2. Topics Definition of Social Skills Social Skills Challenges Social Skills Development Social Skills Instruction

3. Definition of Social Skills

4. Social Skills Defined “Socially acceptable learned behaviors that enable a person to interact with others in ways that elicit positive responses and assist the person in avoiding negative responses” (Elliott, Racine, & Busse, 1995, p. 1009).

5. What Are Social Skills? Social skills are always present Social rules differ based on culture and manners Social skills are dynamic Social expectations differ based on the context

6. It Takes Two All parties involved in a social situation share responsibility All parties may not have the same expectations Assume everyone, including people with ASD, are doing the best they can with the information they have

7. It seems to me that if you want to make a friend, you would need to do something to get the person’s attention - something to show them you would like to be their friend. I know this is how you make friends. But whenever I like someone and do something to let them know, hoping we might become friends, people say I demonstrate attention-seeking behaviors. And... They make is sound like bad behavior. Is it bad of me to want friends? We make friends. They demonstrate attention-seeking behaviors. Judy Endow, The Power of Words (2009)

8. May I Join In?

9. Social Skill Challenges Limited capacity to attend to others Limited capacity to see a situation from another perspective

10. Social Skill Challenges Lack of responding to typical social reactions

11. The “do’s” and “don’ts” that govern our behavior, but are not spelled out The skills, actions, ways of talking, or dressing that define a group The social hierarchy Social Skill Challenges

12. The Hidden Curriculum “ The unwritten social rules that govern our behaviors in a variety of different contexts.” (Myles, B.S. & Simpson, R.L. 2001).

13. Video The Hidden Curriculum: Teaching What Is Meaningful

14. Examples of “Hidden Curriculum” Rules What to do when you say hello to a close relative or friend at a funeral, in school, at work How many times you should say hello to people you know in a day, in a setting, in an hour What you should wear to work, school, church

15. Activity 1.As a group, read the social environment cards on your table. 2.Choose one; imagine that your team supports a person with ASD in that environment. 3.Think about the hidden curriculum rules for that environment. 4.List 4 to 5 hidden curriculum rules that the person with an ASD does not seem to know.

16. These challenges can lead to social isolation.

17. Social Skills Development How do we learn social skills?

18. What Helps Us Learn Social Skills? Being with other people Imitating Responding to social reactions

19. Being with Other People Friendships are crucial to success in life for all. Not knowing how to make friends is NOT the same as not wanting friends.

20. Imitation and Social Skills Functional Imitation

21. Social Reactions Observing Understanding Responding

22. How do we teach social skills? Social Skills Instruction

23. Social Skills Instruction Five Layer Approach (Bellini, 2006) 1.Identify and assess areas of need 2.Discern between skill acquisition deficits and performance deficits 3.Select appropriate intervention strategies 4.Implement intervention 5.Evaluate program and modify as needed

24. Video Project SEARCH. Social challenges in the work setting.

25. Identify Areas of Need Top-Down Assessment: Before problem occurs

26. Identify and Assess Social Skills Needs Two components of assessment: Observe Interview –The individual –Family members –Support staff

27. Small Group Activity Ecological Assessment –Newspaper Office –YMCA

28. Small Group Activity EnvironmentSub- environment Social Skills Required Social Skills Prioritized

29. Identify Areas of Need Positive Behavior Support: after problem occurs

30. Whole Group Activity 1.Picks nose when working on computer 2.Pushes others when trying to leave the movie theater 3.Gets too close to others when speaking 4.Criticizes others during discussions 5.Has offensive body odor

31. Social Skills Instruction Five Layer Approach (Bellini, 2006) 1.Identify and assess areas of need 2.Discern between skill acquisition deficits and performance deficits 3.Select appropriate intervention strategies 4.Implement intervention 5.Evaluate program and modify as needed

32. Skill Acquisition Deficit or Performance Deficit Skill Acquisition Deficit –Absence of a particular skill or behavior Goal: teach new skill Performance Deficit –Skill is present, but not demonstrated or performed consistently Goal: enhance performance of existing skills

33. Issues Impacting Performance Deficits Motivation Sensory sensitivities Anxiety

34. Issues Impacting Performance Deficits Attention and impulsivity Memory Generalization Movement differences

35. Social Skills Instruction Five Layer Approach (Bellini, 2006) 1.Identify and assess areas of need 2.Discern between skill acquisition deficits and performance deficits 3.Select appropriate intervention strategies 4.Implement intervention 5.Evaluate program and modify as needed

36. Where Do We Teach These Social Skills? Asking for help Giving instructions Having appropriate conversation Expressing a complaint or concern Responding to correction Persuading others Demonstrating appropriate social space Respecting others’ belongings Responding to being told no

37. Activity Go to the Profile and complete questions 1, 2 and 3. 1. Describe this person’s social skill challenges, strengths, and needs. 2. Select 2 to 3 social skills from question 1 that are priorities for this person in the next year. 3. Look at the skills you just prioritized and list every day activities and settings where you could practice those skills.

