Dr. Josette Abdalla Dr. Sahar Daoud14th-conference-ie.weebly.com/.../8/5528161/enhancing_self_regulati… · •Help children learn about emotions through play, songs and art. •Help

Dr. Josette Abdalla Dr. Sahar Daoud

Definition of Self Regulation

Self regulation helps the child to focus his attention, control his emotions and manage his thinking, behavior and feelings.

Self regulation is also the successful integration of emotions (what a child feels) and cognition(what a child knows or can do), resulting in appropriate behavior.

Benefits of Self Regulation

• Having more self confidence.

• Being more independent.

• Having better cognitive and social skills.

• Being able to handle stress and frustration.

Self Regulation Includes

• Sensory Regulation

• Emotional Regulation

• Cognitive Regulation

• Sensory Awareness Must Precede Sensory Regulation

What do self-regulation difficulties look like?

1. Externalizing BehaviorsFor example: tantrums, fighting with peers, not following an adult’s directions, hitting, spitting, and throwing self on the ground.

2. Internalizing BehaviorsFor example: worry, anxiety, sadness, oversensitivity, withdrawing from social situations, turning away from a parent, caretaker, or other.

How Does Self Regulation Develop?

• Infants are born without the tools of self regulation. Self regulation starts at the age of 6 months, and is not fully developed until early adulthood.

• Newborn infants are helpless and highly dependent on care givers to fulfill all their needs. The infant may cry because he is thirsty and unable to ask for water.

Self regulation between 6 and 12 months

• Beginnings of state control (recovery from stress, self soothing)

• Habituation and more organized response to stimuli

• “Primitive” interactive abilities

• Rudimentary awareness of cause and effect

• Regulation of sleep-wake cycles

• Responsive interaction with caregivers

• Responsiveness to routines

• Beginning of voluntary efforts to control motor responses

Role of caregiver (At least one consistent caregiver)

• Be responsive to your baby’s needs.

• Help your child to soothe herself.

• Develop predictable routines and responses to infant distress/discomfort.

• Look for overstimulation cues.

• Teach acceptable behaviors.

Activities to develop self regulationbetween 6 and 18 months

1. Lap games: peekaboo, pat a cake.

2. Hiding games: hide a toy under a cup

3. Imitation and copying games: build blocks, play with horse to gallop, rock baby doll.

4. Simple role play: sweeping the floor

5. Finger play: Eensy Weensey

6. Conversations: talk about interesting objects.

Self regulation between 12 and 36 months

• Conscious control of behavior e.g. developing restraint or impulse control.

• Learn more about feelings, and begin to connect situations to emotions.

• Compliance.

• Language and symbolic thinking and planning.

• Increased drive for independence.

• More attention to “models”.

Role of caregiver

• Give the child opportunities to choose.• Help the child to learn to wait.• Develop routines and patterns.• Anticipate transitions and announce changes to

normal daily routines well in advance.• Find ways to say “yes” rather than “no” what is

possible rather than what is not. • Teach the child how to name emotions.• Offer opportunities for creativity and play.• Be involved. • Anticipate inappropriate behavior and re-direct it.

Activities to develop self regulationbetween 18 and 36 months

1. Active games: throwing a ball, balance beam, imitate movement, song games.

2. Conversation and story retelling about shared events, feelings in a story.

3. Sorting and matching: e.g. silly sorting (big things in a small bucket, puzzle.

4. Imaginary play.

Wanting (age 2)

People want and like different things

People have feelings

and actions when

they get/don’t get

what they want

You can change

how people feel by

doing/saying what

they want

Does the child understand ‘wanting’?

Toys or dolls with food

• What does the doll want to eat?

• How will the doll feel?

• How could you make the toy/doll feel differently?

Activities to teach wanting

•Grocery store•Buying ice cream•Packing for a trip•Dressing dolls and characters•Trip to the library•At dinner table – there’s something I want (salt)•Calendar•Two puzzles – mix up the pieces•Cooking or baking•Choosing presents for others from a catalogue

Self regulation between 3 and 5 years old

• More capable of managing emotions and self control.

