Behavioral Intervention and Support: Social Skills Instruction

1
Behavioral Intervention and Support Social
Skills Instruction

• Module 3, Session 6
• Lou Denti, Ed.D.
• California State University, Monterey Bay

2
Social and Emotional Needs of Adolescents

• Difficulty in choosing from alternatives
• Feelings of inadequacy
• immaturity
• Inflexibility towards ideas
• Frustration with self
• Inner rage
• High distractibility
• Passive or active aggression
• Secondary emotional problems
• major cognitive deficits

3
Considerations in social skills training

• Not a panacea or quick fix.
• Proper training is essential
• Parents and teachers should be informed of social
  skills training
• Social skills training program should be aligned
  with the principles of positive behavior support,
  not just an add-on.
• The program should promote intrinsic motivation
  and self-control.

4
Purposes of social skills instruction

• Learn about personal responsibility
• Develop coping skills
• Develop positive interaction and communication
  skills
• Build self-esteem and clarify values

5
Indicators of an Effective Social Skills Training
Program

• Teaches students to stop and think before they
  act
• Teaches students to evaluate options in order to
  make good choices
• Teaches students to follow through on their
  choices to change behavior

6
Social skills program objectives

• Increase student understanding of other people,
  especially thoughts and feelings
• Increase student respect and concern for others
• Solve interpersonal problems
• Understand consequences of alternative solutions.

7
Teaching new social behaviors

• Modeling
• Roleplaying
• Constructive feedback
• Generalization and maintenance

8
Supports for social skills instruction

• Cooperative learning
• Cooperative group games
• Peer mediation
• Direct instruction groups
• Self-esteem activities

9
Questions to Ask when selecting a Social Skills
Program

• Does it have an organized set of materials,
  activities, and strategies?
• Is it sensitive to cultural differences?
• Is it teacher-friendly and easy to use?
• Does it have an assessment or evaluation
  component
• Does if provide adequate practice activities?
• Is it easy to combine with content area classes?