Social Skills Teaching in Inclusive ClassroomsDR. MEGAN MILLER, BCBA-D, LBA

Schedule

Rationale for Social Skills InstructionSMART IEP GoalsEffective Strategies for Teaching Social

SkillsSocial Skills Resources

Rationale for Social Skills Instruction

Core Deficit of Autism Most Children Require Explicit Instruction on

Social Skills ( Agostin & Bain, 1997; Hanley et al., 2007)

Pillar 2 of UAE Moral Education – the individual and the community

Improve Progress in Academic and Behavioral Goals

SMART IEP GOALS

Social Skills – Early Childhood

Parallel Play Choosing Activities Reciprocity Sharing Shared Enjoyment

Early Childhood IEP Goal

When presented with 5 close-ended activities, the student will choose 1 activity and engage with the activity to completion or until the time frame for the activity is complete in 5 out of 5 trials by May 1st, 2018.

Rationale for this Goal

Pre-requisite skill for almost ALL other social skills at this age

Can implement with peers following their own schedule

Can sabotage to promote natural interaction with peers

Videos

Video Explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBTcbLo9T2o

Video Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8751kiSN88

How to Teach This Goal

Start with 1 activity on the schedule Start with a preferred activity Provide explicit instruction and prompting Provide access to reinforcement for completing

the activity Keep the activity short Add additional activities 1 at a time or increase

the time of the activity

Social Skills – Childhood

Age appropriate Introductions and when Choosing activities Idioms, sarcasm, body language, etc Reciprocity Sharing Deciding what caused a problem Responding to teasing/bullying Good sports/reacting to consequences

Childhood IEP Goal 1

Upon winning or losing a game, the student will engage in a socially appropriate response to his peer such as "nice game" or "thank you for playing” in 4/5 opportunities by May 1st, 2018.

Rationale for this Goal

This is a skill that is typically difficult for children

Typically needs explicit instructionAcquisition of this skill promotes pro-social

interactions

Videos

Example Social Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HjH7G-3jyA

How to Teach this Goal Provide explicit instruction on being a good sport

It is fun to play games When I win, I can say “good game” When I lose, it is ok I can say “good job!”

May need to practice with an adult first Use neutral games first Provide reinforcement for being a good sport Provide reminders as you play the game

“Remember when you win, you can say “good game” Remember when you lose, you can stay calm and say “good job”

Childhood IEP Goal 2

When provided with a preferred activity, the student will engage in 1 communicative interaction to request or comment to a peer in a 5 minute period in 5/5 observations by May 1st, 2018.

Rationale for this Goal

One of the easiest interactions to promote

One of the most functional skills to acquire

Videos

Activity to promote language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJISUx9O2nc

How to Teach this Goal

Choose a preferred activity that requires interaction

Provide peer with materials that child may need Use indirect prompting to facilitate interaction Provide reinforcement at end of activity if child

engaged in target number of interactions

Social Skills – Teenager to Adult Difference between peers and adults Idioms, sarcasm, body language, etc Reciprocity in conversation Deciding what caused a problem Responding to teasing/bullying Good sports/reacting to consequences Hygiene Dating Co-workers “Hidden Rules”

Teenager to Adult IEP Goal 1

The student will provide the meaning of figure of speech and use it within context for 10 figures of speech across 4 out 5 trials by May 1st, 2018.

Rationale for this Goal

Abstract language is typically difficult Figures of speech are frequently used in social

situations Acquisition of this skill makes social situations

easier for the learner

Videos

Social Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l2Jktoqi5w

How to Teach this Goal

Provide explicit instruction on what each figure of speech means

Practice using figures of speech throughout the day

Reinforce use of figures of speech

Teenager to Adult IEP Goal 2

When presented with a real or hypothetical social problem, the student will identify what caused the problem and provide 1 appropriate solution to prevent or fix the problem in the future in 5 out 5 trials by May 1st, 2018.

