Building Resilience in Children and Young People Emotional Literacy Teacher Professional Development

What is Emotional Literacy? ‘Emotional literacy’ is described as the ability to understand ourselves and other people, and in particular to be aware of, understand, and use information about the emotional states of ourselves and others with competence It includes the ability to understand, express and manage our own emotions and respond appropriately to the emotions of others The terms ‘emotional literacy’ and ‘emotional intelligence’ are often used interchangeably The term ‘literacy’ tends to be favoured by educators and those focused on the ongoing nature of personal and social learning across the life-course (Weare 2004) Weare, K. (2004) Developing the emotionally literate school, London: SAGE

A developing interest in emotional literacy 6a. Emotional Literacy A developing interest in emotional literacy Gardner’s (1983) work on ‘multiple intelligences’ emphasised the contribution of: intrapersonal intelligence, including the capacity to be aware of one’s own emotional states, feelings and motivations interpersonal intelligence, including the capacity to assess the emotions, motivations, and perspectives of others Goleman’s (1995) work on ‘Emotional Intelligence’ heightened attention to the importance of being able to perceive, understand and regulate the expression of emotions, and understand and deal effectively with the emotions of others Matthews (2006) argues that ‘emotional literacy’ is a better term as literacy is socially and culturally ‘learnt’, and entails recognition of the cultural and social values of others. Key components of emotional literacy include the capacity to reflect, to be in dialogue with others, and to accept and respect difference (Gardner 1983; Goleman 1995; Matthews et al. 2002)

Emotional Literacy Key presumptions underpinning the focus on building emotional literacy Social and emotional capabilities are teachable All students benefit from being taught SEL Student mental health and engagement in learning improves when students are taught SEL (this is now well-established through longitudinal research tracking the learning and wellbeing of students who have received quality SEL programs) Evidence-based programs work best

Research Shows the Benefits of SEL programs Emotional Literacy Research Shows the Benefits of SEL programs A meta-analysis of over 200 primary and secondary SEL programs, where participants participated in rigorously designed and well-taught SEL programs (as compared with students in control schools) showed: More positive social behaviour Less risky and disruptive behaviour Improvements in academic performance with an average 11% gain in academic achievement (Durlak et al. 2011)

Emotional Literacy and Social and Emotional Competancies The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) have identified five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies. A range of research has investigated how to use school-based programs to develop these competencies. Self-Awareness: Identifying and recognising emotions; accurate self-perception; recognising strengths, needs, and values; self-efficacy Self-Management: Impulse control and stress-management; self-motivation and discipline; goal-setting and organisational skills Social Awareness: Perspective taking; empathy; difference recognition;respect for others Relationship Skills: Communication, social engagement, and relationship building; working cooperatively; negotiation, refusal, and conflict management; help- seeking Responsible Decision-making: Problem identification and situation analysis; problem-solving; evaluation and reflection; personal, social, and ethical responsibility

SEL in the Current Curriculum Emotional Literacy SEL in the Current Curriculum Social and personal skills are emphasised in the AusVELS General Capabilities: Personal and Social Capability skills are addressed in all learning areas and at every stage of a student’s schooling. They include: Self-awareness Self-management Social awareness Social management The Building Resilience lesson materials explicitly address skills within these elements Critical and Creative Thinking is a general capability which is also integral to all learning areas. Key elements fostered within the Building Resilience lesson materials include: Generating ideas, possibilities and actions Reflecting on thinking and processes * Note that the General Capabilities, as well as the Health and Physical Education curriculum will be updated when the current curriculum is updated in Victoria and released under the AusVELS curriculum framework. For more information about General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum see www.acara.edu.au

Literacy as a Tool for Emotional Literacy The Building Resilience Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) materials provide literacy-rich situations and the opportunity to build the vocabulary that is needed for students to understand and articulate their emotions Literacy development is embedded in the content and processes of the learning activities This is particularly so in the Emotional Literacy Topic, but subsequent sessions also prompt the teacher to develop the vocabulary needed for students to successfully engage with the activities

Emotional Literacy Activities in the Emotional Literacy Topic assist students to develop vocabulary and concepts to help them to: Foundation Recognise and identify their own emotions Describe situations that may evoke these emotions Compare their emotional responses with those of their peers Investigate how emotional responses vary in depth and strength Examine influences on and consequences of emotional responses on behaviour Analyse factors that influence their ability to regulate emotions Forecast the consequences of expressing emotions inappropriately and devise measures to regulate behaviour Identify indicators of possible problems in relationships Analyse enablers of and barriers to effective verbal and non-verbal communication Reflect critically on their emotional responses to a variety of situations and in a range of contexts Moderate their emotional responses when expressing opinions, values and choices Explain how relationships differ between peers, parents, teachers and other adults Level 9/10

EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: Emotional Literacy EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: 1. Understanding Strong Emotions (Levels 3-4) The metaphor of the thermometer helps students to talk about the different intensity with which emotions are felt Identify the type of experience that might make you feel a little bit angry, or annoyed, with a score in the 1-3 out of 10. Share this idea with a partner Identify the type of experience that might make you feel very angry, or furious, with a score between 7 to 10 out of 10. Share this idea with a partner Share some ideas with the group Repeat the activity exploring the emotion of fear, first locating small fears or anxieties, then working up to the more terrifying level 10 Boiling! 9 Extremely strong 8 Very strong 7 Quite strong 6 Strong 5 A lot 4 To a degree 3 Weak 2 A little 1 Not much This activity is adapted from the Level 3-4 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 3: Positive coping, Activity 2)  This activity is adapted from the Level 3-4 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 3: Positive coping, Activity 2) 

Emotional Literacy EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: 2. Emotions across the school day (Level 3-4) Example brainstorm template Children identify that they can experience a range of positive and negative emotions across the day Conduct a group brainstorm: What experiences lead to children feeling a) Positive emotions (proud, interested, friendly, excited, relieved) b) Negative emotions (angry, lonely, afraid, disappointed) Write the words for the positive emotions on the inside of one half of the body and the words for the negative emotions on the other side Use the space outside the body to draw pictures or write phrases to describe the experiences that can cause these emotions Put the positive images on the outside of the positive half of the body and the negative experiences on the negative side of the page This activity is adapted from the Level 3-4 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 1: Emotional literacy, Activity 4)  This activity is adapted from the Level 3-4 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 1: Emotional Literacy)

EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: 3. A rollercoaster of emotions (Level 5-6) Emotional Literacy EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: 3. A rollercoaster of emotions (Level 5-6) The metaphor of the rollercoaster is used to help students understand emotional intensity and the way in which experiences can trigger positive or negative emotions Listen to the story. How do the events trigger shifts between positive and negative emotions, and instances of greater intensity of ‘highs’ and ‘lows’? Draw a rollercoaster diagram showing the high and low points of Brian’s day. Draw the rollercoaster that represents your own day A day in the life of Brian The day started like any other, I woke up and climbed out of bed. Eww my foot landed right on something slimy and mushy - my baby sister’s half chewed biscuits….. “Dadddddd!!” “Just get ready for school,” was all he said. Walking out in to the kitchen I noticed he had made my favourite breakfast: egg and bacon muffin. “Thanks dad,” I said. He smiled at me and ruffled my hair. I ate and went quickly to get dressed for school to have time to play with my friends before the bell. But I had to wait ages until my big sister was finally ready to leave for school. It was three minutes to nine! We were going to be late. My teacher gets so annoyed when we are late. She sends us to the office to sign in. When I arrived in class after sneaking back from the office sign-in I saw that my best friend had saved me a seat. Then I discovered we were doing a maths test on decimals; and last week I got 7 out of 10 wrong! When the recess bell rang, Jordan suggested, “Let’s play basketball”. As they picked teams I stood and waited and waited and waited. I was the last one chosen. I could hear Lou saying “Don’t pick him. He’ll make us lose”. I turned around and walked off. As I trudged over to the taps, Rosie called “Why don’t we just sit and talk? I don’t even like basketball.” This activity is adapted from the Level 5-6 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 1: Emotional literacy, Activity 4) 

EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: Emotional Literacy EXAMPLE LEARNING ACTIVITY: 4. Hidden emotions (Level 7-8) The metaphor of the iceberg is used to help students understand the concept of surface and deeper emotions. Draw two icebergs. Map the emotions of Suraj on one and the teacher on the other. Emotions that are closer to the surface go above the ‘waterline’, and those that are hidden or deeper go below the ‘waterline’. What emotions might Suraj/ Teacher be feeling? Which might be the strongest of these emotions? Which emotions might he/she be trying to hide? embarrassment shame guilt anger worry fear Scenario: Suraj is in a Science class when the teacher catches him looking at a post on his Facebook page. The teacher confiscates the phone and tells him he will keep it for the rest of the week. The phone belongs to Suraj’s grandmother who does not even know he has borrowed it. This activity is adapted from the Level 7-8 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 1: Emotional literacy, Activity 4)  This activity is adapted from the Level 7-8 Building Resilience learning materials (Topic 1: Emotional literacy, Activity 4) 

Emotional Literacy REFLECT What strategies do you use to build the vocabulary needed for the lesson? What strategies do you use to name the emotions that students may feel as they encounter various learning situations? What strategies do you model about how to express and regulate your emotions?

6a. Emotional Literacy Useful Links The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) leads research and innovation in the area of social and emotional learning (SEL) http://www.casel.org/

Emotional Literacy References Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). The Impact of Enhancing Students’ Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. Gardner, H. (1983) Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ Matthews, B., Kilbey, T., Doneghan, C. and Harrison, S. (2002) Improving attitudes to science and citizenship through developing emotional literacy, School Science Review, 84(307): 103-114. Weare, K. (2004) Developing the Emotionally Literate School. London, Sage Publications