Daisy Bethan Wilson, Institute of Education and Humanities, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, UK
Addressing readiness to learn
UK schools are increasingly impacted by the escalating mental health crisis affecting both pupils and teachers (Teach First, 2024). A concerning one in six children in the UK are reported to experience a diagnosable mental health condition (Health and Care Research Wales, 2024); consequently, teachers are increasingly confronted with the need to manage severe emotional dysregulation and anxiety within the classroom (TES Magazine, 2024). This is compounded by the fact that nearly half of teachers report negative impacts on their own mental health due to unmanageable workloads (National Education Union, 2023).
This case study explores whether a simple, embedded creative routine could offer a low-burden, inclusive approach to supporting emotional regulation and readiness to learn within a mainstream classroom.
Context
The following research took place in a Year 4 classroom in a Cardiff primary school. Based in an ethnically diverse, socio-economically deprived area, 44 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is significantly higher than the national average of 20.3 per cent (Welsh Government, 2025). The class cohort included many children who struggled to emotionally self-regulate and also included pupils with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), children awaiting assessment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children accessing social and emotional behavioural (SEBD) support. Furthermore, one pupil had an individual development plan, due to challenges stemming from microdeletion syndrome.
Intervention
The intervention implemented was creative visual journalling (National Centre for Creative Health, nd) following the lunchtime break, a transition identified as posing significant challenges for children and teachers alike. The intervention involved pupils and, where possible, the class teacher engaging in a 20-minute independent visual journalling activity immediately on returning to the class. Visual journalling is the use of text, mixed media or imagery for reflection or expression (Malchiodi, 2016). With inclusive prompts informed by Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (CAST, 2018), children worked on a page of their personalised books during this period. Access to a range of media in the form of a caddy on each table allowed for further autonomy in this activity. A primary objective of this design was the development of a cost-effective and sustainable book solution, specifically tailored to the resource constraints of contemporary educational environments.
The tailored creative prompts were designed for engagement and inclusivity, accommodating diverse neurotypes through varying levels of structure and choice. These served as scaffoldingProgressively introducing students to new concepts to support their learning to support the creative activity through a daily choice of three prompts. Each day, pupils selected from a structured prompt, a thematic prompt and a free-choice option, enabling choice and personalisation. For example, a structured prompt might be: ‘Draw a range of tall, jagged mountains using pencil. Add small figures climbing the mountains. Add details like clouds, snow and maybe even some mountain animals’. A thematic prompt might be: ‘Imagine the spirit of Wales. Draw this’. And a free-choice option would read: ‘Do whatever you like on a page in your book’. Personalisation was further supported through incorporating pupil-suggested themes into subsequent prompts, ensuring relevance and responsiveness to learners’ interests. This range of options offered a spectrum of approaches: structured prompts for those benefiting from guidelines, open-ended prompts encouraging exploration and autonomous choices fostering self-directed learning (Thirukkumaran, 2013; White, 2020). Simplicity and practicality were central, minimising additional teacher workload and thus enhancing wellbeing.
A pre-intervention teacher workshop introduced the research, design and implementation strategies, supporting teacher confidence and highlighting the simplicity of the approach. Additionally, pupils took part in a class-based workshop aimed at engaging them in the project to create their personalised workbook.
Impact
Data was collected through pre- and post-test surveys, observations and learner feedback over a four-week period. The data revealed a six per cent decrease in children reporting negative emotions and a 13 per cent increase in positive emotions following the activity. Analysis of the surveys found that 57 per cent of the participants reported feeling calmer while 14 per cent reported enhanced focus during the journalling activity. Beyond the activity, there was evidence of sustained impact. The teacher observed that the initial session was the ‘most positive’ of the week, suggesting a reduction in disruptive behaviours at the point of implementation. Furthermore, the activity facilitated the return of an emotionally dysregulated child to the classroom, having left due to an upset. This illustrated its potential as a calming intervention and a resource for emotional processing and supporting readiness to learn.
Child 1, who struggled significantly with regulating emotions, appeared engaged in the activities. A teaching assistantAn adult that assists a teacher in the classroom observed a marked increase in the amount of work that Child 1 completed in the lesson that followed the activity. However, intermittent periods of disengagement with the activity were observed in this child. Drawing on prior knowledge of the learner’s interest in Taylor Swift, a Swift-themed prompt was introduced into the subsequent session. This adaptation resulted in marked increase in her engagement, underscoring the importance of personalised prompts. The use of pupil-directed prompts as an individualised approach was implemented more frequently as the project progressed. The classroom teacher observed that the children ‘were glowing’ when they saw these personalised prompts.
Reflections and practical insights
Defining calm and focus, and therefore readiness to learn, is complex and varies across individuals. However, findings revealed that the class was visibly engrossed and expressed reluctance for the creative time to end, frequently commenting that it had gone ‘too fast’. These observations suggest that the children may have experienced a flow state – a condition of deep concentration and absorption in an activity, where individuals are fully engaged and distractions are reduced (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013).
In relation to the second research outcome, which focused on cultivating a calm and focused classroom, key evidence emerged from teacher feedback. The teacher articulated a strong desire to continue the intervention, as evidenced in both the post-intervention survey responses and subsequent verbal feedback. They highlighted the positive influence of the intervention on pupil wellbeing and the overall classroom atmosphere, stating: ‘I think it’s made such a positive impact on their afternoons.’ The teacher’s participation in the activities correlated with a noticeable shift in the classroom dynamic. The teacher engaged in the creative activity while also addressing individual concerns from the lunchtime period. This demonstrated an adaptive shift in pedagogical practice. They reported a positive experience with this supportive approach, noting that it facilitated the development of stronger pupil–teacher relationships. Observations indicated increased focus and calm when the classroom teacher participated alongside the children. This observation suggests that the shared experience created a sense of connection. The teacher indicated that participation removed the perception of themselves in a solely didactic role. They described the experience as follows: ‘It was good, a nice break for me.’ Furthermore, the teacher reported increased calm following the activities.
Some participants reported experiencing anxiety related to peer judgements on their work. These judgements led to feelings of discomfort for some children, who expressed a preference for engaging in creative activities solely within their own home. One participant expressed this during verbal feedback and once again in her survey, stating that she did not like peers ‘commenting on her work’; another pupil said that she felt more confident when engaged in art activities outside of school, as there were no distractions. Concentration was another area discussed by pupils, with several suggesting that they wanted the classroom to be quieter when completing the creative activities. This aligns with research on flow theory that emphasises the need for complete concentration to allow for realisation of this state (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013). While a specialist in art teaching would be equipped to nurture a non-judgemental space when engaging in art activity, observations from this research suggest that non-specialists may require further training in this approach. In response to this, a guidance booklet was created to provide non-specialist teachers with clear, accessible guidance on facilitating visual journalling in ways that promote focused attention, emotional safety and calm.
To support consistent implementation identified through this study, a planned next step is the development of an online training module for teachers, incorporating video demonstrations, interactive exercises and downloadable resources to address the need for specialist knowledge and support.
Conclusion
This case study suggests that embedding a brief, daily creative practice within the school day can support emotional regulation and may contribute to readiness to learn for pupils with diverse needs. It may also support a calmer classroom climateThe social, emotional, intellectual and physical environment of a classroom, reflected in increased focus and reduced post-lunchtime disruption, as well as improvements in teacher wellbeing. The success of the intervention appeared to rest not on artistic skill but on simplicity, routine, choice and sensitive facilitation. Further research is needed to explore long-term impact and scalability. However, this study highlights how small, inclusive practices, thoughtfully implemented, can make a meaningful difference to everyday classroom experiences.
