Episode 5: Wellbeing Literacy - Teachers and students using language to enhance wellbeing

Talking Teaching is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We’d love to hear your feedback on the series - you can send your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to foe-news@unimelb.edu.au.

Description

How does language shape how we feel, relate, and learn? In this episode, host Dr. Sophie Specjal is joined by Professor Lindsay Oades, Dr Jacqui Francis and Lisa Baker to explore the emerging concept of Wellbeing Literacy; the capability to intentionally use language to foster wellbeing, including educational settings.

Together, they unpack how language can be used not just to communicate, but to regulate emotions, build community, and support learning across all stages. From arts-based programs in the Goulburn Valley to play-based learning in early years, this conversation highlights the real-world potential of integrating Wellbeing Literacy into everyday educational practice.

Guests

Professor Lindsay Oades is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr Jacqui Francis is a Lecturer at the Centre for Wellbeing Science and Lisa Baker is a Project Officer at the REEaCh Centre.

Further Reading

Book - Wellbeing Literacy Theory and Practice Through Multidisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Lenses. Edited By Lindsay G. Oades, Narelle Lemon, Jacqui Francis, Tim Lomas. Available for pre-order

Wellbeing Literacy Website - Centre for Wellbeing Science

Pursuit article - Taking positive psychology to a group level (2017)- By Prof. Lindsay G. Oades

2023 Publications

  • Yaden, D. B., Giorgi, S., Kern, M. L., Adler, A., Ungar, L. H., Seligman, M. E. P., & Eichstaedt, J. C. (2023). Beyond beliefs: Multidimensional aspects of religion and spirituality in language. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 15(2), 272–280. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000408

2022 Publications

  • De Ruyter, D., Oades, L.G., Waghid, Y., Ehrenfeld, J., Gilead, T. and Singh, N.C. (2022) in Duraiappah, A.K., van Atteveldt, N.M., Borst, G., Bugden, S., Ergas, O., Gilead, T., Gupta, L., Mercier, J., Pugh, K., Singh, N.C. and Vickers, E.A. (eds.) Reimagining Education: The International Science and Evidence based Assessment. New Delhi: UNESCO MGIEP.DOI: https://doi.org/10.56383/XBXZ7711
  • Oades, L.G., Hou, H., Francis, J.J., Baker, L., and Huang, L. (2022). Well-being Literacy: Language Use as a Way to Contextualize the Process of Positive Education. (pp.91-103). In K-A. Allen, M. J. Furlong, D. A. Vella-Brodrick & S. M. Suldo, (Eds.). The handbook of positive psychology in schools: Supporting Process and Practice (3rd ed.). Taylor and Francis. ISBN: 978-03-67-85586-4

2021 Publications

  • Baker, L.M., Oades, L.G., and Raban, B. (2021). Wellbeing literacy and early childhood education.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 23(2), pp. 4 – 19. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.404572037365614
  • Giorgi, S., Nguyen, K. Le, Eichstaedt, J. C., Kern, M. L., Yaden, D. B., Kosinski, M., … Park, G. (2021). Regional personality assessment through social media language. Journal of Personality, 00, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12674
  • Hou, H., Chin, T.-C., Slemp, G. R., & Oades, L. G. (2021). Wellbeing Literacy: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Preliminary Empirical Findings from Students, Parents and School Staff. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041485
  • Oades, J., Baker, L., Francis, J., & Taylor, J. (2020). Wellbeing Literacy and Positive Education. In M. Kern & M. Wehmeyer (Eds,). The Palgrave Handbook on Positive Education.  https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-64537-3_13
  • Oades, L., Hou, H., Francis, J., Baker, L., Huang, L. Wellbeing Literacy: Language Use a Way to Contextualise the Process of Positive Education. In K-A. Allen, M. Furlong, S. Suldo, D. Vella-Brodrick (Eds,). Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools (Third Edition): In Support of Positive Educational Processes. Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group)
  • Oades, J., Taylor, J., Francis, J., & Baker, L. Wellbeing Literacy as an Emancipatory and Transformative Capability. In M. White & F. McCallum (Eds,). Wellbeing and Resilience Education: COVID-19 and Its Impact on Education Systems. Routledge.