EMOTIONAL LITERACY

 Introduction
Emotional literacy is understanding to one's own emotions. It is the ability to identify and label
feelings in ourselves and others. In addition, emotional literacy incorporates the coping and expression of
emotions in appropriate ways. As we all know that feelings which occur in ourselves in response to the
surrounding situations and reactions are our emotions. These are sadness, fear, anger, happiness, furtiveness
etc etc.in fact it is a kind of disturbance within ourselves. Emotional literacy is the knowledge of emotions,
how to express and manage our emotions and empathising emotions of others.

It is noted that many people use emotional intelligence and emotional literacy interchangeably, or at
the very least, they have considerable overlap. Emotional intelligence may be an overall broader concept but
it is made up of self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy, all critical aspects of emotional literacy. It is
probably fair to say that emotional literacy is a building block of emotional intelligence and that the benefits
of possessing emotional intelligence are shared with emotional literacy.

Emotional literacy refers to a child's ability to identify, express, understand, and regulate their
emotions. It also involves developing empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of
others. Children who learn to recognize and express their emotions become better equipped to handle
difficult situations and form healthy relationships. Emotional literacy also lays the foundation for their
ability to interact successfully with others and develop social skills. Emotional intelligence consists of five
elements:

 Self-awareness: Recognizing and understanding one's emotions and how they impact one's thoughts,
behaviors, and interactions with others.
 Self-regulation: Managing and controlling emotions and impulses, especially in stressful or challenging
situations.
 Motivation: Using emotional factors to drive and achieve goals while enjoying the learning process and
overcoming obstacles.
 Empathy: Recognizing and understanding other people's emotions and perspectives and responding
appropriately and effectively.
 Social skills: Positively managing relationships, communicating effectively, collaborating, and
influencing and inspiring others.

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It is not just about language; language plays a large part in emotional literacy because language is so
important in a social world. Language serves as a tool to communicate and much of what language
communicates is our feelings about ourselves and our relationships with others. We use language to give
common meaning to something, such as a feeling. Talking about shared experiences, acknowledging and
labeling emotions, and letting children know that we see, hear, understand and accept their feelings many
times a day are all major strategies that all caregivers can use to develop emotional literacy.A child’s
developmental level will determine what is said and what response the caregiver can expect from the child.
In infants and toddlers, and some preschool-aged children, the words used to acknowledge and label an
emotion may be well ahead of the child’s level of speech but the expectations for the child’s response must
be in line with the child’s developmental capacity.

4 R's of emotional literacy

 The 4Rs Program (Reading, Writing, Respect, and Resolution) provides read-alouds, book talks, and
sequential, interactive skills lessons to develop social and emotional skills related to understanding
and managing feelings, listening and developing empathy, being assertive, solving conflict creatively
and nonviolently
 For example, when reading a book with child, ask them questions like, 'how do you think that made
them feel?' or 'how would you feel in that situation?' Show children that you're here to listen: create
an atmosphere where children can share their emotions freely by modelling good emotional literacy
yourself.
 Importance of Emotional Literacy

In order to gauge the importance of emotional literacy, it is important to know the role emotional
understanding and regulation in all facets of our lives. If we can’t identify the emotions we are
experiencing, we can’t properly understand our feelings or control over behavior. Resulting this situation
we are more likely to be frustrated and confused and express these emotions inappropriately. That means
more impulsive and destructive behavior as well as an inability to self-soothe. Problems with emotional
literacy may lead to anger management issues and contribute to a lack of frustration tolerance. What’s
more, if we are stuck in emotional turmoil, it is not possible to concentrate on school or work
responsibilities, causing less successful. And what happens when one is less successful? we become upset
and act out. It is a vicious cycle.

May be most importantly, emotional literacy affects our relationships with other people. It allows us to
accurately interpret other people’s feelings and act accordingly. That means fewer fights will occur among
ourselves and are more likely to have friends and be popular. Additionally, if we can “read the room” that
put us at a major advantage in social and work situations. Emotional literacy is directly related to the

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 development of empathy. Understanding how someone else may be feeling is essential to all interpersonal
interaction. Further, people with empathy get along better with others and are viewed kindlier.If we are
unable to identify and understand emotions we are at a severe disadvantage in life. It is not an
exaggeration to say that people with emotional literacy are going to be happier and well-adjusted than

those with emotional deficits.

