Promoting Emotional Literacy with ELSA
At Eastbrook we strive to ensure that our students' mental wellbeing is protected. This can be in the form of counselling or with ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support and Assistance). The intervention focusses on developing students' emotional literacy, such as: understanding and coping with their feelings and the feelings of others; developing high self-esteem; positive interaction with others; and having the mental fortitude to manage social situations in and out of school independently.
What does the intervention include?
The ELSA intervention can tackle many different areas that our students may be struggling with. This may include:
- Recognising emotions
- Self-esteem
- Developing and sustaining friendships
- Managing strong emotions
- Loss and Bereavement
- Social skills
- Anxiety
- Conflict
The ELSA will create a 6–12-week programme individualised to a students need. The session will be 1:1 or in small groups to ensure the intervention specifically targets our students' needs. The programme will involve a range of activities, games and classwork to develop emotional literacy.
What successes have our students seen?
One of the many successes we’ve seen with the ELSA programme is from a student who previously would not attend P.E. lessons, due to a lack of self-esteem and confidence. He would not even come to school if he knew he had P.E. that day. However, through his hard work and the support of Mrs. Gibson, within only 5 sessions of ELSA he not only attends, but loves P.E. The ELSA session had a profound effect on his mental wellbeing, his overall school attendance and his anxiety.
We here at Eastbrook understand that school can present complex social and emotional situations for our students. Helping them navigate and develop the tools to overcome these situations is a privilege. We are so PROUD of our students and excited to see the people they become.
