When young students become overloaded with sensory information or their anxiety levels escalate significantly, they are unlikely to be able to exert any internal control over their impulses or to respond to prompts and cues from adults.
Teaching students to self regulate and manage their responses in challenging and taxing situations starts with supporting them to take a break before they become overwhelmed.
The advantages of teaching students to take a break at school include:
- supporting students to maintain control of their emotions
- allowing for more opportunities for a positive resolution to incidents and issues for everyone
- supporting students to sustain social interactions for longer periods as they know they can take a break when needed
- supporting students to develop greater confidence in their ability to problem solve and cope with consequences
- minimising controlling or repetitive behaviours that generally escalate in times of stress.
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