This is a social thinking strategy that helps students understand and determine which color zone they fit into. Using this strategy, students can learn how to self-regulate their emotions by categorizing their thoughts and feelings.

Individuals with learning disabilities often have maladaptive attributional styles and have difficulty self-regulating their emotions. Often times, students not only have difficulty identifying their emotions, but have trouble knowing how to get back into the “green” zone.

To promote generalization, students can be encouraged to put their problems into perspective (i.e., big problem, small problem). This can often be taught using examples and non-examples. Similar to academic strategies, self-regulation strategies can be used to help students identify emotions, express themselves, and practice coping strategies. The Zones of Regulation visual can also include examples of specific coping strategies to help students return to a happy focused state of mind.