The Zones of Regulation is a Curriculum designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control in children. 

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The curriculum teaches students emotional vocabulary, how to recognise emotions in themselves and others, to understand how their emotional state affects those around them, as well as appropriate responses to problems. Students also learn a range of calming strategies known as Zones Tools. 

 

The Zones of Regulation categorises states of alertness and emotions into four coloured Zones:

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• The Blue Zone is used to describe a low state of alertness, such as when one feels sad, tired, bored, or sick. This is when our body/brain is moving slowly or sluggishly.

• The Green Zone is used to describe a regulated state of alertness. A person may be described as calm, happy, focused, or content. This is the Zone students generally need to be in for schoolwork and being social. Being in the Green Zone shows control.

• The Yellow Zone is used to describe a heightened state of alertness. A person may feel stressed, frustrated, anxious, excited, silly, nervous, confused, and many more slightly elevated emotions and states when in the Yellow Zone (such as wiggly, squirmy, or sensory seeking). The Yellow Zone is starting to lose some control.

• The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness or very intense feelings. A person may be experiencing anger, panic, terror, or devastation. Being in the Red Zone can be explained by being overwhelmed by one’s feelings and having a loss of control.

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The Zones can be compared to a traffic light. When given a green light (Green Zone), one is "good to go." A yellow light means slow down or take warning, which applies to the Yellow Zone. A red light means stop; when a person is in the Red Zone, they need to stop and regain control. The Blue Zone can be compared to a blue rest area road sign, where you pull over to rest and recharge. 

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It is important to note and reiterate that everyone experiences all of the Zones at one time or another. None of the Zones are "bad" or "naughty."

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The Zones of Regulation lessons are taught by teachers and are an important component of PB4L at Oranga School.

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For more information, visit The Zones of Regulation website, by clicking on the logo below

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