Three young adults with moderate to severe mental retardation were taught conversation skills using task analysis and cognitive strategies training procedures. Results show that the participants generalized the conversation skills learned under the cognitive strategies condition and that the cognitive strategies training allowed more normalized…

Discusses strategies for teaching social skills to children with learning and behavior problems, including how to select students for training, which social skills to use, teaching discrete skills and problem-solving routines, and helping students generalize training. Different types of social skills and assessment approaches are identified.…

Traces the evolution of the social competence concept from the 1970s to the present, and addresses matching social skills training to social skills deficits, understanding contextual issues in social skills training, generalization of social skills training, and developing and using meaningful outcome measures in social skills training. (Author/CR)

Discusses the strategies and structures necessary for fostering social competence in all children, especially those at risk of academic or social failure. Discusses strategies for assessing and understanding social skills problems, teaching social skills, and preferred practices for achieving generalized responding. Also provides guidelines for…