Talking About Resilience with Young Children

Talking About Resilience with Young Children follows a similar format to our popular Talking About range: a scenario or dilemma is depicted, accompanied by four possible responses to that situation … some appropriate, some not! The full-colour pictures are provided with a full narrative script for the adult to use, discussion topics and extension activities which aim to facilitate wider debate and problem-solving.

Talking About Resilience with young children can be used in a one-to-one setting with individual students, but is more appropriate for small group work to encourage exchanges of ideas and promote discussion. Many schools are adopting a whole-school approach to promoting resilience and a positive attitude in children and young people.

Children may experience a wide range of challenges – some serious, such as neglect, abuse, parental mental health issues and poverty – but also the more ‘everyday’ stresses such as family and peer relationship difficulties and academic pressures. The more resilient a young person is, the more effectively they can react to such stresses by exhibiting bravery, adaptability and problem-solving skills.

Teaching staff/speech and language professionals may wish to provide an introduction to the sessions by giving an overview of what resilience is and offering examples of everyday challenges which may need varying degrees of resilience. The introductory session included within the pack provides exercises to help the children identify resilience, and examples of everyday challenges and provides opportunities to talk about resilience.

Scenarios and extension activities in the pack cover ten different topics. Examples include:

• The hearing aid – being resilient when something changes about ourselves. Caleb has been having problems hearing things, and now needs to wear a hearing aid. He hates it! Caleb thinks that everyone is looking at him
• Lucas’ bedroom – living with your family can be fun, but you may also need to be resilient. Lucas likes to keep his room organised and tidy, but recently, his little brother has been going in and playing with Lucas’s stuff! He makes a real mess!
• The football team – dealing with disappointment. Grace loves playing football and has been going every week to the after-school football club. But she hasn’t been picked to play in the team.
• Being bullied -most children in school are kind and friendly … but sometimes, you meet someone who is not. Noah has only just started at his new school. Some bigger children have decided to bully Noah. Every playtime, they call him horrible names and laugh at him.
• Sharing a bedroom – there are lots of different kinds of families. Mum’s boyfriend has moved into Hannah’s house and has brought his daughter, Isla, with him. Hannah has met Isla a few times, but now, they’ve got to share a bedroom.
• Speaking to the class. Everyone in the class takes a turn in talking about something they are interested in. Today it’s Otis’ turn. But Otis is very quiet and shy and he’s very nervous. He doesn’t want to do it.

Full instructions for use are included.

Age: 6-9 years

Format: PDF file, Available as a download, 72 pages.  Introduction to resilience and scenarios with extension activities – 42 pages  Appendix, black and white duplicates for printing – 20 pages.

Snippets:

Upgrade your account to send Talking About Resilience with young children snippet for homework exercises. The snippet for this resource includes:

• The new baby: Ava and her Mum have lived on their own for as long as Ava can remember, but Mum has just had a new baby. Ava was excited at first, but now Mum is tired and always busy with the baby. Ava never gets to spend time with her Mum anymore.
• The injection: Max has gone to the clinic with his Mum. He is having an injection. Max doesn’t like needles. The nurse is ready with the syringe, and Max has rolled up his sleeve – but Max isn’t ready at all! He’s scared.
• The classroom: Lily finds the classroom difficult to cope with! Everything annoys her – especially Zak, who sits next to her! She is constantly complaining to her teacher, Miss Byrom. ‘Miss Byrom! Zak is moving my pencil case! He’s looking at me! He’s banging on the table!’ Miss Byrom would like to help Lily deal with the situation.
• Buddy the dog: Olivia is very sad. Buddy was the family dog, and Olivia really loved him. But Buddy was very old and had been very ill, and he died. Olivia doesn’t know how she will manage without him. Buddy was her best friend.