#4. SPED 520 Social Skills Instruction and Approaches

Role-play example

You could divide students into different teams and have them role-play different scenarios on resolving conflict. While each group is performing the others can watch and then later have a group discussion based on each scenario. Students can also provide feedback to other teams regarding the conflict resolution strategies used in the scenario.

Initiating conversation, active listening, and empathy example

- Challenge a student to introduce themselves to 5 new people they don't know at school/community. - Actively listen to what the other person is saying - Trying to understand where the other person is coming from *This isn't something that comes easily for many of the students with disabilities, so this is a skill set that is developed over time with a lot of practice.

3. The instructional approaches a teacher might use to teach social skills

- Direct Instruction - Modeling - Classroom simulations and role playing

Replacement skills example

- Select and prioritize replacement skills. - Replace socially awkward behavior with an acceptable behavior. - Role playing and other instructional approaches. Ex. instead of staring for long amounts of time, they learn to look away or look at an object every so often while in conversation.

2. What skills are typically included as part of social skills instruction?

- Specific ones that allow children to become more proficient. - Daily discussion - Initiating conversation - Active listening - Empathy - Social cues - learning replacement skills

Additional approaches to social skills instruction

Additional approaches to social skills instruction can include 1:1 guidance, small group, whole class, and reinforced positive behaviors. These skills are learned through intensive practice and peer support in clearly identified natural routines. The social goals for students with disabilities should be clear and obvious, where the student and peer can readily identify and mimic them. Support from parents, teachers, and peers is important and helps the student reach their highest potential. It is also a good idea to take advantage of teachable moments in the classroom, or encourage parents to practice with students at home as well. For example, I had a few parents willing to work with their students when they would go grocery shopping, whether this was asking where an item was located or allowing their child to pay for something. These are realistic ways students' can practice and start to become confident in different social situations.

Direct Instruction overview

An instructional approach to academic subjects that are planned out, step by step instructions that connect. - Include demonstration - Modeling - Guided practice - Independent application

Classroom simulations and role playing

Classroom simulations and role playing is another excellent instructional approach to social skills instruction. This allows students to rehearse and practice these learned skills and apply them in their everyday life. When you utilize this approach you should set the parameters for role-play, but allow students to choose their roles. Give them a minimal amount of planning time to discuss the situation, choose different alternatives or reactions, and plan a basic scenario. At the conclusion, you can ask students to discuss how they felt and what they learned. The most important part of role-play is the reflection and discussion that follows.

Daily discussion example

Have students engage in daily morning or afternoon activities. This could even be part of daily transitions to: - transitions in and out of the classroom - lunchtime - bathroom - heading to the bus area - group discussions For example you might have students practice greetings with one another, sharing out their opinions or thoughts on a selected topic, promote whole group discussion after a lesson, or participate in daily news and announcements.

Direct Instruction part 1

Is the use of straightforward, explicit teaching techniques, usually to teach a specific skill or concept. - You have to directly teach a student skills that they may not have ever been taught before (or have seen), this could be anything from how to use a hole punch properly, to how to have a conversation during a sit down meal with another person or group of people. - Modeling very effective--> visual learners (I see you do this, therefore I can understand how you expect me to do it). - Guided practice--> deliver information in a way that makes sense to your student population. Ex. breaking down information into smaller steps or "chunking" content. - Independent practice of these taught skills and assessment.

Feedback

It is also helpful to provide students with feedback, not just peers but also from the teacher. A teacher incorporates how role-playing will link to future instruction as well as realistic scenarios that students are expected to be apart of, such as age group activities (playing at a friends house or getting ready to look for a job after school).

Social cues example

Reading social cues is another important social skill for students to obtain and master. - Students need to learn how to differentiate between friendly and non-friendly interactions - During actual and hypothetical social conflict situations. This requires being observant, reading body language, problem solving, and acquiring the skill to distinguish between different facial expressions - -> happy, sad, mad, angry, suspicious, thoughtful, bored

Examples of why it's important to have social skills

Some students may have never been taught how to have "small talk" in social settings, or the importance of good eye contact during a conversation. In addition, many people have not learned to "read" the many subtle cues contained in social interactions, such as how to tell when someone wants to change the topic of conversation or shift to another activity.

Example of Direct Instruction

Teaching students how to navigate their surroundings, identify the type of environment they are in, and behave in a socially acceptable way. A teacher could provide different cards with written scenarios on them (make sure students are familiar with) examples could include how to act or behave when you are in the cafeteria, bus, health class, walking in the hallway, or going to the office, grocery store etc. A teacher could present each scenario and explain how one would conduct themselves and behave, then model this to student even soliciting visuals or quick clips to illustrate the expected behavior in these type of realistic environments. You could then have students team up and practice a chosen scenario while other classmates watch, and the observers could take notes on each scene as a way to accomplish independent work. A teacher could observe the scenarios playing out and assess whether students understand through their performances and through what they are writing down. This is a helpful way for students to simulate to different social situations and be proactive in learning how to act or behave in different real life situations. Many of the students with learning disabilities and impairments struggle with these basic social norms that come easily for some of their school aged peers, teaching social skills the same way you teach academics can be life changing for some of them. Again, some students need these social skills presented in a real tangible way that makes sense to them and where they can learn to master these skills. The example used above also ties into my next point which is classroom simulations and role-playing.

1. What is the overall goal of social skills instruction #1

The overall goal of social skills instruction is to teach students to function in everyday social situations as independently as possible. - Develop social skills for students who need to be explicitly taught how to interact in social contexts. - Verbal and nonverbal behaviors involved in social interactions is important. - Interpret nonverbal and other social cues that will enable them to react appropriately in a variety contexts.