What is the Incredible 5 Point Scale?
The Incredible 5 Point Scale is used to assist students in becoming aware of their emotions, such as anger or pain, and the stage or level of the emotion. The scale can be used with a variety of students but can be particularly effective for students with Asperger’s and Autism Spectrum Disorder. One to one instruction is suggested as the best way to introduce this strategy. Using the scale, the student rates their emotions or status of a condition or state.
Possible areas of focus may include: anger, worry, anxiety, voice level, body space, etc. This then allows the student to
(a) provide information to the teacher about how they are feeling,
(b) become more effective in managing their thinking process,
(c) implement the desired behaviour as a proactive approach.
Giving a number instead of trying to describe or name an emotion helps students think efficiently in order to make good decisions in a variety of situations.
At Westlands Academy we use the 5-point scale with all of the children in the following ways:
- To allow the child to check in on a morning as they arrive in school regarding how they are feeling.
- A tool to support children when their emotions have escalated to a number 5 and they need to bring their emotions and feelings back to a number 1.
- Each child has their own personal 5-point scale to use as a tool to support and demonstrate their feelings and emotions to their peers and staff.
- Parents also use the 5-point scale at home to support with behaviour management.
- We also have our student views forms based upon the scaling from the 5-point scale