This document outlines Module 1 of a course on developing an anti-bias approach for children, adults, and communities. The module contains 5 lessons: 1) an anti-bias approach, 2) understanding identity, 3) understanding discrimination, 4) values and attitudes, and 5) emotional literacy and empathy. Lesson 5 focuses on defining and developing emotional literacy and empathy. It discusses promoting empathy in children by helping them understand their own and others' feelings, and gives an example of using persona dolls to teach emotional literacy and empathy skills. Upon completing the module, learners can choose to complete an assignment for certification or move on to the next module.

1. Persona Doll Approach
Enabling children, adults and communities to develop
positive values and unlearn prejudice

2. Module 1 Beginning With Self
Course Outline:
 Lesson 1: An anti-bias approach
 Lesson 2: Understanding identity
 Lesson 3: Understanding discrimination
 Lesson 4: Values and attitudes
 Lesson 5: Emotional literacy and empathy

3. Welcome to lesson 5 which should take you about 30 minutes to complete. At the
end of the lesson we will ask you to answer a short self-evaluation quiz so that you
can test your own knowledge.
Lesson 5 Emotional Literacy and Empathy

4. Upon completion of this lesson, we expect that you will be
able to:
• Define and understand the concepts of emotional
literacy and empathy ;
and
• Explore ways to support children’s emotional literacy
and development of empathy.
Learning Objectives

5. Introducing Emotional Literacy
Let’s think
about our
emotional
literacy
An important aspect of anti-bias work is:
• to raise children’s awareness of their own
and other people’s feelings;
and
• how their actions affect other people.
Emotional literacy, also known as emotional
intelligence, is:
• the ability to name, understand and express
feelings and emotions;
as well as
• understand other people’s feelings and
emotions.

6. If we are to understand the feelings and emotions of children we
first need to get in touch with our own feelings and emotions.
 Complete the following activity by looking at the pictures
provided in the link below. How does it make you feel?
 http://pdt.qjar.co/questions/reflecting-on-own-feelings-and-
emotions/
 Now that you have finished this activity, think about the
feelings that you identified?
• Which pictures made you feel happy? Which made you feel
angry, sad or scared?
• Did any picture evoke strong feelings?
• Did any picture make you feel uncomfortable?
• Did you have more than one feeling about any picture?
We all have a variety of feelings and emotions. We have also all
had different life experiences, and some of these pictures may
have evoked strong emotions which have stayed with us for many
years.
 Getting in touch with our own feelings can help us to
understand the impact of bias and discrimination.
 We also need to be able to understand what children are
saying when they describe their feelings and emotions.
Let’s find out about
how you feel
Reflecting on Own Feelings and Emotions

7. Importance of Emotional Literacy for Children
Let’s think
about
why
emotional
literacy is
important?

8. Importance of Emotional Literacy for Children
Let’s think
about
why
emotional
literacy is
important?
Why do you think emotional literacy is an important
part of young children’s development?
Emotional literacy helps children to better understand
and communicate with other people about their feelings
and emotions. Children who are not emotionally literate
will find it hard to understand their own feelings.
 Read more about emotional literacy by following the
link to the supporting document “Emotional literacy”.
 The first emotion that children understand is usually
happiness, followed by anger, sadness and fear.
Children need to be helped to increase their emotional
literacy vocabulary so that they can better distinguish
between feelings and emotions. In this same reading,
you will find a list of words that are commonly used for
feelings and emotions - with translations into other
languages.

9. Let’s look at empathy
Do you know what
empathy is?
Let’s look at this Sesame
Street video clip where
Mark and Murray discuss
what empathy is.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9_1Rt1R4xbM
Empathy

10. Promoting Empathy
Let’s think
about
recognising
the feelings
of others
Recognising the feelings of others is an important
part of emotional literacy.
• Being able to feel with another person;
• To imagine yourself in the same situation; and
• Know how that person must feel,
is called empathy.
To experience empathy a child needs to:
• Understand her own feelings and emotions;
• Be aware of the other person’s feelings and
emotions; and Tell the difference between the
two.
She also needs to have the words to name the feeling
or emotion.
 Read more about empathy by following the link to
the supporting document “Promoting empathy”.

11. Let’s look at:
How a Persona Doll story helps children to explore and
understand feelings and to develop feelings of empathy.
Using Persona Dolls to Teach
Emotional Literacy and Empathy

12.  Follow the link and view the video.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjTBHGE6KqY
 After viewing the video, click on the link button to deepen your knowledge about
what you saw on the video. Complete all the activities provided for you.
 Have you completed all the activities? Click on the YES button before moving on.
Using Persona Dolls to Teach
Emotional Literacy and Empathy

13. • I pledge from this day onward to do my best to
interrupt prejudice and to stop those who, because
of hate, would hurt, harass, or violate the civil rights
of anyone.
• I will try at all times to be aware of my own biases
against people who are different from myself.
• I will ask questions about cultures, religions, and
races that I don't understand.
• I will speak out against anyone who mocks, seeks to
intimidate, or actually hurts someone of a different
race, religion, ethnic group, or sexual orientation.
• I will reach out to support those who are targets of
harassment.
• I will think about specific ways my school, other
students, and my community can promote respect for
people and create a prejudice-free zone.
• I firmly believe that one person can make a
difference and that no person can be an "innocent
bystander" when it comes to opposing hate.
The pledge:
 You can make a copy of the
pledge and display it in a
prominent page. Follow the
link to the supporting
document: “Pledge against
bias and discrimination”.
Pledge Against Bias
• One of the ways to commit to
the anti-bias approach is to
take a pledge or promise to
challenge bias and
discrimination.

14. End of lesson quiz
We have come to the end of Lesson 5 and it is important to check on
what you have learned in this lesson. This on-line quiz will assess your
knowledge on the topics covered in this lesson.
Let’s reflect on what you have learned in this lesson

15.  How did you do?
 If you did not get all the answers correct, try again. Once you have a score of
5 you can move on to the next module.
Let’s reflect on what you have learned in this lesson by clicking on the
icon below:
End of lesson quiz

16. CONGRATULATIONS!
You have now come to the end of module 1. We hope you have
enjoyed the course.
End of Module One

17. If you have chosen to be assessed and receive
certification for this Module, you will need to
complete Assignment Module1.
 Follow the link to the assignment and read the
instructions carefully.
If you have chosen not to be assessed you can
move on to Module 2.
Module 1 Assignment

18. End of Module One