During early childhood, practitioners and family members are often tasked with determining optimal approaches to support social skill development in young children with developmental disabilities in inclusive and self-contained settings. Eight different evidence based approaches are highlighted (social narratives, scripting, pivotal response…

The ability to effectively communicate with individuals from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds is an invaluable asset. Learning a second language proves useful as students navigate the culturally diverse world; however, studying a second language can be difficult for learners who are not immersed in the real and natural environment of…

The instructional program, "Learning About Social Behavior," was designed to teach social and behavioral skills to elementary students in regular and learning disability classrooms. Students are taught with strategies used in reading, math, and assertiveness training. (Author/AM)

Incidental teaching procedures were used to train a 16-year-old mildly handicapped student to use social amenities in a resource classroom. Generalization to another resource room and an art classroom was assessed. Results indicated increased use of social amenities in the training setting and generalization settings. (Author/PB)

Since the release of the very successful first edition in 2001, the field of emotional intelligence has grown in sophistication and importance. Many new and talented researchers have come into the field and techniques in EI measurement have dramatically increased so that we now know much more about the distinctiveness and utility of the different…

This booklet on teaching social communication skills to individuals with autism discusses selection of social communication objectives, selection of learning environments, and methods of teaching social communication skills. Sample social communication objectives are presented, with a rationale, lead-up activities, teaching procedures, associated…

Children often come to school with undesirable social skills. To help the classroom operate more smoothly, good manners are necessary. Activities and ideas to help teachers develop acceptable behaviors in students are offered. (DF)

This article describes incidental teaching of social behavior, which improves the peer interactions of young children through a naturalistic teaching tactic that can be used separately or along with other social skills interventions. The article offers a rationale, examples of incidental teaching, and helpful hints for implementing the method.…

A recommended class activity is a simple gift exchange. Vocabulary, including a wide range of options, holiday terms, and idioms, is introduced at the beginning of class. Partners are assigned, exchange takes place, and thank-you notes may be written. Student enthusiasm and attention are often by-products. (MSE)

Strategies useful in teaching moderately and severely retarded students appropriate sexual behaviors include showing respect for privacy; asking permission before touching a student; teaching appropriate social interaction; and providing sex education concerning anatomy, physiology, sexual feelings, public and private behavior, expressing…

Standards for teacher education and methods of teaching have changed radically since the days of the one-room schoolhouse of one-hundred years ago.

This booklet focuses on teaching individuals with autism some social rules and routines that can be used in a variety of situations and applied across settings. It addresses the selection of interpersonal skill objectives, motivating the person with autism to try to interact, teaching ways to express feelings, helping peers to interact with…

A conceptual framework of social competence is presented to formulate actions that will enhance the social competence of learners with mental disabilities. This chapter discusses the individual's culturally determined inputs; the processes of social affects, social skills, and social thinking; and the desired social outcomes. The history of social…

Normal children (average age 11, n=25) and multiply disabled children (aged 9-15, n=8) were integrated in physical education classes, emphasizing work with disabled-normal dyads. Girls were more willing than boys to accept disabled children into their groups, but during individual activities, boys were less reticent about making physical contact.…

Asserts that a longitudinal content analysis of smiling by senior women in college yearbooks provides beginning sociological students with an excellent way to discover many sociological concepts. Presents a classroom assignment in which students code college yearbooks for female smiles and make hypotheses about their findings. (CFR)