using guided questions and practical templates, refining your approach to SEL. Achievement of this outcome will help you grow as an educator while making SEL an integral part of your teaching practice.

Think of this handbook as a recipe book for creating thoughtful, creative learning spaces where learners don’t just learn… they grow. Let’s cook up some SEL activities!

How does this handbook align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

This resource, part of the OE4BW 2025 project, is aligned with:

SDG 4: Quality Education – Inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being – Promoting well-being through creative expression.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Encouraging inclusive teaching practices.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – Building peaceful classrooms through empathy and understanding.

In what formats is the book available?

You can use this book in different formats:

• PDF / Print version (Best for limited or no internet): The PDF can be read on a device or printed. It also includes augmented transcripts in the annexures so you can use the book fully offline. The main text has links and QR codes that you can access later if you have internet.
• Google Doc version (Best with steady internet or for Adaptation): Lets you
  • make a copy and store on your Google Drive (Go to File > Make a copy) or
  • download the book in other formats (Go to File > Download and choose PDF, webpage, epub, or another format.)
• Pressbook version (Best with steady internet): Includes embedded videos and downloadable templates. Annotation feature is also enabled.  Note that this version is currently work in progress.

What does the license assigned to the handbook enable you to do?

In addition, the CC BY NC SA licence given to this handbook permits you to:

• Share: Copy and share the material in any form and format.
• Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the content of this handbook.

Under the following conditions:

• Attribution: You must give credit to the original creators and indicate if any changes were made. You need to provide a link to the license and state if changes were made. You can do this in any reasonable manner, but not in a way that suggests the creators support you or your use of the material.
• Non-Commercial: You cannot use the content of this manual for commercial purposes.
• ShareAlike: If you remix, transform, or build upon the content of this manual, you must distribute your contributions under the same conditions.

Note that some of the resources to external sources may be copyrighted.

How has AI been leveraged in the creation of this handbook?

The handbook also includes activities that were thoughtfully co-created using few-shot prompting, leveraging free-version of tools such as ChatGPT 4 and Claude AI to ensure alignment with the learning objectives. All content was carefully reviewed and verified by the course developer for quality and relevance. Additionally, a few visuals included in the course were creatively designed using Dall.E and transcripts to video were created using Turbo Scribe to enhance the learning experience.

What are the types of resources used in this handbook?

Apart from including new Open Educational Resources (OER) in the form of videos, text and activities, this handbook reuses existing OERs.

Let’s get started! Dive into the arts, spark those conversations, and make SEL a lively part of your classroom!