The Anger Alphabet: Understanding Anger - An Emotional Development Programme for Young Children aged 5 to 12

An ideal resource for primary teachers, the 26 elements of this practical resource help children understand anger and to see that it is linked with other feelings such as fear, loss and jealousy etc. They will begin to realise that anger is not always harmful and negative but should be managed effectively.

At the end of the programme pupils will: • distinguish between behaviours • develop anger management strategies • express strong feelings in an assertive way • learn to recognise anger in its early stages • develop an understanding of others perspectives.

New to this edition is:

• information on recent initiatives on anger management in schools
• models and top tips for coping with anger
• new activities and ideas
• further information for young children aged 5-9

This instructional guide for teachers comes with photocopiable worksheets, charts, checklists and activities suitable for both group and individual work for the whole-class which are available to download online.

Table of Contents

Introduction

THE PROGRAMME

• A Is for Anger
• B Is for Bottled-up
• C Is for Cool It
• D Is for Dynamite
• E Is for Explosion
• F Is for Fuse
• G Is for Grumble Jar
• H Is for Helping Yourself
• I Is for 'I' Messages
• J Is for Joke
• K Is for Kettle Boiling
• L Is for Listening
• M Is for Move It
• N Is for No
• O Is for outside
• P Is for Post It
• Q Is for Quality Talk
• R Is for Rules
• S Is for Shield
• T Is for Traffic Lights
• U Is for Understanding
• V Is for Vocabulary
• W Is for Wind down
• X Is for X-Ray Eyes
• Y Is for Yell
• Z Is for Zero

APPENDICES

• Appendix 1: Anger Alphabet - Pre and Post Course Checklist
• Appendix 2: Anger Models
• Appendix 3: Pre and Post Course Observation Checklist
• Appendix 4: Strong Feelings Diary
• Appendix 5: Format for Group Work
• Appendix 6: Time Out Vouchers
• Appendix 7: Top Tips for Teachers
• Appendix 8: Top Tips for Parents
• Appendix 9: Top Tips/Strategies for Children
• Appendix 10: Behaviour Monitoring Chart
• Appendix 11: Reward Sticker Chart
• Appendix 12: Information Sheet on Attachment Disorders
• Appendix 13: Strategy Sheet: Attachment Disorders
• Appendix 14: Nurture Group Information Sheet

"The Anger Alphabet is invaluable for those who work with young people as professionals in either education or social care. Like the previous edition, this book gives sound advice, practical activities, and a clearly structured programme of experiences and opportunities to help young people develop an internal locus of control over their emotions. This edition has new illustrations, activities for outdoors and new practical tools such as charts, checklists and lists of strategies for young people, their parents and their teachers. Coping with stress, anxiety and self doubt is a challenge for many, but for those who struggle with attachment difficulties or are on the autistic spectrum, these challenges can be overwhelming. The Anger Alphabet is a highly effective programme providing fun and stimulating sessions that help young people manage, not repress, their emotions. Helping young people to develop these skills can be important for the day to day management of a classroom or group. More importantly however, this programme provides lifelong strategies that can support mental and emotional health and wellbeing, the forming and maintaining of relationships, motivation and success in learning, the development of positive values and attitudes, and the building of self-confidence. Tina Rae has once again given professionals working with children and young people a highly effective tool for their toolkit."
- Terri Harrison, Nature Nurture Project, Camphill School, Aberdeen