“One of the best ways to help improve social skills is through the use of social skills groups. Doing social skills training in a group setting allows children to practice new skills with their peers instead of just talking about them theoretically. Practice is crucial for these children to actually be able to use those skills in real life” (Carrie Clark, SLP).
Using Cloud9 as a basis for our character development curriculum, our entire school will be focused on teaching and implementing new skills each month.
Description of Groups:
In small groups, skills and understanding will be developed in social play groups (Elementary) and social hang outs (Middle School) of two to three students, topics will include…
Target skills for elementary:
- Following directions
- Turn-taking
- Requesting
- Sharing
- Imaginative play
- Greetings
- Responding to questions appropriately
Target skills for middle school:
- Conversation skills
- Repairing communication breakdowns
- Nonverbal communication
- Thinking about others
- Problem solving
- Building friendships with peers
***NOTE: This is not a therapeutic service, rather an in-school facilitated group for the development of social awareness and skills amongst peers.
Meet Sheree Smith
She received her Bachelor’s in Communicative Disorders and Sciences with a minor in Special Education. She is working on getting her license as a SLP Assistant. Sheree has two years of experience working one-on-one with students with autism and has been involved in E-Soccer, an all volunteer inclusive sports program, since high school.
