Boyfriends, Girlfriends

This programme is structured with experiences which aim to educate for sexuality by developing an understanding of, sensitivity to and respect for each individual in the relationship.

Young people often confuse love with sex or physical attraction. Essentially it is friendship, and as such involves risk, self-disclosure, empathy, respect and the other skills involved in relating in a positive way with others.

The book provides a number of opportunities for dialogue between the sexes in which students can learn from each other that sexual difference is not just biological but psychological, emotional and individual. Such dialogue can lessen the stress and anxiety that young people can experience in relationships with the opposite sex.

• Strategies 1 -2 Contains low-risk exercises which direct attention to relationships between the sexes and the qualities one looks for in a partner.
• Strategies 3-4 Stereotyped attitudes between the sexes are viewed critically and the students share thoughts and feelings on how they are viewed and treated by each other.
• Strategies 5-7 Students identify and evaluate those behaviours, attitudes and personal qualities that help and those that hinder boy/girl relationships.
• Strategies 8-10 Students assess themselves and identify behaviour goals.
• Strategies 11 -13 Some common problems that exist in boy/girl relationships are addressed and an opportunity provided for students to be creative in describing what love is.
• Strategy 14 Evaluation

Your Choice is a complete, easy-to-use course of PSHE activities and strategies, with accompanying photocopiable master worksheets. It is designed for Personal and Social Skills lessons or active tutorial work, based on experiential learning methods. The exercises are flexible enough to be dipped into as a component of a Health Education, Religious Education, or English course. For young people Your Choice provides a secure and stimulating framework within which they can consider their attitudes and behaviour, and develop more mature insights into their own personalities and their interaction with others.

Each handbook represents about a term's work on a specific aspect of personal skills development and each chapter provides a structures lesson plan, and suggestions for further work. Boyfriends, Girlfriends explores relationships between the sexes and emphasises the importance of friendship skills in these. Gender issues and stereotyped attitudes are also examined.

Authors Shay & Margaret McConnon spent 15 years in special education, teaching young people who had emotional and behavioural difficulties. They developed programmes to enhance the self-worth of these students and to improve their social skills. The Your Choice books are best sellers in their field and continue to form the basis for many PSHE programmes across the English-speaking world.

'Your Choice Series is a valuable resource, which can be used with flexibility – large chunks or single activities can be used with equal success' Tracy Hollyhead, Social Inclusion Facilitator, Telford & Wrekin Council Sensory Inclusion Service.