As an SLP, parents and teachers are often concerned about middle school language development. They often ask me about a student who just doesn’t seem to “get it.” They’ll describe a child who takes everything literally, misses a joke, or seems to lack empathy. Since these kids are fluent speakers who sound like adults, it’s easy to assume these behaviors are a sign of a problem.

This is the middle school paradox. We assume that since their language sounds mature, their brains are fully equipped to handle complex social and communication skills. But what the lack or immaturity of these skills wasn’t a sign of a delay, but evidence of a developing brain? The truth is, while middle schoolers are great at sounding mature, their ability to handle the subtle, unspoken parts of communication is still a work in progress.

The Middle School Brain is Still Developing

It might seem they’ve suddenly grown up, but a middle schooler’s brain is still under construction. The prefrontal cortex, which handles complex thinking and self-control, won’t be fully developed until they are in their mid-twenties. This means many of the skills we adults take for granted are still being built. And honestly, don’t we all struggle with some of these things ourselves, no matter our age?

Understanding Abstract Language

Think about sarcasm, idioms, or metaphors. When a teacher says, “Oh, that’s just what I needed,” after a student drops papers everywhere, most adults get the joke. A middle schooler might not. Understanding this requires going beyond the literal words and reading the person’s tone and context.

This is also where inferencing comes in—it’s the ability to “read between the lines” and figure out what’s not explicitly stated. While a student might be able to define idioms on a school test, using and understanding them in a fast-paced, real-life conversation is much harder. Understanding colorful phrases is a still developing middle school language skill.

PSST: Read my last post Beyond “Spill the Beans”: Why Teaching Idioms Needs a Modern Glow-Up, for more information on this skill.

Navigating Social Cues

This is more than just empathy—it’s the ability to see things from another person’s point of view. Middle schoolers are so focused on figuring out their own identity that they can seem self-centered. It’s not a lack of caring; it’s a natural part of their social language development in middle school. A person has to understand their own self before they can truly understand others.

Part of this age’s awkwardness is that as they try to figure out their own identity, middle schoolers often “try on” different attitudes, styles, and interests. A student who is quiet one week might be outspoken the next. This isn’t being fake; it’s a natural form of social experimentation as they explore different versions of themselves.

Handling Big Emotions

Middle schoolers understand basic feelings like happy or sad, but they often struggle to name more complex emotions like frustration or anxiety. This can lead to them acting out because they lack the vocabulary to express what they’re truly feeling.

They might feel a physical response—a tight stomach, a pounding heart—without knowing what emotion is causing it. They’re also still developing the self-awareness and self-talk needed to pay attention to these body signals before they become too overwhelming.

For more information on social-emotional learning (SEL) and language, see this post: Beyond Happy or Sad: The Real Language of Emotions.

More Skills Developing in Middle School Brains

A few other language skills are still growing in middle schoolers, affecting their ability to learn and succeed.

Vocabulary and Word Knowledge

It’s not just about learning new words, but understanding all the different meanings and contexts for a single word. For example, a student might know that “trunk” refers to a suitcase, but they may not yet understand its use in phrases like “elephant trunk” or “tree trunk.”

Complex Language Comprehension

While they are using more sophisticated language, they can still struggle to fully understand long, grammatically intricate sentences in academic texts. The ability to break down and process this kind of intricate language is a skill that develops with exposure and explicit instruction.

Memory and Metacognitive Strategies

Middle schoolers are not only learning new things, but they are also beginning to learn how they learn. They’re developing metacognition—the ability to think about their own thinking. This includes learning and applying strategies for memory, such as using mnemonic devices or chunking information to make it easier to remember.

How You Can Help Middle School Language Development

Your support is the scaffolding they need to build these crucial skills. Here’s how you can help:

• Don’t Just Clarify, Explain. If you use sarcasm, follow up by saying, “I’m just being silly; I actually didn’t need that.” This helps them learn to spot a joke.
• Keep It Simple During High Emotion. When a middle schooler is upset, their thinking brain is offline. Use minimal words and direct instructions, like “Sit down. Breathe.”
• Talk It Through. Help them reflect on social situations. Ask, “Your friend looked sad. Why do you think that is?” This helps them practice perspective-taking and gives them the language to identify complex emotions.

Their challenging behaviors are often a sign of a developing brain, not a lack of effort or intelligence. By viewing them as a work in progress, we can provide the guidance they need to become capable and confident adults.

