While the school climate and atmosphere is a key context for learning, SPHE also takes place through discrete time and an integrated approach across relevant subject areas. Some issues that need to be considered when planning for these approaches are:

• choosing appropriate resources and materials for the school. In order to implement some of the content of the curriculum the teacher will need appropriate resource materials and ideas for developing particular lessons. These can include books, posters, work cards, teacher handbooks, CD-ROMs, particular web sites, television and radio programme or videos.

• identifying the ways in which different issues will be addressed in the school programme. The SPHE curriculum is designed in such a way that individual issues such as relationships and sexuality, substance misuse, bereavement, racism or child abuse prevention are not treated in isolation. It adopts a comprehensive approach to the social, personal and health development of the child, focusing on a framework of attitudes, values, skills and understanding that children need and that will inform them in a variety of situations.
  
  It is important that schools recognise the place of social, personal and health issues in the context of this framework.

• exploring how the content can be implemented in the different classes. Because the curriculum is presented at four levels it will be necessary to examine how a spiral approach can be planned in different types of schools. Every school will have to decide on the aspects of the SPHE curriculum to be covered at each class level to ensure that a comprehensive programme is in place. In exploring sensitive issues in multi-grade classes it will be necessary to be flexible in drawing up a programme and to take into account the different levels of emotional and physical development of the children. In schools the implementation of SPHE may require some co-ordination. Where this is necessary schools are encouraged to explore various options and to create a structure according to their needs and available resources.
• inviting speakers to the school. On occasions it may be appropriate to invite speakers to visit the school.

• implementing whole-school themes. Themes such as safety, hygiene or environmental care could be selected by the school andimplemented in all classes for a particular period. This is a particularly useful way of highlighting an aspect of the curriculum and ensuring a consistent approach throughout the school. Teachers will need to make decisions regarding the most appropriate themes to be explored in their individual school, and, where possible, children should be involved in making these decisions.
• the amount of time to be devoted to SPHE. In the overall planning, time should relate to the way in which the chosen objectives of the curriculum are being achieved rather than the number of hours spent. It may be more appropriate on occasions to use the discrete time in block periods rather than as a series of half-hour slots. This flexibility can be explored among the teachers and decisions made according to individual or school needs.

Identifying support and resources for SPHE

Planning for the SPHE curriculum will involve identifying and enlisting the support of different groups or individuals in the community.

Support of members of the local community

There are a number of people in the local community who can support the SPHE curriculum in very significant ways. A local garda, firefighter, crossing warden, nurse or doctor can visit the classroom, work with the teacher, and reinforce what has been taught. Other people who could be involved are a local forestry team, a vet, a presenter from local radio or members of local community groups.

Use of special-focus programmes

Many programmes are available, both national and regional, that may be relevant and useful for SPHE. They deal with issues such as the prevention of substance misuse, celebrating difference, the prevention of child abuse, consumer education, and relationships and sexuality education. It is essential that any special focus programmes used in school, comply with the principles of the SPHE curriculum.

Regional Health Authorities

Health Promotion Centres can support specific aspects of SPHE in the school through the provision of information, training and resources.

Use of various forms of media

Recorded extracts from advertisements, programmes, videos and compact discs will be necessary to examine the influence of the media and the techniques they employ. In this context the daily newspaper, when it is explored with the children, can also be an invaluable resource in the classroom.

The availability of a range of information and communication technologies offers further possibilities for children to examine methods of communication and information retrieval. Support services for this area, including lists of educational web sites and ideas for using the internet and word-processing programs in the classroom, are all available to schools and can guide and help the teacher in using these technologies to support SPHE. Equally, many computer simulation and adventure programs can provide an interesting medium for exploring some aspects of the SPHE curriculum.

Choosing resources

The school can draw up a set of criteria for choosing resources so that those that are used cater appropriately for the aims and objectives of the curriculum and reflect the school policies and school ethos. A sample of criteria for choosing various resources is given in the Appendix. This can be adapted according to individual school needs.