Emotional Literacy
At St Chad's, we help children learn about their emotions and how they affect their behaviour. Emotional literacy means being able to recognise, understand, and express emotions in healthy way. We use simple, engaging ways to teach them, starting with the idea of ‘Name it to Tame it’ – identifying emotions to better understand and manage them.
The Colour Monsters
One of the key texts we use in school is The Colour Monsters by Anna Llenas. This book helps children recognise and label their emotions from a young age. Every classroom and central area is equipped with a copy of the book and emotion puppets. These resources allow teachers and staff to actively engage with children, helping them to recognise and talk about how they feel.
The Brain and Our Emotions
To help children understand how their brain works when they experience emotions, we use Dr. Dan Siegel's ‘Hand Model of the Brain'. This model explains how our thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected through different parts of the brain.
When we experience strong emotions or stress, our brain’s ‘alarm system,’ called the amygdala, is activated. This is often referred to as ‘flipping our lid.’ In this state, the part of our brain responsible for thinking clearly and making decisions (the pre-frontal cortex) becomes less active.
Flipping Our Lid Back
Through Dr. Siegel’s hand model, children learn how to 'flip their lid back' – a way of calming the amygdala and bringing the pre-frontal cortex back online. This can be done using techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or engaging in activities that help relax and regulate emotions.
Meet Our Brain Characters
In Key Stage 1, children are introduced to the hand model through friendly characters with puppets: Gary the Guard Dog (representing the downstairs brain) and Olive the Owl (representing the upstairs brain). These characters are visible in classrooms and around the school, helping children connect the brain model with their everyday experiences.
Zones of Regulation
At St Chad’s, we use the Zones of Regulation framework to help children understand and manage their emotions. This framework divides emotions into four different zones, each representing a different emotional state. Children are taught to recognise these zones and explore strategies to help them regulate their feelings.
The Four Zones:
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Blue Zone: This zone represents feelings like sadness, boredom, or tiredness. Children learn strategies such as deep breathing, stretching, or taking a break to help them feel more energised and engaged.
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Green Zone: The Green Zone is when children feel calm and ready to learn. They are encouraged to stay in this zone through positive reinforcement, self-care practices, and activities that promote focus and well-being.
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Yellow Zone: This zone includes feelings of frustration, anxiety, or excitement. Children are taught strategies like using calming tools, taking a short walk, or practising mindfulness to help manage these heightened emotions and return to a more balanced state.
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Red Zone: The Red Zone represents extreme emotions like anger or fear. Children are guided to use strategies such as seeking help from a teacher, practising relaxation, or engaging in physical activities to de-escalate and regain control.
Supporting Emotional Growth
In Reception, the Zones are linked to the Colour Monsters vocabulary, making it easier for younger children to connect emotions to visual cues. As children move into Key Stage 1, emotional literacy is expanded, with new emotions like embarrassment and joy being introduced. These emotions are supported by a literacy display in school that reinforces emotional understanding.
Emotional Check-Ins
To help children recognise and express their emotions, we have regular 'emotional check-ins' throughout the day. In Reception, this is done using the Colour Monsters, while in Key Stage 1, children use the Zones of Regulation resource box. We encourage children to say, “I am feeling…” instead of “I am…” to help them understand that emotions are dynamic and changeable, not fixed.