Implementing ‘The Zones of Regulation’ for Autistic Students: Teacher Perceptions and Practices

Abstract

The Zones of Regulation (The Zones) is an 18-lesson curriculum that is aimed at helping students develop an awareness of emotions and skills for regulation. Although used by schools globally, no peer-reviewed evidence currently exists to support the use of The Zones. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of teachers implementing The Zones curriculum with autistic students. Feedback was gathered from 26 teachers throughout their implementation of The Zones. In this study, we employed a qualitative methodology to analyse the feedback from teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to report on acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Our findings revealed that teachers described high levels of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility when reflecting on the delivery of The Zones. However, teachers reported that The Zones was not suitable for all students and classrooms. For students for whom The Zones was deemed appropriate, teachers modified the lessons and required peer support to deliver these modifications. With modifications, the teachers observed growth in areas such as students’ comprehension of others’ emotions and improved language around emotions. This study highlights the importance of further research to refine and tailor interventions like The Zones to better meet the diverse needs of autistic students in educational settings.