A Final Thought: The Power of Perspective

Middle school is a time of immense change, and much of the behavior that adults find confusing or frustrating is simply a reflection of a brain that is in an incredible, albeit awkward, state of growth. By reframing our perspective, we can stop seeing challenging behaviors as defiance. We can start viewing them, not only as naturally developing middle school language skills, but also as opportunities for teaching and connection.

As an SLP, I’ve seen firsthand that a little understanding and a lot of patience can make all the difference. Your support today is the scaffolding they need to build the crucial skills that will help them succeed as capable, compassionate, and confident adults.

For a more intensive way to pinpoint where a middle schooler needs support, consider my Middle School Contextual Language Screener/Profile. It uses an intentionally written fable as context to naturally pull out academic skills such as figurative language, multiple meanings, inferencing and problem solving.

You’ve learned about all the different areas where the middle school brain is still developing. But how do you keep track of it all? To make it easy, I’ve created a comprehensive, one-page chart that summarizes all these skills in a simple, visual format. It’s a great tool to keep handy for a quick reminder—you could even hang it in the teacher’s lounge!

Download your free infographic: “The Middle School Brain: Your Quick Guide to Developing Skills” by subscribing to my newsletter!

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We all know practice is key in speech therapy & skill development. But what if we could supercharge your sessions and enhance results even before students utter a sound? Enter mental rehearsal (visualization)!

What is Mental Rehearsal?

Mental rehearsal is exactly what it sounds like – practicing a skill in your head. Imagine yourself saying a tricky sound, reading fluently, or delivering a captivating presentation. It’s like daydreaming, but with a purpose!

The Science Behind the Superpower:

Mental rehearsal isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s backed by neuroscience! When you vividly imagine performing a skill, you activate similar brain pathways as when you perform it physically. This strengthens those pathways, making the actual skill execution smoother and more efficient.

Benefits of Mental Rehearsal:

• Boosts Confidence: Feeling successful in your mind translates to real-world confidence. You approach challenges with a “been there, done that” attitude.¹ 
• Improves Skills: Strengthens brain pathways involved in the practiced skill, leading to faster progress and better outcomes.² 
• Reduces Anxiety: Calm pre-speech jitters by rehearsing success. Visualizing yourself handling challenging situations calmly reduces anxiety and promotes a more relaxed state of mind.³

• Reduces Incorrect Practice: Minimize bad habits by focusing on the correct way. Mental rehearsal allows you to hone the perfect technique, reducing the risk of accidentally practicing and reinforcing mistakes.
• Convenient: Practice anytime, anywhere – waiting for the bus, before bed, etc. Mental rehearsal offers ultimate flexibility, allowing you to fit in practice sessions even with busy schedules.

Mental Rehearsal in Therapy & Education: Applications for Diverse Needs

Mental rehearsal can be a powerful tool for a wide range of situations in both therapy and education settings:

• Generalization: Bridge the gap between the controlled environment of therapy and the real world (e.g., rehearsing using new skills on the playground or in the classroom). Students can mentally rehearse using their newly acquired skills in different settings, promoting carry-over and generalization.
• Limited Therapy Time: Make the most of short therapy sessions. While in-person practice is crucial, mental rehearsal allows students to keep practicing and improving their skills between sessions, maximizing progress within the limited timeframe.
• Fear and Avoidance: Overcome fears by mentally rehearsing success. For students struggling with social anxiety or stuttering, visualizing themselves confidently engaging in challenging social situations can equip them with the tools to face their fears in real life.⁴
• Physical Limitations: Allow everyone to participate and improve regardless of limitations. Students with physical limitations that hinder certain types of practice can still benefit from mental rehearsal.
• Waiting Time: Engage students in mental rehearsal during group activities or while waiting for their turn. Minimize idle time by having students rehearse target skills in their minds, promoting active learning and maximizing every minute.

