The present study provides a preliminary evaluation of the effects of the Superheroes Social Skills program, a practice-ready, multimedia social skills program, on social engagements of elementary-age children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Four children with ASD between the ages of 8 and 10 with current placements in inclusive public…

Personal competencies--cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and social/emotional--are applied by students in learning (mastery of knowledge and skills). These competencies are both acquired through learning and applied in the learning process. Personalized learning--a promising approach to education made practical by advances in…

A chief purpose of schooling is for students to master the knowledge and skills contained in the curriculum. Schools, however, can also intentionally build personal competencies that are necessary for students' success in school, the purposeful navigation of life's challenges, and the pursuit of personal interests and ambitions. A personal…

The development of independent behavior is a critical, challenging process for all youth as they pass through the high school environment into adulthood. Although most high school students gain skills related to independence, the independent behaviors of their peers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plateau and decline. These skill deficits and…

Children, particularly young children, demonstrate characteristics of giftedness in many different ways. These characteristics manifest themselves based on gender, experiences, cultural identity, personal passions and interests, and family or community. Gifted children develop asynchronously. Morelock (2000) stated that "asynchrony in the gifted…

Every early childhood program has its own aspirations for the children and families it serves. Whatever it is early childhood educators hope to achieve, their success will depend on how fully they are able to help each child and family develop a sense of belonging in their program. To learn is to risk and to venture--and most won't risk and…

"I didn't know that was bullying." Brianna turns to the author, her eyes wide. "I'd never thought of it that way." The author glances around the room and asks the 23 other students, "Quick show of hands: How many of us had thought of that as bullying before?" About five students raise their hands. "How many of us…

Problems with language and communication are among the most basic characteristics of children with autism. Oddly, literature may hold one of the keys to helping children build their language and communication skills as well as help the child with autism and those without autism to develop social connections with each other. Authors have responded…

Most young people look forward to the day when they can leave school or college behind and start work. If you are starting work for the first time, or even going on your first work placement, you are probably feeling pretty excited. There's a lot to learn, a lot of new people to meet--a chance to be more independent. But maybe you feel a bit…

Parent-child relationships serve as the foundation for social emotional competence in young children. To support the healthy social emotional development of their children, parents may need to acquire information, resources, and skills through interventions that are based upon assessment of parent competence. This manuscript presents results from…

Impairments in social communication are widely recognized as one, if not, the core deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many of the social communicative behaviors that contribute to sustaining reciprocal conversation are lacking in children with ASD. Specifically, impairments include ignoring or rejecting conversational bids,…

Tolerance connotes patience, forbearance, and impartiality, as well as open-mindedness. In early childhood, possessing tolerance would refer to children's burgeoning awareness of themselves in relation to others, and the capability to accept appearance and behavior different from one's own. But is teaching tolerance, additionally considered the…

Millions of youth who attend schools in the United States suffer from clinically significant anxiety. Left untreated, these students often experience significant disruptions in their academic, social, and family functioning. Fortunately, promising treatments exist for childhood anxiety that are amenable for delivery in school settings. However,…

This study examined the prospective relationship between negative parenting behaviors and adolescents' friendship competence in a community sample of 416 two-parent families in the Southeastern USA. Adolescents' externalizing problems and their emotional insecurity with parents were examined as mediators. Parents' psychological control was…

The purpose of the present study was to increase peer interactions of a toddler who is nonnative. A 30-month old boy evidenced social withdrawal when playing at playgrounds. Social skills training served as the intervention to increase social initiations by this participant. Targeted social skills included greeting peers, gesturing to peers,…