Suggestions for culturally inclusive learning: Integrating diversity in educational research and promoting inclusive social and emotional learning support for all

Abstract

As articulated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), achieving inclusive and equitable quality education is a global imperative (United Nations, 2015, 2025), and inclusive approaches such as social and emotional learning (SEL) represent a vital pathway toward realizing this vision in future education. However, there is still a shortage of empirical studies that examine the implementation of such learning support programs in K-12 schools to validate their intended outcomes. We emphasize the critical need of inclusive SEL in schools and propose ways that future educational approaches can more effectively foster the positive development of diverse learners. Specifically, we explored how inclusive SELthat integrates multicultural perspectives and emphasizes individual differences, can contribute to a paradigm shift in future education. Ultimately, we integrate theoretical perspectives to illustrate how these school-based SEL programs can contribute to methodological advancements and a deeper understanding of individual learning differences in future educational research.