How to Use Mental Rehearsal: Techniques for Different Skills

Here are some specific ways to use mental rehearsal in therapy and education, tailored to different communication skills:

• Speech Sounds: Imagine your mouth making the correct shape and feeling the airflow for a tricky sound. This is particularly helpful for sounds that are hard to see or feel, giving you a clearer mental image of the correct production.⁵
• Fluency: Picture yourself speaking smoothly and confidently in a challenging situation, like ordering food at a restaurant. This can help reduce anxiety in situations that usually trigger stuttering or disfluencies.
• Reading: Visualize the words on the page and hear yourself reading them fluently with expression. This is especially helpful for kids who get nervous reading aloud in class. Imagine yourself captivating the audience with your clear and engaging reading.
• Language Skills: Rehearse using target vocabulary words or sentence structures in different contexts. Imagine yourself participating in a conversation and seamlessly using the newly learned language skills.
• Social Skills: Play out a social interaction in your head, like introducing yourself to someone new or joining a group conversation. This is perfect for practicing skills that are difficult to replicate in a therapy session. Visualize yourself navigating social situations with ease and confidence.

• Relax and Get Comfy: Find a quiet, comfortable space to minimize distractions and maximize focus.

Tips for Effective Mental Rehearsal:

• Vivid Visualization: Engage all your senses for a clear mental image. Imagine not only the visual aspects of the task, but also the sounds, smells, and even the emotions you want to experience while performing the skill.

• Focus on Success: Imagine yourself doing it perfectly, with confidence and ease. Fill your visualization with positive emotions and a sense of accomplishment.
• Regular Practice: The more you rehearse, the better the results! Just like building a muscle, mental rehearsal strengthens neural pathways with consistent practice. Aim for short, regular sessions throughout the day.

Explaining Mental Rehearsal to Students: Making it Fun and Engaging

Here are some tips to explain mental rehearsal to students in a way that is both engaging and relevant to their age group:

• Relatable Examples: Talk about athletes or actors and their mental preparation routines. Discuss how athletes visualize themselves performing their winning moves or actors rehearse their lines in their heads before a big performance.
• Interactive Activities: Play games where students take turns visualizing simple tasks. For example, have them close their eyes and imagine themselves making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, step-by-step. Discuss the different sensory details they might experience during this visualization.
• Positive Reinforcement: Focus on the benefits of mental rehearsal, like feeling more confident and prepared. Help students understand how mental rehearsal can be their “secret weapon” for success.
• Age-Appropriate Complexity: Tailor the explanation to the student’s age and cognitive skills. For younger children, keep it simple and focus on basic visualizations. As students mature, you can introduce more complex scenarios and strategies.
• Make it Fun! Use props, silly voices, or movement to keep students engaged. You could create a “mental rehearsal superhero” character who helps students visualize success.
• Start Small & Build Up: Begin with short, simple tasks and increase complexity as students gain confidence. This helps them experience success early on and motivates them to continue practicing.

Want a ready-made resource to help you teach your students about mental rehearsal?

Check out Mental Rehearsal – Your Hidden Superpower!

“Mental Rehearsal – Your Hidden Superpower!” is a downloadable resource designed for students in 5th grade and up. It includes:

• Engaging explanation of mental rehearsal and its benefits for communication skills.
• Fun & interactive activities to practice mental rehearsal for various tasks, like articulation, fluency, reading comprehension, and social skills.
• List of links to other resources
• Comprehension & critical thinking questions to promote deeper understanding of mental rehearsal and its applications.

Empower your students and unlock their potential! Download “Mental Rehearsal – Your Hidden Superpower” today! Check out my 2-part YouTube series:

• Your Hidden Speech Superpower! (Mental Rehearsal Part 1/2)
• Shhh… It’s a Hidden Superpower! (Mental Rehearsal Part 2/2)

You may also like LEVEL UP SPEECH! Wait Time Hacks: Metacognition Lesson, Poster & Journal!

Ready to Give it a Try?

Mental rehearsal is a powerful tool for both SLPs and educators. It’s a simple yet effective strategy that can be easily integrated into your existing therapy or classroom routines. Give it a shot and see how much it helps you and your students achieve your communication goals!

Best imaginings!

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Resources

1. Shearer, D. A., Holmes, P. S., & Thomson, J. A. (2007). The effect of self-modeling on self-efficacy and dribbling performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(14), 1587–1594. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410701257406 ↩︎
2. Saimpont, A., Malouin, F., & Jackson, P. L. (2013). Brain activity during motor imagery: The impact of motor expertise. Journal of Motor Behavior, 45(6), 563–573. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2013.842797 ↩︎
3. Makarova, E., Makarova, A., Kulagin, V., & Koroleva, E. (2024). The Effectiveness of Mental Rehearsal to Reduce Performance Anxiety: A Systematic Review. Psychological Reports, 133(1), 183–208. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941231174987 ↩︎
4. Makarova, E., Makarova, A., Kulagin, V., & Koroleva, E. (2024). The Effectiveness of Mental Rehearsal to Reduce Performance Anxiety: A Systematic Review. Psychological Reports, 133(1), 183–208. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941231174987 ↩︎
5. Maring, J. R. (1990). The effect of imagined practice on articulation in hearing-impaired children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 33(4), 856–861. https://doi.org/10.1044/jshr.3304.856 ↩︎

