Options and Strategies to Address Critical Social Skills For Students with ASD and Visual Impairment

Social skill deficits may be separated into four broad categories of social functioning: nonverbal communication, social initiation, social reciprocity, and social cognition.

First Step: Assessment Range of Typical Expectations Strengths and weaknesses Establish baseline of performance DO-WATCH-LISTEN-SAY Assessment tool

Some examples… Opening and closing a conversation Initiating peer interaction and joining play Decoding facial expressions and body language Observing and mimicking appropriate social behavior in specific situations Predicting and understanding the emotions and reactions of others

Process Match social interaction instruction to students’ needs and settings. Prioritize Task analyze social interaction skills Provide opportunities as well as evidence-based instruction Provide instruction and data analysis Use reinforcement Steps one to five not linear, may identify additional deficits while moving through the process.

1. Acquisition Accurate Performance Able to implement the steps and skills of the target behavior

Acquisition … instruction Show, tell, model, describe Guide, lead, coach the student High rate of positive reinforcement Teach the connection

2. Fluency Able to express oneself readily and effortlessly Accurate, smooth, even performance in relationship to the situation at an appropriate rate

Fluency … instruction Multiple opportunities to practice High rate of positive reinforcement for fluency

3. Generalization Accurate, fluent use of social skills beyond classroom or instructional setting

Generalization … instruction Teach with multiple representative examples from universe of situations where skill will and will not be required Teach in setting where required Use forms of positive reinforcement from non-instructional settings Incorporate relevant features from required settings People Materials Activities

4. Maintenance Continued performance of social skills when instruction has been discontinued in educational setting

Maintenance … instruction Systematic fading or removal of instructional prompts/assistance Decrease amount and/or rate of instructional positive reinforcement Increase naturally occurring type/rate of positive reinforcement

5. Adaptation … instruction Use social skills variations that have been taught but are in non-instructional and/or novel situations

Adaptation … instruction Teach representative multiple variations of social skills and behaviors Teach and link behaviors to the defining features of the required settings

Possible Solutions: Area of Concern: Conversations Inappropriate Social Interactions Possible Strategy: Social Narratives Problem Solving Strategies Incredible 5-Point Scale A social autopsy is the examination or inspection of a social error in order to determine why it occurred and how to prevent it from occurring in the future. When a student makes an academic error, we provide the right answer and use the mistake as an opportunity to learn. I n other words, we teach the student how to "fix" the mistake. Similarly, Lavoie (1994) suggested that instead of punishing the student for making a social mistake, we should analyze it and use it as an opportunity to learn . The process involves asking the student, "What do you think you did wrong? What was your mistake?" By actively involving the student in discussion and analysis of the error, a lesson can be extracted from the situation which enables the student to see the cause effect relationship between his or her behavior and the consequences or reactions of others. Underlying the social autopsy are the following principles: Teach all adults who have regular contact with the student to perform social autopsies. This includes family members, custodial staff, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teachers, secretaries, and administrators. This will foster generalization by ensuring that the student participates in dozens of autopsies daily. Conduct social autopsies immediately after the error occurs. This will provide a direct and instantaneous opportunity to demonstrate the cause and effect of social behaviors. Use social autopsies to analyze socially correct behaviors as well as errors. This will provide reinforcement which may assist the student in repeating the appropriate behavior in another setting. Help students identify and classify their own feelings or emotions.

Social Narratives Social narratives can be used: after a social "error" has occurred (e.g., saying something rude to a classmate, hitting, yelling) prior to a transition or new experience (getting a haircut, changing schools, going to the Dr.'s office, etc.) as an intervention to reduce existing recurring behaviors (nose picking, blurting out in class, etc.) The use of social narratives strategies by the individual must be taught through direct instruction.

