Social Skills

We use social skills throughout every day to relate to others. Much of what we do has become automatic. Sometimes we have to stop and think about what is the right way to behave or act in a certain social situation. Children with autism often miss the most simple social interactions and may come across as insensitive when they are just unaware. The great thing is that when students are given explicit instruction, they are able to learn and practice many common social skills. 

Video modeling is an effective evidence-based intervention for teaching social skills. I've used this successfully many times in my classroom. After watching specific behaviors, we practice them in the classroom. I've used commercially produced videos. Some people create their own.

The strategies I use most often to teach social skills are visuals and explicit instruction. I can purchase or make them inexpensively and use them wherever they are needed, e.g., in the restroom or hallway, on the playground or field trips. Here are a few simple steps for teaching and using visuals to teach social skills.

1. Show the visual to the student and give the student some time to look at the pictures before talking about it.
2. Depending on the student's level, read through the visual, step by step.
3. Role-play or practice the skill.
4. Use the visual as a prompt in everyday situations across settings.
5. Review and practice the skill periodically to keep it fresh.
6. Reinforce the student during practice and use of the skill across settings.

Following are some Social Skills Resources to add to your collection. The 136 Essential Social Skills contains 18 checklists of specific social skills that are essential for any child to know and be able to use at school. The other two include visuals for two of the checklists. www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Autism-Resources-By-Jean-K-Lawson

Visit my store at TeachersPayTeachers.com for more visuals for communication and instruction. One of my favorite quotes by Temple Grandin is, "If I don't have a picture, I can't think." This drives me to create and use visuals throughout the day for my students with autism.

More good things ahead,

​Jean Lawson