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Building Blocks of Language

Pictures can serve as the building blocks for a myriad of language goals. Here are some ideas:

• Vocabulary Development: Use pictures to introduce new words, reinforce meaning, and encourage expressive language.
• Grammar: Target specific grammatical structures through picture-based activities, such as sentence building, verb tense practice, or pronoun usage.
• Narrative Skills: Create engaging stories using picture sequences, prompting students to sequence events, identify characters, and predict outcomes.
• Social Skills: Use pictures to teach social cues, emotions, and appropriate conversational skills.
• Articulation: Target specific speech sounds by selecting pictures containing target sounds.

Interactive Activities with Pictures

• Picture Description: Encourage detailed and descriptive language by asking students to describe pictures in depth.
• Sequencing: Use picture cards to practice sequencing events, telling stories, or following directions.
• Categorization: Sort pictures into categories based on various criteria (e.g., size, shape, color, function).
• Comparisons: Use pairs of pictures to practice comparative language (bigger, smaller, taller, shorter).
• Problem-solving: Present challenging picture scenarios and ask students to come up with solutions.

Technology Integration

• Digital Picture Books: Explore interactive digital picture books for added engagement and accessibility.  Your local library is a great starting point!
• Photo Booth Fun: Take pictures of students engaging in activities to create personalized therapy materials.
• Online Resources: Utilize websites and apps offering free or low-cost picture sets for therapy.
  • Tip: I’ve created many Pinterest boards filled with hundreds of picture ideas and activities to help you implement these strategies in your therapy sessions. Check it out for additional inspiration!
  • See my article: Pinterest in Therapy, No Way!

Conclusion

By incorporating pictures into your speech therapy sessions, you can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Remember to adapt activities to meet the specific needs of your students and celebrate their successes! 

Let me know your favorite picture resources in the comments below!

Picturing you perfect,

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Hey there, fellow parents and educators! As a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), I get to witness the incredible journey of language development in young children every day. It’s truly amazing to see how these little minds grow and learn! In this post, I want to share some tips on nurturing language growth that can help you support this wonderful process.

Here are a few tips to nurture those curious minds and support your child’s language development:

Fuel Their Curiosity: 

Children are born explorers! Follow their interests. If they’re fascinated by bugs, head to the park with a magnifying glass. If they love trains, visit the train station and talk about the sounds and the different types of trains. This not only sparks their curiosity but also strengthens your bond, expands their vocabulary, and broadens their world knowledge.

Consider including them in your own interests (at an age-appropriate level) to show them that conversation and relationships are built on shared experiences and mutual understanding. This is a vital step in promoting communication skills

Connect Through Conversation:

• Give them your full attention: Put down your phone and truly listen to what they have to say. Make eye contact and show genuine interest. This teaches them that their thoughts and feelings are important. They will remember this when they are older, even if it is subconscious. ?
• Answer their questions honestly: It’s okay to say “I don’t know!” This teaches them that learning is a lifelong process. Then, you can hypothesize together and look it up, again teaching them how to make “smart guesses” as well as how to find out information.
• Talk about feelings: Help them understand and label their emotions. Acknowledge their feelings, even if they seem small to you. For example, “I see you’re feeling frustrated because you can’t build the tower.” One phrase I use a lot is “It’s okay to be angry, but it’s not okay to hit.”
• This requires you to dig deep to find the true feeling or reason behind your feeling. So often, we only recognize anger, but in reality it is fear. You aren’t angry because your child didn’t put on their shoes, you are worried that you will be late and the doctor will have to wait on you. And you aren’t angry that your child ran in front of you, but you are scared because your child could have been hurt.

Model Healthy Coping Mechanisms: 

Children learn by observing. Show them how you cope with stress and frustration. It’s okay to say, “I’m feeling overwhelmed right now. I’m going to take a few deep breaths and come back to this later.” Model and cultivate those crucial verbal skills!

