Questions 17 and 18
Examples of negative communication are:
- Swearing
- Teasing
- Taunting
- Yelling
- Negative tone of voice
- Exclusionary body language
Examples of positive communication are:
- Cheering
- Clapping
- High-fives
- “good job”
- “nice try”
A score of 1 indicates a lack of positive communication and the presence of negative communication. You may see students giving dirty looks, showing threatening or uninviting body language, or participating in any of the negative communication examples identified above. Negative communication will take place across multiple groups of students for a score of “1”.
A score of 2 represents a fairly neutral playground. While there is little negative communication, there is also little positive communication as defined above. The observer may witness small amounts of positive and negative communication.
A score of 3 represents positive communication amongst multiple groups of students/games throughout the playground. The observer may witness isolated occurrences of negative communication, but multiple groups exhibit examples of positive communication as defined above.
A score of 4 indicates a high level of observed positive communication and no observed negative communication on the playground.
Video on communication between students:
Video example of positive and negative, verbal and nonverbal communication.
*Only answer this question if you observed students using negative verbal or nonverbal communication to each other that was seen by supervising adults*
A score of 1 is when adults do nothing to resolve the negative student to student communication even though they observed the behaviors.
A score of 2 is when adults intervene after negative student to student communication but it is not in a developmentally appropriate way (example: yell at the students or push students apart and then walk away).
A score of 3 is when adults intervene after negative student to student communication and sometimes did so in a developmentally appropriate way (example: remind the students of recess rules, problem solving strategies to avoid conflict in the future, etc.).
A score of 4 is when adults intervene after negative student to student communication and almost always did so in a developmentally appropriate way (example: remind the students of recess rules, problem solving strategies to avoid conflict in the future, etc.).
Video example of adult intervention:
In this example, the children are having disagreements in kickball and an adult supervisor intervenes.