1. VDOE TTAC 2005 Inclusive Placement Opportunities for Preschoolers: A Systems Approach to Preschool Inclusive Practices

2. VDOE TTAC 2005 A project of the Virginia Department of Education and the Training and Technical Assistance Centers of Virginia Training and Technical Assistance Centers of Virginia

3. VDOE TTAC 2005 Fostering social relationships A classwide approach

4. VDOE TTAC 2005Agenda A few facts Why it’s hard to teach social skills What the research says The teacher’s role Teaching strategies

5. VDOE TTAC 2005 What skills do children learn in school that are most likely to lead to successful adjustment in adult life? What skills do children learn in school that are most likely to lead to successful adjustment in adult life?

6. VDOE TTAC 2005 A few facts People who develop and maintain positive relationships with others are generally happier than those who don’t People who negotiate, problem solve, express their opinions, take another’s perspective, change their behavior and adapt succeed at work and move up in their professions

7. VDOE TTAC 2005 Additional facts Children who do not acquire social skills by grade 3 are extremely likely to drop out of school, commit crimes and eventually become incarcerated If anti-social behavior is not changed by the end of grade 3, it should be treated as a chronic condition, much like diabetes. That is, it cannot be cured but managed with the appropriate supports and intervention (Walker, Colvin & Ramsey, 1995).

8. VDOE TTAC 2005 Pro-social behavior The ability to generate and coordinate flexible, adaptive responses to demands and generate and capitalize on opportunities in the environment (Waters and Sroufe, 1983)

9. VDOE TTAC 2005 Why it’s so hard to teach social skills You’re at a party and the only person you know just walked away. You…. Someone you knew in high school, but haven’t seen since is in the same line with you. You... You see someone you don’t want to talk to you. She waves and you’re not sure she knows you saw her. You…

10. VDOE TTAC 2005 Ways we inadvertently teach anti-social behavior Greet the parent but not the child Talk to the parent or another teacher about the child in front of the child Attribute needs to children Label a child’s behavior Refer to a child by a label

11. VDOE TTAC 2005 Ways we inadvertently teach anti-social behavior (cont’d) Nip it in the bud Take one child’s side Protect a child from emotional distress Talk about other adults in front of children Talk about other children in front of a child Lose it in front of a child or with a child

12. VDOE TTAC 2005 What are the “friendly” children doing? Form groups of 3 Assign a recorder Think of a “friendly” child in your class List the specific skills that child uses with friends

13. VDOE TTAC 2005 What we know Interaction is reciprocal Interaction is ongoing Children learn best when they are in control of their learning Interaction is learned through interaction with others Interactions between two children can be negative or positive. In either case, it becomes more so over time Negative interaction changes when adults intervene

14. VDOE TTAC 2005 What does the research say about friends? Emotional regulation + Social knowledge and understanding +Social skills Pro-social behavior

15. VDOE TTAC 2005 Emotional regulation Control impulses Delay gratification Manage distress

16. VDOE TTAC 2005 Social knowledge and understanding Language Take other’s perspective Reach common ground Experience

17. VDOE TTAC 2005 Social skills Enter ongoing play Imitate Ask for help Help others Compliment Show affection Organize Construct Negotiate Take turns Express self Persist Pretend Gather information Cooperate

18. VDOE TTAC 2005 What’s the teacher’s role in guiding pro-social behavior?

19. VDOE TTAC 2005 Setting the stage

20. VDOE TTAC 2005 Setting the stage for social relationships Structure the environment Teach social skills Encourage classmates to interact Use child-specific strategies to foster social relationships

21. VDOE TTAC 2005 Structure the environment Thoughtful schedule Planned environment Physical inclusion Pro-social class expectations Positive statements

22. VDOE TTAC 2005 Thoughtful schedule for pro-social behavior Balanced (e.g., mainly child-initiated, some teacher- guided and few large group activities) Predictable routine Visual schedule Advance warning if changes occur Alternative activities Thoughtful sequencing of activities Short clean up with active child involvement

23. VDOE TTAC 2005 Thoughtful schedule for pro-social behavior Pre-correction Planned transitions Materials set up in advance Quick starts for activities Defined teacher roles

24. VDOE TTAC 2005 Planned environments for pro-social behavior Maze layout Quiet and loud zones Varied response mode Quiet spot

25. VDOE TTAC 2005 Planned environments Ensure physical inclusion Socio-dramatic materials in each center o Social toys Plan groupings of children with and without disabilities Plan teacher-structured activities

26. VDOE TTAC 2005 Physical inclusion Children should: o Have access to all toys and materials and all parts of the room o Be at the “same level” as other children (e.g., sitting, standing) o Participate in all activities (adapt materials)

27. VDOE TTAC 2005 Strategy: social toys With your teammates, list toys in your classroom that encourage social interaction

28. VDOE TTAC 2005 Social vs. isolate toys Dress-up clothes Dramatic play materials Puppets Vehicles Sand/water toys Record player Blocks See saw Kiddie car Jungle gym Puzzles Pegboards and pegs Art materials Parquetry Shape templates Toy animals Blackboard Dolls Beads

29. VDOE TTAC 2005 Strategy: planned groupings Small groups include children with disabilities and typically developing children Avoid “shadowing”

