Social Thinking and Zones of Regulation
Through Stanbridge Academy's Social Learning program, students learn the thinking strategies required to foster social skill development. The speech-language pathologist and school counselors use a variety of resources, including concepts and vocabulary from Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking methodology. Social learning concepts teach students to become better social observers and help deepen their understanding of their own and others’ thoughts and emotions. With a wide range of ages at Stanbridge, social learning topics and concepts vary depending on groups. These skills allow them to relate and connect to others as well as navigate the social world around them.
Stanbridge incorporates Leah M. Kuyper’s Zones of Regulation curriculum schoolwide. The Zones is a systematic, cognitive behavioral approach used to teach self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and states of alertness we experience into four concrete colored zones. The Zones framework provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, manage their sensory needs, and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts.
By addressing underlying deficits in emotional and sensory regulation, executive functioning, and social cognition, the framework is designed to help move students toward independent regulation. The Zones of Regulation incorporates Social Thinking concepts and numerous visuals to teach students to identify their feelings/level of alertness, understand how their behavior impacts those around them, and learn what tools they can use to manage their feelings and states.
Before classes, teachers do a “zones check-in” to make sure everyone is in the right space to learn. If they are not, there is discussion about tools that the student can use to get back to the “green zone” before starting the activity. Examples of ways Stanbridge staff and students may use the Zones language at school throughout the school day are:
The Zones of Regulation works in conjunction with helping students to meet their CARES. behavior goals, and assists teachers and counselors in monitoring and addressing students' variable emotions throughout the day. For more information on CARES goals, student behavior expectations, and counseling services, visit our site's Counseling page.
Stanbridge incorporates Leah M. Kuyper’s Zones of Regulation curriculum schoolwide. The Zones is a systematic, cognitive behavioral approach used to teach self-regulation by categorizing all the different ways we feel and states of alertness we experience into four concrete colored zones. The Zones framework provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and impulses, manage their sensory needs, and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts.
By addressing underlying deficits in emotional and sensory regulation, executive functioning, and social cognition, the framework is designed to help move students toward independent regulation. The Zones of Regulation incorporates Social Thinking concepts and numerous visuals to teach students to identify their feelings/level of alertness, understand how their behavior impacts those around them, and learn what tools they can use to manage their feelings and states.
Before classes, teachers do a “zones check-in” to make sure everyone is in the right space to learn. If they are not, there is discussion about tools that the student can use to get back to the “green zone” before starting the activity. Examples of ways Stanbridge staff and students may use the Zones language at school throughout the school day are:
- "I have so much housework to do today and feel like I don't have enough time. I'm in the Yellow Zone right now"
- “I can see that you seem frustrated. What zone are you in?”
- “I noticed that your tone of voice sounded a little bit angry. What zone are you in?”
- “Have you noticed that your zone can change my zone and how I react to you?”
- “What kind of thoughts do we have when you’re in the green zone?”
The Zones of Regulation works in conjunction with helping students to meet their CARES. behavior goals, and assists teachers and counselors in monitoring and addressing students' variable emotions throughout the day. For more information on CARES goals, student behavior expectations, and counseling services, visit our site's Counseling page.
