Self-Control for Teens: What Is the Self-Controller?
This session teaches self-control for teens, helping older students use their Self-Controller to catch early signals like a faster heartbeat or tight shoulders. They watch a short video, discuss which early signs they tend to notice first, and play a quick game where they weigh two ways to handle a tense moment and decide which keeps the body feeling ready. The takeaway is catching those cues early and responding with strategies that work for them.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Using Your Self-Controller
- Grade level
- Middle & High School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonKeeping Self-Control
In this video, students will learn about the importance of maintaining self-control and how to stay in control of their body when experiencing big emotions.
- Extension activity
Interactive Worksheet: Keeping Your Self-Control
It's important to learn to recognize your feelings and use strategies to calm down before you lose self-control.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: 4-7-8 Breathing2:13
- Video: Obstacles into Opportunities Visualization1:19
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: How can self-control help you make better decisions?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned how to use their Self-Controller by noticing what is happening inside their body when emotions start to grow. They practiced catching those early signals and using a calming strategy before a feeling got too big to manage. Spotting the warning signs early gives them more options for staying in control.
Key Terms
- Self-Control
- Noticing a big emotion building inside you and using a calming strategy to stay in charge of your body and choices, instead of letting the feeling take over.
- Calming Strategies
- Things you do to settle your body and mind when a conflict leaves you tense or frustrated, like taking a few deep breaths or stepping away for a moment. They help you recenter so you can respond instead of react.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Using Your Self-Controller
Learner will use their Self-Controller to manage stress responses when triggers arise (e.g., unexpected changes, transitions away from preferred activities) by recognizing stress signals and applying a self-selected strategy before reacting in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
At home or in the classroom, when you notice a student starting to get frustrated, try quietly asking what their body is feeling right now. Naming the early signal helps them reach for a strategy before the feeling grows.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on What Is the Self-Controller? is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for middle and high school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Keeping Self-Control, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Interactive Worksheet: Keeping Your Self-Control.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, using your self-controller.
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