Second Step
Second Step is a popular SEL program for
elementary school populations
Second Step focuses on three skill areas:
Empathy training
Impulse control
Anger management
Teachers use “card” stimulus materials to
demonstrate ideas and engage children in
discussion and skill development
Unit I – Empathy Training
Empathy is the ability to:
Determine the emotional state of the other
Assume the perspective and role of the other
Respond emotionally to another
Empathy is the key ingredient in
developing prosocial behaviors
Empathy is developed in a series of
progressive steps
Unit I – Empathy Training
Teaching Strategies
Identify feelings from a variety of physical and
situational cues
Recognize that people have difference feelings
about the same things
Recognize that feelings change and why this is
so
Differentiate intentional from unintentional acts
Communicate feelings using “I” messages
Express care and concern for others
Unit 2 – Impulse Control
Impulse control means to stop and think
through a problem rather than doing the
first thing that comes to mind.
This unit focuses on problem-solving and
behavioral skills training
There is a strong emphasis on modeling,
role playing, performance feedback,
reinforcement, and transfer of training
Unit 2 – Impulse Control
The Problem-Solving approach has five
steps:
What is the problem?
What are some solutions?
For each solution ask
Is it safe?
Is it fair?
How might people feel?
Will it work?
Choose a solution and use it
Is it working? If not, what can I do now?
Unit 2 – Impulse Control
Behavioral Skills training helps students
develop behavioral repertoires for
problematic situations
Joining in
Ignoring distractions
Interrupting politely
Dealing with wanting something that isn’t yours
Asking for help in a positive way
Playing a game
Asking permission
Unit 3 – Anger Management
Anger management is a compilation
of stress reduction techniques for
channeling ones anger into socially
acceptable directions
Uses self-talk or thinking out loud to
guide one’s behavior – seeking to
reverse escalation by substituting
positive coping statements
Unit 3 – Anger Management
What to Do When You Are Angry
1. How does my body feel?
Students recognize sensations that tell them
they are angry
2. Calm down
Students apply anger reduction techniques
3. Think out loud to solve the problem
4. Think about it later
Students reflect on the incident and evaluate
their performance