Ginnie & Pinney 'Learning Emotions' Flash Cards

'Learning Emotions' Flash Cards build emotional vocabulary and social and emotional wellbeing.

Without the appropriate emotional language, children cannot express how they are feeling. Through the use of the characters' facial expressions and the A-Z of emotions words and descriptions, these flashcards address this issue by encouraging conversations to build emotional language, concept knowledge and social & emotional wellbeing encouraging pro-social behaviour.

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Overview

HundrED shortlisted this innovation

HundrED has shortlisted this innovation to one of its innovation collections. The information on this page has been checked by HundrED.

Web presence

2022

Established

20K

Children

2

Countries

Target group

Students early

Updated

June 2024

We would like teachers to be clearly informed about, and gain understanding of the importance of helping children articulate their emotional states enabling them to regulate their emotions and improve their emotional understanding. We would also like to see a broader uptake of our resources across the education sector increasing the reach from Early Learning to K-Y2.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

There is much research to show children who are unable to articulate their emotions struggle with emotional comprehension leading to increased negative behaviours. Those who have the emotional language to describe how they are feeling show positive social competence & emotional understanding. The 'Learning Emotions' Cards solve this by giving children appropriate language to improve their EU.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

The innovation is a set of 52 A-Z of Emotions Flash Cards that teachers can use to teach children about their emotions, ask questions related to each emotion on each card and discuss, with the children, what they can contribute about the meaning of a particular emotion. The cards can be used as a stand alone product or in conjuntion with the Ginnie & Pinney books and animations. The resource is endorsed by Professor of Education, Tanya Serry from La Trobe University and Emerita Professor, Doreen Rosenthal from University of Melbourne. Large number of orders by Early Learning Centres across Victoria and Queensland support evidence the solution is having a positive impact across this sector.

How has it been spreading?

Main achievements are that the Ginnie & Pinney resource is a recommended resource with the Victorian Department of Education and Training and Queensland's Kindy Uplift program. Was Highly Commended at the Educational Publishing Awards of Australia in 2021. Ginnie & Pinney has been optioned by Production House, Moody Street Kids for an animated television series after successful development funding from the Australian Children's Television Foundation and has sold rights to the U.K Audio Book Company, Bolinda for the UK and Australian (ABC) market in 2022. We have completed an online Professional Development training module with La Trobe University. Our plans are to broaden our scope with a numbers game and possibly some AI products.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

It is very simple for anyone to access our resource by visiting our website, www.ginnieandpinney.com.au and purchasing our materials. We are also available via email and by phone for anyone who needs help. The materials can be adapted to focus on social & emotional wellbeing, access & inclusion, communication (language development) and fine & gross motor skills. (The entire resource )

Implementation steps

Using the A-Z of Emotions Flash Cards

1. Choose a card from the pack
2. Read the emotional word on the card
3. Point out the corresponding letter of the alphabet
4. Ask the children to look at the illustration and ask them what they think the word means
5. Ask the children the question found under the letter of the card as a lead into a discussion
6. Refer to the definition and similes on the card in the discussion
7. Use the illustration and emotions on the card to ask your student to tell you a story based on what they see

8 Social and Emotional Wellbeing Theme Cards

1. Choose one card as a theme for the week (or day) to discuss with your student
2 Use the questions as a starting point for conversations around these themes
3. Look up words that are similar to and opposite from the emotional themed words
4. Use the A-Z cards to guide the telling or writing of a story about one of these emotional themes
5. Emotional themes are based on the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia

5 Facial Expression Cards

1. Discuss the position and shape of the eyebrows, eyes and mouth to buyild understanding of emotional expression
2. Discuss moments your student may have experienced the emotin that matches the expression on each card. Recognising and naming feelings assists the development of EQ
3. Discuss each f the expression on the cards and match the A-Z Emotion cards with each expression to extend vocabulary and develop understanding of the five basic emotions, happy, sad, angry, surprised and scared

7 Character Cards

1. Talk to your student about each character's personality and what emotions they might show
2. Which character tod they feel is most like themselves
3. Discuss how each of us has many different characteristics
4. Research the countries the characters come from and the animals the characters are base don
5. Guide the telling or writing of a story about one of the characters using n emotion from the A-Z cards