Interventions to Reduce Bullying
Odborný anglický jazyk 1
Ing. Pavla Melecká
1

VIDEO
•
•
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ_T4WMf_8c
•
•
2

Introduction
•The study of bullying in school has expanded greatly worldwide over last 30 years.
•
•By understanding bullying we can introduce effective strategies to reduce its prevalence and its
effects on the victims.
•
3

Introduction
•In 1980, Norway introduced the first national campaign against bullying.
•
•Other countries where research on school bullying has expanded greatly are Europe, North America,
Japan and Australia.
4

Preventing and tackling bullying in UK
•In England the Department for Education issued revised guidance on Preventing and tacking bullying
(2013)
•It says:
–“Teachers have the power to discipline pupils for misbehaving outside the school premises to such
an extent as is reasonable”
–“Schools should apply disciplinary measures to pupils who bully in order to show clearly that
their behavior is wrong.”
5

1. A whole school policy
•Since 1999, it has been a legal requirement in the UK for all schools to have some form of
anti-bullying policy.
–It´s a written document that defines the bullying and states the responsibilities of all concerned
in the school and what actions will be taken to reduce the issue and deal with incidents when they
occur.
6

2. Curriculum work
•Classroom activities to tackle issues associated with bullying, progressively and in an age,
gender and culturally appropriate way.
•
–Literature, audiovisual materials, videos, drama/role play, music, debates, workshops, puppets and
dolls in early years, and group work.
–
–Goal: to raise awareness of bullying and the schools´ anti-bullying policy, and develop skills,
empathy and assertiveness in confronting bullying.
7

3. Quality circles
•Are small groups of pupils formed for regular classroom sessions. •The groups problem-solve
particular issues – such as bullying – through information gathering and presenting findings to a
wider audience. •E. g. getting pupil perceptions on cyberbullying and the forms it currently takes.
8

4. Programs
• SEAL – Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning
•A UK relationship curriculum to developing social and emotional skills (2008)
•This program has seven themes, one of them is say no to bullying. It focuses on
–what it is
–why people bully
–how does it feel
–how school can prevent and respond to it
–how children can use their social and emotional skills
9

4. Programs
• SEBS – Developing social, emotional and behavioral skills (2005)
•The program includes teaching resources for 11-12 years old with four themes:
–A place to learn
–Learning to be together (social skills and empathy)
–Keeping on learning (motivation)
–Learning about me (understanding and managing feelings)
–
10

5. Assertiveness training
•Helps victims or potential victims of bullying to cope in non-passive but non-aggressive ways.
•These techniques are taught to pupils
•It shouldn´t be the only strategy but can be one part of a package
11

6. Peer support system
•Peer support uses the knowledge, skills and experience of children and young adults to tackle and
reduce bullying through proactive and reactive strategies:
•
–Circle of friends – a support team of peers to work with a vulnerable pupil
–Befriending – the assignment of a pupil to “be with” a peer
–Conflict resolution/mediation – a neutral third party assist voluntary participants to resolve
their dispute
–Active listening/counseling based approach – extending the befriending and mediation approach
–
–
12

6. Peer support system
•It needs some training
•Regular supervision should be provided
•There is a sharp gender divide in recruitment of peer supporters – typically over 80 per cent
being girls and only 20 per cent being boys
•
•
13

7. Working in the playground
•An effective playground policy and well-designed play area can significantly help to reduce
bullying
•Good practice:
–Effective check of the school site
–Setting up safe play area or quiet room
–Close supervision at the start and finish of the school day/ at lunchtime
–
14

8. Reactive strategies
•They deal with bullying sanctions
•They range from more punitive or direct sanction-based approaches, through restorative practices
to more indirect and non-punitive approaches •Many professionals prefer less direct approaches at
least for less sever cases of bullying
15

Direct sanctions
•Direct sanctions may vary in serenity and be used on graded scale if bullying persist •They can
range from reprimands/serious talks, involving parents, temporary removal from school, withdrawal
of privileges and rewards, disciplinary measures such a detention, measurements as s
litter-picking/school clean-ups, to temporary or permanent exclusion
•
16

Direct sanctions
•Direct sanctions should show the perpetrator that what she/he has done is unacceptable and promote
understanding of the limits and acceptable behavior •They are to demonstrate that school rules and
politics should be taken seriously
17

Restorative justice
•The bullying child is made aware of the victim feelings and the harm they have caused, and make
some agreed reparation.
•It is based around 3 main principles :
–Responsibility (for one´s actions)
–Reparation (the victim is involved)
–Resolution (to successfully resolve the dispute so that pupils and their families are free to
interact without threat and other conflicts)
18

9. Counseling-based approach
•Support Group Method (UK 2007) – It aims to change problem behaviors through the mix of peer
pressure and self-realisation of the harm and suffering caused to the victim.
•
•Seven steps:
• 1. The facilitator talks individually to the bullied pupil
• 2. a group meeting without the victim
•
•
19

9. Counseling-based approach
• 3. The facilitator explains to the group that the victim has a problem but doesn´t mention the
incident • 4. The facilitator assures the group no punishments will be given, but they must take
the join responsibility to make the victim feel better • 5. Each student gives their own idea how
the victim can be helped • 6. The group is given responsibility to improve the victims safety and
wellbeing • 7. A week later individual meetings are held with teem members to check how successful
the interventions has been
•
20

10. Large scale-school-based interventions
• Norwaigan intervention campaign
•was launched nationwide in 1983
•A survey in schools, materials, videos for teachers, advice for parents, mass publicity
•Reduction of bullying 30-50 per cent
•
21

10. Large scale-school-based interventions
• UK intervention programme
•The Sheffield program from 1991-1994
•A whole school policy and wide range of other interventions •17 per cent reduction in being
bullied in primary school, 3-5 per cent reduction in secondary schools
22