Social-Emotional Learning Vocabulary for 2nd Grade

19 terms

JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026

In 2nd grade, students in the early elementary (K-2) band encounter 19 essential social-emotional learning vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.

Below you will find every social-emotional learning term for 2nd grade, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.

1st Grade (20)3rd Grade (21)

decision-making

Honesty

Always telling the truth and not trying to trick or fool people.

Problem-solving

Thinking of different ways to fix a problem and choosing the best one.

Responsibility

Being someone others can count on because you do what you are supposed to do.

relationships

Apology

Telling someone you are sorry for something you did that hurt them.

Conflict

A disagreement or argument between two or more people who want different things.

Forgiveness

Choosing to let go of anger or hurt feelings toward someone who wronged you.

self-awareness

Brave

Being willing to do something even though you feel scared.

Confident

Believing that you can do something well.

Curious

A feeling of wanting to learn or know more about something.

Embarrassed

A feeling of being uncomfortable or awkward because of something that happened in front of other people.

Jealous

A feeling you get when you want something that someone else has.

Worried

A feeling of thinking something bad might happen.

self-management

Coping

Using healthy ways to deal with difficult feelings, like talking to someone, drawing, or taking a break.

Impulse

A sudden strong urge to do something without thinking about it first.

Organize

Putting things in order so you can find them and get things done more easily.

Routine

Things you do in the same order every day, like brushing your teeth and packing your backpack each morning.

social-awareness

Compassion

Caring about someone who is suffering and wanting to do something to help them feel better.

Diversity

The many ways people are different from each other, including their backgrounds, cultures, abilities, and beliefs.

Gratitude

Feeling thankful for the good things in your life and showing appreciation to others.

Explore more

Social-Emotional Learning subject page

All social-emotional learning resources on JamWise

Full glossary

Browse all 1,700+ vocabulary terms

2nd Grade overview

All subjects for 2nd grade

For teachers

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Learning games

20+ interactive vocabulary games

Social-Emotional Learning songs for 2nd grade

JamWise creates curriculum-aligned social-emotional learning songs that make vocabulary stick. Free for teachers.