Articles:
Teaching social thinking and friendship
Just like so many other aspects of children's development, friendship is a learned skill. Quality guidance, modelling and well-placed practice from educators, parents and caregivers helps children learn how to successfully interact with others, and maintain friends.
The long-term benefits of friendship cannot be overstated. We need friends. Those who are able to attach to peers, and feel as though they belong, have a much greater chance of happiness as they grow. Friends have a proven impact on our health, wealth and wellbeing. The evidence tells us that the skill to create friendship and feel accepted is positively life changing!
"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together."
US President, Woodrow Wilson
We are proud to be linked to a unique group of adults in our community (parents, caregivers and professionals of all kinds) who realise the consequence of teaching and modelling social and emotional literacy to young people. The truth is that there's a lot we can do to help children find how to make friendship work and discover friendship. We are powerful influences in children's lives, and need to make the most of it.
While What's the Buzz? is a rich, relational way to teach friendship skills we've also collected some practical articles that offer ideas to set up better social connections between younger and older. Feel free to share between colleagues and friends, or use excerpts for your school, organisation, class or community newsletters.
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Teaching Social Skills to Kids Who Don't Yet Have Them
Teaching Social Skills to Kids Who Don't Yet Have Them
Thomas McIntyre
This article, written by Dr. Mac, from the BehaviorAdvisor.com, applies to all students who have social skills difficulties. LD OnLine considers it particularly applicable to students who have learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. Students with learning disabilities often have difficulties accurately perceiving what other people do, say, or demonstrate. These tips will help teachers who have students with learning disabilities in their classroom… more>>>
Top 6 Tips to Teach Social Skills and Help Kids Make Friends
Top 6 Tips to Teach Social Skills and Help Kids Make Friends
Ann Logsdon
Teaching social skills and making friends may not be the first thing we think about when planning our children's individualised education programs. In the middle of school meetings, academic issues are at the forefront, and not teaching social skills. Whether or not teaching social skills is ultimately included in an Individual Education Program, there are some things that can be done to help children with learning issues build the valuable social skills and relationships that are so important to their self-esteem and sense of belonging… more>>>
Social skills activities for children and teenagers: Ideas inspired by research
Social skills activities for children and teenagers: Ideas inspired by research
Gwen Dewar
Social skills activities? Some people would argue that kids hone their social skills whenever they play together.
In fact, it's plausible that social play - particularly fantasy or pretend social play - functions as a safe testing ground in which children can learn the appropriate social behaviours in their group (Pellegrini et al 2007).
Fantasy or pretend social play may also involve perspective-taking and "mind reading" - key social skills that permit us to decode each other’s intentions and anticipate each other’s actions (Spinka et al 2001; Pellegrini and Bjorkland 2004). But kids need more than free time and pretence to master social skills. They also need guidance about which social behaviours to emulate.
Here are some activities that may help kids learn specific social skills, from staying in line to negotiating a compromise with peers. In addition, these activities may give kids the opportunity to practice perspective-taking, mind-reading, and emotional self-control… more>>>
Preschool Social Skills: A guide for the science-minded parent
Preschool Social Skills: A guide for the science-minded parent
Gwen Dewar
Many parents and educators assume that children need to spend lots of time with peers to develop strong preschool social skills.
They don't.
Playdates, playovers and preschool attendance can add stimulation and fun to your child’s daily life. But socialisation, the process of learning how to get along with others - is not the same thing as socialising. Frequent socialising with peers does not necessarily lead to better social skills.
In fact, the opposite may be true.
