1. Teaching Social Skills Across Multiple Settings
Brittany N. Bates, LSSP

2. Questions That Need Answers
Who needs social skills instruction?
What types of social skills needs exist?
What are the levels of acquisition?
In what settings can we present social skills instruction?

3. Who needs social skills instruction?
Text BRITTANYBATE931 to 37607
Students who receive Special Education services AND those in General Education
Taking ownership of ALL students is important.

4. Differences to Consider
Executive functioning deficits may be more prevalent in students with a disability.
Inhibition
Self-awareness
Working memory (verbal & nonverbal)
Self-motivation
Self-regulation
Planning and problem-solving

5. Self-regulation & Inhibition
Motor inhibition
Verbal inhibition
Impulsive cognition
Impulsive motivation
Emotional dysregulation

6. What types of social skills needs exist?

7. Arnold Golstein’s reasons for social skills deficits
They don’t know another way to (re)act.
They know other ways to behave but haven’t had enough practice for competence.
They tried another way, but it didn’t work the first time.
Tension and anxiety interfere.

8. What are the levels of acquisition?
Maintenance/Generalization
Fluency
Acquisition

9. In what settings can we present social skills instruction?
ANY & ALL!

10. What does the “hidden curriculum” look like?
Let’s get to it!

11. Explicit Instruction Does the student HAVE the skill?
Requires:
Defining
Modeling
Drilling and repeated practice
Incorporate behavioral principles
Try group incentives
Consider response cost
When providing skill instruction, the following are important:
Explain the importance AND the skill
Illustrate (with an activity, role-play, video modeling, etc.)
Practice
Can be whole group or small group, but peer models are important

12. Collaborative Instruction
The instruction is not useful if it cannot be practiced across providers
Everyone needs to be involved!
Ideas:
Home-school communication
Shared documents or threads with updates
Check-in meetings
Target a different skill for designated amounts of time

13. Specific Strategies for Social Skills Instruction

14. Targeting Impulse Control
Catch him/her engaging in positive behavior and provide praise.
Model your thought process.
Use visual reminders.
Tootling/Positive Peer Reports

15. Incidental Teaching
The speed with which you address the behavior/skill is important
Social Behavior Mapping
Social Autopsies
Problem-solving training

19. For Reflection & Problem-Solving
Circles
For Teaching
For Reflection & Problem-Solving
Allows for instruction to be received without distraction
Allows for role-playing
Allows for honesty, respect, and openness
Allows for honesty, respect, and openness
Requires guidelines, identification of values, and use of the talking piece
Requires a strong and creative facilitator
Incorporates agreement and gauging of readiness

20. Other Strategies Classroom jobs Group activities with assigned roles
Pen Pals
Books/Students can write their own stories
Model manners
Games
Group activities with assigned roles
Big Buddies
Class meeting (can be similar to circles)
Step-by-step visuals

21. Resources Pinterest & Google!
Staff trained in areas related to behavior
101 Ways to Teach Children Social Skills
What Works When With Children and Adolescents
Think Good – Feel Good
Socially ADDept Second Edition: Teaching Social Skills to Children with ADHD, LD, and Asperger’s
The Tough Kid Social Skills Book

22. Brittany N. Bates, LSSP
“It doesn’t matter what your pattern has been; all that matters is what you want it to become.” -Sarah Jakes Roberts