What Is Emotional Literacy?

Emotional literacy is like having a deep understanding of your own emotions and those of others. It's about being able to accurately identify and label feelings, express them in healthy ways, and respond to them effectively. Think of it as developing a rich emotional vocabulary, where you can not only recognise basic emotions like happiness or sadness, but also discern subtle nuances like frustration, disappointment, or contentment. This understanding extends to recognising emotions in others, allowing for empathy and compassion. Emotional literacy is essential for building strong relationships, navigating social situations, and maintaining overall well-being. It empowers you to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts peacefully, and respond to life's challenges with resilience.

In this section, we’re going to give you some ideas on how to cultivate emotional literacy in Young Person. We often tell them to use their words, but what words? Language for emotion is complicated, at precisely the age that children have very little language to call upon.

Use The Emotions Wheel

This is a good way to develop your Young Person's emotional vocabular.

The way you use the wheel is to start out from the middle and ask them to pick one of the simpler emotional words for them, and then work your way outwards.

Try to simply explain some of the words, as you work your way out to the outer edge.

If your Young Person is in the Fearful or Angry section of the wheel, you might want to co-regulate with them first. Maybe a Self-Soothe Box might help.

Read Stories with Emotional Themes

When reading these stories, try discussing the characters' feelings and how the character copes with them. Encourage your Young Person to try and name some of the feelings, and see if they can explain why the characters might feel that way. 

Play Games That Encourage Emotional Expression

When reading these stories, try discussing the characters' feelings and how the character copes with them. Encourage your Young Person to try and name some of the feelings, and see if they can explain why the characters might feel that way.