Nurture Language Development:

• Play word games: Turn everyday moments into learning opportunities. Play rhyming games in the car, make up silly stories, have an opposite day, categorize items, or play I Spy. I like to play a version of Hedbanz, where the objective is for the other person to guess with as few clues as possible, and the points go to the describer!
• Focus on sounds: Talk about the sounds in words. For example, “Listen to how the ‘s’ sound hisses in ‘snake’.” Talk about how your mouth makes sounds, like “you stick your tongue between your teeth for ‘th’, but it is behind your teeth for ‘s’.” This provides a tactile layer to phonological awareness by helping children connect the sounds they hear with the movements of their mouths. Not only that, it also helps to build a strong foundation for clear speech production, which may support their speech development and potentially reduce the need for future speech therapy.
• Explore the world of print: Point out letters and words everywhere you go – on signs, in books, on food packaging. Talk about the logos of brands your child recognizes, and why the logo fits the brand. For example, “why does McDonald’s have a giant ‘M’ as their sign?”

Make Reading Fun:

• Read together: Even 15 minutes a day can make a significant difference. Use funny voices, point to the words, and talk about the pictures. Make guesses about word meaning, infer character feelings and motivation, predict what might happen next, and connect the story to your child’s own experiences. These interactions not only make reading fun but also strengthen their comprehension, critical thinking, and expressive language skills.
• Use technology wisely: Video read-alouds and interactive reading apps can be valuable tools, especially when you’re short on time or feeling out of energy. The best read-alouds highlight the word as it is written, helping to connect the written word to the spoken word. Even when using technology, make it an interactive experience. Pause the story to ask questions, make predictions, and discuss the story together. Remember to balance screen time with traditional book reading and other hands-on activities.

Take care of health concerns:

• Pay attention to snoring. Snoring is a symptom of an obstruction in the airway that is likely impacting their sleep, which is crucial for brain development and learning. Consult a doctor or dentist if your child regularly snores or breathes through their mouth instead of their nose.
• Vision & hearing screenings – it is vital that your child can see and hear the world around them. Make sure their yearly wellness visits include these important screenings. Hearing loss, even mild hearing loss, can affect their speech, language, and even reading. The earlier it is caught, the less impact it can have. Hearing screening might need to be done more frequently if your child has frequent ear infections.
• Bite and oral posture – things like an overbite, underbite, or tongue thrust can also significantly impact speech. Make sure your child sees a dentist as soon as teeth begin to emerge.

Don’t Wait, Consult an SLP: 

If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language, or communication, consult with a Speech-Language Pathologist. Early intervention can make a significant difference in supporting those crucial language development years. Even if therapy is not recommended, the SLP can give you tips on how to help at home.

Remember, every child is unique and learns at their own pace. Celebrate their successes, be patient with their challenges, and most importantly, have fun!

By implementing these tips, you’re actively cultivating communication skills and setting your little learners up for lifelong success.

Helpful Links for Boosting Language Learning

• Typical Speech and Language Development – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Ages & Stages – healthychildren.org from the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Handy Handouts – great resource for quick tidbits and tips on speech and language

Best Wishes!

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The post Tips for Parents: Fostering Language Development in Preschoolers appeared first on Mrs. Speech Online.

Ever wonder why we can teach a child “happy” and “sad,” yet they still struggle with deeper emotional understanding? It might seem simple at first; after all, they’re just feelings, right? But truly understanding and managing emotions involves learning the real language of emotions – a complex inner dialogue we must learn to speak fluently, both within ourselves and with others.

This “emotional language” goes far beyond simply recognizing happy, sad, and angry faces on a chart. It delves into the intricate world of our internal experiences, the thoughts that fuel our feelings, and how we communicate those feelings through more than just our expressions. 

At its core, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) encompasses skills like understanding our own emotions (self-awareness), managing those emotions effectively (self-management), recognizing the emotions of others (social awareness), building positive relationships, and making responsible decisions. It’s about understanding the subtle cues of body language and tone of voice, and ultimately, about developing a rich vocabulary to navigate our emotional landscape.

So, how do we help children learn this vital language of emotions? It starts by looking beyond the surface and exploring the deeper layers of what it truly means to feel these emotions.

The Internal Landscape: More Than Just a Feeling Word

Think about the last time you felt truly nervous. Did you have to stop and think, “I am nervous”? Probably not. You might have felt butterflies in your stomach, sweaty palms, or a racing heart, and you had already learned the somatic expression (bodily sensations) of the emotion of nervousness. For children to truly grasp their emotions, they need to connect these somatic experiences with the feeling words.

