Building a strong set of emotional literacy skills is as crucial as ANY academic instruction. One simple way to integrate emotional literacy into the classroom is through engaging and interactive games, like roll and cover games! I created a set of roll and cover games (that also includes spinners!) that target the emotional literacy skills of identifying emotions and coping skills. Let’s delve into various strategies for integrating these games into the classroom, ensuring that learning about emotions becomes a fun and motivating experience for students.
How do you play?
- Students receive a game board and either a spinner or a die, depending on their chosen game board
- Students roll the die/spin the spinner and use a manipulative to cover an emotion or coping skill that falls under that column. (You can use counting chips, erasers, playdoh – basically anything!)
- Encourage students to name the emotion or coping skill aloud as they cover it.
- Students can take turns with a partner or play independently.
Integrating Roll and Cover Games into the Classroom
The Roll, Spin, and Cover games are designed to be flexible and adaptable, making them perfect for a wide range of classrooms, related services, and student needs. Here are several ways you can incorporate these games into your classroom activities:
- As a Structured Work Task
For students who thrive on routine and structure, these roll and cover games can be set up as a work task in a task box or work system. By providing clear instructions and all necessary materials (dice, spinners, and game boards), students can independently complete the task. This independent work not only reinforces emotional literacy but also promotes autonomy and self-management skills.
- Teacher or Paraprofessional-Run Learning Centers
Setting up a learning center focused on emotional literacy can provide students with a dedicated space to explore emotions in a more guided and supportive environment. Teachers or paraprofessionals can facilitate the Roll and Cover games, offering personalized support and adapting the game to meet each student’s unique learning needs. This is also a great way for the adults to take data on SEL focused IEP goals. This setup can be ideal for promoting interaction, discussion, and reflection on various emotions and scenarios presented in the game.
- Early Finisher Activities
For students who finish their work early, having engaging and educational options available is essential. These roll and cover games serve as the perfect activity for early finishers, allowing them to continue learning and practicing emotional literacy skills in a self-directed manner. This not only keeps students engaged but also reinforces the importance of understanding and managing emotions. Since the game boards are literally print-and-go, this is such easy prep and set up for a teacher!
- Small Group Collaborative Play
Encouraging small group play with these games can enhance social skills and emotional understanding through peer interaction. Students can take turns rolling the dice or spinning the spinner, covering the corresponding emotions on the game board, and discussing each emotion as it comes up. This collaborative play fosters empathy, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of how emotions affect us all differently. This is another perfect opportunity to gather data for SEL IEP goals on how students are progressing with turn taking, conversations, and flexible thinking.
Creative Uses and Integration Ideas
- Customization for Individual Needs: Adapt the game to meet the specific needs of your students by using the themed game boards focused on what interests best fit your students. This customization ensures that the content is directly applicable and beneficial to student interests, which of course can increase buy-in!
- Incorporate into Social Skills Lessons: Use the games as a practical, hands-on complement to social skills lessons. After discussing a new emotion or social concept, play the game to reinforce the lesson in an interactive and memorable way. This is perfect for building and maintaining the skill. The more automatic students are in saying emotion vocabulary, the easier it will be for them to use this language when they need it in real time.
- Family Involvement: Encourage students to take the game home to play! This not only extends the learning beyond the classroom but also promotes discussions about emotions at home, strengthening the home-school connection.
- Integration with Technology: If technology allows, consider digitizing the game or using digital dice/spinner apps to add an extra layer of engagement for tech-savvy students. Sometimes the novelty of adding something in, like a digital spinner, can make the game feel like new and become exciting again.
Making it stick
Incorporating roll and cover games into your classroom can be an engaging approach to teaching emotional literacy. Through structured work tasks, learning centers, early finisher activities, and small group play, students can explore and understand a wide range of emotions in a supportive and interactive setting. Sharing these roll and cover games across domains, like in OT, speech sessions, and counseling groups, can help students maintain the skill without a ton of work on behalf of the adults! We all love a low maintenance, high-yield activity!
Snag the Roll, Spin, & Cover games here!
