In order to correctly perceive feelings in others and ourselves – we first have to develop words for those feelings.
Emotional granularity is the ability to differentiate between feelings and articulate our emotional experiences. Developing a larger and more complex feeling vocabulary helps students to better communicate with others about what and how they are feeling. This self awareness is critical to social emotional learning and development.
A larger feelings lexicon also helps students interpret the feelings of others developing a heightened sense of empathy. By engaging in discussions about their personal experiences, students take ownership of their feelings and become more compassionate communicators.
What’s beneath the emotions?
Brainstorming emotion icebergs with students is a good step in helping to create self and social awareness.
Asking questions like, “What else might be going on when someone is angry?” is a good start point.
Some videos to Help with Emotion Identification:
Jealousy…we’ve all been in that situation before—felt that mix of insecurity and anger. Today on Wellcast, we’re going to give you tips and techniques to taming the green eyed monster in all your relationships. The first step is realizing the cause.
Fun Emotion Identification Journaling Activity:
(Roll a die to decide what prompt to use!)
For more ideas and activities on Worry,
Activities to Build Emotional Vocabulary Skills in Older Students: Part 2 in Communicating with Compassion Series - Speech Paths
In my first post in this series, Working with students classified as emotionally disturbed: What’s our role?, I explored the role of the SLP as part of the treatment team of this challenging population. I also shared my concerns for the ongoing epidemic of violence in our schools, and how we are part of the …
Why Labeling Emotions Matters
An at-home experiment on emotion labeling