WHAT IS IT?
The 5-Point Scale is a visual tool that can be used to teach self-regulation. It was created by Kari Dunn Buron as a simple, concrete way to teach social and emotional concepts to individuals on the autism spectrum, but it is highly effective with anybody of any age. Although there is no specific research conducted on the scale itself, it is a form of self-management and similar to other self-management strategies. Self-management is considered an evidence-based strategy by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Consequently as a tool for implementing self-management, the scale would be considered evidence-based. This is a great scale for several reasons, but I mainly like it because by rating feelings and behaviors as numbers, they aren’t labeled as good and bad. That way students are introduced to a key concept: being angry isn’t bad in itself. Adults and children get angry sometimes. It’s what we do to express that anger and manage it that matters.
The 5-point scale helps individuals who have difficulty in recognizing and managing own emotions, as well as learning to make appropriate choices. This scale can be used for a wide variety of domains, from emotional management, voice levels, and anxiety management to understanding others’ behavior and social awareness.
See below examples of how it can be used for voice level control or anger management.
HOW DO YOU TEACH IT?
Start by talking about how we feel when we are happy, what our facial expression looks like, and what we like and can do when we are happy. Point to the scale and tell students that being happy corresponds to the first level on the scale. Continue and explain each level in the same manner. As you progress to the next level, ask students to think about a time when they felt that way, and what helped them regain composure. Then ask them to think of their own current mood and rate it. Refer to the scale quite often throughout the day at the beginning of the year to get students in the habit of listening to their own body and learning to recognize their own emotions. With consistency on your side, as the year progresses, your interaction with the scale will start to fade, and your students will be able to refer to it as needed with minimal to no prompting.
For more information, please visit https://www.5pointscale.com/. The author does a beautiful job explaining this concept!