Alternative Alphabet for feelings and emotions created in UAE

An education group in the United Arab Emirates has released an Alternative Alphabet card game that could help teenagers discuss their problems.

The game developed by GEMS Education is made up of 26 letter symbols, each representing a different aspect of mental wellbeing, from courage and tolerance to mindfulness and insecurity.

According to a spokesperson for the group, it was the reluctance of young people to talk about their emotions that prompted them to come up with the game:

“We conducted a survey of over 4,500 youngsters and learnt that 7 in 10 students aged 11-18 would not tell their friends or classmates about their mental health issues,” said Ranju Anand, senior vice president, education at GEMS Education.

“We wanted to create a resource that would allow them to interact with difficult emotions more easily, and with the Alternative Alphabet card game, we were able to provide an effective and understandable approach.”

The alphabet, developed in collaboration with Thrive Wellbeing Centre, helps children match each letter to an emotion and improves their understanding of the complex feelings they encounter on a daily basis.

According to Ranju, the group is working hard to ensure the resource reaches those who need it most. “We have made the game a free resource for educators and parents,” she said. “Our aim is to make sure that teenagers from all walks of life can benefit from this innovative tool.”

Dr Sarah Rasmi of Thrive also stressed the importance of the Alternative Alphabet:

“Many mental health problems start in childhood and early adolescence. We can help our children by giving them the tools they need to understand and express the difficulties they face. It is also important to continue to tackle the stigma of psychological problems so that they can seek support when they need it.”

Source: Khaleej Times

Follow our Telegram Chanel