SOCIAL SKILLS WEBINAR

October 17, 2012

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Welcome!Social Skills Webinar with Sherry Schoenberg, Julie Erdelyi and Melissa Hathaway

How to login:You will be connected to audio using your telephone after joining the Webinar. Please dial the following info that will also appear on your screen:

Toll: (646)-558-2121Access Code: this is the number that was provided in your confirmation email from GoToWebinar (don’t forget to hit the # key after the access code)Audio PIN: Shown after joining the Webinar

Please DO NOT connect using your computer’s microphone and speakers. 2

WHILE YOU’RE WAITING…Consider the following questions.

• Why do some students interact inappropriately with others in the school setting?

• Why do some students, even after social skills instruction, fail to demonstrate desired behaviors?

• When you think of a student in your class who is not interacting appropriately, what particular behaviors would you like to see?

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INTRODUCTIONS

When we call your name please:

1)Say “hello”2)Tell us what school you are from.3)Indicate who is in the room with you, if anyone.

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WEBINAR LOGISTICS2 Ways to Interact:

Raise your hand using the icon on your screen

Type a question into the text boxIntermittently we will provide

opportunities to interact.This webinar will be recorded.Please note, your microphone will

be muted unless otherwise indicated. 5

AGENDABest practices in teaching social skills within multi-tiered systems of support

Introduction to Social Cognition

Introduction to Second Step 6

TEACHER RANKED TOP 10 1. Listen to others

2. Follow the steps3. Follow the rules4. Ignore distractions5. Ask for help6. Take turns when you talk7. Get along with others8. Stay calm with others9. Be responsible for your behavior10. Do nice things for others

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SOME REASONS STUDENTS DON’T USE SOCIAL SKILLS AFTER INSTRUCTION• Don’t view skills as being useful.

• New behavior doesn’t bring equal or better benefits.

• New behavior is awkwardly performed. Student feels unsuccessful and perceives future failure.

• Due to the interpersonal history, student is quickly rejected or rarely given the chance to demonstrate new skills.

• Under stress, resorts to old patterns of reaction.

• Instruction did not match social skill need.

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SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTIONMatching Interventions to types of

social skills problems:Most social skills studies deliver a

treatment to children with an almost complete disregard for the types of social skills deficits children may have (Gresham, 1998)

Consider acquisition vs. performance deficits

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CLASSIFICATION OF SOCIAL SKILLS

Acquisition Deficits Absence of knowledge for executing skill or

failure to discriminate which social behaviors are appropriate in specific situations (can’t do)

Performance Deficits Skill is present in repertoire, but student fails

to perform at acceptable levels (won’t do)

Fluency Deficits Lack of exposure to sufficient or skilled models

of social behavior, insufficient rehearsal/practice or low rates or inconsistent delivery of reinforcement of skilled performances

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Types of Social Skills Concerns

Actions & Interventions

Social Skill Strengths: student knows and uses social skills consistently and appropriately

Reinforce to maintain desired social behaviorUse student as a model for other students

Performance Use behavior techniques to increase student practice and performance of desired social behavior

Frequency Provide extensive opportunities to practice across a wide range of exemplars

Acquisition Direct instruction of the desired social behavior

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WHY ASSESSMENT? Screening and selection of students for

social skills interventions Classification of specific types of social

skills concerns Selection of targeted skills and

competing problem behaviors for intervention

Functional assessment Evaluation of the effects of the

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SOCIAL SKILLS BASICS

Social skills curriculum must match the specific need.

An ideal curriculum does not exist.Basic set of “Preferred Teaching

Practices” exists. Initially, learning how to teach social

skills takes time and energy.

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INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH

Tell (coaching)Show (modeling)Do (role play)Practice (behavioral rehearsal)Monitor Progress (feedback)Generalize (apply in multiple

settings)

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SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION AT THE UNIVERSAL LEVEL

• Generally taught by classroom teacher• Considered part of the curricula offering• Built into the weekly schedule• Often starts with the teaching of school-wide

expectations and progresses to issues of concern based on data i.e., bullying, harassment, other risk behaviors

• Acknowledgement system should be linked to demonstration of skills covered in social skills instruction

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SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION AT THE TARGETED LEVEL• Pre-teaching, pre-corrections (reminders),

acknowledgment and other feedback linked to universal social skill instruction and given with more frequency to students identified for targeted support

• Easily linked to a school’s check in/check out strategies

• Social skills group formed to pre-teach skills introduced in the universal curriculum as well as provide extra opportunities for practice and feedback

• Targeted lessons that are presented as game based instruction can ameliorate behavior challenges in the small group

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SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION AT THE INTENSIVE LEVEL Link with functional assessment and behavior

planning Create individualized plans within the context

of the Universal (school-wide) social skills instruction

Integrate what the student does well Evidence of generalization should include

school, home and community

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DISCUSSION/QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

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