Social Skills: The Great Balancing Act

Andrea Kirkman, M.S., CCC-SLP

Social Language

Attention Nonverbal

Communication Eye Contact Body Language Physical Appearance

Conversational skills starting stopping maintaining topic appropriateness

Breakdown & repair persistence alternate strategies

Emotional Regulation

Conflict Resolution

Relationships (ewww)

Hallmarks of Therapy

Listen – I have to hear it to learn it. Persevere - working hard to achieve my

goal Flexible Thinking – Use my brain to think

about situations in more than one way. Honesty – openness to talk about

whatever the need is so that treatment can be designed around it.

I have to apply these strategies too?!!

Hallmarks of Therapy

Listen – hear what my students have to say and incorporate it into therapy

Persevere - no matter how difficult the student or situation, I will stick with him/her

Flexible Thinking – Use my brain to think about teaching strategies in more than one way.

Honesty – I will honest with families even when it is hard.

The Social Thinking-Social Communication Profile

Neurotypical Social CommunicatorNuance Challenged Social Communicator

Socially Anxious Social CommunicatorWeak Interactive Social Communicator

Emerging Social CommunicatorChallenged Social CommunicatorSignificantly Challenged Social CommunicatorResistant Social Communicator

http://www.socialthinking.com/what-is-social-thinking/social-thinking-social-communication-profile

Balancing goals for where the student is and the expectation for where the student is going.

What are our goals?

Most Effective Treatment Tool

HIGH EXPECTATIONS!!

Goals

Listening Group Interaction/Participation Nonverbal Communication (Interpretation, Use) Self Awareness and Self Monitoring Changing Behavior Based on Others Perspective Emotions/Emotional Regulation Adjusting Language Based on What Others are

Thinking and Feeling

EYESEARSBODYBRAIN

Whole Body Listening

Rating Scale Uses

Indentify Emotions Emotional Regulation Illustrate affect on others emotions Size of Problem Size of Reaction Voice volume

Allie Explains Emotion Rating Scale

Zones of Regulation

Red Zone – describes extremely heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions without control

Yellow Zone - heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions but with some control

Green Zone - calm state of alterness

Blue Zone - low state of alterness

Formula

Thoughts change Feelings change Actions

Social Behavior Mapping

Group Play/Participation

Peer Mediated Strategies

Integrated play groups (involve peers and adult guidance)

Peer buddy assignment (Baker, 2003; Bellini, 2006)

Classwide peer buddy program (Kamps, Barbetta, Leonard, & Delquadri, 1994)

Peer networks (see Circle of Friends) Peer Initiation Training (train peers to

guide social situations)

The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disordershttp://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/peer-mediated-instruction-and-intervention

PMII_Brief_pkg.pdf [PDF, 334 KB] 10-2010 Brief Components Overview: PMII_Overview.pdf [PDF, 93 KB] 10-2010 Evidence base: PMII_EvidenceBase.pdf [PDF, 45 KB] 10-2010 Step by Step Instructions: Early Childhood [PDF, 103 KB] 10-2010 Elementary, Middle, and High School [PDF, 96 KB] 10-2010 Implementation Checklist: Early Childhood [PDF, 112 KB] 10-2010 Elementary, Middle, and High School [PDF, 107 KB] 10-2010 Data Collection Forms: Early Childhood [PDF, 84 KB] 10-2010 Elementary, Middle, and High School [PDF, 87 KB] 10-2010

Comic Strip Conversation

A Comic Strip Conversation is a conversation between two or more people using simple illustrations in a comic strip format. It provides a visual representation of the conversation in order to enhance understanding.

How can Comic Strip Conversations be Used?

to convey important information

for problem-solving and conflict resolution

to learn social skills

to follow simple classroom rules

to communicate perspectives, feelings and ideas

Comic Strip - Problem

Comic Strip -Solution

Superflex Curriculum by Michelle Winner

Obsessions

Most of the children I have worked with have obsessions with certain items or activities.

Ex: Legos, Video Games, Angry Birds, Thomas the Train,

iPad/iPhone, Weather, Rules, etc.It is imperative that a student learns to

control the obsession rather than be controlled by it.

Whole Body Listening Distracters Checklists

Bullying

Bullying students with special needs who have ADHD often includes dual roles as both victim and bully due to behavioral tendencies. According to Wiener and Mak (2009), children with ADHD have often been associated with aggression, anxiety, depression, peer rejection, intrusiveness, inappropriateness, disorganization, compulsivity, uncooperativeness and being bossy in their peer relationships.

Wiener, J., & Mak, M. (2009). Peer victimization in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Psychology in the Schools, 46(2), 116-131.

What is a social story?

A story that describes a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspective, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format.

Carol Gray

Social stories are concrete word and picture-based stories written to aid comprehension of social situations.

When should I use a social story?

Student is facing a difficult situation Student responds inaccurately or

inappropriately to a social situation Teach routines as well as change in routine Address behaviors: fear, aggression,

obsessions, compulsions, etc. Applaud achievements

William Explains Social Stories

Steps to Writing a Social Story(adapted from Project Reach)

1. Develop the Goal - Goal is to describe an abstract concept or idea with visual, concrete references and images

2. Information Gathering – where/when the situation occurs, who is involved, how are the events sequenced, what occurs, why does it occur

3. Customize – customize the social story for the person it is written for by answering wh- questions and base text on learning style, interest, and abilities

4. Teach the Title – The title should reflect the meaning of the story

Apps

Conversation Builder Puppet Pals 2 Zones of Regulation Story Smart Middle School Confidential Training Faces

www.milestoneschattanooga.com