The Counselor's Word Wall

Word walls are in every classroom in our schools' showcasing words related to the content of that grade or subject area. Whether it’s sight words in Kindergarten and first grade, math terms, or adjectives in Creative Writing, word walls help kids when learning new content and ideas. I have always had some kind of poster in my office with “feeling” words on it to help kids when they couldn’t find the right word(s) to express themselves. 

The longer I’ve been a school counselor, the more I’ve found my students in need of this tool. The emotional vocabulary of my students seems more limited than in the past. A word wall can help when they are struggling to communicate their feelings and can give a sense of control when searching for the right word to express strong emotions. 

After attending a book study several years ago about developing empathy in students, and being influenced by Zones of Regulation, I created The Counselor’s Word Wall. How can students express empathy without the necessary vocabulary? Many of my students were stuck using basic words to describe their emotions such as mad, sad, bad, and happy. I wanted a place where students could search in the moment for the word they needed and look for other words to describe the intensity of their feelings. The Counselor’s Word Wall gives them a tool to go to the basic emotion and look for additional words that might describe their more powerful feelings. 

The Counselor’s Word Wall also generated some great discussions about whether I had put a word in the correct category or if a word describing an emotion could have more that one meaning. Amazing conversations in individual counseling have been generated just by having the Counselor’s Word Wall for students to reference. When I see students looking off to the side I’ve asked, “What are you doing?” And they reply, “I’m looking for the right word.”  And I think, "AWESOME!" I know we are making progress! 

 Individual counseling questions and the The Counselor's Word Wall 

"Which category describes how you are feeling?"

" On a scale of 10-1, 10 being the most _____ you feel and 1 being the least ____ you feel, where are you right now?"

"What word would you use if you were at a level 10?" 

"What word would you use if you were at a level 1?"

"What word describes how you are feeling right now?"

When you are at a # ____ level and feel (feeling word they use), what is happening in your body? What are your thoughts telling you?"

"If your feelings were to go down/up one level, from a #___ to a #____, what word would describe your feelings at the next level?   What would it take to move you from (word that describes current feelings) to (word that describes next level feeling up/down)?  How can you make that happen?"

This tool is Aligned with ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: • B-SS 1 Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills • B-SS 4 Empathy