 Challenges in the Development of Emotional Literacy

Emotional literacy is not an inborn trait. It needs to be developed in our lives. Like many features of
development, however, if it does not emerge when we are young, there is a danger that it will never
sufficiently develop. It is the reason, why there is such a focus on increasing emotional literacy as a child.
Unfortunately, several factors may intervene its advancement:

One of the factor is biological. Some children have a difficult temperate that does not lend itself easily to
introspection and regulation. Other children, such as those with developmental disabilities, basically don’t
have the same aptitude to become emotionally literate. Another major factor is environmental: parental and
family support. Mostly we do not promote the expression and identification of feelings in our young ones.
Many families are more detached and don’t show problematic emotions. Some families have trouble
regulating their feelings and have frequent arguments or problems with anger management. When we are not
taught about emotional regulation and emotional literacy it is much harder to develop. That makes what
happens outside the home more important. And children spend most of their time outside the home at
school. So, it begs the question: are teachers promoting emotional literacy? Although some teachers and
child-care workers are aware of emotional literacy, it is not a topic that has received as much attention as
some other aspects of development. As a result, it may not be promoted as much with children as would be
necessary to make up for any deficits from their home life.

Another problem is the nature of social interaction today. Now a days, we are buried in our phones, tablets,
and computers. We spend more time texting and on Zoom than we do in the same room. As a result, there is
less opportunity to engage in meaningful face-to-face interactions with others. Overall, we are living in a
less present society than in the last century.

Further, our expectations for boys and girls differ. Because of societal gender norms, there is the belief that
boys and men should not express their emotions. Therefore, boys do not receive the same opportunities to
develop emotional literacy, giving girls the advantage in understanding feelings and developing empathy.
The children today are busier than ever. Activities certainly have their advantages but a downside is that
being so busy frequently prevents normal socialization.

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 Theories of emotional literacy

Claude Speiner Psychotherapist describes emotional literacy is the ability to understand our emotions, the
ability to listen to others and empathise with their emotions, and the ability to express emotions
productively.

He posited that emotional literacy has five parts:

1. Knowing your feelings

2. Having a sense of empathy
3. Learning to manage your emotions
4. Repairing emotional problems
5. Emotional interactivity

Additionally, he believed that it was key to the formation of successful relationships, enhanced problem
solving abilities, and improving overall quality of life. We mostly discuss emotional literacy in terms of
children, but it has essential value across the lifespan.

Models of emotional literacy

The Goleman's mixed model defines it as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others,
for motivating ourselves, for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. Daniel
Goleman's first model focuses on the abilities required for leadership perform including five main EI
constructs, with twenty-five competencies:
1.Self-awareness 2. Self-regulation 3. Social ability 4. Empathy 5. Motivation
Goleman is credited with popularizing the concept of EI and raising awareness of the importance of
emotion-related abilities for leadership and performance.Although his work has been criticized by the
academic community, Goleman helped employers recognize that emotional intelligence is a critical
component of effective leadership and that it can be developed and improved through appropriate training
and coaching.

The four domains of Goleman's EI model

Self-awareness: this involves the ability to recognize and understand one's own emotions, strengths and
limitations.

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It includes being aware of one's emotional triggers and patterns of behavior, as well as understanding the
impact that emotions have on thoughts, decisions and behavior.

Self-management: self-management refers to the ability to regulate one's own emotions and behavior in
order to achieve personal and professional goals.

It involves the ability to manage stress, adapt to change and control impulses. This domain also includes
setting goals and holding oneself accountable for progress towards those goals.

Social awareness: this is the ability to understand and empathize with others' emotions, needs and
perspectives.

Social awareness involves being able to read nonverbal cues and respond appropriately in social situations,
as well as recognizing and valuing diversity and cultural differences.

Social skills: social skills refer to the ability to communicate effectively, build and maintain relationships
and manage conflicts.

This domain includes skills such as active listening, collaboration, leadership, and influence. It also involves
being able to work in teams and adapt to different social and cultural contexts.

Applications of Goleman's emotional intelligence model

Organizations commonly use Goleman’s model to raise awareness of how EI impacts certain processes and
areas of the business, including:

Decision-making: by developing emotional intelligence skills such as self-awareness and empathy,

individuals can make informed decisions that consider the impact on others and the organization. This can
lead to better outcomes and a more collaborative work environment.

Organizational culture: leaders can use emotional intelligence skills such as social awareness and empathy
to create a positive organizational culture. By valuing and supporting employees, leaders can improve
morale and productivity, resulting in a more engaged workforce.

Talent management: managers who develop emotional intelligence skills such as empathy and emotional
regulation can better understand and support their employees. This can result in improved employee
engagement and retention, as employees feel valued and supported.

Change management: developing emotional intelligence skills such as adaptability and empathy can help
individuals and teams manage change more effectively. By reducing resistance and improving outcomes,
organizations can adapt to changes in the business environment more easily.