Too much time with peers can 'make' kids behave badly. It's the sulky elephant in the room that no one likes to talk about. Even upmarket preschools are likely to make kids behave worse. As recent scientific studies confirm, preschool attendance can increase childhood stress and retard social development. For details, see this article on the effects of peers on preschool social skills... more>>>
Promoting Social Skills Among Children with Asperger Syndrome (ASD)
Promoting Social Skills Among Children with Asperger Syndrome (ASD)
M.J.Connor
This article provides a summary of the nature of social deficits among children with ASD, plus a collating of advice from a range of sources concerning how to enhance social skill development and to reduce anxieties or communicative disabilities which stand in the way of positive interaction… more>>>
Well rounded kids
Well rounded kids
wellroundedkids.com
This website offers many practical articles that highlight the development of social skills for all children… more>>>
socialthinking.com
socialthinking.com
Michelle Garcia Winner
Michelle Garcia Winner, who a decade ago started ‘social thinking’ as a treatment approach for students with social and communication challenges, provides a richly resourced website. Well worth visiting and adding to your favourites! more>>>
Six Easy Ways to Develop Social Skills
Six Easy Ways to Develop Social Skills
Peter Murphy
Everyone wants to shine and be accepted by people. If your goal is to achieve a successful life, personal and career, you will need the help of others. And, to feel accepted and get along well with others, you need to focus on developing your social skills to win more attention.
For someone who is just starting to develop his or her social skills, here are some tips to consider… more>>>
The Friends and Friendships Web
The Friends and Friendships Web
This website offers practical advice about friends and friendships; what friendships are, how to build them, how to maintain friendships, and what happens when friendships end. Well worth your time! more>>>
Good friends help us bounce back
Good friends help us bounce back
The theme of Mental Health Month in 2010 is allabout the benefits of friendship. Social suppor tin general is important for bouncing back fromchallenges and research has shown that havingfriends is associated with life satisfaction andoverall wellbeing. This fact sheet explains whatfriendship is, how it contributes to our resilienceand how we can create and strengthen friendships. more>>>
Social Skills for Starting Primary School
Social Skills for Starting Primary School
Julia Richardson
One minute you're sitting barefoot in a sandpit with your painting shirt on, building a fairy garden with a couple of rocks, some leaves and half a dozen paddle pop sticks, raising your head as someone calls out and asks if you’d like to join the other kids drumming under the shade tree…and the next, you’re in uniform with a few hundred other kids, being instructed to stand still and listen silently while some far distant adult welcomes you to Primary School.
What a change. What a massive upheaval in a small person’s life. Sure, it's great for a four- or five-year-old to be able to recite the alphabet or count to ten, but there can be no doubt that what kids need most when they start primary school are personal strengths and social skills… more>>>
Why Does Dyslexia Affect Your Child’s Social Skills?
Why Does Dyslexia Affect Your Child’s Social Skills?
Diana Vogel
Dyslexia is a condition that causes difficulties in spelling, reading and writing amongst other things. It arises from weaknesses in the processing of information, especially when that information is language based. If you have a dyslexic child, you may have noticed that their social skills are different from those of other children. You may wonder why, and the following will help to explain… more>>>
Welcome to Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning
Welcome to Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning
Our mission is to establish social and emotional learning (SEL) as an essential part of education. We envision a world where families, schools, and communities work together to promote children's success in school and life and to support the healthy development of all children. This website is not to be missed! more>>>
Social and Emotional Learning: What is it? How can we use it to help our children?
Social and Emotional Learning: What is it? How can we use it to help our children?
Robin Stern
What skills are the best predictors of academic and life success? Why is it that some children grow up to be fulfilled adults in challenging careers and satisfying relationships, while other children, from apparently similar backgrounds and academic performance, struggle in relationships, dead-end careers and depressions? A growing number of educators recognize that students who receive an exclusively academic education may be ill-equipped for future challenges, both as individuals and members of society -- it's just not enough to feed only the mind. The field of social and emotional learning (SEL) has emerged from these new understandings of the nature of biology, emotions and intelligence and their relation to success and happiness. Through social and emotional learning children's emotional intelligence (EQ) is bolstered, giving them an enormous edge in their personal and professional futures… more>>>
Good social skills
Good social skills
Stephen G
Without a reasonable degree of social aptitude, building friendships and quality relationships would be next to impossible. Good social skills can deliver so many benefits, that it's hard to know where to start.
