Core Components

Incredible Years ® classroom dinosaur programme is a prevention programme delivered by teachers to entire classroom of students. This programme is targeted at children aged 3 – 8 years old, and aims to teach these young children friendship skills, problem solving skills, anger management and emotional language. The Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is delivered according to a set curriculum, which contains seven dinosaur themed topics. Practitioners deliver the classroom dinosaur curriculum to classroom of children in groups of 18- 24. The curriculum consists of at least 60 lesson plans, delivered in 2-3 weekly sessions, over the course of the school year. The sessions delivered to children are in 20 -30 minutes of circle time lessons, mediation of video vignettes, small group activities, role play practice involving children, and other play with life sized puppets. These sessions teach children rules, school behaviour, feelings literacy, problem solving steps, anger management and friendship skills. The dosage of the programme delivered to the classroom is intensified as teachers coach the children throughout the day, and reinforce the key concepts within the curriculum. Parents support of, and participation in children’s classroom learning is promoted by teachers, through suggested activities which parents can carry out at home with the children.

The Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme consists of 3 levels of lesson plans, with the level of lesson plans delivered dependent on the developmental age of the child (level 1, 3-5 years; level 2, 5-6 years; and level 3, 7-8 years). Practitioners are equipped with puppets, DVDs, books, posters, cards, and games, which enable them deliver this programme to entire classrooms. Delivery of this classroom-wide programme prevents stigmatization of children with problem behaviours; creates opportunities for more prosocial children to model appropriate socioemotional skills to less socially competent children; and promotes sustained effects across the classroom.

Prior to programme implementation, teacher training and accreditation is not mandated, however, training and certification is highly recommended and shown to enhance fidelity and sustainability of programme delivery.

Fidelity

Incredible Years® provides a fidelity of implementation’ framework for sites. The steps required to effectively replicate the classroom dinosaur programme and achieve good outcomes include use of (1) standardised intervention materials; (2) 3-day training for teachers by accredited mentor or trainer (3)classroom lessons by accredited teachers; (3) weekly lesson delivery and completion of unit protocols; (4) ongoing group leader supervision, consultation and support by IY coaches and/or mentors; (5) fidelity monitoring using evidence-based measures and final summative evaluations and (6) agency organisational supports.

Modifiable Components

Delivery of the Incredible Years® classroom dinosaur curriculum can be adjusted according to the developmental ages of the children in the classroom. Modification is achieved by varying the frequencies of the lessons; duration of the lessons; content emphasised; number of vignettes shown, and complexity of the small group activities carried out. For example, circle time for pre-school children can be offered for 15 minutes in three weekly lessons, while in kindergarten and grade 1 students, circle time can be offered twice weekly in 20-30 minute sessions. With regards to content, emphasis in preschool and kindergarten children is on feelings, friendship, simple problem solving and basic school rules. From grade 1 onwards, more emphasis is placed on advanced problem solving, anger management and skills for school success.

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme has been translated into multiple languages, and delivered to multiple cultural groups.

The Incredible Years® child training small group dinosaur school, is a targeted group treatment programme using a similar curriculum, delivered to meet the needs of children with behaviour problems (see separate entry).

Support for Organisation / Practice

Incredible Years® Inc. is based in Seattle and offers a series of inter-locking evidence-based programmes targeting parents, teachers and children. Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is one of the Incredible Years child training programmes.

Implementation Support

Incredible Years® Inc. have an agency readiness questionnaire that helps agencies determine their readiness for implementing the programme. Incredible Years® Inc. also have an implementation effectiveness questionnaire that helps agencies understand the organisational processes and implementation components required for programme delivery. Incredible Years® accredited mentors and trainers work with agencies to enhance agency understanding of the training, supervision and consultation needs of practitioners. Incredible Years mentors also help agencies support practitioners in adopting the programme, and provide advice to agencies regarding logistical details and administrative support needed to implement this programme.

Licence Requirements

There is no licensing requirement to deliver the Incredible Years® Programmes. However, a Brand License Agreement is needed for use of Incredible Years® materials on web sites.

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs include an upfront one-off purchase of the Incredible Years® classroom dinosaur programme priced at $1,500. This programme includes 3 DVDs (4 hours), 5 comprehensive teacher lesson plan manuals, teacher text, detective home activities, detective kit box, Wally books for children to practice problem solving, stickers, posters, laminated cards and feeling wheels and dinosaur magnet. Puppets are sold separately, with the Dina Dinosaur puppet and child puppets priced at $409 and $452 respectively.

Teacher training is highly recommended, and costs $690 for the 3-day training in Seattle. If an agency wants to train more than 10 people, Incredible Years® Inc. can send a trainer to the host agency at $1,730 – $2,100 per day, for three days. Other costs include certification/ accreditation processing fee of $600; additional video review (if required) costs $105/hr; phone consultation costs $210/hr; and in-person consultation day at Incredible Years® site costs $230.

Building Staff Competence

Qualifications Required

Teacher group leaders are usually teachers, psychologists, or school counsellors, with a background in child development. It is recommended that group leaders who intend undergoing the accreditation process have knowledge in social learning theory.

Training Requirements

Incredible Years® Inc. offer group leaders a 3 day training workshop for teachers who will implement the program delivered by Incredible Years® certified trainer. This workshop helps teachers promote fidelity in programme delivery, and is required if teachers would like to apply for accreditation. Incredible Years have a training progression process which enables continued development and accreditation of practitioners across multiple levels. Incredible Years accredited peer coaches, mentors and trainers provide the training, supervision, consultation and support required by group leaders.

