Strategy Database
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Teach routines explicitly (model–practise–feedback)
Build predictable behaviour by teaching routines like curriculum content.
Consistent lesson structure (predictable phases)
Reduce anxiety and friction by making the lesson flow predictable.
Clarity-first instructions (one step at a time)
Prevent ‘instruction failure’ turning into behaviour problems.
Make success visible (worked example + success criteria)
Reduce avoidance by showing what good looks like and how to start.
Vocabulary access for all (glossary / pre-teach)
Remove language barriers that cause disengagement and misbehaviour.
Active participation planning (frequent responses)
Increase engagement to reduce off-task behaviour and calling out.
Planned circulation (active supervision path)
Prevent low-level disruption by being present where it starts.
Seat for success (visibility, support, low friction)
Reduce predictable flashpoints by thoughtful seating and room layout.
Pre-correct the ‘risky moment’
Prevent known problems by reminding expectations just before the trigger.
Meet and greet (warm start, high expectations)
Improve readiness and reduce escalation by starting with connection and clarity.
Build a ‘help protocol’ (how to get help without disruption)
Reduce calling out and work avoidance by teaching a predictable help routine.
Positive attention to best conduct (set the norm)
Shift class attention towards expected behaviour without lecturing.
Resource readiness (remove dead time)
Reduce transition chaos by ensuring resources and instructions are ready before pupils move.
Teach expectations as ‘why it matters’ (learning benefit)
Increase buy-in by linking expectations to learning, not control.
Plan ‘first success’ (easy start ramp)
Reduce avoidance and disruption by making the first task step accessible.
Teach an attention routine (signal → silence → eyes on speaker)
Create a fast, predictable way to secure attention without repeated verbal reminders.
Teach voice levels and talk norms (when to talk, how loud, with whom)
Prevent ‘noise creep’ and low-level disruption by making acceptable talk explicit.
Build in visible checkpoints (mini-deadlines + quick checks)
Reduce drifting/off-task behaviour by making progress expectations frequent and visible.
Provide universal task scaffolds (checklists / step cards for everyone)
Lower cognitive load so ‘I don’t know’ doesn’t become avoidance or disruption.
Dual-code key instructions (say it + show it)
Reduce ‘instruction failure’ by supporting memory and processing for all pupils.
Plan ‘no-dead-time’ material movement (distribution/collection routines)
Prevent low-level disruption that starts in dead time and bottlenecks.
Pre-teach collaboration norms (roles, turn-taking, disagreement rules)
Reduce peer friction and off-task talk by teaching ‘how to work together’.
Use ‘preview–do–review’ lesson framing (what/why/how + reflect)
Increase buy-in and reduce resistance by making lesson purpose and route clear.
Normalise error and struggle (safe mistakes culture)
Reduce avoidance, shutdown and ‘attitude’ driven by fear of failure.
Plan predictable micro-breaks (short reset moments for all)
Prevent dysregulation and restlessness that turns into disruption.
Reduce environmental ‘friction’ (clutter, noise, sensory overload)
Lower background stressors that can trigger behaviour—especially for SEND/PP.
Use ‘pre-correction’ before transitions (remind + rehearse expectations)
Prevent predictable low-level issues by reminding pupils what success looks like before it happens.
Teach self-monitoring (simple target + quick check-ins)
Build pupil ownership so behaviour improves without constant teacher correction.
Plan ‘high-probability’ starts (easy first step to build momentum)
Reduce refusal and avoidance by making the first action very achievable.
Use proactive relationship ‘micro-moments’ (brief, genuine connection)
Increase cooperation and reduce perceived hostility by banking trust outside conflict moments.
Establish predictable ‘help before stuck’ rule (ask, attempt, signal)
Prevent stuckness turning into off-task behaviour by making help-seeking routine and quiet.
Teach ‘re-entry’ routine after absence or removal (fresh start protocol)
Reduce repeat incidents by giving pupils a clear, dignified route back into learning.
Teach ‘ready to learn’ setup (books out, equipment, posture, eyes)
Prevent repeated reminders by making readiness a taught, rehearsed routine.
Plan ‘checks for understanding’ to prevent frustration-driven disruption
Catch confusion early so pupils don’t act out to escape difficult work.
Use consistent ‘calm correction tone’ as a teacher habit (non-escalation default)
Reduce escalation by making your default tone predictable, calm, and respectful.
Structured partner talk with turn-taking (Timed Pair Share / RallyRobin)
Channels chatter into purposeful academic talk so noise is predictable, participation is fair, and attention returns to the teacher cleanly.
Think–Write–Pair–Share (processing time for all)
Reduces calling out and avoidance by building in private thinking time before talk; improves confidence and quality of responses.
Whole-class accountability for group answers (Numbered Heads Together)
Keeps all pupils engaged because anyone may be asked to answer; reduces off-task behaviour and social loafing.
