1. Social Cognition LOOKING AT SKILLS, SIGNS OF DIFFICULTY AND INTERVENTIONS BASED ON WORK OF MELVIN LEVINE

2. Verbal Pragmatics  Understands and uses language in social contexts  Interprets a speaker’s feeling correctly and responds accordingly  Knows what to talk about, when, with whom and for how long  Is able to tailor communication for different people; children, teachers,

3. Verbal Pragmatics  Responds to others jokes  Uses humour tastefully and appropriately  Had developed conversational techniques

4. Social Behaviours  Acts in a way that fosters optimal relationships with others  Presents self in ways that others find acceptable  Is cooperative and collaborates well with others  Knows how to pace a relationship (eg when it is ok to do what)  Makes friends easily

5. Social Behaviours  Is comfortable initiating conversation or entering into a social activity  Resolves conflicts without aggression  Nurtures positive relationships with important people  Understands the meaning of different kinds of relationships (friends/teachers)

6. Signs of Difficulty: Verbal Pragmatics  May sound abrasive, angry or negative without intending  Does not switch communication style when interacting with different people  Makes statements about inappropriate topics during a class discussion

7. Signs of Difficulty: Verbal Pragmatics  Has trouble using or understanding humour, can’t take a joke, uses humour that offends  Tries to dominate conversations, does not listen, interrupts  Does not pick up on the feelings behind what someone is saying

8. Signs of difficulty: Social behaviours  Dresses inappropriately for his or her peer group  Invades others personal space  Tends to have adversarial relationships with peers  Resolves conflicts by arguing or fighting

9. Signs of difficulty: Social behaviours  Has trouble making new friends  Antagonizes people in authority, fails to connect with those who are important to him or her  Is unable to read the meeting behind different social encounters or the meaning of different kinds of relationships

10. Interventions: Whole Class/small group General:  Teach skills of empathizing  Teach social concepts: friendship, teams, sharing  Introduce literature having social problems; identify with characters and suggest alternatives  Identify negative labels and name calling, define/discuss impact  Establish discussion groups  Post social skills to work on

11. Interventions: Whole Class/small group Verbal pragmatics:  Talk to students about self marketing; how you present says something about you  Teach conflict management strategies  Older students: careers in which teamwork and collaboration are critical

12. Intervention: Individual student General:  Be honest, in private explain when a topic or behaviour is inappropriate

13. Intervention: Individual student Verbal Pragmatics:  Describe the language used in different social situations, role playing activities  Use agreed upon signals and cues to alert students  Discuss appropriate and inappropriate humour  Dissect a conversation to see expectations and behaviours; role play  Teach a student how to repair miscommunications  Coach was to begin and end a conversation  video

14. Intervention: Individual student Social Behaviours  Preview or anticipate conflict  Generate and practice appropriate ways to avoid or resolve these situations  Analyze non verbal interactions  Provide students with skills for self-monitoring and self-regulation in social situations.