SOCIAL NARRATIVES and SCRIPTS http://www.txautism.net/docs/Guide/Interventions/SocialNarratives.pdf

Possible Solutions: Area of Concern: Conversations Inappropriate Social Interactions Possible Strategy: Social Narratives Problem Solving Strategies Incredible 5-Point Scale A social autopsy is the examination or inspection of a social error in order to determine why it occurred and how to prevent it from occurring in the future. When a student makes an academic error, we provide the right answer and use the mistake as an opportunity to learn. I n other words, we teach the student how to "fix" the mistake. Similarly, Lavoie (1994) suggested that instead of punishing the student for making a social mistake, we should analyze it and use it as an opportunity to learn . The process involves asking the student, "What do you think you did wrong? What was your mistake?" By actively involving the student in discussion and analysis of the error, a lesson can be extracted from the situation which enables the student to see the cause effect relationship between his or her behavior and the consequences or reactions of others. Underlying the social autopsy are the following principles: Teach all adults who have regular contact with the student to perform social autopsies. This includes family members, custodial staff, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teachers, secretaries, and administrators. This will foster generalization by ensuring that the student participates in dozens of autopsies daily. Conduct social autopsies immediately after the error occurs. This will provide a direct and instantaneous opportunity to demonstrate the cause and effect of social behaviors. Use social autopsies to analyze socially correct behaviors as well as errors. This will provide reinforcement which may assist the student in repeating the appropriate behavior in another setting. Help students identify and classify their own feelings or emotions.

Social Problem Solving Six Steps of Analyzing Social Situations 1. Describe the social scenario, setting, behavior, or problem (What's happening or what has happened?). 2. Recognize the feelings/thoughts of participants (How does he/she/you feel? What is he/she thinking?). 3. Understand the feeling of participants (Why is he/she/you feeling/thinking that way? Ask child to provide evidence). 4. Predict the consequences (What do you think will happen next? What will be the consequences of this behavior?). 5. Select alternative behaviors (What could he/she/you have done differently). 6. Predict the consequence for alternative behaviors. Bellini, 2006, p. 157 Social Skills Training There are many social skills that can be taught. Sample of useful target skills to teach include: Say Hello Take Turns Share Wait Listen Stay on Topic/Reciprocal Conversation Example of breaking down a social skill into smaller parts: Target social skill: "Say Hello": 1. Turn your body/shoulders to face the person. 2. Look in his/her eyes. 3. Say hello Types of Reinforcement: Watching a favorite tv show Playing briefly with a novel toy Verbal Praise

Possible Solutions: Area of Concern: Conversations Inappropriate Social Interactions Possible Strategy: Social Narratives Problem Solving Strategies Incredible 5-Point Scale A social autopsy is the examination or inspection of a social error in order to determine why it occurred and how to prevent it from occurring in the future. When a student makes an academic error, we provide the right answer and use the mistake as an opportunity to learn. I n other words, we teach the student how to "fix" the mistake. Similarly, Lavoie (1994) suggested that instead of punishing the student for making a social mistake, we should analyze it and use it as an opportunity to learn . The process involves asking the student, "What do you think you did wrong? What was your mistake?" By actively involving the student in discussion and analysis of the error, a lesson can be extracted from the situation which enables the student to see the cause effect relationship between his or her behavior and the consequences or reactions of others. Underlying the social autopsy are the following principles: Teach all adults who have regular contact with the student to perform social autopsies. This includes family members, custodial staff, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teachers, secretaries, and administrators. This will foster generalization by ensuring that the student participates in dozens of autopsies daily. Conduct social autopsies immediately after the error occurs. This will provide a direct and instantaneous opportunity to demonstrate the cause and effect of social behaviors. Use social autopsies to analyze socially correct behaviors as well as errors. This will provide reinforcement which may assist the student in repeating the appropriate behavior in another setting. Help students identify and classify their own feelings or emotions.

http://www.5pointscale.com/ A 5 Is Against the Law! Social Boundaries:

Resources Autism Spectrum Disorder and Visual Impairments: Meeting Students Learning Needs The Incredible 5-Point Scale Navigating the Social World Model Me Kids Video Autism Asperger Publishing Company Social Thinking National Professional Development Center on ASD - http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/