Emotional Literacy - Applied Psychology

The term emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognise, understand, handle and appropriately express our emotions.

Also known as emotional literacy, it involves:
• How we feel
• How we think
• How we behave

Emotional intelligence is increasingly thought to be a key ability that influences the success of all children, adults and organisations. It can affect a wide variety of skills including academic success and social interactions.

Over the years I have trained a number of schools, and other people / groups, in emotional literacy.

Aims of sessions:

The sessions are part of a long-term strategy agreed by the school to develop emotional literacy for all children and adults. As emotional literacy is a process of developing skills and attitudes, this is the first part of a number of activities to be decided and undertaken by the school, over a period of time. A key aspect of the process is to enable staff to retain ownership of, and decide, the direction and rate of change over time.

These initial sessions include:

• Introduction to emotional literacy.
• Developing this attribute in children.
• Examining and improving our own emotional literacy.
• Becoming an emotionally intelligent school.

The sessions include both presentations as well as interesting and fun, practical activities.

Further information
Emotional intelligence is a key skill in coping with both educational and personal needs. Other terms are also used, usually interchangeably Personal and Emotional Learning. The level of Emotional Literacy at an early age can be a far better predictor of success in school and throughout life than early literacy skills or general intelligence. Teaching Emotional Literacy by parents/ carers from an early age enables young children to enter school well prepared for the demands of learning.

Emotional Literacy is a key skill for all children and can be taught in schools as a specific subject, provided that it is a regular part of the curriculum. However it is best developed as a whole school approach both within the curriculum and as a way in which the entire school functions generally. Implications for schools and other organisations are that individual adults and the organisation as a whole need to reflect on and develop their own Emotional Intelligence in order to best meet the emotional needs of young people.

Stephen Bayliss - Chartered Psychologist
The Centre
18 Prospect Road
Hythe
Kent CT21 5NH
UK

Telephone: (01303) 253304

Email: mail@charteredpsychologist.co.uk