Devising individual plans for learning/behaviour change

Refer to 'Stop and Think Learning: A teacher's guide for motivating children to learn including those with special needs' for details of how to devise plans with individual students to change their behaviour and/or their learning progress.

• Children vary greatly in their individual potential, learning/behavioural style and personality. These differences (their relative strengths and weaknesses) can be measured by formal tests or informal observation.


• Children are motivated to improve weaker areas when they identify gaps between their own 'highs' and 'lows', and then plan ways of bridging these gaps


• To motivate a child to learn, the first step is STOP, clarify the problem in terms of the child's stengths and weaknesses which are marked on the scale of 'very good', 'good', 'OK', 'not good' and 'could be much better'. Feelings and goals are also identified


• At THINK, several options are considered to improve weaknesses (extra tutoring, specialist assessment and intervention, classroom modifications, concentration plans, leaving school), and the likely consequences of these options


• At DO, options are chosen and plans of action drawn up with a time for review and revision


• The chlid feels some power and control in the learning situation and is less likely to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, anxious or angry

STOP THINK DO model for motivating individual learning/behaviour change