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The mixed model of Bar-On Reuven Bar-On considered that emotional intelligence develops over time
and can be improved through training, programming and therapy. He considers emotional social intelligence
to be "a cross-section of interrelated emotional and social competencies, skills and facilitators that determine
how well we understand and express ourselves, understand others and relate with them, and cope with daily
demands, challenges and pressures”. Bar-On's model of emotional intelligence refers to performance
potential rather than performance itself, being process-oriented rather than results-oriented.

EI focuses on
1. a group of emotional and social skills
2. the ability to cope and adapt
Its mixed model includes five components of emotional intelligence
• Intrapersonal
o Self-respect o Awareness of one's emotions o Assertiveness o Independence o Tenacity
• Interpersonal
o Empathy o Social responsibility o Interpersonal relationship
• Adaptability
o Reality testing o Flexibility o Problem solving
• Stress management
o Stress tolerance of Impulsivity control
• General mood
o Optimism o Happiness
Now a days it is a debate as to whether emotional intelligence is a set of learned skills or whether it is a set
of personality traits that are inherent and self-identified …or a mixture of both.Emotional intelligence (EI)
has become an essential skill in today's workplace. The ability to understand and manage one's emotions and
those of others can improve communication, productivity and overall job satisfaction.

Applications of Bar-On's EI model

There are various professional applications of Bar-On’s EI model, including:

Recruitment and selection: organizations can use the model to assess the emotional intelligence of
potential employees during the recruitment process, and identify individuals with the right mix of emotional
intelligence skills for specific roles.

Performance management: the model can be used to identify areas where employees may need to develop
their emotional intelligence skills, which can be included in their performance goals and objectives.

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Conflict resolution: the model can be used to train employees in conflict resolution, helping them to
develop the emotional intelligence skills needed to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.

Team building: organizations can use the model to create teams with the right mix of emotional intelligence
skills to work together effectively, improving team performance and overall business outcomes.

Succession planning: Bar-On’s model can also be used to identify potential leaders and assess their
emotional intelligence skills, helping organizations to plan for leadership succession and identify areas for
leadership development.

Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso’s model is a mental ability model of emotional intelligence. It proposes
that EI is a set of skills that enable individuals to perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions effectively
- both in themselves and in others.

The model is based on four interrelated elements or abilities, namely, perception of emotions, use of
emotions, understanding of emotions and regulation of emotions.

Similar to Bar-On, the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso model positions EI as a type of intelligence distinct from
cognitive ability, and as something that can be developed over time through training and practice.

Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's EI model has been influential in demonstrating the importance of emotional
intelligence in the workplace and it is backed by significant empirical evidence supporting it as a predictor
of workplace success.

The model emphasizes the ability to use emotions to enhance cognitive processes - such as problem-solving
and decision-making - and to understand and manage emotions in oneself and others.

This has led to growing recognition of the importance of emotional intelligence in achieving success in
today's complex business environment, where the ability to navigate complex social dynamics and
communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders is essential for success.

The four branches of Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso’s EI model

Perception of emotions: this involves being able to accurately perceive and identify emotions in oneself and
others.

 It includes the ability to recognize facial expressions, vocal tones, and body language, as well as the
ability to discriminate between different emotions and identify subtle changes in emotional states.
 Use of emotions: this refers to the ability to effectively use emotions to facilitate thinking and
problem-solving.

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  It involves being able to harness emotions to motivate oneself and others, as well as to regulate
emotions in oneself and others in order to achieve specific goals.
 Understanding of emotions: this is the ability to comprehend the causes and consequences of
emotions.It includes understanding how emotions blend and transition from one to another, as well
as understanding the role of emotions in decision-making and interpersonal relationships.
 Regulation of emotions: this refers to the ability to manage and regulate one's own emotions, as well
as to respond appropriately to the emotions of others.It includes the ability to adapt to changing
emotional environments and to use strategies such as relaxation techniques and cognitive reappraisal
to manage and regulate emotions.

Common applications of the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso model include:

Communication: the model can be used to develop emotional intelligence skills such as empathy and
emotional regulation, which can help individuals to communicate more effectively, particularly in conflict
resolution and negotiation.

Leadership development: emotional intelligence skills such as self-awareness and social skills can help
individuals become more effective leaders, inspiring and motivating their teams.

Customer service: using the Mayer, Salovey and Caruso model, organizations can train employees to better
understand and respond to customer needs and concerns, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Sales performance: developing emotional intelligence skills such as understanding others' perspectives and
managing one's own emotions can help sales teams build stronger relationships with customers, improving
sales performance.

Innovation and creativity: finally, skills such as emotional regulation and flexibility can help individuals
and teams to be more innovative and creative, encouraging experimentation and risk-taking.

