Page 20 - Course Handbook 2023

Unit 5: Brain Needs
What does our brain need to be at its best?
What should I practise now?

SKILLS TO PRACTISE / STRENGTHEN RAG

TO BE AT OUR BEST, OUR NEEDS MUST BE MET JUST RIGHT

1 Teach children about the different types of needs to be at our ‘Brain Best’ (physical,
sensory, emotional – People Around me, emotional – The World Around Me, Learning
Needs) and the 5C summary of these.

2 Give children opportunities to learn their own unique set of needs and recognize how

big or small each one is at different times and in different places.

3 Spend time helping children to notice when their needs are met well and when they

are not met so well. Work with children to use the 5C Needs scales at different times,

for different activities, with different people and in different places to give them

practice at noticing how well their needs are met.

4 Give children the opportunity to practice communicating their needs in calm, kind

ways using the Needs cards to help. Give recognition when they manage to do this and

help them track their progress at it.

5 Before starting a task, Prep4Best: use the 5C Needs as a structure for predicting what

might go wrong and making a plan for it to go right.