What does the research say about literacy learning possibilities?
All students can learn, even when they come to our classrooms having experienced a lifetime of trauma. Trauma informed educational practices began making an appearance in the early 2000’s with legislative initiatives emphasizing trauma sensitive practices that should be adopted in support of students. One example being Massachusetts’ “Flexible Framework” for Trauma-Sensitive Practices in Schools (McInerney, et. al, 2014). Teachers need to be educated on these practices as we continue to see student ACE scores increasing across the country. In establishing the classroom it is vital to ensure safety, establish trustworthiness, maximize choice and collaboration, and prioritize empowerment for these students (Carello, et. al, 2015). Alongside a supportive classroom environment we have to teach students that have a traumatic background with the best literacy instructional practices in order to support them as learners, as there can be a negative academic impact (Santiago, et. al, 2018). These students need to understand that we still have high expectations of them because they are capable of learning and being successful.
Growth mindset theory comes to mind when I think of teaching from a trauma-informed perspective. These individuals typically don’t believe in themselves as learners, nor what they can offer to their peers socially and academically. Carol Dweck centers growth mindset theory around students learning to believe in themselves, and that all can learn, intelligence and personality is malleable (Schroder, et. al, 2017). Teachers need to whole-heartedly believe in the statement that students can learn and grow if they are to be supportive and facilitate the growth mindset mentality.
What does a trauma-informed classroom look like?
“Trauma-informed educators recognize students’ actions are a direct result of their life experiences. When their students act out or disengage, they don’t ask them, ‘What is wrong with you?’ but rather ‘What happened to you?’” (Huang, et. al, 2014).
Research, as well as our previous posts, have explained characteristics you would observe coming from one of these children who has had traumatic experiences in their lifetime. They often are unable to connect with peers, and/or the teacher. According to one source, a trauma informed classroom involves teaching with a healing approach, focusing on two aspects: repairing the dysregulated stress response, and repairing disrupted attachment styles (Brunzell, et. al, 2016).
Beginning to teach students from a healing approach must happen in classrooms, because quite often there is a limited feeling of self-worth among these individuals. If students don’t value themselves, they may come to school wanting to learn, but easily becoming frustrated when it’s not easy, and illicit attention-seeking behaviors, or give up altogether. Self-regulation (i.e. Think before you act) is a core developmental strength (Brunzell, et. al, 2016) we must strive to teach in order to create learners who are able to collaborate with peers, and repair the dysregulated stress response. Self-regulation strategies can be categorized into three domains: emotional, behavioral, and cognitive (Panlilio, et. al, 2019)..
Emotional self-regulation includes being able to recognize in one-self that they can influence their emotions, how they are expressed, and when to express them. The processes in which the individual exhibits control over their arousal and ability to appropriately respond is also included in this category (Panlilio, et. al, 2019). Behavioral regulation comes from an individual acting in compliance with the caregiver’s directives as well as impulse control. Impulse control is often lacking, which is why these individuals have a tendency to act out in the school setting. Cognitive regulation includes sustained attention, self-monitoring, and working memory. When cognitive regulation skills aren’t in place learning is a struggle. For the most part these are skills that are typically learned in the home, but from a child with a traumatic background this isn’t always the case.
In addition, repairing disrupted attachment styles can be accomplished by creating a safe, low risk environment in which students have the opportunities to learn from their mistakes. It’s important to remember praising the positive choices that they make with specific feedback. Students will feel valued and capable when this happens. By taking deliberate steps to establish a relationship of trust, validation and safety, students will feel supported in taking emotional and cognitive risks in order to learn (Brunzell, et. al, 2016). These relationships with students must be handled with extreme care, as trauma-affected often have backgrounds of broken attachments. When these students act out (which will happen) we have to be very careful as to how we react. It’s important for the teacher and student in question to take deep breaths prior to interaction. By “depositing in the bank”, so to speak, with praise when the student makes positive choices, it won’t be quite as detrimental to the child when something negative occurs. Taking the time to de-escalate the situation and redirect is vital to continuing the positive relationship between teacher and student (McInerney, et. al, 2014).
What do literacy learning practices look like for children with a traumatic background?
Here is what schools can look like: Supporting Students Who Have Experienced Trauma
Now that we understand what a trauma informed classroom should include, what do we do about the academic aspect? Teaching from a growth mindset perspective involves the following characteristics when teaching literacy:
Teach about brain development and how it changes during learning
Use active learning methods - mnemonics, note taking
Normalize mistakes and failure - everybody makes mistakes and that’s ok!
Reframe language when communicating expectations and specific feedback
Demonstrate and allow practice of positive self-talk
Involve students in tracking their own progress and creating their own goals
(Robinson, 2017)
The more students understand about brain development and how it changes in a learning setting can have a positive influence on their education (Robinson, 2017). These children need to understand that everybody can learn, regardless of their individual circumstances. Active learning methods are engaging and motivating for students that struggle with sustaining attention and committing knowledge to their working memory. By providing practice opportunities with mnemonics and note taking, and allowing notes to be used in assessment settings can be beneficial for those learners. While this is not an adequate strategy for some of the younger learners, extra time and appropriate accommodations for individuals should be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the assessment tool or learning objective. Students that come from trauma settings have a tendency to shut down and give up when they encounter failure. Teachers need to model the normalization of mistakes and failure and practice positive self-talk. Students need to understand that mistakes are part of life and that they are in a safe setting to make those mistakes. The importance of seeing mistakes as a learning opportunity is vital to student growth. Examples of positive self-talk that students should hear and practice on a regular basis include some of the following:
It’s okay I made a mistake, I understand what I did and can correct it next time.
What am I missing?
What strategies have I learned that can help me?
I can do this!
The teacher should model this regularly, and provide practice opportunities in low risk settings or inconsequential scenarios (a matter that is not personal to the learner). Another important aspect of growth mindset includes students tracking their own progress and setting their own learning goals. Prior to developing these goals, we need to provide specific feedback and have discussions with students about what we as teachers view as being their strengths. “Trauma informed education can be conceived from both a deficit perspective (e.g., what deficiencies or developmental struggles does this student face? and a strengths perspective (e.g., what psychological resources does this student have to build upon for future success?)” (Brunzell, et. al, 2016). By focusing on strengths students can build on what they are already successful at and improve their areas of weakness. When students are provided the power of choice, they can make improvements based on what matters to them. This encourages empowerment, which is typically missing from these students lives at home. Empowerment and choice is essential to student growth.
In conclusion, students that come from trauma ARE capable of learning, especially when armed with a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset. While attempting to alter a students mindset can contribute to positive academic outcomes, we are aware that it doesn’t solve the often traumatic home lives of these students. We also need to consider the fact that teaching strategies of self-regulation in the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive categories are essential to the success of these individuals with a traumatic background. Even in one year with these students we can provide the foundational skills they need to be successful in their future educational careers. We have the power, in conjunction with our students, to break the cycle of trauma through the combination of trauma informed education, as well as growth mindset.
In our next post we will visit the topic of the potential learning environment and activities that are best suited for children from traumatic backgrounds. We will provide answers about how we can best meet the literacy needs of these students to ensure their success.
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