Emotions Skills – 1
Learning Emotional Skills
Introduction
All of us experience a range of emotions as we deal with the different activities in life. We are able to recognise, understand and manage our emotions and eventually move on. However, this may not come as easily for children on the spectrum. They may require support in identifying, labelling, expressing, and regulating emotions. As a result, your child may face challenges in social interactions and relationships.
Children with autism can be taught to recognise, understand, display and regulate their emotions appropriately with the help of tools and techniques like structured activities, visual cards, the emotion ladder, etc.
What are Emotions?
Emotions are reactions that occur in response to various situations. There are four major emotions – Sad, Happy, Fear and Anger. Elements of these can also blend to form more complex emotions such as jealousy, guilt, pride and love.
Thinking
How We Perceive A Situation (Thinking and Reasoning)
E.g. From a distance, a wavy thing on the lawn might be assumed to be a snake by some, and a rope by others. In a competition, we might be happy, but the competitors might be sad, angry, jealous or happy for us.
Physiological
How Our Body Responds (Physiological)
E.g. When we are afraid, our heart might beat faster and our palms may become sweaty.
Behaviour
How We Express It Through Our Body Language and Actions (Behaviour)
E.g. When angry, we may grind our teeth or shout.
The identification and labelling of an emotion are prerequisites for expressing it appropriately.
How Do Children with Autism Feel, Process and Express Emotions?
Your child with autism feels the entire range of emotions that you do. However, they may react to them in unexpected or unusual ways, such as:
- They may react very strongly even when it is not called for e.g. may throw a tantrum, self-harm or harm others when they accidentally spill a glass of water.
- They may react very lightly to a situation e.g. they may not even flinch (or may even laugh) when someone has a severe fall and is in pain.
- They may react inappropriately e.g. laugh when someone else is hurt and crying.
This is because they are unable to identify, label, appropriately express and regulate emotions.
Moreover, they may not understand other people’s emotions through cues such as facial expressions, body language or the tone of the voice.
To assist your child, start by teaching one emotion at a time using the resources provided.
Happy
Learn Emotions – Happy
This workbook will help your child to recognise and appropriately express HAPPY feelings.
Click to downloadVideo – Happy (Coming soon)
This video will help your child to recognise and appropriately express HAPPY feelings.
My Emotions Scrapbook – Happy
These printable pages will help your child create their own scrapbook on HAPPY expressions.
Click to download
Sad 
Learn Emotions – Sad
This workbook will help your child to recognise and appropriately express SAD feelings.
Click to downloadVideo – Sad (Coming soon)
This video will help your child to recognise and appropriately express SAD feelings.
My Emotions Scrapbook – Sad
These printable pages will help your child create their own scrapbook on SAD expressions.
Click to download
Fear
Learn Emotions – Fear
This workbook will help your child to recognise and appropriately express FEAR feelings.
Click to downloadVideo – Fear (Coming soon)
This video will help your child to recognise and appropriately express FEAR feelings.
My Emotions Scrapbook – Fear
These printable pages will help your child create their own scrapbook on FEAR expressions.
Click to download
Anger
Learn Emotions – Anger
This workbook will help your child to recognise and appropriately express ANGRY feelings.
Click to downloadVideo – Anger (Coming soon)
This video will help your child to recognise and appropriately express ANGRY feelings.
My Emotions Scrapbook – Anger
These printable pages will help your child create their own scrapbook on ANGRY expressions.
Click to download 
Happy and Sad
Learn Emotions – Happy and Sad
Video – Happy and Sad (Coming soon)
Interactive game – Happy and Sad (Coming soon)
Fear and Anger 
Learn Emotions – Fear and Anger
Video – Happy and Sad (Coming soon)
Interactive game – Fear and Anger (Coming soon)
Four basic Emotions 
Learn Four basic Emotions
Video – Four basic Emotions (Coming soon)
Interactive game – Four basic Emotions (Coming soon)
| Source and Attribution of images: All images used in the above Assets and Aids are originally created. |
| This digital material has been developed by the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project, a unit of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, as a collaborative offering in the service of our nation. |