Helping Students Self-Regulate & Be Ready to Learn

This is the fifth post in the ‘Insights from Teaching’ Series

Helping students develop self-regulation skills is essential for creating a calm, focused, and supportive classroom environment. When students struggle to manage their emotions and behaviour, they may disengage, act out, or find it difficult to concentrate. As educators, we can guide them by introducing structured routines, co-regulation strategies, and mindfulness practices that build self-awareness and emotional resilience.

In my experience working with children from disadvantaged backgrounds—many of whom have experienced serious trauma—these self-regulation tools were essential, not only for helping students manage their emotions but also for building relationships based on trust. Establishing these connections made a significant difference in maintaining a peaceful classroom environment where all students felt safe and ready to learn.

Many of these strategies come from the Berry Street Education Model, which I found insightful for understanding self-regulation. However, some techniques are better suited to younger students. As the teacher, you know your students best—choose what works for them, adapt where needed, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Progress takes time, but even small steps towards self-regulation can have a lasting impact.

Understanding Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is the ability to manage thoughts, emotions, and actions in response to different situations. Students with strong self-regulation skills can adapt to challenges, stay engaged in learning, and navigate social interactions effectively. However, some students require additional support to develop these skills, particularly those affected by trauma, anxiety, or executive function challenges.

Signs a Student May Be Struggling with Self-Regulation

• Difficulty transitioning between tasks
• Frequent emotional outbursts or withdrawal
• Trouble focusing or maintaining attention
• Avoidance of challenging tasks
• Increased anxiety or frustration when expectations change

By recognising these signs, teachers can proactively implement strategies to help students regulate their emotions and behaviour.

Key Strategies for Supporting Self-Regulation

1. Ready to Learn Scales

A Ready to Learn Scale is a simple tool that allows students to check in with their emotions and identify whether they are in a state to focus on learning. This can be done through hand signals (e.g., a scale of 0-5 on their chest) or movement-based check-ins around the room.

If students indicate they are not ready to learn, teachers can guide them through strategies to help them regulate before beginning academic tasks.

2. Building a Predictable Learning Routine

A structured, predictable classroom environment helps students feel safe and supported.

• Start lessons with a check-in (e.g., Ready to Learn Scale).
• Use visual schedules so students know what to expect.
• Plan brain breaks throughout the day to help students reset (more relevant to primary teachers).
• Use consistent transition cues to help students shift between activities smoothly.

3. Teaching De-Escalation Techniques

Helping students recognise their emotional state and providing tools to manage it is essential. Some effective de-escalation techniques include:

• Mindfulness exercises – Focused breathing, guided relaxation, or listening to calming sounds.
• Movement-based regulation – Walking, stretching, or using fidget tools to release tension.
• Grounding techniques – Noticing five things in the environment, holding an object, or using deep pressure (e.g., pressing hands together).
• Co-regulation strategies – Teachers modelling calm behaviour, using a soothing tone, or engaging in non-verbal cues like mirroring slow breathing.

4. Ready to Learn Plans

A Ready to Learn Plan provides students with personalised strategies to use when they need to self-regulate. This plan should be:

• Individualised to each student’s needs.
• Flexible and updated regularly to reflect changing challenges.
• Practiced proactively, not just used in moments of escalation.

Examples of strategies students might include in their plan:

• Going for a short walk
• Using a breathing exercise
• Listening to a favourite song
• Using a stress ball or fidget tool
• Asking for a short break

Teachers can also create a class-wide Ready to Learn Plan that all students contribute to, fostering a supportive classroom culture.

5. Understanding Interoception

Interoception is the ability to recognise internal bodily signals, such as hunger, thirst, tiredness, or anxiety. Some students struggle with this awareness, making it difficult for them to self-regulate.

Ways to support interoception:

• Encourage regular water breaks and snack times.
• Use visual cues (e.g., a hydration chart) to remind students to check in with their bodies.
• Teach students to recognise physical signs of stress (e.g., clenched fists, rapid breathing).

6. The Role of Co-Regulation

Before students can self-regulate, they often need co-regulation, where a trusted adult helps guide their emotional responses. As teachers, we can co-regulate by:

• Remaining calm and predictable in our responses.
• Using relational praise to reinforce positive behaviours.
• Providing physical regulation tools (e.g., stress balls, movement breaks).
• Using non-verbal cues (e.g., slow breathing, gentle hand signals) to signal calmness.

7. Using the Hand Brain Model and “Flipping the Lid”

Dan Siegel’s Hand Brain Model is a great way to help students understand how their brain responds to stress.

• The cortex (thinking brain) helps with decision-making and focus.
• The limbic system (emotional brain) processes feelings.
• The brainstem (survival brain) reacts to danger.

When students experience stress, their “thinking brain” can “flip its lid”, making it harder to regulate emotions. Teaching students to recognise when they are overwhelmed can help them pause, breathe, and regain control.

Mindfulness in the Classroom

Mindfulness is a structured approach to helping students focus their attention and develop awareness of their thoughts and feelings. A simple three-step mindfulness practice can be:

1. Focus attention on breathing or an object.
2. Notice when attention wanders without judgment.
3. Gently bring attention back to the focus point.

Guidelines for Implementing Mindfulness

• Make it optional – students shouldn’t be forced to participate.
• Create a safe space – allow students to close their eyes or lower their gaze.
• Keep it brief and consistent – short, regular mindfulness moments are more effective than occasional long sessions.

Encouraging Student Ownership of Self-Regulation

For self-regulation strategies to be effective, students need to take ownership of them. Encourage students to:

• Reflect on what strategies work best for them.
• Keep a self-regulation journal to track their emotions and responses.
• Participate in classroom discussions about self-regulation and share their ideas.

Final Thoughts: Creating a Self-Regulated Classroom

Helping students develop self-regulation skills is a long-term process that requires patience and consistency. By integrating Ready to Learn Scales, predictable routines, co-regulation strategies, and mindfulness practices, teachers can create an environment where all students feel supported and ready to learn.

What strategies have you found most effective for helping students self-regulate? Share your thoughts in the comments or try implementing one of these techniques in your classroom this week!