SEN FOCUS
build the best possible outcome of a situation, which helps to develop resilience and a more positive mindset. For example, we might ask children to build “a day in the life of me” and explain what makes a good day and what it might involve and look like. This allows us to focus in on the positive elements and take away the negative aspects of a situation, replacing them with alternative ideas. We also encourage the use of colour for
representation; for example, we might ask: “what colour is happy, or sad?” They’ll often use this as a starting point to build representations of this emotion. For example, happiness might be demonstrated through building scenes using the colour yellow, and include items like flowers or people, and then it’s the same process for building sadness, anger or confusion. We’ve found that this a great vehicle for opening up and revealing things that affect them.
What results have you seen from this project? Our use of BuildToExpress is still gaining momentum three years after the start of the project, and we’ve seen success after success for the children involved. The more teachers across the local authority who hear about what we’re doing, the more people we have enquiring about training. In terms of learning difficulties, reluctant
writers have been given the chance to visualise their ideas before attempting a composition on paper. We take photographs of their work to show progress, which we then help them to annotate. These can be kept as a lasting record of their ideas and feelings, so that when similar situations arise, they can be reminded of their calm or happy place. With children who display challenging or
disruptive behaviour, practitioners have reported that pupils have been “calmer, [able to] communicate more and can express visually and verbally”. It works as a talking point, so for children who have previously found it difficult to integrate with their peers, have now been more receptive to getting involved in the classroom.
One of the key successes we’ve seen is in problem solving. If nothing else, when children can do this, they are able to rationalise any given situation and work towards the best possible outcome. The children in the project have been able to see events from a different viewpoint and understand how their behaviour will affect others around them. Not only that, but the project has seen
massive increases in pupil self- esteem and enhanced mood. The children feel better about themselves, and when they have problems, they have the
confidence to reach out to a teacher for help, rather than becoming withdrawn or acting out.
Can you give specific examples of how the approach has made a difference? In one school, there was a young boy who was experiencing very high anxiety. However, after just six sessions, during which he built models to
show how he felt in certain situations, he developed the ability to express his emotions in a clear and more constructive way. This helped him to gain a greater understanding of his issues and replace any unhelpful thoughts with more positive ones, building a plan for the future with strategies to address problems or troubling situations. He has since gone on to have a successful secondary education. We predominantly run the project with primary
schools, focusing on younger children with social development issues. It’s so important to address emotions and feelings early on, as building resilience is crucial for pupils when progressing through school. One teacher reported that their year six class had often been reluctant to discuss emotional topics due to the thought of transitioning to secondary school and the beginnings of puberty. However, they went on to say that BuildToExpress has been a great tool for helping the pupils to understand what’s going on around them. We’ve also used the resources with secondary pupils, so there is the potential to use it as a support tool for the transition process!
Do you think that this project will have lasting effects for the children? We’ve seen such incredible improvements from the pupils in the project, and most importantly, it’s given them the chance to actually communicate with the important people in their life. This has opened the door to a more positive future where they can be properly supported. Through play and having fun, the children don’t necessarily realise that they’re developing social skills, but it helps them to open up and grasp a mutual understanding between themselves and peers, parents and practitioners, helping them to build links and positive relationships that they can cultivate as they grow up. This project has given pupils a voice that
wouldn’t have otherwise been heard through spoken conversation or written exercises. It’s quite literally putting the learning process in their hands and giving them the chance to build their world in the way they want, both using the resources and in reality. It’s been incredibly powerful in that respect, and I hope that the self-esteem they have built will continue!
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www.education-today.co.uk October 2016
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