30. VDOE TTAC 2005 Support children to develop friendships

31. VDOE TTAC 2005 Teacher-structured activities Modify songs and activities to include directions for displaying affection Inclusive setting Cooperative use of materials Embed opportunities Social interaction goals and objectives Ethos of friendship

32. VDOE TTAC 2005 Teacher-structured activities (cont’d) Modeling principles Modeling with video and puppets Preparing peer partner Buddy system Priming Suggesting play ideas Direct modeling Reinforcement

33. VDOE TTAC 2005 Class expectations against and for pro-social behavior We keep our hands and feet to ourselves We listen to the teacher We ask the teacher for help We use our words (if taught to say prohibitive statements) We are gentle with each other We listen to each other We help each other We tell others what we want them to do Everyone gets to play

34. VDOE TTAC 2005 Praise: It’s all in how you say it! Highlight the child’s accomplishment Specify the behavior Show spontaneity Make children aware of their thinking and self-control Connect to prior accomplishments Verbally reward effort Orient the child to his feeling Connect to internal rewards Offer praise in private Be genuine

35. VDOE TTAC 2005 Teach social skills Identifying teachable moments

36. VDOE TTAC 2005 Friendship skills How to give suggestions (play organizers) Sharing toys and other materials Taking turns (reciprocity) Being helpful Giving compliments Understanding how and when to give an apology

37. VDOE TTAC 2005 Play organizers Describe o Get friend’s attention o Give friend a toy o Give idea what to do with toy or what to play Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote CSEFEL

38. VDOE TTAC 2005Sharing Describe skill o Child has materials o Offers or responds to request from peer for materials Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote CSEFEL

39. VDOE TTAC 2005 Taking turns Describe skill o Get friend’s attention by looking, tapping or calling o Hold out hand o Ask for toy Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote CSEFEL

40. VDOE TTAC 2005 Being helpful/teamwork Describe skill o How to help at home o How to help at school Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote CSEFEL

41. VDOE TTAC 2005 Giving compliments Describe o Verbal – Say things like:  “Good job _____!”  “Great _____!”  “You should be proud of how you_____! o Physical – Do things like:  Hug  Pat on the shoulder  High five Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote

42. VDOE TTAC 2005 Knowing when and how to give apologies Describe skill o “I’m sorry that ___” o “I didn’t mean to ___” Demonstrate o Right way o Wrong way Practice Promote

43. VDOE TTAC 2005 Encourage classmates to interact Teach classmates to: o Share toys (if developmentally appropriate) o Offer assistance o Give compliments o Ask questions o Be persistent o Wait o Use alternative communication

44. VDOE TTAC 2005 Use child-specific strategies Incidental teaching o Geared toward what the child likes to do o Conducted in a natural setting o Child determines materials and activity; teacher determines goals o Brief, positive interactions focused on child-selected activities Prompting and guiding

45. VDOE TTAC 2005 Teaching 2- and 3-year-olds Be brief, use action language Model Alert children to others’ emotional states Connect others’ emotional states to the child’s Give alternative interpretations of events Label and validate emotions Teach peers to prompt children Prompt children Give two brief ideas to choose from Redirect children when they opt not to use social skills Reframe events

46. VDOE TTAC 2005 Teaching 4- and 5-year-olds Observe Model Solicit children’s ideas: o Describe the situation o Ask open-ended questions o Teach children to expect to try again o Encourage children to describe their feelings to each other Teach peers to prompt children Prompt children Redirect children with a brief, straightforward explanation when nothing else works

47. VDOE TTAC 2005 Put it all together… Form groups of 3 Assign a recorder Read “What could you do?” Identify the social behaviors not being used by the child(ren) Identify how you would teach the behaviors

48. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? A 2-year-old wants to dance with another 2-year-old. She grabs his hands and starts dancing. The other child pulls his hands away and screams.

49. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? Two 2-year-olds are pulling on a cowboy hat and screaming, “It’s mine!” Two 4-year-olds are pulling on a cowboy hat and screaming, “It’s mine!”

50. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? During story time, you encourage children to offer their opinions about the books you read. Damon almost always makes off-topic comments. Usually he talks about his dog, Zea, or dinosaurs. You are currently avoiding asking him to contribute during story.

51. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? Three-year-old Anna is painting a picture. Four-year-old Sadie trips and falls into the easel and knocks Anna’s paints onto her picture. Anna clinches her fists and looks like she is going to hit Sadie.

52. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? Two-year-old Truman is watching two other children pretending to be at a pet store. One child is the pet store owner and the other is a customer. The customer is looking at stuffed animals in boxes as she tries to decide which one to buy.

53. VDOE TTAC 2005 What could you do? You and a mother are talking while she holds her child in her arms. The mother’s 2-year-old tries to talk to her. The mother keeps talking to you. The child gets louder and turns the mother’s face toward him.

54. VDOE TTAC 2005 Why are these ineffective ways to teach pro-social behavior? Telling a child to say he is sorry Telling a child she is rude for interrupting two people talking Telling a child who is hanging on tightly to his father that he is “feeling shy” Asking a child, “Why did you hit?” Asking a child to sit for two minutes to calm down

55. VDOE TTAC 2005 Thoughts/Questions/Com ments?