_ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë:

A Resource for Educators

mêáåÅÉ=bÇï~êÇ=fëä~åÇ=aÉé~êíãÉåí=çê=bÇìÅ~íáçå=~åÇ=b~êäó=`ÜáäÇÜççÇ=aÉîÉäçéãÉåí
j~óI=OMNN
 Acknowledgments
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development appreciates the significant
efforts of the Autism Consultants who contributed to the development of this resource.

Rosalyn Adamowycz Raeanne Adams

Marlene Breitenbach Marsha Costello
Judy Lamey Danielle Rochon
Karen Frizzell Angela Seaman
Claire Bungay

Copyright

Care has been taken to acknowledge copyright material used in the development of this
resource. Any information that will allow us to rectify any reference in subsequent
editions would be gratefully received.

Contact Information

Special Education Autism Coordinator

Child and Student Services Division
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
Tel (902)569‐7792
Fax: (902)368‐4622

This resource can be accessed on the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development website at www.gov.pe.ca/education

11ED41-31009
 Table of Contents
Introduction and Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Coaching Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Teaching Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Planning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Leadership Roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sample Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Group Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Scheduling Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Decision Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Selected Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Lesson Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Lesson Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Lesson Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Visual Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Other Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Sample Lesson Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Reinforcement and Generalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Building Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Token System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Generalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Self‐Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Cumulative Point System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Group News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
References and Related Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Recommended Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Lesson Plan Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Decision Grid Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
My Group News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë==

Introduction and Rationale

==
Introduction and Rationale

“Persons with autism invariably experience difficulties with social skills.

From an early age, these children seem unable to initiate and maintain
social interactions. Vital social skills such as establishing eye contact or
sharing joint attention may be lacking, ideosyncratic or severely
impaired” (Machalicek, 2009).

Impairment in social interaction is a core diagnostic feature of autism (White,

2007). However, the observable signs of these challenges vary widely across
individuals. Children may appear to be uninterested in people. They may
manipulate objects, often in repetitive ways. Learning social interaction skills
through observation can be quite limited when imitation skills are absent or
delayed. Sharing interest in a toy or activity can be challenging and play skills
often need to be taught specifically. For some children, language may be present,
but there may still be challenges in maintaining a conversation. In addition, many
individuals with autism have difficulty understanding that someone else may
have different thoughts or preferences than their own and find facial expressions
and body language difficult to interpret (Rogers, 2000).

Once children with ASD enter school, attention often shifts to academics and/or
building independence in daily living skills. Yet, we know that one of the main
roadblocks to success for adults on the autism spectrum is social impairment
(Howlin, Goode, Hutton, & Rutter, 2004). When there are difficulties
understanding the perspective of others or problems understanding language in
general, day to day demands for interacting with others can be very stressful.
Even for more able individuals or those with Asperger Syndrome, it is most often
the social aspect of a job that is the critical indicator of success or failure in the
workplace. Most children with autism will not acquire these essential skills
without direct and explicit instruction. It is essential that we begin to address this
issue in a more comprehensive way and include social communication in our
individual education plans beginning in elementary school, and continuing our
support in the intermediate and high school years.

1Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 1

The ultimate goal of any social skills training program is that the participants learn
to use new skills in their day‐to‐day social environment. Since one of the common
deficits of individuals with ASD is difficulty generalizing skills, this will need to be
targeted directly. If these skills are not practised and reinforced in the real‐life
setting, it is unlikely that they will be maintained.

How can we do this? In inclusive school settings, teachers and resource teachers
have many responsibilities and significant challenges to meet the needs of all the
children in a classroom. What model or process would allow us to teach social
skills in an efficient and effective way? Can we avoid a “drop in the bucket” or
one time only approach and continue to support this learning over time? For
typical children, social skills are learned over time with repeated practice. What
does the research tell us about effective methods for teaching social skills to
children with autism? How do we insure that the skills taught will become a part
of the child’s repertoire after instruction has ended? What role can the Autism
Consultant play in assisting schools who want to support the development of
social skills in their students with ASD?

Our goal in creating this resource is to outline a process for schools that will
enable them to conduct social skills groups. This model is based on initial support
from an Autism Consultant that is gradually faded as the school staff take
ownership of the program.

Developed by Autism Consultants actively supporting Prince Edward Island

schools, this resource has been created to help answer some of these questions
and provide a framework for furthering our knowledge in this area. It is hoped
that the process and resources described here will encourage teachers to partner
with Consultants to target the social skills needs of students on the autism
spectrum as well as other children who may benefit.

2Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 2

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Model
Model

Coaching Model
For educators, a traditional “pull‐out” model for professional development may
be facilitated by a knowledgeable professional. However, it is often not possible
to provide follow‐up or on‐site feedback, and actual transfer of the skills into the
classroom may be limited. The coaching model has been effectively used in
educational, healthcare, and business settings and can be an efficient way to
disseminate needed information. Our goal is not only to share essential
information with the teacher, but to provide the support necessary for the
teacher to become competent and confident in their skills. When successful, this
process enables the teacher to not only continue the work, but to effectively
model this for others.

In this proposed collaborative process, training for the teacher includes a

combination of modeling, coaching, and feedback which occurs in the teacher’s
current school setting. Over a 10‐12 week period, the Autism Consultant
facilitates the implementation of a social skills group, from the initial referral and
assessment process, through lesson planning and progress monitoring. The
Consultant first models the steps, and the teacher gradually assumes the
leadership role, with the Consultant providing coaching and feedback. Over time,
the Consultant fades on‐site assistance, but still provides indirect assistance as
needed. While this initially requires significant involvement on the part of all
team members, it provides an opportunity to offer direct and effective social skills
instruction to our students.

Teaching Method
The primary teaching method discussed here, structured group learning, has been
selected based on the need for students with ASD to have opportunities to learn
and practice specific pragmatic language and social interaction skills in a safe and
welcoming environment. It is also hoped that bringing together students on the
Autism Spectrum who have similar social needs will foster a sense of belonging
and encourage friendships. The group model focuses on:

C instruction and explanation of the skill to be taught;

C modeling of the skill steps;

4Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 4

 C role play with feedback; and
C practice both within and outside of the group. (Baker, 2003).

