Phases

Goal: the student knows you have noticed them, and that nothing bad happens when you do.

1. Use door greetings consistently. Brief, warm, and with no reference to participation.

2. During setup and transitions, position yourself near the student without directing conversation at them.

3. Use whole-class emotion normalisation: 'Games like this take a few sessions to feel comfortable in, and that is completely normal.'

4. Introduce a short written check-in card at the start of class. Read the student's response and acknowledge it briefly and privately in the next session: 'I saw what you wrote. That makes sense.' 

Goal: the student has a way to communicate with you that does not involve the group.

1. Introduce a brief written reflection at the end of sessions: 'What felt OK today? What felt hard? Is there anything you want me to know?' Respond to it in writing the following session. Brief and genuine.

2. Begin the 2x10 strategy: two minutes of non-task conversation each session for ten consecutive classes. Sport, interests, anything except the participation issue. The topic is irrelevant; the consistency is what matters.

3. Do not raise participation directly at this stage. The goal is the relational foundation, not the outcome. 

Goal: the student has a genuine way to participate that does not expose them to the social risk they are avoiding.

1. Design activities with graduated roles: an observer role with a real job (score-keeping, calling lines, managing equipment), then a peripheral role, then a supported role within a small, trusted group before the full class.

2. Use OARS privately during this phase: 'What would need to be different for you to want to try?' An open question, no pressure, and whatever they say is a valid answer.

3. Affirmations tied to what you actually observe: 'You stayed on the court for the full session today. I noticed that.' Not generalized encouragement; specific acknowledgement of something real.

4. Begin using an alternative assessment for this student: engagement with the activity counts, not just physical participation. A student who keeps score for three sessions is engaging with the learning environment. 

Goal: Some form of participation is becoming the norm, and the student is no longer entirely on the outside.

1. Move the student into a small group where the relational dynamic is already warm. Do not put them straight into the full group.

2. Continue private check-ins even when things are going well. Withdrawal can return quickly when the relational maintenance stops.

3. Use restorative conversations after any setback: 'What happened? What would help for next time?' Forward-looking, not punitive.

4. Name the progress directly to the student: 'I want you to know I have noticed how far you have come this term.' Students with low motivation rarely hear this unprompted.