Rationale for this Goal

Cause and effect is typically a skill deficitDeficits in this area affects all social

interactionsAcquisition of this skill leads to more pro-

social behavior

Example

How to Teach this Goal

Choose examples that are relevant to the student During a neutral time, present the activity to the student Initially, use modeling and prompting to provide the

answer Use indirect prompts and guidance to work through the

scenario Incorporate new situations as they arise Provide reinforcement for responding in the moment

and in the natural environment

Effective Teaching Strategies

Behavioral Skills Training (e.g., Miltenberger and Thiesse-Duffy, 1988)

Priming (e.g., Koegel et al., 2003)Comic Strips (e.g., Pierson & Glaeser, 2005) Training Peers (e.g., Chan et al., 2009)

Behavioral Skills Training

Rationale/Steps/RulesModelingRole-PlayFeedbackApplication to mastery

Example - Listening Rationale/Steps:

Make eye contact Wait for person to talk Ask a question or make a comment

Model Adult or video model

Role-play Practice with child “Let’s practice listening, I am going to tell you

something and you need to….”

Feedback Apply

Homework

Priming

Similar to BSTPracticing necessary skills before the social

situationMay need to break down into smaller

components

Priming Example – Playdate

Choose an activity such as making cookies

Practice the activity at home and provide examples of what to say or do

Have the friend over to make cookies

Priming Example – Taking Turns

Practice taking turns with LSA or other adult

Can incorporate BST process as well by providing turn taking steps

Practice with peer from class

Transfer to natural routine

Comic Strips

Drawing social situations in a cartoon fashion

Can do before or after

Have the individual with autism identify what he could say/do

Comic Strip - Example

Individual with autism threw a toy because his friend wouldn’t share

Comic Strip Draw out what happened at least 5-10 minutes later Have individual indicate what he could have said or

done instead Re-draw the situation with the replacement skills

Training Peers

Provide training to peers on how to deliver prompts and reinforcement

Provide training to peers on the differences of their friends and how to support them

Conduct training sessions with the adult facilitating and providing reinforcement to both parties

Social Skills – Dos and Don’ts

Guidelines from PRT

Step 1: What are other kids doing?

Step 2: Determine why your child/student is not doing the same thing

Step 3: Set reasonable expectations

Step 4: Set up systematic goals

Social Skills – DO!

Teach many ways to do things Use age appropriate language and phrases Observe peers Have realistic expectations Find Peers Join community activities

Social Skills – DON’T!

Expect too much too quickly “Punish” social interactions Teach rigid, robotic phrases or interactions Teach “abnormal” interactions

Social Skills Resources

PEERS Model UCLA Evidence-based social skills training program

PreschoolersAdolescentsAdults

IncorporatesAssessmentBehavioral Skills TrainingHomework for the family

Social Skills - ResourcesTeach Me Language – Freeman, Drake, and Davis 1997

Targets variety of skills – social and academic Uses visuals and graphic organizers Can be used 1-1 or in a group

Social Skills - Resources

Skill Streaming – Goldstein and McGinnis

Includes assessment Different age ranges Incorporates BST Book to explain how to conduct sessions

Social Skills - Resources

Jed Baker – Social Skills Training and The Social Skills Picture Book

Targets specific skills Different ages Manual on how to teach

Social Skills - Resources

Social Thinking – Michelle Garcia Winner

Variety of resources Superhero Character Activities to complete Targets a variety of skills

Social Skills - Resources

Variety of other assessments: Do-Watch-Listen-Say (Quill) Social Behavior Assessment Inventory (Stephens and

Arnold) Social Skills Inventory (Riggio) Triad Social Skills Assessment (Vanderbilt) Walker-McConnell (Walker and McConnell) Autism Social Skills Profile (Bellini)

Social Skills Videos

Perspective Taking Greeting Friends PEERS PEERS Example

Let’s Practice

Choose a skill from the presentation or for your child/student Make it an IEP Goal Create a BST procedure for the skill:

Rationale/Steps How would you model it How would you role-play it

How would you apply it In the classroom Training Peers?

Social Skills - Resources

http://www.venturacountyselpa.com/Portals/45/Users/Teacher%20Res/Teaching%20Social%20Skills%202012.pdf

http://www.ocali.org/up_doc/Autism_Social_Skills_Profile.pdf

Questions?

info@lexiconreadingcenter.org