What’s the Buzz? is an evidenced-based social and emotional skills program that encourages children to think about how to get along with others and explore the benefits of developing new social skills. Our clinical team have been personally trained by the developers of this world-renowned program; Mark Le Messurier and Madhavi Nawana Parker (What’s the Buzz?: A Social Skills Enrichment Program for Primary Students, 2011, London: Routledge).
What is involved?
The program runs for sixteen 45-minute sessions over two school terms. The program will be delivered through direct teaching, role-play, quizzes and fun in the context of an encouraging small group with two facilitators. What’s the Buzz? aims to teach the following skills:
- meet people, be friendly and hold a conversation
- give compliments and show care
- seek attention in constructive ways
- understand their own feelings
- ‘read’ the feelings of others
- take turns, be calmer under pressure, handle loss and disappointment with poise
- deal with worry
- thoughtfully respond to rejection and bullying
- always apply positive thinking to fix problems
- cope more resiliently with the inevitable emotional highs and lows that life
Topics
| Lesson 1 | Meeting People and Exiting |
| Lesson 2 | Getting Attention |
| Lesson 3 | Following Instructions |
| Lesson 4 | Being Friendly |
| Lesson 5 | Competition, Winning and Losing |
| Lesson 6 | Identifying Feelings |
| Lesson 7 | Feelings and the Warning Signs |
| Lesson 8 | Feelings and Thinking Positively |
| Lesson 9 | Feelings and Ideas to Create Well-Being |
| Lesson 10 | Empathy, Responding to Others |
| Lesson 11 | Handling Worry |
| Lesson 12 | Dealing with Disappointment |
| Lesson 13 | Responding to Bullying |
| Lesson 14 | The Connecting Art of Conversation |
| Lesson 15 | Learning to “Fit-In” |
| Lesson 16 | Giving and Receiving Compliments |
What is your role as a Parent/Carer?
Your role is invaluable and we welcome your communication. So that you know what your child experiences in each lesson, notes will be sent home every week. The notes include a copy of the lesson itself and a section called, After the Buzz: Social Thinking Ideas for Parents. It offers useful advice that can be gently placed into practice at home to add value to what your child is learning.
Fees
The total fee for the 16-week program across 2 school terms is $1530. The team at Little Ears & Little Speech understand that each family’s circumstances are different and therefore offer several payment options. You may also use NDIS funding should your child meet eligibility for supports (NDIS fee schedule applies).
Please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team for further information on (08) 8120 2110.