Ways to stimulate children's linguistic activity in the field of naming emotions

Submitted by: Anna Guzy
Abstract: Background: The subject of the research is connection with the language and emotional development of children . Four basic emotions were selected for the assessment and analyzes according to Robert Pluchik's typology: anger, joy, sadness and fear (included both: positive and negative emotions).
Material and methods: From January 2014 to July 2018 almost 340 pupils from 9-12 years have been examined (the sample was various and representative). I have a few research questions: 1. Are literary texts, ie. therapeutic beauties useful for stimulating understanding and naming of emotional states by children at a younger school age? 2. How do children define basic emotions: both positive and negative. 3. Which literary and therapeutic texts were the most helpful for the respondents?
The main research method was an experiment with a separate experimental and control group. In each group, pupils filled in an identical questionnaire (own design), in which they created a definition of individual emotions, described the situations in which they feel them, as well as created artistic instantiation (drawings) of emotions. In the experimental group the task was preceded by a lesson on which the concept of emotion was introduced (using literary texts, therapeutic fables), in the control lesson on the subject of emotions, literary texts or therapeutic fables were not introduced.
Results: The results of the study show that literary texts, especially fairy tales and therapeutic stories are helpful during lessons on naming emotional states in children at a younger school age.
Main references:
T. Borowska: Emotions of children and young people: resources - development. Katowice 2006
Feeling and understanding: Early emotional development. K. McCartney, D. Phillips (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of early childhood development, Blackwell, Malden, MA (2006), pp. 317-337.
A. Shields, S. Dickstein, R. Seifer, L. Giusti, K.D. Magee, B. Spritz: Emotional competence and early school adjustment: A study of preschoolers at risk. Early Education and Development, 12 (2001), pp. 73-96.