Bernards Township ABA Program (BTAP) Staff Training Social Competence Casi M. Healey, M.A., BCBA Sharon A. Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA

Interaction with Parents School visits School visit agendas should be prepared for every school visit. They should include what programs the parents will be trained on A copy of the agenda should be given to the parent and be logged in a school visit binder Parents should sign-in/out upon arrival and departure of the classroom

Interaction with Parents Bringing children to car/bus What should you say? What not to say?

Interaction with Others (parents, colleagues, visitors, evaluators) Enthusiastic about program Positive attitude about students Positive interactions with students Support the program Concern for the rights of students and families Prompt and prepared Advocate for students and families Request input from others Share credit with others Give and receive positive and corrective feedback it is not functional to complain but to concentrate on problem solving behavior

Interaction with Others (parents, colleagues, visitors, evaluators) The following small responses have a large impact Facial expression Interaction with students Relationship with students

Social Competence Children, youths, and adults with developmental disabilities are best served by professionals who teach social competence. Unfortunately, many persons with developmental disabilities will repeatedly encounter prejudice, fear, and rejection. Professionals who teach acceptable social and self- care repertoires can contribute immeasurably to the protection of peoples' rights (McClannahan & Krantz, 1985).

Social Competence is an Ongoing Process Develops over time and the skills you display vary as a function of your age and the environment in which you are currently in Depends on the discrimination of environmental cues and the display of behavioral responses that correspond to the environmental cues

Acceptable Social Behavior Posture, facial expression, eye contact Greetings, Interacting with other students Getting info Interacting with other people Showing off work Elimination of stereotypy Contextually appropriate language

Hygiene Practices Request tissues and towels Cover their mouths when they sneeze or talk Wash their hands at appropriate times

Grooming Brush their hair Brush their teeth Put on deodorant Wash their faces

Personal Appearance Straighten their clothing Tuck in their shirts Change their clothing if dirty Use a napkin

Polite/Positive Language Yes, Please; No, Thank you, Excuse me Holding a door Giving compliments Saying thank you and you’re welcome

Independence Carrying own items Walking independently Initiating activities Asking you to follow them rather than being led

Peer Interaction Skills Teach play and activity based responses Teach language around play

Recognizing and Acknowledging Others Thanking others for assistance, sending thank you cards Attending to changes in individual accomplishments –compliments Attending to past and future important events in their lives and lives of others

Showing Concern for Others Attending to emotional states of others Empathizing with others through verbal interactions Displaying corresponding affect – matching affect to situation

Age-Appropriate Behavior Responding in a manner that is consistent with one’s age age-appropriate leisure skills

Performing at a Criterion Level All components of a task should be taught Task should be taught to be completed in the presence of relevant stimuli

High Levels of Engagement Engagement during activities is directly related to social competence in that levels of engagement should match those of typical development On-task behavior should be high and stereotypy low On-task behavior must happen in the absence of adults

Model Acceptable Social Behavior Introducing student to others Including student in conversation Conversations around the student All of the social competence skills you are teaching to the students

Prompting Use of manual prompts is necessary to teach our students They can be intrusive to the learner How can you be sensitive to this? They can look bad How can you minimize this?

Full-day Activity Schedule and Motivational System Full-day schedule Point to picture of activity Get activity Engage in activity with instructor Put activity away when instructor says they are finished Go to book Run LM card and engage in conversation Step away from the book Obtain instructors attention Say statement Wait for response Go back to book Point to picture of next activity

Full-day Activity Schedule and Motivational System Motivational System Trade in pennies Take picture off board Get reward Set timer Play with reward Stop timer Put choice in discard basket Select new choice Earn pennies

Full-day Activity Schedule and Motivational System Independent responses, therefore no verbal interaction Two separate response chains How can you ensure they stay separate? Never end an activity when a penny board ends Always end activities mid-penny board