Leuven Scale: A teacher's guide

What is the Leuven Scale?

The Leuven Scale is a five-point observational tool developed by Professor Ferre Laevers and his team at Leuven University to assess two key indicators of child development: emotional well-being and involvement. Now widely used in early years classrooms and care settings, the scale helps educators assess a child's emotional well-being and their level of involvement during classroom activities. These indicators offer valuable insight into a child’s capacity to learn, engage, and thrive.

Rooted in observational practice, the Leuven approach places the child at the centre of the learning experience. The scale of involvement goes beyond surface-level participation, assessing the quality of involvement—how focused, curious, and deeply engaged a learner is, often through bodily activity, play, and action through material encounters. Similarly, well-being reflects the child’s emotional state, identifying when they feel safe, confident, and free from anxiety. Laevers famously described a child with high well-being as “a fish in water.”

This framework is not only a tool for assessments on children, but a guide to responsive teaching. By spotting a lack of involvement or signs of discomfort, practitioners can adapt learning environments, better support concept formation, and design interventions that lead to deeper learning. In this sense, the Leuven Scale is often seen as re-animating Piaget’s concept of active, experience-based learning.

To support implementation, educators can use a Leuven observation sheet to track progress and inform professional dialogue around learner needs and responses to children.

Key Points:

• The Leuven Scale measures emotional well-being and involvement, providing insight into children's readiness for deep learning.
• It supports responsive teaching by helping educators observe, adapt, and personalise support based on real-time classroom behaviour.
• Rooted in child-centred observation, it bridges theory and practice across the Early Years Foundation Stage and wider educational settings.

‍

‍

‍

How to Use the Leuven Scale to Assess Children’s Wellbeing and Involvement

The Leuven Scale, developed by Professor Ferre Laevers, provides a structured way to assess two vital dimensions of child development: emotional wellbeing and involvement. Both are considered essential preconditions for deep-level learning. When a child demonstrates low levels in either area, it can be an early indicator that their development or learning may be at risk.

To use the scale, practitioners conduct short, focused observations—typically lasting around two minutes—to ‘scan’ the learning environment. These observations may be of an individual learner or a small group, helping teachers to quickly identify the general levels of wellbeing and involvement. Because these factors fluctuate throughout the day, assessments are best repeated at different times and in various contexts.

An observation sheet is often used to document each child’s behaviour against the five-point Leuven Scale. This simple recording tool enables practitioners to capture key behaviours, make notes, and identify patterns over time.

The Leuven Scale for Emotional Wellbeing

Each child's emotional wellbeing is assessed on a scale from 1 to 5:

• Level 1 – Extremely Low: Strong signs of discomfort such as crying, screaming, withdrawal, aggression, or self-harm.
• Level 2 – Low: Mild but noticeable unease, perhaps shown through slumped posture or reduced engagement.
• Level 3 – Moderate: Neutral demeanour; the child shows neither obvious distress nor clear enjoyment.
• Level 4 – High: The child appears generally happy, relaxed, and satisfied, though not consistently expressive.
• Level 5 – Extremely High: Clear signs of joy, confidence, and comfort. Children may hum, sing, or talk to themselves and appear deeply at ease.

Regular use of the Leuven Scale helps educators tailor support, improve classroom experiences, and ensure all learners are positioned to thrive.

‍

‍

‍

Emotional Wellbeing in Practice: What the Leuven Scale Looks Like in the Classroom

Using the Leuven Scale helps educators better understand how children are feeling in the moment, which in turn allows them to adjust learning environments and interactions to support emotional development. Below are practical examples of how each level of emotional wellbeing might present itself in a typical early years or primary school setting.

Level 1 – Extremely Low Wellbeing

You may observe a child curled up in the book corner, clutching a toy tightly, refusing eye contact, and crying when approached. In another case, a child might lash out by pushing peers or shouting during circle time, clearly signalling distress. These children often avoid interaction, isolate themselves, or demonstrate self-soothing or aggressive behaviours.

Level 2 – Low Wellbeing

A child sits at the back of a group activity, head down, fidgeting or looking disengaged. They might participate reluctantly when spoken to but avoid sustained interaction. Although not outwardly distressed, their body language—slumped shoulders, little facial expression—suggests unease or hesitation in joining the learning.

