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Socially Speaking Workshop: Regulation

By Anonymous

SELF-REGULATION = staying calmly alert, focused and managing emotions in a way that is socially acceptable.

 THE ALERT PROGRAMME...
* is a way of thinking about internal state, without focusing on emotions.
* uses neutral language

 AROUSAL = HOW ALERT ONE FEELS
To attend, concentrate and perform tasks in a manner suitable to the situational demands, one's nervous system must be in the optimum state of arousal (Mercer & Snell 1977).

 We need to be in exactly the right state of arousal to attend and complete a task.

                  How is your engine running?

Take the time to stop and check, how is your engine running?
Ask the students, how is your engine running?
Discuss how the class' engine is running (as a group).
You can use a speedometer picture to show this.

What affects self-regulation?
* Physiological needs e.g. hunger, fatigue
* Sensory processing difficulties e.g. over-sensitive or under-sensitive to noise, touch, vestibular input, body awareness etc
* Neurological issues e.g. ADHD
* Possible effects of Earthquake / trauma (??)

IF YOU ARE OPERATING IN A SLIGHTLY HEIGHTENED STATE OF AROUSAL, YOU ARE MORE PRONE TO OVERLOAD.  What activities bring you back to 'just right' (ie just the right state of arousal to complete a task)?

Sensory strategies: 
* Hair twirling
* Singing
* Moving e.g. walking, running, chewing
* Shower/water based activities
* Drawing/colouring
* Quiet/noise


There are ALERTING STRATEGIES and CALMING STRATEGIES. 
These will be SPECIFIC to each child.  These can be helpful even if the child doesn't have sensory processing difficulties. 

When is the BEST time to bring in a strategy? When child is above just right, but not yet highly alert / anxious.  Think prevention rather than band-aid!

What type of calming strategies work? 
Ones that involve the body (but keep movements slow)!
* Wall push (Hulk Hands) 
* Chair pushes
* Stretches
* Friend push (must stop if either child says stop)
* Push ups

Natural heavy work
* Emptying bins
* Pushing/pulling activities e.g. push a box of books
* Run around school
* Moving furniture
* Go for a run around the school

Other general sensory items
* Vestibular: move and sit cushion; swinging
* Touch: fidget items/toys available for seated/quiet times, limit unexpected touch.
* Auditory e.g. calming music
* Visual: curtains, sunglasses, tent/small area to reduce visual input
* Deep pressure touch e.g. beanbag to sit on; fleecy blankets
* Mouth: snacks, chewing 

 Cognitive activities
* Brain behaviour: red and green thoughts ('poison') and solution based thinking ('antidote')
* How big is the problem: catastrophe scale
* Check-in with students: e.g. thumbs up/down/middle to show how morning tea was
* 'Engine tools' e.g. having a code system for a child e.g. break cards; red and green card etc
* Visual time tables

My next step?
* Talk with team...set up a cave or tent in class as a low stimulus area?
* Sensory box?
   
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