Social Skills

Teaching Social Skills

Like many other skills, social skills for children with Autism must often be taught directly. This is because children with autism do not easily acquire those skills naturally from their environment, like their typically developing peers. It is also because autistic children have greater difficulty reading subtle social cues, which makes interpreting meaning challenging.

Teaching social skills directly can take many forms. For example, in addition to video modeling, using a method called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is often successful. ABA involves breaking down a task into its component parts to teach it and using positive reinforcement to motivate the desired behavior.

NEW! Social skills curriculum resources

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism

ABA is a method of teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. ABA requires anywhere from 30-40 hours per week of one-to-one teaching. Each skill is broken down into its component parts and taught in a structured teaching environment. Appropriate behavior is rewarded, and inappropriate behavior is redirected or ignored.

Teaching social skills with ABA requires multiple trials of the same target. Only once a skill is mastered is a new target introduced.

Methodical records are kept of each teaching trial to assure mastery of a target. The data is reviewed by a behavior consultant who oversees the program. From the data, the consultant may decide to hold off on targets, put the target on a maintenance schedule, or introduce a new target.

The Model Me Kids™ videos are a useful teaching tool in combination with an ABA program for setting and teaching social skills targets.

Social Skills and School Inclusion

Social skills are important for inclusion in the classroom. Inclusion in a school environment with typically developing peers is often not dependent solely on a child's IQ or intelligence. Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome are often capable of working at grade level, but are at risk of not being included in a classroom because of behavioral issues or poorly developed social skills.

Social Skills Groups

Social skills groups may be found through community organizations. Many schools also offer social skills groups that take place during the school day within the context of school. This type social skills group may require an IEP in order for the child to participate. The purpose of a social skills group is to teach and guide social interaction of the children participating in the group so as to teach them how to establish and maintain friendships.

Social skills instruction for teacher and parents

Social Skills Training Videos

Autism DVDs & Software: Ages 2-17

Model Me Conversation Cues® DVD Models nonverbal cues, how and when to start a conversation, maintain conversation, turn-taking in conversation, & more. Run Time: 68 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 9-17 learn more | order
Model Me Friendship™ DVD Models social skills involved in initiating and maintaining a friendship including: compromise, invite, handling rejection, team sports, empathy, and more. Run Time: 75 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 9-17 learn more | order
Model Me Tips & Tricks™ DVD Models social skills such as using tact, appropriate voice modulation, good hygiene, asking for help, sense of humor, and more. Run Time: 67 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 9-17 learn more | order
Model Me Confidence & Bullying Prevention™ DVD Models skills for preventing bullying and building confidence through self-advocacy, choosing friends, positive self-talk, and more. Run Time: 63 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 9-17 learn more | order
Model Me Organization & Motivation™ DVD Models executive functioning skills such as planning ahead, seeing the big picture, learning from mistakes, & more. Run Time: 63 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 9-17 learn more | order

New Software! Model Me Interactive™: Practicing Conversation Be part of the action! Customizable software combines video modeling teaching tools with the interactive capability of software and webcam technology. Feedback area allows teachers to comment on and grade a student's video recordings. DVD-ROM plus QuickStart Guide For Ages 7-13 Windows/MAC learn more | order
Time for School™ DVD Topics include: listen to the teacher, share, sit quietly, take turns, show interest in others, playground, & more. Run Time: 61 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 5-12 learn more | order
Time for a Playdate™ DVD Topics include: greet friend, losing, answer, play his way, eye contact, clean up, say goodbye & more. Run Time: 67 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 5-12 learn more | order
I Can Do It!™ DVD Models appropriate behavior in stressful situations, including waiting, transitions, birthday parties, handling criticism, & more. Run Time: 53 min. DVD plus free photo CD For Ages 5-12 learn more | order

Using Positive Reinforcement to Teach Social Skills

Reinforcing appropriate behavior is one way to promote acquisition of social skills. When the desired behavior is exhibited, immediate reward will reinforce the behavior and make it more likely to occur again in the future. For example, the child is asked to greet a friend at the door at the beginning of a playdate. The child says "hello." Immediately, a pat on the back or "good job saying hello" whispered in the ear is given to reward the appropriate social interaction. Examples of types of reinforcement include:

• food such as a piece of popcorn or an M&M

• favorite toy

• toys that make noise or do something unusual

• social praise