Connecting Afterschool Program Quality to Social, Emotional, and Literacy Skill Development

By Neil Naftzger, Kathryn Wheeler, and Georgia Hall

Recent research syntheses (see, for example, Naftzger & Newman, 2021) have detailed how afterschool programs can support youth learning and development, including social and emotional learning, interest development, increased engagement in school, and a variety of school-related outcomes. However, one area that has received less attention is how afterschool programs that meet established quality benchmarks can support the development of social and emotional skills and of literacy skills among participating children.

Tags: Engagement, Academic Subjects, Best Practices, Behavior Management, Interventions, Leadership, Theory, Schools, Program Quality, Social Emotional