Engineer the child’s social environment
If a child feels too afraid to negotiate the playground alone provide protection as a
short-term strategy while other strategies are being formulated. The child may feel it
is safe to walk around with the teacher on yard duty, play in view of the staffroom or
be involved in a lunchtime club that is supervised by a teacher.
Provide a buddy
Offering peer support in the form of a playtime buddy can be a great source of
comfort for the child. Select a buddy who is willing to take on this role, and who has
better developed social skills and social kudos. Changing buddies regularly avoids the
possibility of them becoming resentful for feeling overly responsible for their buddy.
Teacher mentor
Provide the child with the opportunity to have a teacher mentor available if and when
he or she feels worried or upset. This may be a specialist teacher, class teacher or
favourite teacher from previous years.
Locate safe places
Some children have difficulty working out where there are safe places to play. The
teacher may need to walk around the playground with the child showing ideal places
to play and possible games to play in that area.
Locate exits
Some children may be visually and spatially challenged and cannot see that they
have cornered themselves in an unsafe place to play. Discuss with the child that it is
acceptable to remove themselves from uncomfortable situations, and help the child
make a visual map in their mind of where the exits are located and how to best exit
from a given space or group.
Three tier lunch
(Devised by Marcella Reiter)
The three tier lunch is a time management structure that helps children with social and/
or emotional needs manage the playground. Lunchtime is divided into approximately
three equal portions of time.
The First third the student engages in set structured activities such as board games,
sporting activities, gardening and so on. These activities should be in view of a teacher
and be enjoyed by the child.
The Second third the student has free time and participates in an activity of his or
her choice.
The Final third the student engages in a structured activity—either a new activity
or a continuation of the First third.
When the child is better able to handle the playground the format can be changed.
First third is a time for free play, Second third is a time for a structured activity and
the Final third is back to free play. When the teacher feels that the child is ready to
manage the playground the child resumes full lunchtime play of his or her choice
(Suckling & Temple 2001).
Classroom seating
Classroom seating is a powerful tool that can significantly affect the child. Consider
placement in terms of the physical position in the classroom followed by seating the
child next to positive role models that offer support.
Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning allows the child to practise pro-social values and social skills
by fostering student interactions: ‘It is vital that we apprentice young people into
the thinking, the talking and the doing associated with true collaboration from the
moment they enter school.’ (Murdoch & Wilson 2004)
Inclusive games
Inclusive games foster positive interdependence because the activity cannot take
place unless everyone is engaged. This helps build connectedness through fun. It also
provides the child with a way of learning and practising cooperative skills—made
easier if the instructions are clear and explicit from the teacher. The teacher may wish
to teach one inclusive game per week, offering rewards for groups who play the new
game during lunchtime.
Teachers as role models
Research confirms that the impact on student academic success and wellbeing can be
dependent on their academic learning as well as their social and emotional learning.
Kathleen Cotton in her 1995 research update (Stanley & McGrath in McGrath &
Noble 2006) believes the ability of the teacher to encourage respect and build awareness of others’ feelings enhances school effectiveness. When teachers demonstrate
care, inclusion and acceptance, this has a positive effect on students.
If a child feels too afraid to negotiate the playground alone provide protection as a
short-term strategy while other strategies are being formulated. The child may feel it
is safe to walk around with the teacher on yard duty, play in view of the staffroom or
be involved in a lunchtime club that is supervised by a teacher.
Provide a buddy
Offering peer support in the form of a playtime buddy can be a great source of
comfort for the child. Select a buddy who is willing to take on this role, and who has
better developed social skills and social kudos. Changing buddies regularly avoids the
possibility of them becoming resentful for feeling overly responsible for their buddy.
Teacher mentor
Provide the child with the opportunity to have a teacher mentor available if and when
he or she feels worried or upset. This may be a specialist teacher, class teacher or
favourite teacher from previous years.
Locate safe places
Some children have difficulty working out where there are safe places to play. The
teacher may need to walk around the playground with the child showing ideal places
to play and possible games to play in that area.
Locate exits
Some children may be visually and spatially challenged and cannot see that they
have cornered themselves in an unsafe place to play. Discuss with the child that it is
acceptable to remove themselves from uncomfortable situations, and help the child
make a visual map in their mind of where the exits are located and how to best exit
from a given space or group.
Three tier lunch
(Devised by Marcella Reiter)
The three tier lunch is a time management structure that helps children with social and/
or emotional needs manage the playground. Lunchtime is divided into approximately
three equal portions of time.
The First third the student engages in set structured activities such as board games,
sporting activities, gardening and so on. These activities should be in view of a teacher
and be enjoyed by the child.
The Second third the student has free time and participates in an activity of his or
her choice.
The Final third the student engages in a structured activity—either a new activity
or a continuation of the First third.
When the child is better able to handle the playground the format can be changed.
First third is a time for free play, Second third is a time for a structured activity and
the Final third is back to free play. When the teacher feels that the child is ready to
manage the playground the child resumes full lunchtime play of his or her choice
(Suckling & Temple 2001).
Classroom seating
Classroom seating is a powerful tool that can significantly affect the child. Consider
placement in terms of the physical position in the classroom followed by seating the
child next to positive role models that offer support.
Cooperative learning
Cooperative learning allows the child to practise pro-social values and social skills
by fostering student interactions: ‘It is vital that we apprentice young people into
the thinking, the talking and the doing associated with true collaboration from the
moment they enter school.’ (Murdoch & Wilson 2004)
Inclusive games
Inclusive games foster positive interdependence because the activity cannot take
place unless everyone is engaged. This helps build connectedness through fun. It also
provides the child with a way of learning and practising cooperative skills—made
easier if the instructions are clear and explicit from the teacher. The teacher may wish
to teach one inclusive game per week, offering rewards for groups who play the new
game during lunchtime.
Teachers as role models
Research confirms that the impact on student academic success and wellbeing can be
dependent on their academic learning as well as their social and emotional learning.
Kathleen Cotton in her 1995 research update (Stanley & McGrath in McGrath &
Noble 2006) believes the ability of the teacher to encourage respect and build awareness of others’ feelings enhances school effectiveness. When teachers demonstrate
care, inclusion and acceptance, this has a positive effect on students.