This makes it particularly relevant in the context of organizational effectiveness, where the ability to manage
emotions and interact effectively with others is critical for achieving success.By focusing on emotional and
social competencies, the model can help individuals and organizations improve communication,
collaboration and overall performance.

Strategies to teach emotional intelligence

 Taking advantage of teachable moments when children experience difficulties with peers and need
adult support to resolve them
 Speaking for two children who wants the same toy: “Sami wants the boat. Wasi wants the boat.
Sami, I know you were playing with the boat and it makes you mad when Wasi takes it. Wasi, Sami

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 was playing with the boat. You are sad you can’t have it. Let’s find another boat. Do you like red?
Would you like playing with a red boat? ”
 Staying close and supporting children in difficult encounters with other children.

 Staying near two children who want to pet the same doll: “Gentle with the doll, Zara and Zoha wants
the doll, too. she wants to pick it up. Both of them petting the doll.

 Showing positive feelings for both children in conflict.

 Putting your arms around both children who want to sit on your lap while you read a story:

 Letting children know through your calm approach that conflict is to be expected and that it can be
resolved with help.

 Telling three children that it is hard to share:

 “Children, we have lots of blocks for everyone to share. We can figure this out. We will find a place
for everyone to play with the blocks and trucks. Sometimes it is hard to share blocks and we get mad.
One for you, one for you, and one for you. Everybody find a place to sit. We can all play with the
blocks!”

 Helping children learn to put into words how they think others are feeling and to express empathy for
those feelings.

 Telling a child who is not crying why the child who is unhappy is crying and then telling her how to
comfort the crying child.

 Encouraging children to negotiate so that they feel that they have been heard and their feelings have
been taken into consideration.

 Telling both children you know they want to go on the rocking boat and that you will make sure each
gets a turn: “Tyrone is riding in the boat. Do you want to ride, too, Teddy? Tyrone, Teddy wants to
ride. Teddy, tell Tyrone you want to ride? Two more ups and downs, Tyrone, then it is Teddy’s turn
for a ride. Tyrone, tell Teddy, two more ups and downs?”

 Clarifying rules. Asking a child if she remembers that books are not to tear: “Sara I know you like
the Meesha story. Do you remember that we don’t tear books? Remember we take care of our books
so that we will be able to read them again. Let’s put that book back on the table and let’s find another
book for your grocery cart.”

 Using enriching language tools.

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  Choosing books, music and finger plays with a rich vocabulary of feeling words. Ask participants if
they have favorite books, music, or finger plays that they use with children.

 Using puppetry or felt board stories that retell common social experiences in the child care setting
and that emphasize feeling vocabulary and stories about conflict resolution (e.g. having two puppets
struggling over a favorite item or two puppets that have pretty hair that no one can touch).

 Reading stories about characters that children can identify with who express a range of feelings (e.g.
Baby Einstein for infants or See How I Feel stories like The Rainbow Fish).

 Encouraging children to draw pictures of their difficult or scary emotions (e.g. if a child heard
thunder and saw lightening, talking about it being frightening and offering an opportunity to draw,
then asking about the drawing).

 Between adults in the care setting.The emotional atmosphere among the adults in a care setting sends
a powerful message to very young children. Speaking in kind voices to one another; saying hello to
everyone and greeting parents with enthusiasm all carry messages about how we treat someone.

 “turtle technique.” The turtle technique was originally developed to teach adults anger
management skills and later was successfully adapted for school-age. Lets see steps of turtle
technique

 a. Recognize that you feel angry.

 b. Think “stop.”

 c. Go into your “shell,” taking three deep breaths, and thinking calming, coping thoughts: “It was an
accident. I can calm down and think of good solutions. I am a good problem solver.”

 d. Come out of your “shell” when calm and thinking of some solutions to the problem.

 In essence, the turtle technique seeks to help children learn to replace aggressive acts with a more
effective and efficient behavioral alternative.

 Teaching the turtle technique to young children can happen at large and small group times. A turtle
puppet is helpful and keeps children engaged during the lesson.

 The teacher can begin by introducing the turtle to the class. After the children get a chance to say
hello and perhaps give a gentle pet, the teacher shares the turtle’s special trick for calming down.

References

https://www.theraplatform.com/blog/486/what-is-emotional-literacy

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https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Emotional-Literacy.pdf

https://www.neuroworx.io/magazine/emotional-intelligence-models-and-theories/

https://mybrightwheel.com/blog/emotional-literacy

https://www.google.com/search?
q=emotional+literacy&rlz=1C1CHBD_enPK836PK836&oq=emotional+li&aqs=chrome.2.0i512j69i57j0i512l8.52225
j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.wellable.co/blog/emotional-intelligence-in-the-workplace/

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