Turn-taking control for group talk (Talking Chips / equal turns)
Prevents domination, shouting over others, and peer conflict by making turn-taking visible and fair.
Confidence ladder: Team–Pair–Solo
Reduces work avoidance and disruption by building structured support that fades to independence.
Coaching pairs (RallyCoach-style: one solves, one coaches)
Improves on-task behaviour by giving each pupil a clear role; reduces copying and increases productive talk.
Structured round of contributions (RoundRobin / RoundTable with timing)
Prevents calling out and dominance by giving an orderly participation sequence; increases fairness felt.
Proximity and presence
Stop low-level disruption without breaking teaching flow.
Non-verbal signals (silent reminders)
Correct behaviour privately and quickly.
Pause and scan (hold the space)
Use calm silence to reset attention and stop chatter spreading.
Least invasive intervention ladder
Match the smallest effective response to the behaviour.
Clear ‘what to do’ direction (observable)
Turn ‘stop it’ into a clear next action.
Take-up time (instruction, then step away)
Increase compliance by removing the ‘audience’ and pressure.
Positive framing (correct while staying on their side)
Hold the boundary while preserving relationship and motivation.
Broken record (don’t debate)
Prevent escalation by refusing the argument loop.
Tactical ignoring + spotlight compliance
Starve minor attention-seeking while reinforcing the norm.
Procedural seat change (quiet reset)
Break patterns (peer friction, chatting) without confrontation.
Micro-choice (bounded options)
Prevent escalation by giving controlled choice without lowering expectations.
Reset the room (10–20 second whole-class reset)
Stop ‘spread’ of chatter and restore calm without drama.
Structured talk control (start/stop, roles, time)
Allow talk for learning without it turning into noise.
Calling-out response: redirect to participation routine
Reduce calling out while keeping participation high.
Early check-in prompt (prevent avoidance turning into disruption)
Stop work avoidance early by removing the first barrier.
Attention signal + countdown
Regain whole-class attention quickly and predictably.
Private correction (quiet ‘side script’)
Correct behaviour without creating a public confrontation.
Redirect to the routine (not the person)
Depersonalise correction by anchoring it to a shared routine.
Prompt with a question (self-correction)
Encourage pupils to correct themselves without a battle.
Behaviour-specific acknowledgement (brief, factual)
Reinforce compliance quickly and strengthen the norm.
Pre-correction (prime expectations before the moment)
Prevent predictable slip-ups by reminding pupils of the expected behaviour right before a high-risk moment.
Anonymous group correction (reset without naming)
Correct widespread low-level disruption without triggering a public ‘battle’ with an individual.
Positive narration (describe success as it happens)
Pull attention towards the behaviour you want, making the ‘right way’ visible and normal.
Face-saving exit (thank, move on)
Secure compliance while protecting dignity — reducing escalation and ‘digging in’.
Defer the debate (comply now, talk later)
Stop a public argument and return the class to learning, without ignoring the issue.
Work-support redirect (remove the ‘stuck’ barrier fast)
Turn ‘off-task’ into ‘on-task’ by quickly removing a learning barrier that’s driving behaviour.
Non-verbal ‘help’ and ‘permission’ signals (redirect without noise)
Reduce calling out and wandering by giving pupils a quiet, predictable way to get what they need.
Describe–Direct–Disengage (3D correction script)
Correct quickly without emotion or escalation: state behaviour, give direction, then move on.
Micro-deadlines (start now + short timer)
Increase task initiation and reduce drifting by making the next step time-bound.
‘Audience control’ (keep the class learning while you correct one pupil)
Prevent one pupil’s behaviour from becoming a class event.
Neutral ‘I noticed…’ statement (no judgement)
Lower defensiveness by separating observation from judgement.
Planned proximity ‘split’ (separate a pair without confrontation)
Stop peer-driven disruption by breaking proximity subtly.
Emotion + direction (validate briefly, then move to the next step)
De-escalate while keeping the boundary: acknowledge feeling, then direct behaviour.
‘First, then’ micro-step (reduce overwhelm)
Move pupils into action by shrinking the demand to the first doable step.
Calm tone + slow pace (teacher self-regulation move)
Prevent escalation by keeping your delivery steady and non-threatening.
Distraction removal with dignity (quietly remove the trigger)
Remove a concrete distraction without turning it into a confrontation.
Private ‘micro-conference’ (30–60 seconds, then back to teaching)
Solve the immediate issue quickly and reset the pupil without disrupting the lesson.
Re-state expectation once (no multiple warnings)
Reduce ‘nagging’ cycles and make directions meaningful.
‘Same expectation, different route’ (alternative compliance path)
Maintain the boundary while offering a non-confrontational way to comply.
Rehearse the routine (30 seconds practice, then continue)
Fix a recurring low-level issue by practising the expected routine immediately and neutrally.