38. General Teaching Strategies Build on the person’s strengths Consistent responses to time or place Rely on visual information Good memory Follow routines Prefer very clear rules that work across settings

39. General Teaching Strategies Use a plan Build step by step Provide regular practice Shift from direct instruction, to coaching, to independence

40. General Teaching Strategies Work on incidentally Create opportunities Use reinforcement Evaluate progress and revise as needed

41. Considerations for the Social Setting Degree of structure in the environment Group size Distractions in the environment Activity and materials

42. Whole Group Activity

43. Teaching Strategies Mentoring / Peer support Task analysis Role playing Social narratives Social scripting Video modeling

44. Peer Support

45. Mentor / Peer Support Qualities

46. Mentor / Peer Support Role Structure the social environment Educate others Provide assistance Provide reinforcement

47. Steps to Develop Peer Support Step 1. Observe and work with Individual with ASD to determine needs and interests Step 2. Select peers Step 3. Educate and train peers Step 4. Help peers to problem solve

48. Video Project SEARCH Strategies to address social challenges in the work place

49. Task Analysis 1.Define the steps needed to demonstrate a social skill 2.Teach the person steps in order 3.Reinforce the person with positive reinforcement for demonstrating steps

50. Task Analysis for Accepting ‘No’ Response After you have asked for something: 1.Look at adult 2.Listen to response 3.Take a deep breath 4.Say, “OK” 5.Ask, “Can I have it later?” 6.Listen to response 7.Say, “OK”

51. Implementing Task Analysis for Accepting ‘No’ Response 1. Support person demonstrates skill 2. Individual and support person role play skill 3. Skill is worked on in natural environment

52. Activity Develop a task analysis for Asking your boss for a break Accepting correction Telling a coworker about your weekend Asking for assistance in a grocery store Waiting in line at a fast food restaurant

53. Role Playing / Rehearsal Conduct in a natural environment Add difficulty to the role-play as the individual progresses Perform a significant number of repetitions of the newly introduced skill Treat as you would when teaching any other skill

54. What Is a Social Narrative? A written account of a social situation describing: What occurs in a given situation Relevant social cues Why something occurs Common responses

55. Social Narrative Example Most people shower every day. (Descriptive) They like to feel clean and smell good to other people. (Perspective) If I don’t shower, I smell bad. (Descriptive) My smell bothers other people. (Perspective) I will try to take a shower every day. (Perspective) Taking a shower may help other people want to be around me. (Perspective)

56. Social Scripting Identify rote language and skills for various social situations Script those situations Practice script

57. Video Modeling 1.Videotape the person, a mentor, or a respected peer demonstrating a social skill 2.Individual with ASD watches the video and immediately practices the skill

58. Whole Group Activity 1.Picks nose when working on computer 2.Pushes others when trying to leave the movie theater 3.Gets too close to others when speaking 4.Criticizes others during discussions 5.Has offensive body odor

59. Bully Proofing Teach individuals to recognize bullying Teach them to avoid behaviors that make them easy or fun to bully Teach individuals behaviors that protect them from being the victim

60. Bully Proofing What is bullying? Physical = harm Verbal = names and teasing Social = purposeful exclusion

61. Bully Proofing Behaviors to Protect Victims HA HA SO Help - get help for yourself and others Assert - say “I feel ___ when you ____. Please stop.” Humor - about the comment, not the bully Avoid - walk away Self-Talk - say good things about your self Get Out - walk away and tell self it is not true

62. Activity Go to the Profile and complete question 4. 4. Review the teaching methods that you discussed during today’s training and the social skill priorities that you identified above in question 3. List below the skills on the left and a method or methods you will use to teach those skills.

63. Closing Points Seek to understand the desires of the person Seek to understand the social challenges the person faces in social environments Provide social supports the person desires to maximize inclusion in the community