ELSA Trainers' Manual

This is a comprehensive staff training resource to support the emotional development and wellbeing of pupils. The "ELSA Trainers' Manual" provides a comprehensive five-day training and supervision programme designed to enhance the skills of Classroom Assistants and Learning Support Assistants, enabling them to work effectively to support the emotional development and wellbeing of pupils. Staff who complete the programme are known as Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs). The ELSA programme includes comprehensive training materials, ten PowerPoint files, facilitator notes and handouts, policy documents, a pdf file of the participants' course book, and an illustrative DVD. Topics covered are: emotional literacy in schools; self-esteem; understanding and managing anger; social skills training; friendship skills and therapeutic stories; active listening and communication skills; working with puppets; introduction to Autism; and loss and bereavement.

Sheila Burton is an Area Principal Educational Psychologist for the West of Hampshire.