30‑second structured partner reset (re-engage without confrontation)
Shifts a drifting or chatty class back to learning by giving talk a short, controlled purpose and a clear stop.
Turn-taking tokens as a volume reset (Talking Chips as intervention)
Reduces noisy or argumentative group talk by making turns limited and explicit, lowering volume and pace.
Structured movement reset (Stand–Pair–Return)
Resets attention and energy using controlled movement, preventing escalation from restlessness or low-level disruption.
Connect then correct (brief repair after correction)
Prevent resentment and ‘teacher hates me’ narratives after a boundary.
Restorative micro-conversation (3 questions)
Repair harm and restore learning relationships quickly.
Emotion coaching (name–validate–limit–plan)
Help pupils regulate so they can re-enter learning.
Re-entry script (fresh start + first step)
Reintegrate pupils positively after conflict or sanction.
Relationship banking (planned positive micro-interactions)
Build trust so corrections land without escalation.
Collaborative problem solving (Plan B meeting)
Solve recurring problems by identifying triggers and lagging skills.
Adult repair (when we got it wrong)
Model respect and reduce ongoing conflict after a teacher misstep.
Home–school communication (partnership framing)
Reduce repeat issues by aligning adults and avoiding blame narratives.
Rebuild after peer conflict (separate, repair, plan)
Restore safety and learning after low-level peer friction.
Post-incident learning plan (one target for next lesson)
Turn incidents into a practical improvement plan rather than a grudge.
Brief reflection prompts (forward-looking)
Help pupils learn from incidents without shame.
Agree a private cue (teacher–pupil signal plan)
Prevent repeat escalation by giving a discreet ‘reset’ signal.
Consistency calibration (shared scripts + thresholds)
Reduce teacher-to-teacher variation that drives SEND/PP sanction gaps.
Restitution menu (practical repair options)
Make repair concrete so restoration isn’t just ‘say sorry’.
Reframe identity (separate pupil from behaviour)
Stop pupils internalising ‘I’m bad / teacher hates me’ after correction.
Two-minute re-entry plan (after removal / buddy room)
Re-establish a calm working relationship and a clear first step so the student can rejoin learning without a ‘fresh conflict’.
Close the loop (end the episode cleanly)
Prevent grudges and ‘carry-over’ by explicitly signalling that the incident is finished and the relationship is intact.
Rehearse the routine (redo it the right way)
Build habits by practising the expected behaviour (rather than only talking about it).
Success-first restart (rebuild competence before demand)
Reduce avoidance and defiance by giving an immediate, achievable success that re-engages the student with learning.
Repair the public narrative (private praise after public correction)
Protect dignity and relationship by ensuring the pupil experiences positive attention soon after being corrected.
Brief restorative at the door (60–90 seconds)
Rebuild trust and clarify expectations without creating dependency on long conversations.
Restorative conference (teacher + pupil + affected peer)
Repair harm, reduce retaliation, and prevent recurring peer conflict from spilling back into lessons.
Co-regulation micro-routine (calm body, calm brain)
Help pupils return to a regulated state so they can comply and learn; reduces escalation driven by dysregulation.
Trigger mapping (simple ABC debrief)
Identify patterns so you can prevent repeats (antecedent → behaviour → consequence) without blaming the pupil.
Re-entry ‘fresh start’ greeting (reset the relationship)
Signal belonging and reduce ‘pre-loading’ conflict by greeting positively after an incident.
Repair contract (one-page ‘next time’ agreement)
Create shared clarity on what will happen next time, reducing argument and ambiguity for repeat issues.
After-sanction learning repair (catch-up the missed learning)
Reduce future disruption by repairing the learning gap that often drives avoidance and acting-out.
Positive home contact after a reset (48-hour window)
Strengthen partnership and reduce the ‘only ever bad news’ narrative that fuels resentment and disengagement.
Teacher debrief (what will I do differently next time?)
Increase consistency and reduce escalation by reflecting on the teacher moves that can prevent repeat conflicts.
Repair with the class (restore safety after disruption)
Re-establish a calm learning climate when one incident has unsettled the whole room.
Defer the debate, then follow through (private resolution)
Avoid power struggles by postponing discussion, then genuinely resolving it later so pupils trust the boundary.
Apology + restitution choices (repair without humiliation)
Teach accountability with a dignified route back that doesn’t become a public ‘grovel’.
Micro-mentoring check-in (5 minutes weekly)
Stabilise behaviour by giving a predictable adult connection and a simple goal review loop.
Pre-correct next pressure point (after an incident)
Prevent recurrence by privately preparing the pupil for the exact moment they previously struggled with.
Repair wording: ‘behaviour is the problem, you are not’
Reduce identity-based conflict by explicitly separating the pupil from the behaviour while holding firm boundaries.
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