Transcript Parent Communication and Social Skills Instruction

SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION
AND PARENT COMMUNICATION
PHRASE OF THE DAY
Agreeable
 Friendly
 Complimentary
 Helpful
 Distractible
 Focused
 Angry
 Confident
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ACTIVITY
What do you know about social skills instruction?
 What do you want to know about social skills
instruction?
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DEFINITION OF SOCIAL SKILLS
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Goal directed, learned behaviors that allow one to
interact and function effectively in a variety of
contexts.
Sheridan & Walker
RATIONALE FOR TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS
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In order to develop successful/ relationships with
peers, parents and teachers, children must
acquire social skills. Children without these skills
experience negative child-adult or child-child
relationships.
Elliot & Gresham, 1991
IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS
Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, all LISD
special education teachers will assess students
with disabilities for social skills deficits, use this
information in developing the student’s PLAAFP,
and provide social skills instruction when
appropriate.
 In groups, discuss why social skills interventions
have become a hot topic in the district, in the
state, and in the nation.
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Components of an Effective
Social Skills Program
1. Identify Socials Skills to be Taught
 Assessment is the key to identifying which skills
need to be taught.
2. Teach Specific Skills
 Using a multi-method, multi source, multisetting approach
3. Promote Generalization and Maintenance of
Skills
4. Monitor progress through data collection.
ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION
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Next year, all teachers will use the Social Skills
Quick Assessment (adapted from McGinnis and
Goldstein Skillstreaming)
The Social Skills Quick Assessment will be part
of the PLAAFP for all students.
If a student demonstrates a weakness in any area,
the full Skillstreaming Assessment must be
completed.
Other data sources include interviews and
observations (teacher, parent, students).
If there is an identified area of weakness on the
student’s PLAAFP and a corresponding IEP goal, the
special education teacher is responsible for providing
specially designed instruction which must be
indicated on the schedule of services.
SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING
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Research shows…
 Students receiving intense social skills
instruction in the classroom showed a large
decrease in competing problem behaviors.
 Intensive social skills instruction includes:
 Promoting skill acquisition
 Enhancing skill performance
 Removing competing problem behaviors
 Facilitating generalization and maintenance.
PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
Format: Individual, small group, large group
 Determine deficits based on assessment
 Determine skills to be taught
 Determine instructional strategies to be used.
 Investigate material resources available
 Data collection procedures
 Plan for integration across the curriculum
 Plan for generalization
 Assess barriers and develop a plan for addressing
them
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DIRECT INSTRUCTION APPROACH IN
TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS
The direct instruction of social skills is an
important part of teaching particularly to
children with learning difficulties.
 Direct instruction of a social skill lesson involves,
stating objectives and rationale providing
instruction and opportunities for modeling and
practice.
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DIRECT INSTRUCTION COMPONENTS
Objectives/Rationale: statement that
articulates to students what they will be able to
do at the end of the lesson and that clearly
explains to the student the importance of
learning a skill, including personal benefits and
relevance.
 Modeling and Concept Teaching: techniques
utilizing a clear, explicit, and appropriate range
of examples and non-examples through multiple
demonstrations.
 Role Playing: a procedure to provide practice
through simulation.
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INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS CONT.
Rehearsal: Verbal or nonverbal procedure to
provide practice under controlled conditions.
 Practice: Guided and independent activities to
minimize errors and build social skill learning.
 Coaching: A process to provide immediate and
specific feedback on the students' performance
including ongoing support and assistance.
 Feedback: Descriptive information regarding
the students' correct and incorrect performance of
the skill.
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INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS CONT.
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Maintenance &Generalization: Conduct
training in natural settings when possible; Make
training environment as similar to the natural
environment in terms of: tasks or activities,
demands (cooperation vs. competition), physical
features (objects, equipment); Structure
situations to allow skill training and use to occur;
Include peers in training; include individuals who
are part of the natural environment; Use
naturally occurring events to foster skill use
(Incidental teaching); Fade training consequences
to approximate naturally occurring contingencies
(reinforcement).
SKILLSTREAMING
Skillstreaming is a method for teaching and
extended curriculum of interpersonal, aggressive
management, and related skills to children who
are weak or lacking in these competencies.
 Includes assessment to :
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identify those students who can benefit from direct
instruction in skill building and,
 second, to determine the level of proficiency or
deficiency in necessary skills.
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IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
Instructional goals and objectives must be based
on student needs
 Allow time for planning and training
 Plan for skill practice and reinforcement
 Plan for generalization and maintenance
 Evaluate outcomes and modify when necessary
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SOCIAL SKILL MINDSETS...
Must be purposefully infused into existing
curriculum in every class each day.
 Instruction is not an abandonment of subject
area content, but an enhancement to learning
 Includes period of time that is dedicated to the
direct instruction of social skills in addition to the
infusion of social skills in subject areas.
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USING LITERATURE TO TEACH SOCIAL
SKILLS
Using children's literature can be an effective tool
to increase motivation and generalization of the
skills taught.
 Literature also provides an opportunity to
increase student language skills through followup activities of writing, additional reading, and
practicing skills taught in class.
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USING MEDIA TO TEACH SOCIAL SKILLS
Using media (newspapers, magazines, TV shows,
movies etc.) can be an effective tool as well to
increase motivation and generalization of skills
taught.
 Caution...Be sure to use age appropriate material
as well as use media as a compliment to the
program. Do not use in isolation.
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SOCIAL SKILLS RESOURCES
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In groups, review LISD resources. On chart
paper, identify any additional resources or
activities that you have found to be effective.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Establish a home note or contract system with
parents
 Request that parents review the skill steps being
taught
 Teach parents to reinforce, prompt, and model
skills being taught
 Include home-based contingencies to reinforce for
skill demonstration at home.
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PARENT COMMUNICATION
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In groups, create a visual for effective parent
communication.
CASE STUDY
In groups, create a profile of a student who is
struggling with social skills.
 Develop a PLAAFP and measureable IEP.
 Create a lesson plan for the direct instruction
approach and supporting activity.
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