• Understanding of rules is firmly developed.

• Can use language to regulate behavior.

• Begins to understand reciprocity.

• Empathy is at a higher level of development.

• Internalization of standards of behavior.

• Voluntary Control: Preschoolers begin to understand the distinction between emotions and behavior. They can choose how to express their strong emotions.

Role of caregiver

• Be a model.• Encourage children to use language to guide actions. • Support developing inner controls- talk about them. • Tell children the “why” behind the rule.• Help children learn about emotions through play, songs and

art.• Help the child with problem solving such as planning and

organization. • Don’t ask for too much self control. If the child can’t wait 5

minutes don’t force him, accept 2 minutes at the beginning.• Ignore inappropriate behavior. • Routine and instructions.

Activities to develop self regulationbetween 3 and 5 years old

1. Imaginary play

2. Story telling

3. Movement challenges: songs and games

4. Matching and sorting activities

5. Puzzles

6. Cooking

Thinking (age 3)

People think

different things

People will

do/feel things

based on what

they think

You can change

how people think

Does the child understand ‘thinking’?

Mom can’t find her keys

• Either in the bedroom or the kitchen – where does the child think they are?

• Mom thinks they are in the other location, where will she look?

Activities to teach thinking

• Pirates, cars, other game with transportation – where do you think we should go?

• When characters in pretend play have a conflict – what do you think we could do?

• Help connect disjointed ideas by helping the child to tell what he was thinking.

• Guess what I’m thinking – adults or children, use categories

• Follow My Eyes• Cloud Watching• I Spy With My Little Eye

Seeing leads to knowing (age 4)

People don’t always

see what you see

People will say or

do things based on

what they see

You can help people

see the same things

by giving them

extra information

Does the child understand ‘seeing leads to knowing’?

• Candy box with pencils inside

• Ask what someone else will think is in the box

Activities to teach “seeing leads to knowing”

• Hide and search for objects – hotter/colder.

• Talking about things that happened at school/ somewhere else.

• Teaching how to do something

• Talking on the phone ( Can you see this?).

• Guess Who, I Spy

• Wood door/glass door

Hidden Feelings (age 5)

People don’t

always say what

they mean

What to do when

people hide their

feelings (lie,

tease, joke)

How to hide your

feelings

Does the child understand‘hidden feelings’?

• Saying the right thing.

For example: He wanted a train for his birthday but got a shirt. What should he say?

• Point to something and say it is something else.

• You fell off your bike. How do you really feel?

False Beliefs (age 6)

People believe

what they think

is true

People will

do/say things

based on what

they think is true

You can make

people believe

something is

true/not true

Does the child understandfalse beliefs?

• Mom can’t find her keys

• Child KNOWS they are in the bedroom but Mom thinks they are in the kitchen

• Where will she look?

Activities to teach Hidden Feelings and False Beliefs

• Help characters play ‘tricks’ on each other.

• Create situations in which characters feel sad or scared, but act differently.

• Being a ‘good sport’ when characters win.

• Pretend to receive underwear as a gift in the birthday party.

• Jokes or sarcasm.

• Parents talk through their mistakes.

• Planning a surprise party.

Activities to develop self regulationin 5 – 7 year olds

1. Card games and board games

2. Physical activities/games

3. Music and dancing

4. Crossword puzzles

5. Logic and reasoning games

6. Guessing games e.g., I spy.

Emotional reflections

These are necessary to help the child:• feel understood by having his perspective

acknowledged• Understand his inner world by using labels to

make sense of his feelings• Learn that emotions are a normal part of life• Link between past emotional learning and new

situations• Distinguish between different feelings• Use words to express emotions to others

When children are upset

They might…. A parent or carer might respond by …

The child learns …

… sit on the floor not playing and frowning

… bending down placing a gentle hand on the child’s shoulder and saying 'I can see that you look upset. Do you want to tell me what happened? What can we do to help you feel better?' using a kind and gentle voice.

that someone is interested and cares. It also provides the child with some choice, as well as hope and skills for managing negative experiences.

