How we helped withdrawn children come out of their shells at Selwyn Primary

This chapter describes how one school focused on children who were reserved and lacked confidence in the whole-class setting. A key target was to give them the language and vocabulary they needed to talk about different emotions. The chapter explores how this, and using the Zones of Regulation, helped anxious and shy children to express themselves and learn how to manage uncomfortable feelings. Key lessons are drawn out, including the need to plan for a progression in learning as children move up through the school, for example in the vocabulary for emotions that will be taught, and the need to involve parents from the start, so that they can support children’s learning at home