ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on operationalizing the PlayBreak attitudes into verbal and non-verbal skills practiced by the teacher during play times. During PlayBreaks, non-verbal skills are used by the teacher to attune to the person of the child and facilitate co-regulating experiences. The seven verbal skill categories are designed to express the teacher’s PlayBreak attitudes and include tracking, reflecting content and feeling, encouraging, returning responsibility, facilitating creativity, facilitating relationship, and limit-setting. Examples and statements of effective PlayBreak verbal skills are integrated throughout the chapter. The chapter also addresses challenges in verbally responding during PlayBreaks and how a teacher can overcome those challenges. Handouts to help teachers gain skills are also provided in this chapter.
