Health & Wellbeing

 

Emotion Works and Emotional Literacy information for parents and carers

We have continued to embed a shared and consistent approach to the teaching of emotional literacy, enabling learners to develop a shared language of emotions.

Children who are supported in developing emotional literacy

  • Cope better with frustration
  • Develop better resilience
  • Develop empathy
  • Recognise that all emotions have value
  • Find it easier to regulate their own behaviour
  • Are more likely to have good mental health
  • Are in a better place to learn

We introduced the Emotion Works programme at Balmullo Primary School and Nursery Class a few years ago.

What is Emotion Works?

Emotion works is a well-regarded and practical resource to aid the delivery of emotional education in schools and nurseries. Emotion Works is linked to Curriculum for Excellence, GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) and the Scottish Attainment Challenge. At the heart of the programme is the ‘cog’ system which helps learners develop their emotional vocabulary and recognise and manage their emotions. A shared understanding of emotional language allows for more inclusive and open communication.

At the start of their Emotion Works journey, learners will get to know the first four cogs.

The orange cog represents emotion words – What’s the word for how I feel? What emotion is it?

The red cog represents body sensations – Where do I feel it in my body? How does it feel?

The yellow cog represents triggers – Why do I feel like this? What happened?

The green cog represents behaviours-  How do I show my emotion? How do I react

As children move through the stages of primary, they are introduced to ….

The blue cog represents regulation strategies – What changes the feeling? What makes me feel better?

In the upper stages of primary, learners will get to know two more cogs.

The grey cog represents intensity – How strong is this emotion? How much do I feel it?

The purple cog represents influences – What’s the bigger picture? What is the context?

Learners are taught about the cogs in a way that develops their emotional vocabulary and understanding. They can develop the ‘story’ of an emotion using a 4, 5 or 7 cog model. They can use the cogs to discuss or explore their own emotions or those of others e.g. in a story or film clip. The cogs can also be used across the curriculum for example, the Expressive Arts, Literacy and Social Subjects.

The cogs are displayed in each class and in our central hall.

Hopefully, learners will be able to transfer skills learned in school to the home environment, enabling them to talk about emotions in a familiar and comfortable way.

 

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