Tools for Schools
Provision and / or strategies:
- Understand the function of the behaviour before implementing strategies – try to identify why the child is displaying behaviours before planning how to support them.
- Make sure all adults are aware of their reactions to the observed behaviour and ensure a consistent response.
- Consider or ask what may make that child feel more at ease / safe. Provide a feelings / low arousal area with resources such as blankets, soft toys, sensory / fidget tools, offer some time outside.
- Support the child to develop the skills to self-regulate their feelings. Ensure all adults understand and support the child in this.
- Revise your setting’s behaviour management policy to ensure it focuses on supporting the child’s social and emotional development including supporting self-regulation.
- Observe play interests along with finding out what the child likes to play with at home, use these to plan interesting activities to support all areas of learning in the school / setting.
- Be calm and sensitive, take the pressure off by limiting the number of questions.
- Are there parts of the curriculum / learning environment or routines that they find easier to manage than others? Use these to develop confidence.
- Analyse all observations made to identify the child’s needs and how to support them. Plan specific observations if needed.
- Discuss with colleagues and your special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). Check if there are staff members who seem to get a more positive response. What are the strategies or approaches they are using? Can these be more widely replicated?
- Differentiate tasks to ensure that all child and young person experiences success in the classroom / learning environment.
- Ensure all staff recognise that promoting prosocial behaviour is an effective strategy to support behaviour expectations.
- Use a backward chaining approach to activities, such as bringing the child / young person in at the end of an assembly.
- Try small group work e.g. friendship or social skills, nurture groups.
- Give the child / young person responsibility for looking after someone else.
- Use play base activities.
- Establish the child / young person’s interests.
- Use buddying /peer mentoring to enable the child / young person to take on both roles enabling them to receive support from a peer and providing support to a peer.
- Try activities which provide the child / young person with a sense of belonging or importance to the group.
- Provide alternative methods to contribute to class discussions.
Last updated 3 November 2021