Handbook for Developing Emotional and Social Intelligence: Best Practices, Case Studies, and Strategies

15.2. THE IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL LITERACY FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL LEADERS

Students encounter a gamut of emotions at school, each of which calls upon their emotional skills. To name a few, they feel pride when they accomplish a difficult task, anxiety about taking tests, fear when victimized by a bully, and anger when treated unfairly by a peer. Given the myriad emotions students experience, emotional literacy is central to their success. Consider, for example, a student who feels apprehensive about an impending math test. The emotionally literate student recognizes and labels his feelings of anxiety about the test (by noticing his racing heart and constant thoughts about it), understands that he feels this way because he both didn't ...