Have you ever tried to make your child laugh while he was in the middle of a pouting fit? It is kind of funny to watch them do their best not to crack a smile so as to prove that the pouting is indeed significant. They are keenly aware that their expressions give us clues as to what emotion they are choosing to display. However, they may not be able to identify those same emotions by name as they are seen on the faces of others. Here is an activity you can do with your child that will help build such a knowledge base from which they can draw in future interactions with others. They will also be able to use these skills as they apply expression to their oral reading.
Begin by collection pictures of people using a wide variety of facial expressions which display many different emotions. Have your child help to label each emotion. Then say a sentence as though you were the person in the picture. If the person is sad, use a sad voice. If the person is excited, use an excited voice. Etc. Give your child a chance to do the same.
Once your child has the hang of the emotions, mix things up. Say a sentence that the person in the picture might say, but use a voice that is not one the person would use. For example, if the person in the picture is angry, she might say, “Why did you scribble all over my favorite picture?” However, instead of using an angry voice, say the sentence in an excited tone with a smile on your face. Ask your child if this sounds correct and why or why not. Repeat the activity with the other emotions, and give your child a chance to mix things up as well.
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Written by Laura on June 11, 2010
Have you ever had one of those days where your mood seems to swing all over the place? One moment you are happy as a lark, and a few minutes later you angrier than you’ve ever been before. Sometimes, we adults forget that we are not the only ones who may experience this wild pendulum ride from time to time. And, even when our moods are not swinging wildly, they will likely fluctuate to so
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Written by BRWI Staff on April 15, 2010
When we talk to one another, we use changes in our voice and tone to represent different emotions. We converse using emotions without even thinking about it. However, children sometimes need practice in identifying and then using these emotions in their conversations.
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Written by BRWI Staff on February 3, 2010
Young children often have a difficult identifying specific emotions in themselves and in others. However, this is a skill that can practiced in many ways. One is to simply ask your child how he is feeling when you can see that he is visibly angry, sad, excited, bored or any other feeling. Another activity you can try is to create masks which your child (and you) can put on to help illustrate an
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Written by Laura on June 19, 2009
Have you ever listened to a beginning reader reading a book with which they are not very familiar? It is often choppy and monotone as the child struggles to sound out each word. Although it is obviously important that children learn how to use phonetics and context to read a selection, it is also vital that they learn how to read fluently and with expression. Part of this can be taught through
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Written by BRWI Staff on June 5, 2009
Emotions and feelings are a difficult concept for young children, and even adults, to understand. They are a natural part of being human, and feelings are never wrong to have. However, it is very important for children to learn that we must be able to control our feelings.
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Written by BRWI Staff on April 1, 2009