Level 3 – Moderate Wellbeing

A child calmly follows instructions during a craft activity but doesn’t initiate conversation or express any particular enthusiasm. They complete the task, show a neutral expression, and quietly move on to the next activity. There’s no visible discomfort, but equally, no clear signs of joy or emotional connection to the experience.

Level 4 – High Wellbeing

A child smiles often, asks questions during group time, and willingly engages with both adults and peers. They enjoy being part of the learning but might occasionally need encouragement. For example, they might show happiness while painting or reading but pause if another child dominates the activity.

Level 5 – Extremely High Wellbeing

You’ll see a child dancing to music during tidy-up time, spontaneously singing as they help put away toys. They greet peers with enthusiasm, talk openly with staff, and radiate confidence across different settings. Their movements are free and expressive, and they adapt positively to changes in routine or environment.

‍

‍

‍

‍

Emotional Well-being and the Leuven Scale:

The Leuven Scale, is a vital tool in child development, and comprises five levels of engagement to evaluate a child's emotional well-being and involvement. These assessments on children help teachers identify areas where support is needed and address any lack of involvement.

Using an observation sheet, educators can systematically track each child's progress through the levels of well-being, ranging from low to high. These levels provide insights into the child's emotional state, with higher levels indicating increased comfort, spontaneity, and ease.

By understanding and implementing the Leuven Scale's five levels of engagement, teachers can effectively promote holistic child development. This approach ensures that children experience a nurturing environment that caters to their emotional and learning needs, setting the foundation for lifelong success.

The Leuven scale divides a child's level of involvement into 5 categories:

1. Extremely low: The child may exhibit absent-mindedness and shows a lack of strength. These children may look around to see what others are doing or they may go around staring aimlessly. Their behaviour may seem passive and redundant.
2. Low: The child gets easily distracted. These children might pay attention to a task while being observed, then they fall into absent-mindedness phases – looking blankly in their surroundings.
3. Moderate: The child may look involved in doing something but in a casual way. They might look like progressing but barely show much concentration or energy.
4. High: The child is not easily distracted and appear entirely engaged in what he/ she is doing.
5. Extremely high: The child performs intense activity constantly and shows complete involvement. Nearly, all through the time, these children are being observed they seem creative, persistent, focused and lively.

‍

‍

‍

Children's wellness and involvement action plan

After making observations, it is critical to use the assessments to prepare a practical action plan. Children's Wellness and Involvement Improvement Action Plans provide an easy and practical way to help children improve their wellness and involvement levels. Below are the ten action points formulated at Ferre Laevers-Directed Research Centre.

1. Educational setting activity centres must be rearranged to more appealing corners or parts.
2. Making books/ toys/ content in the activity centres more challenging for the children.
3. Introducing children with the most advanced and non-traditional activities and materials that stimulate their curiosity.
4. Identify the children’s interests and engage them with their preferred activities.
5. Providing encouraging and stimulating inputs to the children.
6. Supporting children to build positive relations amongst children and with the instructors.
7. Encouraging children to take the initiative.
8. Allowing children to explore the world of emotions, values and feelings by bringing in new activities.
9. Identifying children with signs of stress and those with involvement and emotional problems and establishing a plan with sustaining interventions.
10. Identifying children with problematic child development features and creating interventions that encourage high involvement levels.

The process-oriented strategy can be readily used by the practitioners as highly useful observation tools to maximise the quality of learning for each child. Wellness and Involvement Scales are ideal to ensure to provide the right physical, emotional and learning environment to each child. This class record form enables teachers, child care experts, and nursery practitioners to record meaningful observations, for children's wellbeing and involvement. This scale of involvement and wellness provide the most important approaches to recording one-off observation for each child, making it easy to refer back to and make action plans to improve children's wellbeing and involvement.

‍

‍

‍

The Role of the Leuven Scale in Identifying and Supporting Disengaged Students

The Leuven Scale also serves as a guiding compass to identify disengaged students and navigate them toward focused learning and emotional well-being. By developing a deep understanding of each student's unique needs, teachers can tailor their pedagogical content knowledge to foster an inclusive learning environment.

The 5-point Leuven scale, much like the distinct colors on an artist's palette, allows teachers to paint a vivid picture of a child's engagement level, ranging from strong signs of disengagement to intense concentration and deep learning.

