In this section
1 Autism and emotional understanding
2 Resources to support teaching of emotional understanding
A ♥ indicates images that follow are hyperlinked
What do the key documents say?
P5 ‘For all aspects of learning, consideration should be given to each learner’s … developmental stage’. This includes their emotional developmental stage.
P5 ‘Consideration is given to each child’s … developmental stage.’ Again, this includes their emotional developmental stage.
P21
For us all, understanding our emotions is a developmental and lifelong process. It’s a journey that can be difficult for many people but it can be so much more difficult for those who are neurodiverse, particularly those who are autistic. Most of us learn almost intuitively to recognise, name, grade, understand and express our emotions. It’s not necessarily the same for neourodiverse/autistic people who often benefit hugely from having these skills taught in a structured, concrete and literal way. People who can manage their own emotions are able to:
-
be aware of/recognise the internal sensation of the emotion
-
identify where it is in their body and what it feels like for them
-
apportion a name to that feeling/sensation (anger, happiness, sadness etc)
-
identify the strength of that emotion – am I feeling it a little or a lot?
-
understand what has triggered that emotion
-
know how to respond appropriately to that emotion –
It’s an extremely complex process! Even into adulthood, for many, these skills remain elusive which can make for a stressful and anxiety provoking day-to-day existence.
Some facts:
-
We all experience a range of emotions from positive and gentle – overwhelming and disturbing
-
Emotions are a continuum – a little of the emotion or a lot!
-
‘Feelings’ (the physical sensations) and ‘emotions’ (the words we use to describe that physical sensation) – words often used interchangeably
-
Recognising and understanding emotions difficult for ALL children – particular challenge for autistic children
-
Recognising and communicating a complex developmental process
-
Even us adults can have challenges with understanding and expressing emotion
-
Emotional awareness helps us know what we need and want (or don’t want!). Helps us build better relationships.
-
Based on research – emotional age of autistic learners likely to be several years behind chronological age
-
Emotions and interoception (our 8th sense) linked – see Question 2
Useful explanatory visual from Journey to Wellness
But what if …
-
you don’t recognise internal feelings/sensations?
-
you experience too many/too intense internal feelings/sensations?
-
you don’t understand what those feelings/sensations are?
-
you don’t know the name for the feeling/sensation?
-
you don’t know how to manage the feeling?
One of Purple Ella’s visuals
Implications?
-
Poor levels – unable to understand or connect with bodies in ways that enable them to self-regulate
-
Can’t identify mood changes or self‐regulate their body
-
Over sensitive – minor stress may induce uncomfortable feelings – trigger ‘flight, fight, freeze’ response
-
Need support to differentiate between feeling slightly challenged/minor discomfort and feeling unsafe/in danger so they can respond differently
♥Extra reading
In Question 2, there was a focus on our 8th sensory system; our interoceptive sense. It’s the sense that helps us identify, recognise and grade the intensity of our emotions. If your interoceptive system is out of kilter … it would be helpful if someone could teach you about this stuff.
♥There is emerging research to support the use of mindfulness, yoga, relaxation techniques to help people begin to recognise and interpret their internal bodily sensations. Click on the slide for further reading.
2 Resources to support teaching of emotional understanding
♥ Being proactive and teaching interoceptive activities is helpful for all learners in the development of emotional understanding. Below is a great resource (for parents/carers but useful in the classroom) and an explanatory video.
♥The video from Healthy Possibilities.
♥I like this summary from Worcestershire Speech and Language Therapy. Pop along to their website – lots and lots of resources to download. NB! Encouraging them to look at faces is not the same as encouraging eye contact. Never insist on eye contact. for some, it is far too difficult.
Introducing visuals like those below can help. You may have to do lots of modelling if the child doesn’t initially ‘get it’.
♥A downloadable visual from Jill Kuzma you can use with learners to help them begin to identify body sensations. Again, you may need to give lots of input to aid understanding and do lots of modelling yourself.
Using scales with learners is an effective way of teaching them emotional vocabulary, helping them identify which emotion they are experiencing, be aware of the intensity of that emotion, acknowledge what triggers the emotion and supports them to decide what to do in response to the emotion.
♥The Incredible 5 Point Scale is a resource I have used again and again over the years. The website has quite a bit of information and some examples to look at and download for free. The ‘blue’ book is autism specific but the ‘green’ book is not much different. Both are worth buying.
♥Simply presenting children and young people with scales is not enough. They must be taught how to use them which can take minutes, weeks or months. This 5 minute video explains how to introduce and use a 5 point scale. Warning! The video is really ‘wobbly’!
♥I really like this 7 minute video which explains how you can use a 5 point scale for so much more than emotions. It mentions ‘A 5 is Against the Law‘ (see below).
Nowadays, there are almost too many books to support learners understand their emotions. This book has been around for years but still a goodie!
Found video to use with learners …
may also be helpful …
For older learners this is a fantastic resource to help them understand all the unwritten social rules that can be so confusing. A ‘5’ is Against the Law (discussed in the video above).
♥From The Autism Toolbox. ‘This powerpoint has been put together to encourage the use of three resources – Emotion Talks/Kitbag and The Incredible 5 Point Scale in collaboration, rather than individually’. Makes sense to me.
Once you’ve landed on this page click on: Resources. Emotional Understanding and Regulation Featuring Emotion Talks/Kitbag and 5 Point Scale (top of the list on the left hand side).
Here are some examples of scales I have either used or seen being used over the years to help children and young people recognise, understand, grade, regulate and express their emotions.
This first one was the start of a scale a colleague of mine worked on with a learner.
This was my own example. This particular learner worked well with this rough copy so we that’s what we used.
The next few have been ‘techified’. sometimes learners have taken my rough copy and made it into something like those below.
♥More from NLC Communication Friendly.
♥‘Size of Feelings’ visual from Jill Kuzma’s amazing website. Based on Disney Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ characters.
♥Even more resources from NLC Communication Friendly.
♥And more …
♥Keep an eye open for new resources on their website.
♥As always, there are many, many resources on Twinkl.
DEALING WITH CONFLICT
More great social problem solving visuals!
