Technique 2: Emotion Acknowledgement and Naming

1. Normalize difficulty at the class level.
   For exaample when a teacher introduces a new modified game the support worker might say
   'Games like this can feel exposing when you are still getting the hang of them, and that is a completely normal reaction.' This names the emotion "uncertainty and risky" for the whole group and removes the shame from the individual student.

2. Use proximity without pressure.
   This means stand near the withdrawn student during transitions or setup without directing conversation at them. Your calm physical presence, not targeted at them specifically, is itself a form of acknowledgement. The intent here is...

3. Private written check-ins.
   A brief card or slip given to students at the beginning of a lesson like,  'How are you feeling about today?' can be collected quickly. This gives you real information and gives the student a channel that does not require them to speak publicly. Good to have after a lesson, but great when team teaching to use this method to check in with all th students.

4. Avoid public pressure.
   Calling on a resistant student in front of the group to bring them into the activity usually does the opposite. It confirms the social threat the student was already anticipating. Acknowledgement is most effective in private or low-audience moments. 

As a general rule, always try to acknowledhe students in a class for taking risks, for showing improvement, for helping others, for cleaning up, and for being on tasks. These positive affirmations help reluctant students to feel apart of the class (Rink, 2014).