Essential Elements of Social Skill Instruction as a Tier II Intervention Tim Lewis, Ph.D. & Linda Bradley University of Missouri Carrie Freeman Columbia Public Schools

Universal Matrix of school-wide expectations across settings List of problems = replacements “Scope and sequence” of social skills Simple lessons with activities Year long teaching schedule

Benton I am…. All Settings Classroom Hallways Cafeteria Bathrooms Playground Assemblies Safe Keep bodies calm in line Report any problems Ask permission to leave any setting Maintain personal space Walk Stay to the right on stairs Banisters are for hands Push in chairs Place trash in trash can Wash hands with soap and water Keep water in the sink One person per stall Use equipment for intended purpose Wood chips are for the ground Participate in school approved games only Stay in approved areas Keep body to self Enter and exit gym in an orderly manner Respect- ful Treat others the way you want to be treated Be an active listener Follow adult direction(s) Use polite language Help keep the school orderly Be honest Take care of yourself Walk quietly so others can continue learning Eat only your food Use a peaceful voice Allow for privacy of others Clean up after self Line up at first signal Invite others who want to join in Enter and exit building peacefully Share materials Applaud appropriately to show appreciation A Learner Be an active participant Give full effort Be a team player Do your job Be a risk taker Be prepared Make good choices Return to class promptly Use proper manners Leave when adult excuses Follow bathroom procedures Be a problem solver Learn new games and activities Raise your hand to share Keep comments and questions on topic

Tier II / Small Group Students displaying social skill challenges as primary concern Set of skills targeting common concerns Set of clear generalization strategies for classroom teachers to implement

Tier III / Individual Social skill deficits / performance problem Guided by functional behavioral assessment Replacement “social skill” meets need Environment supports use of new skill High rates of reinforcement New skill accesses previous function of problem behavior

Teaching the General Case Best Practices Teaching the General Case

Steps in Social Skill Instruction Assessment Planning Lesson Development Teaching Generalization

Assessment: Student Identification (Data, System) Use of existing data / assessment sources such as ODR, visits to discipline room, teacher referral, number of “buddy room” visits

Assessment: Skill Selection (Data) Teacher Ratings Ratings by others Direct Observation Importance of discussing cultural, language, and other factors that impact perceptions of “appropriate” social skills

Planning Requirements (practices, systems) Curriculum / Lesson Plans Adapt/adopt Group procedures Generalization strategies

Lesson Components (practices) rule for when to use the skill set of useful skill variations teach the rule (TELL) demonstrate the skill (SHOW) students practice the skill (PRACTICE) review and test the skill (PRACTICE) assign homework (PRACTICE) Teaching social skills follows the same format as teaching academic skills

Lesson Plans: Teach (tell) definition of essential rule description of skill components and variations

Lesson Plans: Demonstrate (show) model / demonstrate the skill select competent and respected students and adults only the teacher models incorrect responses select examples from natural context at least two positive demonstrations of each example

Lesson Plans: Practice role play activities focus on relevant features have student "think aloud" teacher can provide coaching during lesson involve all members of the group by assigning tasks / questions have student self evaluate after activity

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization Strategies To Use During Training (practices) Use naturally occurring examples within role plays Use naturally occurring reinforcers Use language of school-wide PBS system Pinpoint activities students likely to engage

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization Strategies To Use During Training (practices) Train in the targeted setting During training, include peers the target student(s) likely to encounter in the problem setting Use a number of trainers or other adults during training Continue training for a sufficient amount of time

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization Strategies to Use Within the Target Setting (system, policy) Prompt students to display skill (Pre-Corrects) Reinforce displays of skills in generalized settings using language of school-wide PBS/MBI system Enlist a variety of others to prompt and reinforce skills in generalized settings Individual contracts and behavior change plans Group contingencies

Parkade Elementary School Columbia, Missouri Carrie

Parkade School’s Mission Together….Inspiring Life Long Learners carrie

Our School Demographics Currently 430 students District Multi-Categorical classroom District Emotional Disturbance program Free and Reduced Percentage: 65% Special Education Students: 19% Mobility: 23% Ethnicity White 46% Minority 53% Black 36% Hispanic 7.5% Asian 4% Multi 2.5% American Indian 2% Pacific Islander 1% carrie Focus on: Almost 100 more boys in our school than girls The addition of 20 new ELLs to our school. Mobility defined as students that either came to us or left us since the beginning of the year. Don’t discuss F&R.

