Teaching social behaviors and other pro-social skills is an important component of intervention for individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Today, there are several procedures which are being implemented clinically and evaluated empirically to improve the overall social behaviors of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Two of…

"Psychoeducational Assessment of Preschool Children," Fifth Edition, provides academics and school-based practitioners such as psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers with an up-to-date guide to the assessment of young children. Long recognized as the standard text and reference in its field, this comprehensive,…

Socialization difficulties encountered by a particular learning disabled adolescent may be related to the type of underlying learning disability. Two subtypes of learning disability are discussed (language disorders and disturbed visual spatial functions) along with implications for problems in development of social skills and for effective…

Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children's emotional, cognitive, and social development. Predictable and consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable. Also, schedules and routines help children understand the expectations of the environment and reduce the frequency of behavior…

This brief discusses the confusion some young children feel in moving from one activity to another (e.g., bus to classroom, cubbies to book reading, art time to lunch) that often results in frustration and challenging behaviors. The paper provides practical information on a variety of strategies to help preschool children make smooth, independent…

The What Works Briefs are a series of short, easy-to-read, "how-to" information packets designed to: (1) promote practices that support young children's social and emotional development and prevent challenging behaviors; (2) highlight practices, strategies, and intervention procedures that have been found to effectively prevent and address…

Research has indicated a strong relationship between low peer status in childhood of children with and without and later problems in adolescence and adulthood and children with social deficits often show similar patterns of behavior. They may be withdrawn and hesitant to interact with peers, socially aloof and "unaware" of their peers, or they may…

Curriculum content for adolescents with behavioral disorders should emphasize academic learning as well as social and behavioral skill development. "Therapeutic academics" is proposed as a process of teaching academics that is therapeutic in its systematic focus on the behavioral and social needs of students. A therapeutic academic curriculum…

This paper reports findings from a study of social adjustments in the face-to-face interactions of four highly original preschool children, and suggests a framework for guiding the social development of gifted and talented young children. Descriptions of the four students' behavior patterns demonstrate the social adjustments they employed in…

Learning disabled (LD) students are often poorly accepted by peers and exhibit deficits in social skills. Research on LD students' social behavior is reviewed and the definition, assessment, and classification of social skill deficits are discussed. Needed improvements in professional training, in practice, and in public policy relating to LD…

This brief discusses the challenge of learning English as a second language and the social interaction patterns these children exhibit, along with limited communication abilities, that are similar to those exhibited by children identified with specific language impairments or with speech impairments. It is not uncommon for many of these children…

A program at the Model Preschool Center for Handicapped Children at the University of Washington's College of Education enrolled 11 children with Down syndrome, 18-36 months of age. The program sought to accelerate and maintain the motor and cognitive skills of the children; to encourage parent involvement; to provide training to students,…

This curriculum guide aims to facilitate teaching and learning in the area of personal/social behavior for exceptional children in grades K-12. The scope and sequence of the guide are intended to reflect the course of normal social development beginning with a focus upon the self, through the metamorphosis of the self into a social being. A major…