Those few socially gifted people who seem to have all the confidence in the world and really effective social skills are often rewarded with a large group of friends and a possibly a huge social and business network.
To many of us displaying social aptitude isn't as easy as it sounds, however, there are things we can do to boost our social abilities and there are things we can avoid to prevent social blunders.
If you seek to have a greater social standing and you want more friends as well as better interactions then use these tips to boost your social aptitude, relationships and happiness… more>>>
Social skills and school
Social skills and school
Candy Lawson
While school can be a positive social experience for many children, for others it can be a nightmare.
School is not only a place where children learn reading, writing and math. It is also a place where they learn to get along with other people and develop social skills. Social skills are the skills we need to interact adaptively in our cultural environment. Although students don't get grades on social tests from their teachers, their peers are constantly giving them "grades" on "social tests" every day. If a child does well on these "tests", he is apt to be well liked and happy. He will enjoy school and look forward to coming to school. If a child fails these tests, she is apt to feel disconnected and left out… more>>>
Social skills activities for children and teenagers: Ideas inspired by research
Social skills activities for children and teenagers: Ideas inspired by research
Gwen Dewar
Social skills activities? Some people would argue that kids hone their social skills whenever they play together. In fact, it's likely that social play--particularly pretend social play--functions as a safe testing ground in which juveniles can learn appropriate social behaviours. Pretend social play also involves "mind reading" skills--the capacity to decode each other’s intentions and anticipate each other’s actions. But kids need more than free time and free play to master social skills. They also need guidance about which social behaviours to emulate... more >>>
Teaching Social Skills to your Teen - 6 Steps to an Emotionally Intelligent Teenager
Teaching Social Skills to your Teen - 6 Steps to an Emotionally Intelligent Teenager
James Windell
Every parent wants to guide his or her child to healthy social relationships-within the family, with friends, and with the world at large. But sometimes teenagers have a hard time dealing with their emotions. Feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness can come out in difficult or destructive ways.
Your teen may have a problem with social skills, but it's a problem you can help with. An emotionally intelligent adolescent can get along with others, has the ability to monitor his or her own behaviour, knows how to calm down when upset or angry, and can successfully solve conflicts. Wouldn't you like your child to fit that description? It can happen... more >>>
101 ways to teach children social skills
101 ways to teach children social skills
A READY-TO-USE, REPRODUCIBLE ACTIVITY BOOK
Lawrence E. Shapiro
This book is designed to teach social skills to many different types of children, particularly those with social problems. Often labeled as having a social skills deficit, these children may be considered aggressive, socially isolated, or shy. The underlying concept is that to proceed through the expected stages of their social development, children should posses all the skills addressed by this book... more >>>
Helping Teens Develop Healthy Social Skills and Relationships: What the Research Shows about Navigating Adolescence
Helping Teens Develop Healthy Social Skills and Relationships: What the Research Shows about Navigating Adolescence
By Elizabeth C. Hair, Ph.D., Justin Jager, and Sarah B. Garrett
Ask anyone who has ever lived with, known, or been a teenager: adolescence is a time of dramatic change. With adolescence comes puberty, expanded cognitive abilities, a new sense of self and identity, and often new and increased expectations at school and work. Relationships with parents and peers change too. As they mature, adolescents' social skills are called upon to form and maintain relationships... more >>>
Social skills for teenagers with autism spectrum disorder
Social skills for teenagers with autism spectrum disorder
By Raising Children Network
Teenage social relationships can be complicated, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Strategies such as role play, video-modelling, Social Stories™, prompt cards and hobby groups can help your child practice the socials skills he needs for a positive social life... more >>>
Survey pdf file links on the Data Tracking Facility have been updated.
Social skills activities for children and teenagers: Ideas inspired by research