SOCIAL SKILLS BENEFIT CHILDREN

Social skills are ways of dealing with others that create healthy and positive interactions. Children who have social skills can communicate clearly, calmly, and respectfully. They show consideration for the feelings and interests of their peers. They take responsibility for their actions, are able to control themselves, and are able to assert themselves when needed. Children learn social skills through experiences with peers, examples and instructions from their parents, and time with adults.

• Look at this list of commonly needed social skills. Think of students you know who would most benefit from instruction in each one. (You could use this list as your assessment device and assign students to groups by skills):
  • saying please and thank you
  • dealing better with anger and frustration
  • asking questions appropriately
  • accepting the consequences administered by the teacher
  • accepting responsibility for one's own behavior
  • dealing with losing/frustration/making a mistake/insults in an appropriate manner (without yelling or physical aggression)
  • initiating a conversation with others
  • accepting "No" for an answer
  • joining a group activity already in progress
  • following directions
  • making friends
  • complimenting others
  • understanding the feelings of others (and accepting them as valid or OK)
  • compromising on issues
  • cooperating with peers
  • coping with taunts and verbal/physical threats/aggression from others
  • seeking attention in an appropriate manner
  • waiting one's turn
• Task analyze the following behaviors (Delineate the sub-behaviors in order-if there is an order-that must be displayed in order to accurately show the desired behavior that you have identified and defined):
  • listening
  • following directions
  • respecting the opinions of others
  • accepting praise from others
  • apologizing for wrong doing
  • greeting others
    • familiar/family/friends
    • unfamiliar
    • adult
    • peers
      • same gender
      • different gender
      • younger