This structured group model is didactic, but does not preclude using play based
activities to teach targeted skills. It allows the group facilitator to be flexible in
selecting appropriate activities, based on the characteristics of the group and the
similarities of their needs. It is essential to note that learning and practicing a new
skill in a group lesson does not guarantee generalization to new situations. In
order for the new skill to become part of the student’s repertoire, we need to
actively plan for that skill to be reinforced in naturally occurring routines.
Providing opportunities for practice outside the group is as important as what is
directly taught in the group.

Decisions

Who would be involved?

The student population targeted in this resource are students on the autism
spectrum, who have adequate language but are struggling with some aspect of
social interaction. Often, targeted skill deficits have been identified and included
on the student’s Individual Education Plan. Students with other special needs or
who are more typically developing may also be considered for participation. More
detail on selecting appropriate candidates for a group is included in the Planning
Process section.

Current school staffing is often the primary factor in determining which staff will
be able to commit to the development and implementation of a social skills
group. The Resource Teacher or School Counselor may have the flexibility in their
schedule to accommodate a weekly group. The support of school administration
for the project is essential. The actual planning involves all team members,
including the parents, in order to maximize effectiveness.

What is the time commitment?

The total time commitment is 1½ hours per week for 10 ‐12 weeks. Once
planning and assessment are completed (2 weeks), the social skills group occurs
weekly for 30‐60 minutes, depending on the students involved. Forty five minutes
per week is needed for planning, materials preparation, and follow‐up. Involved
staff and the administration must be willing to make the required time
commitment in order to go forward.

5Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 5

This Building Social Skills resource outlines a step by step planning process for
creating a social skills group with the support of an Autism Consultant.
Assessment tools, sample lesson plans, and useful forms help guide the facilitator
as well as suggest methods for measuring progress. Related reading is included to
provide background information and recommended curriculum materials are
listed.

6Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 6

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë==

Planning Process
Planning Process

Leadership Roles
Planning a social skills group requires commitment from team members including
the consultant, group leader, and parents. Each member plays an integral role in
the success of the group. The consultant’s role is to coach the designated group
leader in planning and implementing the social skills lessons. The group leader’s
role is to build skills in running an effective social skills group, as well as to
maintain contact with parents and teachers. The parent’s role is to help identify,
maintain, and generalize target skills. Parent involvement is welcomed and
recommended to enhance student learning and skill development.

Timeline
It is important to note that the following timeline is intended as a guide and will
vary from school to school and group to group. The number and duration of group
sessions must accommodate the needs of the group and will be determined by
the team. The degree of Consultant support may also differ depending on the
skills and experience of the participating teacher, as well as the needs and
dynamics of the group. Parent participation is incorporated in the model and is an
essential component to foster generalization of skills. Participation may be more
direct or indirect but should be encouraged. It is important to bear in mind that
the ultimate goal of this model is to empower the school to create and implement
social skills groups independently. Regardless of the steps suggested in the
following timeline guide, it is essential to ensure that school and board policies –
particularly with respect to assessment, information sharing, and parent consent
and involvement – are adhered to.

8Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 8

Sample Timeline

Process Leader Consultant Parent

Week 1 Schedule team Provides overview of Attend/participate in
(Planning) planning meeting to process and discuss planning meeting
discuss process team commitment Participate in
Identify times and Identify times and assessment
location location Introduce Sign and return
Provide information Decision Grid permission slip
letter/permission form Decide on participants
to parents and assessment
Decide on participants
and assessment

Week 2 Complete assessment Review assessment Review assessment

(Planning) with student(s) as results and identify results and identify
appropriate and share priorities with team priorities with team
results with parents Identify and prioritize
Identify and prioritize target skills based on
target skills based on assessment
assessment Prepare initial lesson
Prepare initial lesson

Week 3 Before first group Before first group Provide recommended

(Lesson 1) meets, share plan with meets, share plan with practice opportunities
involved students involved students for the child and
Observe or assist with Model and teach the feedback
lesson initial lesson
Share practice Review lesson and
activities with relevant discuss practice
staff and parents activities/ strategies
Review lesson and with group leader
prepare next lesson Prepare next lesson

Week 4 ‐ 5 Observe/assist/facilita Model and teach the Provide recommended

(Lessons 2 ‐ 3) te with lesson lesson practice opportunities
Share practice Discuss practice for the child and
activities with relevant activities/ strategie with feedback
staff and parents group leader
Review lesson and Review lesson and
prepare next lesson prepare next lesson

9Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 9

 Process Leader Consultant Parent
Week 6 ‐ 7 Facilitate lesson Observe and provide Provide recommended
(Lessons 4 ‐ 5) Share practice feedback to leader practice opportunities
activities with relevant Assist with lesson for the child and
staff and parents preparation feedback
Review lesson and
prepare next lesson

Week 8 ‐ 9 Facilitate lesson Support group leader as Provide recommended

(Lessons 6 ‐7) Share practice requested practice opportunities
activities with relevant for the child and
staff and parents feedback
Review lesson and
prepare next lesson

Week 10 Facilitate lesson Support group leader as Provide recommended

(Lesson 8) Facilitate lesson requested practice opportunities
Share practice Observe final lesson and for the child and
activities with relevant provide feedback. feedback
staff and parents
Review lesson and
prepare next lesson

Week 11‐12 Evaluation and Participate in team Participate in post

(Follow‐up) assessment (as meeting assessment (as
applicable) applicable)
Schedule team Participate in team
meeting to review meeting and provide
effectiveness and feedback
next steps
Summary Notes to
parents

10Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 10

Group Composition
Choosing the members of a social skills group is an important process. A well‐
balanced, appropriately‐sized group can open doors to real progress while an
inappropriately matched group of students can hinder and even undo social
learning. While there is no formula for a perfect group, there are some key
elements that should be considered.
Leadership ‐ The group should have one consistent designated leader to
facilitate the group with the support of the Autism Consultant.
Size of group ‐ An optimal group size is within the range of three to six
students. Two students may not be enough to maximize practice opportunities
and more than six can be too many to keep attention focused on the lesson
and keep individual learning at a maximum.
Pre‐requisite skills ‐ All members of a social skills group should have functional
language and the ability to follow one‐step directions. Students should also
have similar receptive language skills. Selected students should be capable of
working in a small group and attending to a variety of tasks without disruptive
behaviours. A student who requires frequent intervention due to disruptive
behaviours may not be a good candidate.
Gender considerations ‐ Depending on the age of the students, the gender
balance of group members may be a factor to consider. Every attempt should
be made to be sensitive to students’ individual needs.
Age range ‐ It is suggested that the age range between group members be
kept to a maximum of two years as this is more likely to include students with
similar levels of maturity and experience. If grouping students by grade, use
K‐3, 4‐6, 7‐9, 10‐12 as a guideline.

Range of abilities ‐ Many options exist regarding how to combine students with
similar or differing levels of abilities. While our priority is the design of social skills
groups for students on the Autism Spectrum, students with different diagnoses or
even typically developing students can be included in a social skills group if the
target skills are appropriate for all members. In some cases, groups have been
formed across schools in order to create the best fit for students. Even when all
members of a group have a similar diagnosis, the students can have a variety of
skill levels. Whatever the group composition, flexibility, creativity and attention to
individual needs can go a long way in preparing valuable and engaging lessons.

11Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 11

Scheduling Considerations
When scheduling a social skills group, it is important to identify the frequency and
duration of each session in advance. Knowing the scheduling considerations
allows for better planning and communication for everyone involved. The
following are guidelines for successful scheduling:

C Establishing a consistent weekly schedule is important; students need to

understand when and where the social skills group will meet.
C Sessions are held once a week for an estimated period of 6 to 8 weeks.
Additional time will need to be scheduled for preparation and follow‐up
evaluations.
C Depending on the needs of the group, sessions can range from 30 minutes up
to 60 minutes. Duration should be determined before the groups start and
remain consistent for all sessions.
C An interview with the classroom teacher, parents, and the student to decide
the best fit within the school schedule would be recommended.
C Sessions should be held in a quiet room with few distractions and
interruptions.
C A table, flip chart, overhead projector, TV, DVD player, LCD projector and
screen are equipment that may be required.
C Careful consideration should be given as to whether the group will meet during
the school day or after school. If the group is meeting during the school day,
approval should be requested for the class or activities the students may miss
during the group.

In some situations, the group may include students from different schools. If this
is the case, the following should be considered:

C When groups involve students from various schools, arrangements need to be

made for transportation prior to the start of sessions.
C If school staff or parents are providing the transportation for the group,
appropriate consent forms must be obtained.

Decision Grid
This grid can be used by school staff during the planning meetings in weeks one
and two to gather and track information and decisions regarding the formation of

12Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 12

the social skills group. In the last two follow‐up meetings, this grid can once again
be used to help evaluate whether the initial decisions were effective or how
certain decisions could have been made differently.

Decision Grid
Components Planning Decisions Follow‐up Evaluation
Group
Leader(s) and
Team
Members
Potential
Group
Participants
Level of Parent G Parent consent
Participation G Meeting participation
G Interview
G Assessment
Group Grade Range ________________
Structure
Age Range __________________
Gender(s) __________________
# of participants ______________
Duration of each session ________
# of weeks __________________
Location ____________________
Skills
Assessment

Potential
Target Skills

Other
Considerations

13Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 13

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Assessment
Assessment

Before beginning a social skills group, it is important to assess each student’s

social functioning to identify areas of strength and challenge. Direct observation,
staff, parent and student interviews, social skills checklists and scales can be used
to gather information. This information can provide a comprehensive overview of
a student’s social abilities, which can be used to design an appropriate social skills
group.

There may be many skills the student needs to learn based on assessment results.
It is important to prioritize the skills the student needs to function appropriately in
his/her present social environment. A small number of objectives
(1‐3) should be targeted during the social skills group to allow for meaningful
practice and assimilation of the skill. Measurable objectives should be outlined for
each goal so that progress can be accurately monitored.

Selected Assessment Resources

Many of the following resources include lesson plans to support skill development
as well as social skills rating scales and checklists.

The Social Skills Menu created by Dr. Jed Baker (2003) will help to
determine what to teach each student. The Menu consists of 70
different skills related to conversational skills, cooperative play,
dealing with feelings of self and others, dealing with conflicts and
teasing, and friendship management

Kathleen Quill (2000) offers a social skills checklist for younger

children with ASD. This checklist includes skills in order from least
advanced to most advanced. It provides useful information
regarding current level of functioning and suggests effective
objectives.

15Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 15

 A Progress Report to assess social skills is available in the book
Social Standards at School (Kinney,J. & Kinney,T.,2005, pp. 150‐
151). This report assesses social skills in seven different areas.
A rating key is provided and consists of four options for rating
skills.

From Building Social Relationships by Scott Bellini, the Autism

Social Skills Profile (ASSP) is a rating scale designed to identify
specific deficits and assist with targeting intervention. It is a
comprehensive measure of social functioning for both younger
children and adolescents with ASD.

The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) (Gresham & Elliot, 1990) is a
norm‐referenced assessment tool that focuses on social
behaviour in pre‐school, elementary, and secondary students. It
evaluates areas of social strength and challenge. Rating scales are
provided for the teacher, parent, and student. Cooperation,
empathy, assertion, self‐control, and responsibility are rated.
Intervention can be planned based on results. This assessment is
most useful for a comprehensive individualized plan.

16Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 16

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Lesson Planning
Lesson Planning
Lesson planning includes coordinating curriculum materials and resources with
the group leader and consultant. A simple lesson plan template is provided in the
appendix. The following components are included:
• Leader and Consultant Names
• Participant Names
• Date
• Target Skill(s) or Objective
• Teaching Strategies
• Reinforcement
• Materials
• Evaluation
• Progress Monitoring
• Practice Opportunities

Lesson Sequence
The lesson plan examples reflect a general sequence to follow when teaching the
group. The group often begins with a review of group rules or expectations and/or
the previous week's skill. Often this first step is an opportunity for the students to
share how they have done with practice activities since the last session. In the
next steps, the skill to be taught is introduced, modeled and practiced, either
through role play or video demonstration. Ways to practice the new skill are
identified as well as concrete ways of tracking success for each student. It is often
helpful to build in an opportunity for a shared activity at the end, such as game
play or a snack to encourage group interaction and friendship building. Other
examples are available in the resources listed.
Lesson Activities
Planning for a social skills group must be customized to the needs of the
individuals in the group based on the assessments. Activities may need to be
adapted and/or modified to meet the skill level of the participants involved in the
group. Activities could include:
• interactive games
• role playing
• modeling

18Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 18

 • videos
• discussion
• social stories or scripts

Visual Supports
Using visual supports with students diagnosed with ASD is an effective teaching
strategy. Visual supports may include words, pictures, photos, picture symbols,
signs or combinations of these. They augment instruction by making the
information more concrete and can be individualized to meet the needs of the
students in the group. The following are examples of visual supports:

• checklist
• written or picture schedules
• "break" card
• "wait" card
• turn taking card
• rules list

Textual cues can also be useful prompts when focusing on specific skills. These
can be posted on a sentence strip on a nearby wall or easel to be easily used
during the lesson. For non‐readers, picture symbols may be added. Social scripts
can also be used to introduce the verbal/textual cues. After practicing in the
group, students learn to use the cued phrases to prompt themselves and others.
For example:
“Stop. Think. That’s okay.” can remind students what to do when they
become frustrated. The strip would be posted and the sequence practiced
during the lesson.
“One at a time, please.” is used when there is simultaneous talking during a
lesson. This cue helps in conversational turn taking by teaching students to
respond correctly (i.e. be quiet when others speak) when the teacher points
to or reads the cue
“It’s only a game.“ or "Good game!” can be used to teach how to lose and
win appropriately.

19Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 19

Other Materials
Additional material may be needed to make the lessons appealing to the group
such as:
• individual folders
• pencil, paper, colored pencils, markers
• audio‐visual equipment
• flip chart

20Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 20

 Sample Lesson Plan #1
Social Skills Group

Date: Thursday October 8th

Target Skill: Asserting oneself (asking for what you want/need)
Participants: Johnny, Billy, Maria, Alicia
Grade: 3‐4
Materials: Video, TV/VCR, white board markers
Activities: Story/discussion, video, list‐making on white board, role plays, practice cards

PROCEDURE EVALUATION/COMMENTS

Step 1 ‐ Review Reviewed scenario (pushing in line)

G Discuss and/or practice skill Points added to tally chart
G Review homework cards Maria and Johnny especially enjoy this part; lots of
G Reinforcement pride in turning in homework card
G Other: __________________________

Step 2 ‐ Introduce skill Told example story

G Discussion Discussed feelings involved
G Activity sheet Billy seemed distracted ‐ perhaps too much talking,
G Game: ____________________________ not enough visual
X Other: Story telling Alicia: quite verbal, lots of participation

Step 3 ‐ Model Used vdeo clip from “Charlotte’s Web” movie

X Video ("Excuse me. That's mine!")
G Book, Comic or drawing Alll students enjoyed the clip; very attentive
G Role play between adults
G Puppet show
G Other:_____________________________

Step 4 ‐ Identify steps We listed the steps on the board

G Discussion among students (Get person's attention. Say what you need and
G Activity sheet wait); Billy, Alicia, Maria all shared ideas
X Make a list on the whiteboard Johnny attended well
G Other:_____________________________ Turn‐taking for writing certain parts: maintained
interest, but took longer for some than for others

Step 5 ‐ Practice All had a chance to role play (once in each role) and
X Role play to watch
G Game: ____________________________ All seemed to enjoy this (attentive)
G Other: ____________________________ Reminders to check the white board helped

Step 6 ‐ Additional Practice Distribute Practice Tracking Cards

X Determine what to practice, how many times, with Students enjoyed making this their own challenge
whom, where, etc. Needed help defining the skill to be done
X Fill in practice cards (if being used)
G Other:_____________________________

21Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 21

 Sample Lesson Plan #2
Play Group
Date: Thursday, February 20
Target Skill: Appropriate Play Skills (losing games appropriately)
Participants: Rosalyn, Marsha, Mike, Joey
Grades: 1‐2
Materials: agenda, social story, structured games, reinforcers (stickers)
Activities: Review agenda, discussion, social story, role play, practice

PROCEDURE EVALUATION/COMMENTS

Step 1 ‐ Review Previous week: conversational turn taking

X Discuss or practice previous lesson's skill Reviewed agenda
G Review practice cards This week: 4 activities to obtain reinforcement
X Review Agenda / today's lesson Joey has a cold today, didn't respond to this
X Reinforcement activity
G Other:___________________________

Step 2 ‐ Introduce skill Discussed when people lose and how people
X Discussion react
G Activity sheet Joey seemed tired
G Game:__________________________ Marsha was quite verbal, lots of participation
X Other: Social Story and examples

Step 3 ‐ Model All students enjoyed the role play

G Video
G Book, Comic or drawing
X Role play between adults
G Puppet show
X Other: role play via social story

Step 4 ‐ Identify steps Referred back to the steps in the story

X Discussion among students Rosalyn, Mike shared ideas; Joey attended well
G Activity sheet Used the saying "it's only a game, there will be
G Make a list on the whiteboard other games" instead of displaying signs of
G Other: referred back to social story and role play frustration (yelling, saying stupid, throwing).

