The Mind Readers – Developing Theory of Mind and Emotion Understanding

The Mind Readers is an evidence-based training program designed to support the development of Theory of Mind and emotion understanding. The web-based program is mainly aimed at deaf and hard-of-hearing children and young people, but it can also benefit hearing learners and children with other learning needs. It helps them to understand their own mental and emotional states, to recognize that other people may have different thoughts and feelings, and to use this understanding in social interactions. The Mind Readers is available in German, German Sign Language, Swiss German Sign Language, Greek, Greek Sign Language, English, British Sign Language, French, French Sign Language, Italian and Italian Sign Language.

For teachers, The Mind Readers provides a collection of 65 exercises organized into nine Theory-of-Mind modules and an additional language module. Activities use stories, pictures, role play, worksheets and spoken, written and sign-language materials. A teacher toolbox and learning-objective checklists help teachers to select activities according to pupils’ age, language abilities and individual needs. All materials are freely downloadable and can be adapted for use in different educational settings.

The program supports teachers in accommodating individual differences in communication, language, social cognition and emotional understanding in their teaching. It equips them with practical and evidence-informed tools for developing social understanding and communication in inclusive learning environments.

 

ED-TED contact: Yannick Zobel, yannick.zobel(at)ph-freiburg.de

Resource contact: protom-gap(at)hu-berlin.de

Access to the resource: Link