Description
The aim of this book is to provide resources to facilitate the learning of new skills related to social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). When we are presented with children with SEBD, we often set about implementing a system of rewards and/or consequences so as to replace ‘unwanted’ behaviours with ‘wanted’ behaviours. We often find such a system successful as children respond positively to the presence of the ‘reward’. However, a potential drawback with this two-part system is that children only respond while the rewards are in place because they are motivated by these. Once the rewards are withdrawn the success is often not maintained. This can be disheartening for both the child and the adult.
The authors believe a more successful method utilises these two elements of reward and consequence but also includes a third – the teaching of new skills. A lot of the time children’s ‘unwanted’ behaviours are deeply entrenched and may be the only way they know how to respond to a particular emotion or situation. By teaching children new skills we are helping them to understand how their ‘unwanted behaviour’ has negative impacts for themselves and others. It also allows children to see how ‘wanted’ behaviour produces positive results for themselves and others. By realising this, children are much more likely to become motivated long-term and to sustain the change. Therefore, children need to be equipped with these new skills, which will enable them to achieve positive and successful outcomes which will pave the way for them to become Socially Talented Children.
This book has been designed to support the implementation of this third element. It provides child-friendly, easy-to-use worksheets which allow children to develop their awareness of their self and their behaviour. It also aims to provide children with strategies and techniques to manage their behaviour and subsequently experience success.
The layout of the photocopiable worksheets are designed to appeal to children and to make the learning fun. They incorporate activities and games wherever possible to facilitate this and include exciting illustrations. Each worksheet can also be reproduced in colour from the accompanying ‘Digital Companion Page’.
Issues covered:
- Introducing me
- I feel good about me
- Getting to know my body
- Feelings
- Anger
- Ways to help me manage my behaviour
- Calm & chilled
- Communication
- Friendship
- Concentration
- Classroom behaviour
- Mind your manners
- Sort it out.
The activities within the book are an excellent tool for generating discussion, promoting positive role modelling and developing greater insight and understanding to social behaviour.
Supplementary Online Resources:
Previously additional resources, including colour versions of the worksheets, were made available on an accompanying CD/DVD. However, as CDs and DVDs have become less accessible, all supplementary resources for this book are now solely available on the digital companion page as follows:
Learning to Become Socially Talented Children – Digital Companion Page
– Please note: Where the title mentions the associated CD/DVD disc, please use the downloadable resources from the link above instead.
