Neurodiverse youth book clubs for transformative and inclusive social emotional learning

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 10 neurodiverse adolescents who participated in youth-led book clubs at a specialized secondary school in Amsterdam. Over a five-month period, students met weekly to read Marcelo in the Real World and engage in structured discussions that emphasized literacy development and social-emotional learning (SEL). Data sources included 22 pre- and post-interviews and 24 transcribed book club sessions, which were analyzed through a two-cycle thematic coding process. Analysis of the interviews and transcripts revealed that book clubs can function as powerful forums for centering transformative and inclusive SEL. Specifically, findings informed the development of a five-domain framework that reconceptualizes CASEL’s SEL model, including (1) self-awareness and identity development, (2) social awareness, (3) thoughtful and intentional decision-making, (4) relationship-building and nurturing, and (5) agency, social responsibility, and voice. This framework broadens SEL by integrating equity, student voice, and neurodiverse perspectives, offering a more inclusive approach to social-emotional growth. From a practical standpoint, the findings demonstrate how educators can design low-cost, flexible, and participatory book clubs that affirm students’ identities while cultivating joy, empathy, and critical consciousness. This study contributes to scholarship on transformative and inclusive SEL and provides concrete strategies for inclusive practices.