To effectively utilize the Leuven Scale in identifying and supporting disengaged students, educators should first familiarize themselves with the scale's core principles, as outlined by Laevers (1994) and Laevers and Vandenbussche (2002).

Once a strong foundation has been established, teachers can incorporate game-based learning and the principles of multiple intelligences, as proposed by Howard Gardner, to create an engaging and interactive classroom experience that caters to each student's individual strengths and interests.

In addition, educators should remain vigilant for any signs of childhood trauma that may impact a student's ability to engage with the learning process. By creating a safe and supportive learning environment, teachers can empower disengaged students to overcome barriers and embark on a journey of deep learning, self-discovery, and personal growth

‍

‍

The Leuven Scale and its Impact on Personalized Learning Approaches

The Leuven Scale, when employed as a catalyst for personalized learning, acts as a master key that unlocks the doors to individualized education pathways for students with diverse needs.

By leveraging the insights provided by the Leuven Scale, educators can create tailored learning experiences that promote emotional development, enhance cognitive skills, and foster a sense of belonging. Here are five ways to personalize learning using the Leuven Scale as a foundation:

1. Implement game-based learning applications that cater to various learning styles and intelligences, fostering engagement and motivation.
2. Utilize Learning Journals to track students' progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, enabling targeted interventions and support.
3. Establish continuous activity and zones of regulation, helping students identify and manage their emotions while promoting self-regulation.
4. Incorporate precision teaching methods, adapting instruction to meet the unique learning needs of each student, particularly for those with Autism in Schools.
5. Encourage student-driven goal-setting and self-assessment, empowering learners to take ownership of their educational journey.

The Leuven Scale serves as a compass, guiding educators toward a more personalized approach to teaching, much like the unique recipes crafted by a skilled chef to suit individual tastes.

Research by Laevers (2000) emphasizes the impact of the Leuven Scale on the development of personalized learning approaches, ultimately nurturing the growth of confident, self-motivated, and resilient learners.

‍

‍

Key Studies exploring the implications of the Leuven Scale

The following papers highlight how the Leuven Scale—particularly its focus on well-being and involvement—can support educators in creating nurturing, responsive environments that foster emotional growth, learner engagement, and meaningful participation.

1. Howard, J., & McInnes, K. (2013). The impact of children's perception of an activity as play rather than not play on emotional well-being. Child: Care, Health and Development, 39(5), 737–742.
This study used the Leuven Involvement Scale to assess emotional well-being in 3–5-year-olds during different activity formats. Children displayed significantly higher well-being when they perceived an activity as “play,” even when the task itself remained constant. Findings support the role of play in promoting observable emotional well-being and provide clear evidence for the scale’s sensitivity to children's emotional states.

2. Macrae, C., & Jones, L. (2020). A philosophical reflection on the “Leuven Scale” and young children’s expressions of involvement. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 36, 234–246.
This reflective study discusses the theoretical underpinnings of the Leuven Scale, critiquing its roots in developmental psychology while highlighting its strength in capturing authentic engagement. The authors argue for deeper philosophical engagement with children’s involvement as a marker of emotional well-being, affirming the scale’s practical and conceptual value in early years pedagogy.

3. Hunter, J. (2016). Leuven Scales of Well-being and Involvement.
Drawing on field observations, this study demonstrates how the Leuven Scales can be used in outdoor environments to assess deep engagement and emotional satisfaction during exploratory play. The scale proved particularly helpful in evaluating children's emotional responses in natural learning contexts, reinforcing its adaptability across learning environments.

4. Declercq, B. (2011). Levels of well-being and involvement of young children in centre-based provision. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 1(2), 17.
This cross-setting study applied the Leuven Scales in 19 early childhood centres in South Africa. It found wide variation in well-being and involvement scores, confirming that the scales are effective in identifying disparities across classroom practices. The findings highlight the importance of responsive teaching in raising emotional and developmental outcomes for young children.

5. Bateman, A., & Waters, J. (2018). Risk-taking in the New Zealand bush: Issues of resilience and wellbeing. Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association.
Using the Leuven Scale alongside conversation analysis, this study explored emotional well-being and resilience during outdoor risk-taking activities. The results suggest that high involvement and well-being ratings during these tasks correspond with opportunities for problem-solving and physical exploration, offering valuable insight into children’s emotional development through interaction with the natural world.

‍