Tools & Strategies
Included on this page are a variety of strategies and tools to support your students' emotional regulation. You can incorporate these tools and strategies into everyday routines and procedures, such as leading a focused attention practice (FoAP) before each work time, or practicing regulation activities/strategies together during SEL times, morning meetings, or within rotations!
Examples of adapted mindfulness, breathing, and sensory exercises and activities for autistic students with complex needs, created by The Neurodivergent Teacher. See website for descriptions and video models for how to use: www.the-neurodivergent-teacher.com/content
Two freebies from her page are included below, from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Neurodivergent-Teacher-Mcalister-Huynh
Credit/Creator: McAlister Huynh, The Neurodivergent Teacher
Positive Affirmations File Folder.pdfMindful Snack.pdfMatching+Fractals.pdf"Did you know looking at fractals (never-ending patterns) can reduce stress (Hägerhäll et al 2015), promote relaxation (Taylor et al 2005), increase concentration, and reduce mental fatigue (Berman et al 2008)? Add this file folder matching activity to your regulation station, coping corner, relaxation center, or safe place for students to use to promote well-being." - McAlister Huynh, The Neurodivergent Teacher
https://www.the-neurodivergent-teacher.com/resources/p/fabulous-fractals
Here is another tool to teach breathing techniques to your students, created by McAlister Huynh (The Neurodivergent Teacher). You can also incorporate student interests by printing, cutting, and gluing a picture of a different character/vehicle/etc. (whatever they are passionate about!) inside each!
EFT tapping.pdfDifferentiating Amygdala Reset.pdfCredit: Courtney Boyle
Getting the Most Out of Your Amygdala Reset.pdfCredit: Courtney Boyle
Brain Aligned Strategies.pdfCOMING UP/TO DO: will be adding adapted tool/visual choice menu (with video demo of specific strategies)
These could be built into your morning meetings, before work times, during breaks, during SEL times and taught as regulation strategies. Build them into your daily routines to provide predictability and structure in the way they are introduced and taught.
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education
Yoga_ Autism_ Mindfulness-ASD Reigonal.pdfSource: Angela Dowlen, NWRESD
All Applied Educational Neuroscience Resources Documents(1).pdfSource: Butler University
Great visuals from Autism: Level Up! to show students where their energy levels are in comparison to the energy required of a task/activity, as well as options for "powering up" and "powering down."
energy regulation.pdfenergy regulation meter.pdfpower packs.pdfpower up and down chart.pdfpower plays level up.pdfperson in context.pdfpower stations.pdf
COMING UP/TO DO: I am in the process of adapting this resource with visuals of each, and video modeling for our students with complex needs!
Image source/credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education
Great resource from Dr. Lori Desautels (Revelations in Education) for students to choose which brain state they are in, with corresponding regulation strategies to choose from!
Example of a student Check-In. You could adapt this by placing images of emotions and/or sensations in each pathway as well. See below for Sensations images/words ideas.
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education
Polyvagal Chart, Including Blended Autonomic States.pdfInternal sensations are underneath all emotions within each nervous system state, which is why interoception and the awareness of the different sensations is so important! When we can identify sensations which underly emotions, we can see which nervous system state we are in, which then impacts the strategies/tools we need to meet our regulation needs. See the different sensation words below, which could also be paired with visuals to support student learning of their own awareness of the different sensations in their bodies!
Image credit: Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education
Sensations narrative.pdfBodySensationsandFeelingsSocialNarrativeStoryInteroceptionactivities.pdfCredits:
Express Yourself, NC 2020
Occupational Therapy with Soph (need permission to share directly from Autism Consultant, must be on caseload)
©-Sensations-2-2-1.pdf
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education (all images in this row)
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education (all images in this row)
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education (all images in this row)
Credit: Dr. Lori Desautels, Revelations in Education