Nadim Saad explains how education professionals can support SEN students with social anxiety.
To a greater or lesser degree, we all feel a level of underlying anxiety. As human beings we are naturally wired to look out for threats, and anxiety is a symptom of this. The pandemic has made us all increasingly aware of danger and,therefore, anxiety levels have naturally risen. Throughout this period, we were told to shut our doors and keep away from each other. This led to stress, worry, and trauma for many, and the after effects of this are still with us, especially for those young people whose lives were seriously impacted. Social anxiety in young people has long since been on the rise and the pandemic has intensified this.
Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) is a term used to describe children and young people who experience challenges in attending school due to negative feelings, such as social anxiety, and it has increased following COVID-19. School life for a socially anxious pupil can be challenging and even harder for SEN pupils. Young people increasingly interact with one another through digital means. During the pandemic, many were actively encouraged to use online methods to keep in touch with each other or their teachers. However, seeing the world through a false, and often fake lens, so consistently, at such a young age, has left many children feeling isolated, self-critical, and often judgemental of themselves for not being ‘good’ enough. An increased lack of face-to-face interaction during this time accentuated social anxiety, meaning that going back to school for some was tough and still is.
Schools are challenging, busy, social environments. Often noisy, chaotic and, at times, overwhelming, they are not the ideal place for a child who is experiencing social anxiety. There are many situations that have a social component such as public speaking, being called on unexpectedly to answer a question and group-based activities. School life requires a level of interaction and sociability that enables pupils to form and maintain friendships with their peer group and communicate with adults. SEN pupils with social anxiety often experience increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. These feelings cause discomfort, which can be amplified to fear and dread. This will often make SEN pupils feel overwhelmed and they are then likely to display disruptive or antisocial behaviour. This is a symptom of distress that affects their emotional wellbeing and their ability to learn.
How do we reduce social anxiety in schools and create better inclusion for all pupils? Schools who have implemented social emotional learning strategies are faring much better than others, and particularly schools with higher numbers of SEN pupils.
For pupils to thrive academically, they must feel psychologically safe and included when at school; social and emotional learning needs to be at the heart of the school curriculum, including all members of the school community: staff, pupils, governors, parents, and external services. Creating a Wellbeing Team to drive this forward and keep it sustainable is essential, as well as specifically teaching SEL in schools.
Emotional Literacy
Develop the emotional literacy of all pupils so they can learn to express themselves with better emotional clarity using a nuanced emotion vocabulary. ‘Name it to tame it, as Dr. Dan Siegel would say, as his neuroscience research has indicated, that when you name a feeling, you reduce its intensity in the brain, making it easier to regulate. When schools are seen by students as safe, inclusive spaces, students may feel more secure and less anxious.
Journal every day
Daily journaling can support pupils’ understanding of their language and the skills needed to deal with the complexities of daily school life, helping them to build resilience when dealing with issues on their own. The most effective way to do this is to teach structured journaling where the pupils name the feelings they experienced over the day, and the three things they are grateful for. Research on journaling indicates that by simply doing this for a week, some children’s anxiety decreases.
Learning how to run your brain and support one another
Teach pupils about growth mindset, neural pathways, and how their brains work and schedule whole school Wellbeing Assemblies. Many schools have also created Pupil Mentors and Pupil Playground Helpers who, with training and support, can be supportive to anxious fellow students.
Get outside
Any interaction with the natural world can support students who are experiencing anxiety and aid connecting with the world around them. At the same time, movement can promote more mindful breathing and increase feelings of positivity.
Additional Strategies to support SEN pupils
Checking in regularly with SEN pupils during the day to see if things are working for them or need tweaking can be supportive and assessing their emotional temperature, for example, using a Mood Meter or a FEELIT Mapper, will give them choices to cope when they feel overwhelmed. Students also need to have safe places to go when they feel overwhelmed, supported by clear communication strategies,so that all staff understand the power and intensity of feelings of social anxiety: It can be physically overwhelming. Routine and consistency are of key importance to pupils who are often challenged by change and transitions. Some SEN pupils may have difficulty understanding social cues and instructions, so it is important to be consistent in your approach towards them. Use visual and non-verbal cues where appropriate, as an anxious student may not ‘hear’ you. It is helpful if large schools can stagger break times, to avoid too many pupils in one area, and stagger school entry and end-of-day procedures. Calming kits should be available to all. Good options include items that engage their senses (for example, a small bag of lavender to smell), stress balls, Rubix cube, pipe cleaners, fidget toys, sorting items (like buttons or Lego), play-doh, and bubbles. Schools that have a homework club where pupils can go after school to use shared laptops and have a little support if needed have found that making this a calm inclusive and supportive environment can decrease anxiety symptoms.
Implementing only a few of the above suggestions can make a significant difference. The most important focus for social anxiety is on developing whole school social emotional learning culture and a commitment from the school community to make implementation a top priority.
Author: Nadim Saad
Nadim Saad
Nadim Saad is a parenting and relationship coach and the author of seven books including the highly acclaimed ‘Kids Don’t Come With a Manual’, ‘Happy Confident Me’ Journal series and ‘Raising Happy Confident Kids’. The experienced father of three founded The Happy Confident Company to help children thrive by offering them the insights and tools they need to face life’s challenges and become the best version of themselves.
Twitter: @nadimsaad and @HappyConfidentC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyconfidentcom/
