Perspective-Taking Visual

Using the Perspective-Taking Visual (*see Process below) meet with your student and write his comments in the conversation balloon and possible thoughts of the other person in the thought bubble. Talk with him about the way his words might make others feel and what he could say instead.

The Perspective-Taking Visual is a fun, cartoon-like format that enables students to see how their behavior may impact others. Some students have difficulty understanding that their words or actions might bother their classmates or teachers. When verbal discussions with the student aren’t effective, try a Perspective-Taking Visual to help him or her understand how others feel.

• Child's Age: 6-10, 11-13, 14-17, 18+
• Planning Effort: Moderate
• Difficulty Level: Easy

Verbal skills, reading skills

1. Draw two stick figures: one with a conversation balloon and the other with a thought bubble. (Laminate the drawing so that it can be re-used with a dry-erase marker for different situations.)

2. Meet with your student and write his comment in the conversation balloon.

3. Help him come up with possible thoughts the other figure might be having in response to his comment. Write these in the thought bubble and talk with your student about each feeling.

4. In a second frame, draw the same two stick figures and conversation balloons and thought bubbles. This time, however, brainstorm with your student about positive things he could say instead, and help him come up with possible feelings and responses for the other stick figure.

5. Use this format as a prevention strategy to help your student enter a social interaction successfully and/or as an intervention strategy to help him understand what went wrong and what he could do differently next time.