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Speak Up means being supportive, setting examples, thinking out loud, and helping children learn from their mistakes.

The tween brain is uniquely suited to learn from new experiences and integrate new skills. And although tweens are starting to prioritize peer relationships, they are still attached to, and learning from, the important adults in their lives. TDSU’s time-tested teaching techniques give you the tools you need to help your child learn the Thumbs Down skills.

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Teach and Support

How to Speak Up:

  1. 1 Support Your Child

    Let your child know that they are part of a community that will help them learn.

    Invite friends and family to engage with your child online. Encourage them to Speak Up if they see that your child needs more support in learning the Thumbs Down skills. This is how you and your child can build a Trusted Team that will normalize for your child that, as a community, you talk about what happens online.

  2. 2 Set Examples

    Children are influenced by what you do.

    Use this Speak Up technique when you interact with your child online to show them how to use the Thumbs Down skills. This is called Modeling

  3. 3 Think Out Loud

    Demystify your digital life.

    When you pick up your device in front of your child, do your writing and editing out-loud. Speak Up and share your thoughts about how you communicate online.  Talk about the Thumbs Down skills you are using. This is called Narrating.

  4. 4 Learn from Mistakes

    Integrating new skills takes time and practice.

    Let your child know that mistakes are part of the learning process. Speak Up when you notice a Thumbs Down skill has yet to be mastered. Work with your child to come up with new ways to move the learning process forward. Make use of these Teachable Moments together.

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