Step 5 ‐ Practice All had a chance to role play once (how to lose
X Role play appropriately) and then prompted during their
X Game: card flip game, tic tac toe game playing when necessary
G Other: _____________________________ All seemed to enjoy this (attentive)
Joey needed the most prompts

Step 6 ‐ Additional Practice All students to practice 1x/day at recess or in

X Determine what to practice, how many times, with whom, class during play time
where, etc. Needed help using the skill at home
G Practice cards (if used) Will repeat lesson next week until all students
X Other: at recess, in class, at home able to complete (lose appropriately) without
prompts

22Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 22

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Reinforcement and Generalization

Reinforcement and Generalization

Social interaction can be stressful and difficult for children with ASD, at least until
they acquire sufficient skills and confidence. Reinforcement is one way to increase
motivation and participation of all group members. Therefore, specific
reinforcement strategies should be incorporated in the group and be determined
prior to startup.

Building Motivation
Selecting teaching activities that are inherently motivating for the specific
learners in the group is the first step. Using age appropriate and interesting
materials while teaching the specific skill makes learning fun. For example, a
grade 1‐2 group might be interested in puppets, legos, a bean bag game, or a
video featuring young children practicing the target skill. Older students may be
more interested in sports, technology, or a board game. In addition, including a
snack as part of the group can help keep interest high. Incorporating preferred
activities as part of the lesson routine is fundamental to the success of the group.

Next, a decision needs to be made on reinforcement of the specific skill you are
trying to teach. This level of reinforcement occurs both during the lesson as well
as during the practice activities that follow. In order to be effective, reinforcement
needs to be given to the student immediately after the target skill has been
demonstrated. In general, we would always praise the learner very specifically as
we provide the reinforcer (i.e. "That was great! You remembered to look at your
partner! Here's your token/sticker/chip").

When we are first teaching the skill, we need to provide positive feedback every
time the skill is demonstrated. Once the learner demonstrates the skill in other
settings, this specific, concrete reinforcement can be gradually decreased until it
occurs only as it would in naturally occurring situations. A few examples are
provided below for your consideration and many other examples are in the
recommended resources listed in the reference section.

Token System
One way to reward participants for appropriate behaviour within each group
session is a token system. Tokens (in the form of poker chips, pennies, stickers,
etc.) can be awarded to participants for good behaviours throughout the session

24Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 24

and then exchanged for a reward at the end of the session. The behaviour or skill
that can earn the token should be clearly defined at the start of the lesson (i.e.
wait for a turn; ask questions; raise hand; lose gracefully, etc.). Posting the skill(s)
on the wall can remind or prompt the learners if needed. Rewards can be simple,
such as colourful pencils, stickers, sport cards, small toys, comics, or candies.

For younger learners, a marble jar can provide a concrete reminder of skills
demonstrated during the lesson. Place a large glass or plastic jar at the front of
the lesson area. Each time a target behaviour is displayed by any one member of
the group), a marble is placed in the jar and specific praise is provided. After the
designated amount is reached, a concrete reinforcer can be offered. There are
many variations to this approach (paper clips on a string, magnets on a window
frame, etc.).

Generalization
Each skill taught in the group setting should be practised regularly between
sessions to promote generalization. Practice can be in the form of self‐monitoring
checklists, picture reminder cards, adult‐facilitated staged practice, or peer‐
mediated practice. In order to encourage generalization, practice should take
place at school, at home, and in the community whenever possible. Care should
be taken to make the practicing of skills motivating for students. This could mean
setting up a reinforcement system for practicing the target skills.

To determine whether skills generalize to settings outside of the social skills

group, some form of monitoring and follow‐up assessment are necessary. The
following samples provide suggestions to promote frequent practice of the newly‐
learned skills in the natural environment.

Self‐monitoring
In this case, the students track their own behaviour. Teachers, parents, and other
adults can remind the students from time to time to track their behaviour. The
target behaviour is clearly defined, sometimes with some concrete examples. A
simple tally count can be used for the student to mark each time he or she
displays the target behaviour. A simple tally count might just mean a pencil mark
or colouring in a box each time the student displays the target skill. The task card

25Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 25

or picture reminder can either be carried by the student, posted on a wall in an
appropriate place, taped to the student’s desk, or attached to the student’s daily
agenda. Its location can vary depending on the nature of the skill to be practised.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20 8

19 9

18 10
Wave hi!
17 16 15 14 13 12 11

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
20 8

19 9

18 10
Can I play with you?
17 16 15 14 13 12 11

Cumulative point system: In order to maintain students’ motivation over the

course of several weeks, a cumulative reward system can be set up. This can be
tied into the students’ weekly skills practice. If a tally count is being kept each
week as a part of the generalization plan, those “points” can be added each week
to a cumulative chart.

26Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 26

The chart should be kept in a visible place in the room where the social skills
group meets and can be decorated to be visually appealing: a large thermometer,
a movable cut‐out of a person climbing a mountain, etc. During the last session of
the group, points can be counted up and a reward can be given (i.e. an ice cream
party, a movie, etc.).

Group News
A weekly “newsletter” describes the target behaviour and ways to practice it. The
newsletter can be filled out after each weekly session and passed out by the
student to a variety of relevant adults: teacher, lunchroom monitor, parents,
grandparents, bus driver, or soccer coach, for example. As mentioned above, the
newsletter can be used in a variety of settings.

27Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 27

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluating success of the social skills group entails examining student progress
directly as well as gathering school and parent perspectives. The last group
session should be followed by post assessment using the same the tool(s) as the
pre‐assessment (e.g parent or teacher checklist, rating scale). A team meeting to
evaluate the overall effectiveness of the process and the group is recommended.
Input from participating students is also valuable. The Decision Grid below can be
used again to guide this discussion and make recommendations for the future.

