ECCAY RESOURCES
Exercise nr. 11
SCALING
| Minimum number of participants | Average time length | Individual setting |
Group setting | Special Equipment | Unit | Online | Challenges/ competition |
| 1 | Depending on number of participants and purpose (10 – 60 minutes) | yes | yes | Not necessary, you can use Flipchart, tape for markings on the floor | 2 | yes | no |
Scaling is an essential element of the SFA. Scales help clients to get away from black/white - good/bad - thinking, make small steps plannable and successes visible. With this exercise we want to support us to move into the world of scales and to train the related questioning technique. Optimally, participants practice this in a two-person-setting, on the one hand to train the questioning technique and on the other hand to gain the experience of the young person who is supposed to assess him/herself.
Aim / Benefits
The benefits of this exercise are: they help to make a problem tangible and at the same time also to narrow it down and thus make it easier to control. Through a scale and its levels, movements become visible.
This not only supports insight in the moment but can also clarify developments in processes with more frequent application and offers good points of connection to what has been discussed/worked on so far.
UNIT(s) related
Why
As described in unit 2 working with scales is one possible technique in the SFA. This is in line with the ECCAY approach, where the client is in the centre, where abstract feelings/thoughts are put into a form and thereby made "visible", where small steps play a big role, where changes (especially but not only when used frequently) become visible and described.
How to do the exercise
(MANDATORY to explain how to prepare and introduce the exercise to the participant)
Scales can be visualised as support. For this purpose, a scale from 1 to 10 can be drawn on a flipchart and the respective assessments/answers to questions can be marked. The scale can also be on a handout that is distributed to client(s). However, this representation is not mandatory. Depending on the purpose, the professional can make notes on the level and the explanations, or the client can write down their positions/level on the scale on a piece of paper (for their use). For groups, the levels can also be displayed in the group room, e.g., on a wall.
Step 2
The participants are asked questions by the trainer. These can relate to all areas - depending on the context.
Examples:
On a scale of 1 to 10 - 10 means you are completely confident that you can solve your problem, where would you put yourself on this scale today?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your relationship with your partner/your parents/your friend right now if the best you can imagine is 10?
Scaling can be used in combination with the miracle question (also described in unit 2). The question for this could be:
On a scale of 1 to 10 - 10 represents the miracle and 0 the opposite. Where do you stand on this scale now?
Step 3:
The next step is to ask further questions. The stated assessment is questioned upwards and downwards. It is important to find out why classifications are made in this way and what distinguishes the individual scale steps from each other. The participants are again invited to write down short answers for themselves and then share with the group (in an individual setting the notes can also just be done by the professional).
Example:
A participant estimates his/her scale point of his relationship with 5. The further questions can be:
What must happen for you to rate yourself at 6?
How would you know you were at level 6?
What have you done to prevent yourself from being at 4?
What would your life be like at level 8?
How do you manage not to be at lower scale levels?
Related to the Miracle question:
Since miracles are very rare in our lives: Where would you have to be on the scale to say: this is ok for me, this is how the situation would no longer be problematic for me?
We recommend using this variant only if you notice that clients have a problem with the term "miracle" and therefore go into opposition. Miracle questions are "powerful" precisely because they encourage creativity and create strong, positive images. Therefore, they should rather be softened only if they really evoke a defensive reaction.
Step 4:
In case you are using it in a group setting with professionals: After this exercise guided by the trainer, professionals go into groups of two and practice possible situations with youth using different scaling questions.
Final step / Conclusion:
In case you are using it in a group setting with professionals: The work done before in pairs is discussed and reflected afterwards in the whole group ; talking about their experiences in questioning and answering scaling questions.
Possible questions:
How did you feel when you asked the questions?
How did you feel as a "client" when answering the questions?
Have you found your own formulations (especially for the Miracle question) that you might want to share with us? Do you feel that using the scales was helpful?
Debrief
Specific materials
Tips and Tricks
The scaling method is also well applicable for groups. Thus, assessments can be made on an individual level, but also for a group. For example: On which level is my trust in the group? What is the level of mutual trust in the group? What would bring me further up? What would bring us further up? What can the individual do to move the group to higher levels? What could the group do?
Scaling can be used at any time out of a situation. However, it can also be used in a targeted way at regular intervals with the same questions. In this case it is advisable to prepare the questions - especially if it is a group, where the dynamics are more complex.
With youth
Print
eccay-curriculum-en.pdf