November 2023

Dear Winston Families, Colleagues and Friends,

The Winston Innovation Lab’s work around researching, validating and implementing social-emotional learning has been groundbreaking and influential within both the WPS model and the field of education at large. At the forefront of WIL’s research has been the Lives Over Time Study, which spans over a decade and aims to look at the specific social-emotional factors that contribute to long-term life satisfaction for students with learning disabilities. Within that research, we have been able to hone in on several key questions, one of which is whether social emotional strengths lead to academic skill development or conversely, whether academic skill development actually contribute to social emotional gains.

By analyzing the results of our Winston Essential Skills Survey (WESS) and student performance on our annual formal testing using the WIAT III, we discovered that social-emotional strengths do, in fact, lead to academic growth and development. Notably, the academic growth areas that presented as most closely tied to various QSIL strengths were those that involved more abstract and critical thinking, such as reading comprehension and math problem solving. For example, students who have strengths in Resilience, Self-Regulation, and Problem Solving may approach a math problem better able to analyze the information from different angles and attempt multiple solutions before finding the correct one. Likewise, students with strong Social-Communication skills may be more able to identify and appreciate various perspectives, leading to greater outcomes in reading comprehension. By demonstrating that social emotional learning drives academic growth, these results continue to validate and support our mission, our model, and our approach to understanding and teaching our students.

Back

Winston Preparatory School is a leading school for students with learning disabilities, including dyslexia, executive functioning difficulties (ADHD), and non-verbal learning disorders (NVLD).

WPS does not discriminate against applicants and students on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin. The Winston Preparatory School provides programs and services and equal opportunity in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, financial aid programs, employment, and the selection of its governing board without regard to gender, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability status, or any status recognized by federal, state and local civil rights and non-discrimination laws.