… cry … giving them a cuddle and be still with them until they have calmed down.

… to experience and know what it is to be calm and trust that there is someone there for them.

When a child is upsetThey might…. A parent or carer might

respond by … The child learns …

… shout at another child with whomthey are fighting over a toy

… helping the two children to calm down by using words to describe their feelings and working together to solve the problem (for example, "You seem to be upset. Why don’t we stop and have a big stretch and relax? Then maybe you can each say why you are upset and what ideas you have for solving the problem and feeling better.").

… to calm down and how to solve problems with others.

… be quiet and not draw any attention to themselves

… watching from a distance for a while and think about what the child may be experiencing. A parent or carer could slowly move closer to the child and provide some contact and comfort or reassurance, followed by engaging the child in an experience when they seemed ready to do so.

… that they are important and their

feelings are valued. They may also

learn that they can feel better by

sharing their feelings with others.

Turtle technique

Decision making

1. Identify decision. What to have for breakfast.

Choice may be based on:

• What do I feel like?

• What looks good?

• What’s healthy?

Decision making 2. Think of options:

Steps:• Cereal – sweetened, processed or natural, unsweetened

• Toast – with jam or vegemite

• Fruit – fresh or cooked in syrup

• Milk – plain or flavored

Options may be limited by:• What’s available

• What child is used to

• What the child is willing to try

• Choices parent/carer allows

Decision making 3. Evaluate options :

Steps:• Sweetened cereal tastes better but is not so healthy

• Plain milk is healthier but child doesn’t like the taste

Options: Consider the relevance of things like:• Pleasure (taste)

• What’s quick and easy

• What’s healthiest

Decision making 4. Choose a strategy, try it and check how it

works :

Steps:• Try and compare tastes

• Choose what’s quickest…or

• Compare listed ingredients for nutritional value

How good was your decision?• Did you enjoy breakfast?

• Did you achieve goals (e.g., for being quick, for healthy eating)?

• How will you decide next time?

Help children learn to take decisions

1.Provide chances to practice

2.Support for autonomy

3.Acquire responsibility

4.Teach values

Problem solving

1. How do you feel?

2. What is the problem?

3. Think about solutions.

4. Think about what will happen if I do this?

5. Try the solution.

Activities during class

Refocusing

Clapping ExerciseRefocus the class with a series of claps with a certain pattern. The routine with capture student's attention and create a shared focus.

Conducting an OrchestraThis activity requires the use of musical instruments. The teacher will have a long stick or ruler that and will act like an orchestra leader, conducting when they will play their instruments. The teacher will wave the conductors wand quickly or slowly and have students play according to her movements. Then, the teacher will have students override their automatic response by indicating that students should play slowly when she waves the conductors wand quickly, and vice versa.

Drum BeatsFor this activity, the students will use drum cues from the teacher to do certain body movements. For example, "When the drums plays, clap or stomp" "When the drum plays slowly, walk around the room slowly" "When the drum plays quickly, walk around quickly". The teacher will then invert the response instructing "When the drum plays quickly, walk around slowly" When the drum plays slowly, walk around quickly.

Activities during classRelaxation

Sinking ActivityTell students to lie on their backs on the floor, their arms by their sides and legs uncrossed, and eyes closed. Tell them (in a soft gentle voice) to imagine that their bodies are very heavy and sinking to the floor. Start to mention different body parts: toes, ankles, wrists, necks, eyelids. Then tell them to imagine that they are laying on a warm beach on a sunny day.

Count to TenThe teacher stands at the front of the class and raises both hands above her head, spread open and facing the class. The students raise their hands over their heads, fingers spread, and facing the teacher. The teacher begins counting slowly from one to ten, and at ten lowers her hands to her sides. The class follows until everyone is back in the position they started in.

• DrawingDrawing a picture helps to relax children. Try giving your students a prompt! For example, "draw how you feel right now." This helps children to recognize their emotions whether good or bad and process them in a healthy manner. Part of self regulation is learning to deal with your emotions in the appropriate manners and this activity sets up a calming environment for kids to learn to do this. Aside from processing emotions, drawing helps children and adults process any circumstance and is very calming to the mind!

