Comptencies
This is the ability to recognize your own emotions, thoughts, and values and understand how they influence behavior.
What is self-awareness?
The DESSA is a strength-based assessment that evaluates this area of development.
What is social and emotional learning (SEL)?
Practicing SEL can reduce these negative classroom behaviors.
What are bullying, aggression, or disruptive behaviors?
SEL teaches strategies to cope with strong emotions like this one.
What is anger, anxiety, or sadness?
A score below 40 suggests this level of need for SEL support.
What is need for instruction or "Needs Instruction"?
The ability to communicate clearly, listen actively, and cooperate with others is known as this.
What are relationship skills?
rue or False: The DESSA only focuses on problems or deficits.
What is false? (It focuses on strengths.)
Students with strong SEL skills tend to do better in this area of school.
What are academics or grades?
Students with strong SEL skills are more likely to ask for this when they need it.
What is help or support?
The DESSA uses a 5-point scale from 0 to 4. What does a score of "4" mean?
What is "very frequently"?
Taking deep breaths to calm down when angry is an example of this.
What is self-regulation?
DESSA raters score each item based on how often a student displays a behavior in this timeframe.
What is the past 4 weeks?
Employers say these "soft skills" are just as important as technical skills—SEL helps build them.
What are communication, teamwork, or emotional intelligence?
SEL teaches strategies to cope with strong emotions like this one.
What is anger, anxiety, or sadness?
This score range means a child is demonstrating typical strengths.
What is 41–60 (Typical range)?