The accreditation process includes; a) conduction of at least one full classroom dinosaur curriculum (consisting of about 60 lessons, delivered in 2-3 weekly sessions, over 20- 30 weeks); b) submission of at least 10 parent satisfaction questionnaires; c) submission of three self-evaluations and three peer evaluations; d) and obtaining satisfactory video review for conducted lessons. The training progression process enables continued development and accreditation of group leaders across multiple levels (from group leader to coach to mentor to trainer). Accreditation application is processed by Incredible Years® certification/accreditation committee.

Supervision Requirements

Consultation and coaching of teachers delivering the program is highly recommended by Incredible Years® Inc. although not a requirement. The process includes peer review and self-evaluation of videotapes utilising process checklists, review of videotape feedback by an Incredible Years® mentor, review of evaluations, consultations once or twice per year with an Incredible Years® mentor or trainer and monthly telephone consultations. The cost of consultations with Incredible Years® mentors or trainers is $210 per hour.

When teacher group leaders become accredited / certified group leaders, it is highly recommended they continue to participate in fidelity checks which could be in form of video review of lessons conducted by coach or mentor, consultations with accredited mentor, or coaching sessions with accredited coach.

Theory of Change

Cognitive social learning theory forms the basis of the Incredible Years® classroom dinosaur programme. This theory stresses the significance of observation and modelling of positive attitudes, emotional responses and cognitive self-talk and empathy building. This is evident in the programme use of dinosaur themed materials, life sized puppets and video modelling vignettes as core methods of programme delivery. The IY classroom dinosaur program is trauma-informed in that puppets can bring problem issues to the children that represent themes of traumatic family events and the community issues for discussion. With the help of large child-size puppets, teacher group leaders help children to learn and practice emotion language, to manage their anger, fears, guilt and depression through self-regulatory strategies such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and positive imagery, to develop social skills to build supportive friendships, and to problem solve using prosocial solutions in order persevere in the face of difficult circumstances. Incredible Years® recommend that where possible the child programme be offered in conjunction with the IY parent programme so that the emotion communication, problem solving steps, self-regulation methods and resilience coaching used in the curriculum at school can be reinforced at home by the parents.

Values

The Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is a prevention programme, which targets classrooms of children aged 3-8 years. This programme teaches friendship skills, problem solving skills, anger management and emotional language. Implementation of this programme reportedly results in strengthened social and emotional skills, school readiness, positive self-confidence and reduced problem behaviours.

• Is this what your organisation would like to achieve?

Existing Initiatives 

• Is your organisation looking to implement a preventive classroom wide initiative, or would they prefer to implement a therapeutic programme that focuses on children with problem behaviour?
• Does your organisation have existing prevention programmes that teach friendship skills, socio-emotional competence, problem solving skills and anger management?
• Are these existing programmes effective?
• Are there components within the Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme that are not addressed by existing programmes?

Workforce

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is delivered classroom-wide by classroom teachers, in 2-3 weekly sessions, over the course of the school year. To deliver this programme with fidelity, group leader training and accreditation is recommended. Accredited coaches in this program can deliver support within their agencies and accredited mentors and trainers can deliver training.

• Do you have teachers/practitioners with the interest and time within their job plans to undertake the recommended training, and deliver the programme?
• Is your organisation committed to supporting the training and accreditation of teachers/practitioners for fidelity in programme delivery?
• In how many classrooms will your organisation be implementing this programme in the first year?
• How many teachers/practitioners will your organisation be training in this period? Is there a realistic training plan?

Technology Support

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme applies videotape modelling. For accreditation, group leaders are required to present videos of their group sessions for peer review and feedback.

• Does your organisation have the technology to support practitioners in delivering this programme (DVD/ USB, TV, computer, projector)?
• To enable certification and progression, does your organisation have the technology to record videos for review, and technology to consult with Incredible Years mentor or trainer?

Administrative Support

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is delivered in the classroom over the course of the school year.

• Are there policies and procedures in place regarding gaining consent for video recording, and storing of these recordings?
• Does your organisation have supplies needed to deliver lessons, e.g. books, posters, cue cards, puppets, and posters?
• After training is delivered, can your organisation continue to provide support and implement strategies for fidelity in programme delivery?

Financial Support

Start-up costs include purchase of the programme at $1,500; group leader training at $690 per person in Seattle; or as part of a 15-25 person cohort on site at $1,730-2,100 per day (for 3 days). Other costs include Dino dinosaur puppet at $409; child puppets at $452; certification/ accreditation processing fee at $600 per person for each level (certification as group leader or coach or mentor or trainer); additional video review billed at $105 per hour; phone consultations at $210/hr; and in-person consultation at Incredible Years site in Seattle at $230.

• Does your organisation have the finances to implement the Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme?
• How many practitioners would your agency like to train in the first year? Does your organisation have a realistic training budget for this?

Comparable Population

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme is a prevention programme. It is designed to be delivered by teachers to entire classroom of children to strengthen social, emotional, and academic skills.

• Has your organisation identified classrooms of children that may benefit from this programme?
• Is this programme intended to be delivered to specific classrooms, or to all classrooms of children within the specified age group (3-8 years)?
• Is there a demand from teachers to deliver this programme in their classrooms?

Desired Outcome

Incredible Years classroom dinosaur programme aims to strengthen social and emotional skills, school readiness, self-confidence, and reduce problem behaviours in classrooms of children.

• Are the above outcomes priorities for your organisation?