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The Friendship Formula book is designed to help students aged 8-13 develop their communication and relationship skills. Such focused intervention has proven to yield better results when it includes the peers and family of the targeted pupils, so this unique programme encourages such involvement, including letters home and questionnaires for parents, as well as promoting peer education and whole-school awareness of the issues explored. The Friendship Formula is designed to last a full school year and consists of 40 sessions, divided into four units focusing on:

• self-awareness and self-esteem
• emotional awareness and regulation
• conversational skills
• friendship and relationship skills.

Each session includes detailed notes for the adult facilitator, practical activities, games and role-plays as well as photocopiable worksheets. Throughout the programme, students work towards creating an 'All About Me' book which helps them learn about and respect themselves and others. The Friendship Formula is designed for use with groups of 5-8 children but can also be adapted for larger groups.

Contains 224 A4 pages.

Posters measure 690 x 495 mm.

Age suitability: 8-13 years.

The Friendship Formula game teaches and reinforces important social skills at home, at school and in the community. The game complements the practical social skills programme in the accompanying Friendship Formula book and is best used in conjunction with it. Both the programme and the game aim to encourage and reinforce effective social interactions including the following specific skill areas:

• greeting
• turn-taking
• initiating conversation with others
• listening
• self-awareness and developing an awareness/perception of others
• emotions
• problem-solving - positive/negative outcomes
• identifying positive thoughts
• showing an interest in and finding out information about others
• asking and answering questions
• sporting behaviour (e.g. being a good winner/loser)
• identifying and expressing friendship qualities
• relaxation.

Like the programme, the game is very practical. It gives players experience of interaction with people in a variety of situations through role-playing, game playing, problem-solving activities and conversation. But most of all, it's fun to play!

Players take turns to roll the die and move around the board the number of squares shown. Whichever square they land on, they will be given a task to do that requires them to think about a social situation or practise a social skill. There are four friendship squares: Emotions, All About Me and You, Solve a Problem, and Play a Game. The first player to complete one task relating to each of these squares and then get back to the finish square is the winner. Players may need to go round the board more than once in order to complete the game. Ideal for 2-6 players.

Contains game board, 100 question cards, 6 playing pieces, 24 coloured rings, 2 dice, 8-page teacher's notes.

Age suitability: 8-13 years.

Author Alison Schroeder is a speech & language therapist and primary school teacher who has written a number of social skills and language resources including The Friendship Formula, Socially Speaking and Time to Talk. She has over 19 years' experience of working with children with language and communication difficulties and specialises in the area of social communication.