What Systems will Support our Vision? Carrie This pyramid represents the goals for our school in meeting students’ needs. It has 2 sides, behavioral and academic. The three levels are called Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. Tier one is identified as your core program, the program that ALL students in your school receive. An indicator that the core program is successfully meeting student’s needs would show 80% of students falling into this category. Tier 2 students are students who need additional targeted support to meet proficiency targets. With a successful system, you would hope to see 10-15% of your students in this category. Tier 3 students need the most intensive support available to help them to be successful and you would hope to see 5% or less of your students in this category. We utilize both sides of this pyramid at Parkade and you’ll see our model in just a little while.

Parkade Core Social Skills Curriculum Expectations Be Safe Be Respectful Be Responsible Matrix Defines Social Skills for Settings in Our School Carrie

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Parkade Core/Universal Social Skills Curriculum Weekly Cool Tool and Problem Solving Steps Teachers Teach Directly during morning meeting…8:50 – 9:20 each day. Skills are selected by reviewing SWIS problem behavior data. Specific Lesson Plans provided to teachers Tell: Talk about the Skill Show: Teacher Models the Skill Practice: Student’s Practice the Skill Linda

Problem Solving Steps Stop: Choose a composure tool Think: What do I want right now? Talk: Take turns talking and listening Choose: A strategy to solve the problem Check: Was the problem solved? Linda

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Parkade’s Need To provide more intensive social skills instruction for some students who did not respond to core social skills lessons Linda

Student Identification Process Tier II Parkade Data Decision Rules – Behavior: 2-5 ABLE Room Referrals (Major) 2+ Buddy Room referrals in a 2 week period (Minor) Student is engaging in a repeated pattern of problem behavior in more than one setting or with more than one adult Internalizing Behaviors Problem behavior is having negative consequences on student’s social relationships The problem behavior is NOT dangerous to student or others Linda

Identifying Students for Social Skills Groups Teacher nominated students who could not repeat or demonstrate usage of skill steps: Stop Think Talk Choose Check To confirm students identified, teachers collected baseline on number of redirects given to students when they did not “Stop and Think” Linda

Social Skills Group Curriculum Stop and Think Social Skills Program by Project Achieve 30 minutes, 2 times a week Lesson Schedule Week 1 & 2: Stop and Think Week 3: Listen Attentively Week 4: Following Directions Week 5: Accepting Consequences Week 6: Review of All Skills Linda

Lesson Plan Example: Following Directions Specific Skill: I Can Follow Directions Skill Steps/Learning Targets – This means I will: Listen attentively Raise hand to speak or ask questions Begin task immediately Tell: Introduce the idea of following directions by: 1) Reading Listen Buddy by Lynn Munsinger. Buddy the Rabbit finds himself in trouble when he doesn’t listen carefully enough to follow directions. 2) Having students work in pairs or groups to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, listening to specific teacher how-to instructions. Linda

Lesson Plan Example: Following Directions Teacher Shows: Non-examples: Student doesn’t begin or complete assignment even with teacher assistance Student needs teacher reminder to begin the task or assignment Students doesn’t ask questions if unsure of directions Guided Practice: Role play Teacher reads scenarios & students give “thumb’s up” if it is a good example of following directions. Feedback: “Thank you for putting your eyes on me while I am giving directions. You are being respectful” Linda

Teacher Feedback All redirects to the student are counted. The student should be observed for two, 30 minute observations, two times per week. (The data should be collected on Tuesday and then at your convenience Thursday or Friday) Rating scale that identifies how the teacher feels the student is doing with each skill. Feedback turned into Social Skills Group facilitator weekly.

Feedback to Parents Weekly progress report Shares skill student is learning Asks Parents to practice at home

Daily Progress Report Under Construction! Linda

Lessons Learned Social skills groups are for students who have a skill acquisition deficit, NOT a performance deficit LOTS of problem solving steps and models—had to decide on one Carrie

We Always Teach! “If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we..teach? …punish?” “Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?” John Herner Linda

Contact Us Tim Lewis lewistj@missouri.edu Carrie Freeman cfreeman@columbia.k12.mo.us Linda Bradley bradleyl@missouri.edu