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What now for how I support children?

1. Use the language of ease and difficulty with children, rather than using the words

‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviour:

You are finding it so much easier to walk calmly around the school. You must feel really

proud of yourself. It is great for everyone else too as it makes it calmer around here.

2. Help children understand when their difficulties would be a strength using

our Animal Scales.

Use the language of helpful and unhelpful – not good and bad. Make sure your

child understands that one animal is not better or worse.

For example:

• Quick Switching Squirrel attention is perfect when out at night. It helps us to stay alert

and safe. It is not so helpful in the classroom when working on a piece of writing.

• Determined Donkey rigidity is great for sticking to one’s guns about something one

really believes in. It is a strength when someone is trying to persuade you to do

something unsafe, like misuse drugs, and you stick to saying no. It is less helpful when

a task needs different perspectives, compromise and change of direction.