Components Planning Decisions Follow‐up Evaluation

Group Consultant support adequate?
Leader(s) and Group Leader confident in
Team facilitating independently?
Members Team feedback?
Potential Group members were a good fit?
Group
Participants
Level of Parent G Parent consent Parent participation and feedback?
Participation G Meeting participation
G Interview
G Assessment
Group Grade Range ________________ Space and resources adequate?
Structure Age Range __________________ Scheduling issues?
Gender(s) __________________
# of participants ______________
Duration of each session _______
# of weeks __________________
Location ____________________
Skills Assessment appropriate, useful?
Assessment
Potential Skills demonstrated in the group?
Target Skills Skills demonstrated outside the
group?
Reinforcement adequate?
Other Student feedback and willingness
Considerations to participate?
Comments from other staff?

29Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 29

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Summary
Summary

"Preliminary evidence indicates that high‐functioning children with autism

spectrum disorders who participate in social skills groups may increase their
awareness of social cues and their understanding of how to interact
appropriately with peers, but they may have difficulty learning to apply this
knowledge in the context of everyday situations. Additional research with
strong experimental designs is needed to confirm these findings."
(Green et al, 2010)

The development of social interaction skills is complex and closely inter‐related

with communication skills. There is still much to be learned about how best to
match social skill instruction with each learner's needs and what strategies help
learners demonstrate skills after intervention. As more research becomes
available, educators will be better able to guide their students in this critical area.
In the meantime, the authors are hopeful that this resource will provide a starting
point and a process to enable more schools to participate in supporting students
with ASD.

31Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 31

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

References and Readings

References and Related Reading
The studies referenced below provide emerging evidence regarding the use of social skills
training groups for children with ASD. This list is not exhaustive; other quality studies may exist
that were not included.

Association for Science in Autism Treatment (1999). Social Skills Groups. <http://asatonline.org/
intervention/treatments/socialskillsgroups.htm> Accessed on July 14, 2010.
Attwood. T. (2004). Exploring Feelings. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy To Manage Anxiety
Future Horizons: Arlington, Texas
Baker, J. (2001). Social Skills Picture Book. Arlington, Texas: Future Horizons
Baker, J. (2003). Social Skills Training for Students with Asperger’s Syndrome and Related Social
Communication Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger's Publishing Company
Baker, J. (2005). Preparing for Life: the Complete Guide to Transitioning to Adulthood for those
with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome. Arlington, Texas: Future Horizons
Bellini, S. and Peters,K. (2008). Social skills training for youth with autism spectrum disorders.
Child Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 17,(4) 857‐873.
Bellini, S. (2006). Building social relationships: A systematic approach to teaching social
interaction skills to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and other
social difficulties. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing.
Bellini, S., Peters,J., Benner, L., & Hopf, A. (2007). A meta analysis of school based social skills
interventions for children with autism spectrum diosorders. Remedial and Special
Education v.28 (3), p 153‐162
Bock, M. A. (2007). The impact of social‐behavioral learning strategy training on the social
interaction skills of four students with Asperger syndrome. Focus on Autism and Other
Developmental Disorders, 22(2), 88‐95.
Conroy, M.A., Boyd, B.A., Asmus, J.M., & Madera, D. (2007). A functional approach for
ameliorating social skills deficits in young children with autsim spectrum disorders.
Infants and Young Children. 20 (3), 242‐254)
Constantino, J. N., & Gruber, C. P. (2005). Social responsiveness scale (SRS). Los Angeles:
Western Psychological Services.
Coucouvanis, J. (2005). Super skills: A social skills group program for children with Asperger
syndrome, high‐functioning autism and related challenges. Shawnee Mission, KS:
Autism Asperger Publishing.
Crooke, P.J., Hendrix, R.E., and Rachman, J.Y. (2007). Brief Report: Measuring the effectiveness
of teaching and thinking social thinking to children with Asperger syndrome and high
functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

33Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 33

Dunn Buron. K. (2004). The Incredible 5‐Point Scale. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger
Publishing
Dunn Buron. K. (2007). A 5 Is Against the Law! Social Boundaries Straight Up. An Honest Guide
for Teens and Young Adults. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing
Feng, H., Lo, Y., Tsai, S., & Cartledge, G. (2008). The effects of theory‐of‐mind and social skills
training on the competence of a sixth‐grade student with autism. Journal of Positive
Behavior Intervention, 10, 228‐242.
Gresham, F. M., & Elliot, S. N. (1990). Social Skills Rating System manual. Circle Pines, MN:
American Guidance Service.
Howlin,P., Goode, S., Hutton,J. Rutter,M. (2004). Adult Outcome for Children with Autism.
Journal of Child Psychiatry and Psychology , 45(2), 212‐229.
Jaffe, A. and Gardner, L. (2006). My Book Full of Feelings. How to control and react to the size
of my emotions. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger's Publishing Company
Kamps, D. M., Leonard, B. R., Vernon, S., Dugan, E. P., Delquadri, J. C., Gerson, B., Wade, L., &
Folk, L. (1992). Teaching social skills to students with autism to increase peer
interactions in an integrated first‐grade classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior
Analysis, 25(2), 281‐288.
Kroeger, K. A., Schultz, J. R., & Newsom, C. (2007). A comparison of two group‐delivered social
skills programs for young children with autism. Journal of Autism & Developmental
Disorders, 37(5), 808‐817.
Kinney ,J. and Kinney, T. (2005). Social Standards at School. Attainment Co.
Licciardello, C. C., Harchik, A. E., & Luiselli, J. K. (2008). Social skills intervention for children
with autism during interactive play at a public elementary school. Education and
Treatment of Children, 31, 28‐37.
Lopata, C., Thomeer, M. L., Volker, M. A., & Nida, R. E. (2006). Effectiveness of a cognitive‐
behavioral treatment on the social behaviors of children with asperger disorder. Focus
on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21(4), 237‐244.
Luiselli, J. Russo, D.,Christian, W. and Wilczynski, S. (2008). Effective Practices for Children with
Autism. New York: Oxford University Press
McAfee, J. (2002). Navigating the Social World. A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's
Syndrome and Related Disorders. Arlington, Texas: Future Horizons
Machalicek, W., Davis,T., O'Reilly, M.,Beretvas, N., Sigafoos, J., Lancioni, G., Green, V., &
Edrinsinha, C. Teaching social skills in school settings. (in Luiselli, J., Russo, D.,
Christiam, W. (Eds.) Effective Practices for Children with Autism, 2010. Oxford
Universtity Press. pp.269‐298
Mannix, D. (1996) Ready to Use Self Esteem Activities for Secondary Students with Special
Needs. Center for Applied Research in Education

34Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 34

McConnell, S. R. (2002) Interventions to facilitate social interaction for young children with
autism: reveiw of avaliable fr=research and recommendations for educational
intervention and future research. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 32(5),
351‐372.
Ozonoff, S., & Miller, J. N. (1995). Teaching theory of mind: A new approach to social skills
training for individuals with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,
25, 415–433.
Rogers, S. (2000). Interventions that facilitate socialization in children with autism. J. Autism
Dev. Disorders, 30, 399‐409.
Quill, K. (2000). DO‐WATCH‐LISTEN‐SAY: Social and communication intervention for children
with autism. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.
Solomon, M., Goodlin‐Jones, B., & Anders, T. F. (2004). A social adjustment enhancement
intervention for high functioning autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive
developmental disorder NOS. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34, 649‐
668.
White, S. W., Koenig, K., & Scahill, L. S. (2007). Social skills development in children with
autism spectrum disorders: A review of the intervention research.
Wilson. C. (1993). Room 14: A Social Language Program . Linguisystems,Inc.

35Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 35

 _ìáäÇáåÖ=pçÅá~ä=pâáääë===

Appendices
Appendix I
Recommended Resources
The following resources are available in the board and department autism libraries.

Resource Grade Level Description

Exploring Feelings Age 9‐12 Encourages the child to make informed
Cognitive Behaviour (can be decisions about which responses to choose
Therapy To Manage modified for (walking away vs. hitting). The program
Anger older or includes six two‐hour sessions with activities to
Tony Attwood younger explore feelings of being happy, relaxed,
students) anxious or angry. Provides a teacher guide and
student workbook to identify situations and
Exploring Feelings find appropriate ways to respond. This program
Cognitive Behaviour was originally designed as an intervention for
Therapy To Manage children with Asperger’s syndrome who have
Anxiety an anxiety disorder or anger management
problem.
Tony Attwood
Social Skills Training Elementary A social skills curriculum covering assessment,
Jed Baker and teaching strategies, behavior management and
Secondary peer acceptance through sensitivity training.
Skills are broken down into six categories:
Conversational Skills, Cooperative Play Skills,
Friendship Management, Self‐Regulation,
Empathy, and Conflict Management. Includes
over 70 lesson plans with reproducible
handouts, as well as activity sheets for
practicing and reinforcing the skill in the
classroom and at home. Options for teaching
one on one, small group, or in the general
classroom.
Preparing for Life: the Secondary to Covers a wide variety of issues faced by
Complete Guide to Adult individuals across the spectrum, such as
Transitioning to perspective‐taking, nonverbal communication
Adulthood for those skills, conversational skills, and stress
with management. Provides methods for assessing
Autism/Asperger’s social skill needs, instruction, and
Syndrome generalization. Includes a section on training
Jed Baker peers to be more accepting of students with
ASD.

37Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 37

 The Incredible 5‐Point Elementary Outlines a strategy geared toward more able
Scale children in a variety of situations. The 1‐5 point
Kari Dunn Buron scale can be applied to a variety of behaviours,
such as anxiety, personal space , anger, voice
volume, noise levels, etc. The book includes a
story that can be personalized, visual scales,
and tips on how to implement the strategy..
A 5 is against the Law! Secondary Building on ‘The Incredible 5 Point Scale’
Kari Dunn Buron model, this book focuses on adolescents who
have difficulty understanding and maintaining
social boundaries. Provides many examples and
hands‐on activities and encourages the reader
to apply the scale to his/her specific emotions
and situations.
Super Skills, A Social Elementary Series of social skills activities to help students
Skills Group Program with autism and other social deficits. Group
for Children with lessons are organized under four types of skills
Asperger Syndrome, for social success: fundamental skills, social
High Functioning initiation, getting along with others, and social
Autism and Related responses. Each lesson is highly structured with
Challenges practical checklists and other instruments for
Judith Coucouvanis assessing students social skills levels and
subsequent program planning.
The File Factor Grade 5‐12 Provides a way to work through
Terese Dana and disappointment by writing out situations in
Bradford Meisel certain categories (e.g. having to wait, other
people’s decisions). This visual support prompts
children to organize their emotions and
situations, and through discussions with an
adult, guide them to understand the reason
behind the emotions they are feeling. This
resource can be used to improve coping skills
with children with emotional struggles.
What Do I Say? Elementary An interactive reading booklet that provides
Joan Green examples of appropriate social responses to
common everyday situations.

38Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 38

 My Book Full of Elementary Teaches children to identify and respond
Feelings appropriately to their emotions. This book is
Amy V. Jaffe interactive and uses a dry‐erase marker so that
unique situations and solutions can be added
and changed. Also included is a Communication
Pad for tracking and sharing information
between home and school.
Functional Elementary Assessment and curriculum for individuals with
Independence Skills and developmental disabilities. Focuses on activities
Handbook Secondary from daily life in seven functional areas:
William K. Killion adaptive behavior, affective (emotional),
cognitive, sensorimotor, social, speech and
language and vocational. Includes sample
lesson plans for each item evaluated. Each
lesson lists the specific task, prerequisite skills,
concept, behavioral objective, materials, and a
task analysis.
Social Standards at Mid‐ Focuses on 53 social skills that may occur
School Elementary during a typical school day (i.e. getting ready
Judi and Tom Kinney to Secondary for school, classroom behavior, transitions,
peer relationships and common etiquette).
Each skill is broken down into five steps with
teacher guidelines and benchmarks,
problem‐solving checklists, a script for teachers
to follow when reviewing the skills with
students and a student self monitoring page.
Reproducible book with printable files
available on WIN/MAC CD. Designed for more
able children.
Self‐Esteem Activities Grades 4‐12 Includes activities to develop a positive
for Secondary Students self‐concept and healthy self‐esteem. Includes
with Special Needs 62 lesson plans and 200 reproducible activities.
Darlene Mannix Materials are appropriate for resource settings,
counseling sessions, and small and large
groups. Each lesson includes learning
objectives, introductory activities, student
worksheets, discussion and review questions,
journal‐entry ideas.

39Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 39

 Navigating the Social Secondary Lesson activities and strategies to teach about
World. A Curriculum emotions, recognizing stress and stress
for Individuals with prevention and everyday social communication;
Asperger's Syndrome Visula supports are provided
and Related Disorders
Jeanette McAfee

The Hidden Curriculum Elementary Offers suggestions to teach subtle messages

Brenda Smith Myles and that most people learn automatically, but that
Melissa L. Trautman, Secondary have to be directly taught to individuals with
Rhonda L. Schelvan social challenges. Includes a detailed list of
curriculum items along with some strategies
and sample worksheets (non‐reproducible).
Do Watch Listen Say Elementary Comprehensive intervention guide and
Kathleen Quill and some activities, easily adapted for children who are
Secondary non‐verbal or use augmentative and alternative
communication; includes an assessment tool,
strategies to build social play , group, and
communication skills. Also includes data
collection forms and guidelines.
Autism and PDD Social Elementary Set of five 60‐page books (School; Community;
Skills Lessons and Home; Behavior; Getting Along) with 40 lessons
Pam Britton Reese and Secondary in each book. The concise and expressive
Nena C. Challenner illustrations allow students to "read" the lesson
along with the teacher. These books focus on
skills necessary for successful inclusion of
children. The lessons teach many unwritten
rules (e.g. raise your hand, wait in line, etc.)
that other children learn through observation.
Inlcudes progress forms and tracking sheets for
individual or group lessons.
Promoting Social Elementary Focuses on teaching children cognitive skills for
Success appropriate social behavior. Includes 66
Gary N Siperstein and activity‐based lessons on social skills, organized
Emily Paige Rickards around topics that build on each other.

40Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 40

 Teaching Play Skills Preschool This comprehensive manual addresses
Melinda Jay Smith and elements of play and how to incorporate these
Elementary into the lives of children with developmental
delays. Identifies methods of teaching play
skills, including building with toys, games,
music, sensory and physical play and
imaginative play. Discusses peer interactions
and the dynamics of playgroups for preschool
and school age children.
Room 14: A Social Grades K‐4 Provides exercises and activities to and practice
Language Program social situations (e.g. greetings, conversation,
Carolyn C. Wilson how to say no, how to complain, using self‐
control, being responsible). Activities can be
used individually or in groups led by an adult.
Inside Out, What Elementary Includes techniques to help students identify
Makes a Person with and and overcome weaknesses, leading to the
Social Cognitive Secondary acquisition of skills such as initiating
Deficits Tick? conversations or activities, listening and
Michelle Garcia attending, understanding abstract language,
Winner taking others' perspectives, seeing the big
picture, and using humor; demonstrates how to
break down these skills into manageable
concepts and suggests teaching methods.
Includes reproducible worksheets.
Social Behavior Grade 3‐12 Uses a cognitive behavior strategy to teach
Mapping specific relationships between behaviors,
Michelle Garcia others' perspectives, others' actions, and the
Winner student's own emotions. SBM is a visual tool
that displays abstract concepts through a flow
chart. Includes a collection of over 50 Social
Behavior Maps to cover a range of topics for
home, community and the classroom. Most
effective for children with good language skills.
Thinking about You, Elementary Addresses deficits in understanding the
Thinking about Me and perspectives of others. Includes sample IEP
Michelle Garcia Secondary goals and benchmarks, Social Behavior
Winner Mapping (visual ways to teach students the
impact of behaviors on others with sample
maps and instructions),
Social Thinking Dynamic Assessment Protocol
with templates, and concrete strategies

41Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 41

Appendix II
Lesson Plan
Social Skills Group
Date:
Target Skill:
Participants:
Grade:
Materials:
Activities:

PROCEDURE EVALUATION/COMMENTS

Step 1 ‐ Review
G Discuss and/or practice skill
G Review homework cards
G Reinforcement
G Other: __________________________

Step 2 ‐ Introduce skill

G Discussion
G Activity sheet
G Game: ____________________________
G Other:

Step 3 ‐ Model
G Video
G Book, Comic or drawing
G Role play between adults
G Puppet show
G Other:_____________________________

Step 4 ‐ Identify steps

G Discussion among students
G Activity sheet
G Make a list on the whiteboard
G Other:_____________________________

Step 5 ‐ Practice
X Role play
G Game: ____________________________
G Other: ____________________________

Step 6 ‐ Additional Practice

X Determine what to practice, how many times,
with whom, where, etc.
X Fill in practice cards (if being used)
G Other:_____________________________

42Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 42

Appendix III
Decision Grid
Components Planning Decisions Follow‐up Evaluation

Group Leader(s)
and Team
Members

Potential Group
Participants

Level of Parent G Parent consent

Participation G Meeting participation
G Interview
G Assessment

Group Structure Grade Range ______________________

Age Range ________________________
Gender(s) ________________________
# of participants ____________________
Duration of each session _____________
# of weeks ________________________
Location __________________________

Skills Assessment

Potential Target
Skills

Other
Considerations

43Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 43

Appendix V

My Group News!

Name: _____________________
Date: _____________________

Skill worked on today... _________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Ideas for practice at home and school...

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Feedback ‐ Have you noticed me doing this skill?

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Keep encouraging practice every day!

Please fill out and return to ________________________________.

Thank you.

44Building Social Skills: A Resource for Educators 44