Self Regulation is the ability to control your own thoughts and impulses needed to effectively respond to demands in the environment. Many students have difficulties with self regulation which impacts their ability to effectively initiate and sustain social interactions, follow classroom routines and rules and appropriately engage in curriculum activities.
Self Regulation can be divided into three performance areas: sensory regulation, emotional regulation and executive functioning.
Sensory Regulation: Allows children to effectively process and integrate sensory stimuli from the environment, organize the information and function without disturbance or aversion.
Emotional Regulation: is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands while experiencing a range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable and flexible
Executive Functioning: is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to pay attention, focus, follow directions, handle emotions and effectively initiate and plan a task.
Why is self regulation important?
As a child learns to self-regulate, skills such as concentrating, sharing and turn taking also develop. This enables a child to move from depending on others to beginning to manage by themselves. Children move from a natural progression of co-regulation to having the skills and abilities to self regulate.
Most children at some stage will struggle to manage their feelings and behaviors, particularly when they are tired, hungry or exploring new experiences. When this happens, they might become upset, angry or dysregulated. This is a natural occurrence for a young child and is not necessarily cause for concern.
Support with self regulation is required when your inability to regulate your emotions and behavioral responses impact your ability to function throughout the school day.
At Martin School, there is a wide span of professionals that support self regulation difficulties. Often the special education teachers, school adjustment counselors, school psychologist and occupational therapist work together as a team to determine what approach is most beneficial when treating a student with regulation difficulties.