Try this: When your child says they feel [emotion], gently ask, “Where do you feel that in your body?” or “What does that feel like inside?” Encourage them to describe the physical sensations.

The Thought Detective: Uncovering the “Why”

Often, the surface-level situation isn’t the real trigger for an emotion. As we discussed, a child angry about not being invited to play might actually be feeling rejected, fueled by the thought, “They don’t like me.” Helping children become “thought detectives” and develop the language to uncover true feelings is crucial.

• Ask: “What were you thinking when that happened?” or “What story are you telling yourself about why that happened?”
• Challenge unhelpful thoughts: Help them explore if those thoughts are entirely true. Could there be other explanations? (“Maybe they’re playing a game with a limited number of players right now.”)
• Practice reframing: Guide them to replace negative thoughts with more balanced ones. (“I can ask if I can join next time.”)

The Power of Self-Talk: Where Emotional Language Gets Real

Once children can identify their feelings and the thoughts behind them, we can introduce the powerful tool of self-talk. This is the internal dialogue we have with ourselves that can either escalate or soothe our emotions.

• Model positive self-talk: Let your child hear you talking to yourself calmly through a frustrating situation (“This is tricky, but I can take it one step at a time”).
• Brainstorm helpful phrases together: For feeling frustrated: “It’s okay to feel stuck. I can try a different way.” For feeling nervous: “I feel a little worried, but I’ve practiced, and I’ll do my best.”
• Practice using self-talk in low-stakes situations: This helps them build the habit for when big emotions hit.

Beyond the Face: Tuning into the Whole Message

Emotions aren’t just expressed through the face.  Other powerful communicators of feeling include body language (slumped shoulders, crossed arms, open posture) and tone of voice (soft, sharp, shaky).

• Observe and discuss: “I noticed your voice sounded a little sad and your mouth was turned down when you said that. Are you feeling okay?” or “Look at how their body is all hunched over and they aren’t playing. I wonder if they might be feeling lonely.”
• Consider context: Emphasize that the same body language or tone can mean different things in different situations.

Learning Emotional Language in Real Life: The Power of “In-the-Moment” Coaching

Abstract scenarios in workbooks have their place, but the most impactful learning happens within the context of a child’s own life. Trusted adults can act as emotional guides, narrating feelings and thoughts as they occur.

• Make it personal: “I saw your face get red and your body got tight when your friend took your toy. It looked like you were feeling angry.”
• Model your own emotions healthily: Instead of “Be quiet so I can talk,” try, “I need you to be quiet so others can hear. Thanks for understanding.” Instead of “I’m angry you broke the rules,” try, “I’m feeling upset because I’m worried about your safety when the rules aren’t followed.”

It Starts With Us: The Adult’s Role in Emotional Learning

Here’s a crucial truth: effectively teaching SEL to children begins with our own emotional awareness and regulation. We might even need to re-learn some of our own ingrained beliefs about emotions. Were we taught to suppress certain feelings? Did we receive messages that some emotions are “bad”?

Drawing inspiration from frameworks like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can be incredibly helpful. DBT emphasizes understanding the somatic experience, expression, body language, and thoughts associated with emotions, as well as offering practical strategies for managing intense feelings and reframing negative thought patterns.

Adults who haven’t explored their own emotional landscape may find it challenging to guide children effectively. It requires us to open our own hearts and heads and be vulnerable with children, creating a safe space for them to explore their feelings without judgment, as well as modeling those things we are trying to teach them

Moving Forward in Teaching the Real Language of Emotions:

Teaching emotional literacy is a journey, not a destination, and this journey of emotional learning for our children is deeply intertwined with our own emotional landscape. By moving beyond simple facial recognition and focusing on the internal experience, thoughts, communication, and the power of our own modeling, we can equip children with the skills they need to navigate their emotional world with confidence and resilience.

This is just the beginning of exploring the fascinating true language of feelings. What other aspects of SEL would you like us to delve into in future posts? Let me know your thoughts!

Want more SEL content? Try these articles!

• Tips for Parents: Fostering Language Development in Preschoolers
• Empowering Kids Who Stutter: Practical Tips & Resources
• Speech Therapy Wins! Building Progress Power in Kids

Here’s to a more emotionally connected world!

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The post Beyond Happy and Sad: The Real Language of Emotions appeared first on Mrs. Speech Online.