Activities during class• Emotion Regulation

Emotion Regulation Swing-O-MeterThis craft could accompany a lesson aimed at helping students understand, and therefore control, their emotions

FacesA craft that will increase students’ understanding of their own emotions, and create opportunities within the classroom for them to evaluate their emotions.

How Big Is My Problem ChartPost a chart in the classroom that is numbered from zero to five, with zero at the bottom and five at the top. Each number will be colored along a gradient staing at green for level one, and moving to red for level five.

Activities during classImpulsivity ReductionThink or Say?"One of your classmates is having a bad hair day, do you think you should tell them, or keep it to yourself?""One of your classmates hurt your feelings, but they do not know that they did this, should you talk to them about it kindly or keep it to yourself?”Private SpeechThis is when they think about a situation privately and quietly to themselves. Ask them to think about outcomes that could possibly happen if they make certain choices. Encourage them to really think before speaking and acting.

Activities during class

Follow the BirdieTwo children partner up. One picks up an object such as an erasor and holds it eighteen inches in front of the other student's eyes. The first student then begins to move the object from left to right and back again. The watching student must follow the object with his eyes only and count slowly. If he turns his head to follow the object he loses his turn.

Activities during classResponse RegulationRed Light, Purple LightThis game follows the same concept as "red light, green light". Using different colors for stop and requires children to regulate their responses and adapt to the change. Head-Toes-Knees-ShouldersThis activities requires that students override an automatic response, and therefore exhibit self-regulation. Begin by having students point to their head, shoulders, knees and toes. Have students touch each body part in a variety of sequences to get accustomed to the game. Then have students override their automatic response by asking students to point to incongruent body parts. For example, tell students “when I say to touch your head, touch your TOES!!" or "When I say touch your tummy, touch your EARS.”

Activities during class

• The Freeze GameThis game requires music! The teacher will play the music and then when she stops the music the children must freeze and be still as statues in whatever position the froze in.

• Bubble games

Can not pop until certain number are called, or can pop when his name is called

Activities during class

Stance Contest2 students stand and face each other in a specific pose (any pose that they choose). When the teacher says "GO" neither student may move, talk, or change facial expression. The first student to do so loses. Starting GunStudents will all line up on a starting line. Instructor says "Ready, Set...." and she might say "go" OR another word that sounds like go OR starts with a "g". EXAMPLE: green! gorilla! snow! crow! blow! grape! Gate! Mirror GameKids partner up and take turns making different faces and their partners must imitate them. For an added challenge, students can imitate one another’s’ body movements.

Activities during class

Simon Says.Dance Dance Dance.The teacher puts on some fun music and then starts to dance. The students have to follow her routine exactly, no matter how wacky. After 30 seconds or so the teacher calls out a students name and that student begins to make up his own dance moves that the rest of the class must follow.

How to build relationships in class with the children

• Greet every child by name.

• Post children’s work around the room.

• Call/tell a child’s parent in front of them to say what a great day she is having or send home positive notes.

• Give high fives and thumbs up accomplishing tasks.

• When a child misses school tell him how much he was missed.

• Acknowledge children’s efforts.

How to build relationships in class with the children

• Call a child after a difficult day and say, “I’m sorry we had a tough day today. I know tomorrow is going to be better!”

• Give compliments liberally.

• Find time to read to individual children or a few children at a time.

• Find out what a child’s favorite book is and bring it along on a visit or read it to the whole class.

• Play with children, follow their lead.

Environmental strategies in class

Predictable schedules and routines Balance the activities (small vs large, active vs quiet…) Use picture schedules and review them daily Transitions How many transitions does a child have to go through each day? How do you prepare children for transitions? Directions Do you have their attention? Make sure they are clear and given one step at a time Rules Take time to teach and re-teach the rules Post them and review them

Using visual cues for routine

Rules

Using visuals to help transition

Picture and timer helps with turn taking and ending activity

Personal space