Force Field Analysis was created by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s. Lewin originally used it in his work as a social psychologist. Today, however, it is also used in business, for making and communicating go/no-go decisions. Having used elements of this theory a lot when working with autistic learners, I find it to be a really effect way to add structure to the process of decision making that can otherwise be too open ended. I have uploaded my most recent version of the worksheet activity.

This resource has been created to support learners who have difficulty getting started, planning, preparing for and working through open ended tasks. Step 1. State the project, problem or situation that needs to be tackled. Step 2. Create wwwwwh questions about it. These questions could be able the logistics of completing the task or project e.g. Why does it have to be done? When does it have to be finished? Who will help me? What does it need to look like? How will I get the resources i need? The questions could also be about the content of the task or project e.g. When is my interview? What will they ask me? Where will it take place? Step 3. Try to answer each of the 18 questions. RAG rate by highlighting green when confident about the answer, amber when clarification is needed and red for when the learner doesn’t know. Step 4 (page 2). Create 3 lists, using the headings provided. Step 5. Seek answers to the ambers (quick wins). Step 6. Plan how to get the answers required and proceed.

This is a simplistic but potentially powerful activity to assess an activity, procedure, environment or resource for accessibility. I have used this lots of times to teach college staff how to make their practice more inclusive without having to be experts on disability. Instructions are included in the download along with: Numerous people / disability cards (cut into individual cards) Red, Amber and Green letters for RAG rating You will also need a hula hoop or similar. Not included! To complete the activity, participants may find it useful to research the common challenges for people with the disabilities provided.

This ‘social story’ style resource is designed to help ease some anxiety associated with lockdown by explaining why we are expected to ‘Stay at home’ to ‘Save Lives’. It will need editing to meet your individual needs.

This document guides staff though a reflective and analytical process when an individual has displayed behaviour perceived to be challenging. It seeks to support staff in exploring the reasons ‘challenging behaviour’ occurs and to promote reflective practice around education and support. The aim is to assist staff in understanding and meeting an individual’s needs so that challenging behaviour reduces. Those completing the process should consider the following key questions throughout the process: • Was the individual seeking to escape a situation they were not ‘ready for’? • Were the supposed consequences something they were actually seeking? e.g. Individual is put in ‘isolation’ but this may be relief to them if they are feeling social overwhelmed. Could this lead to the behaviour being repeated? • Can more be done to teach coping, assertiveness and communication strategies to replace the challenging behaviour? • Do staff consistently demonstrate a good understanding of an individual’s needs? • Are opportunities to share good inclusive practice maximised?

Here is a powerpoint, with activities that help to illustrate that behaviour that challenges us is actually trying to communicate with us. It may not be doing it in the best way possible but it is trying to say something, perhaps “I can’t cope”, “Leave me alone” or “stop”. The powerpoint is accompanied by the stress bucket worksheet. If you are not aware of the stress bucket, it is explained nicely here. https://youtu.be/1KYC5SsJjx8 The powerpoint is also accompanied by the ‘behaviour analysis cards’. Both of which can be used independently. The cards with red arrows indicate possible triggers for challengeing behaviour, The speech bubbles provide suggestions as to what the behaviour may be ‘saying’ and the cards with green arrows provide suggestions as to what we or the individual can do to manage challenges more successfully.