News and Knowledge

Shayna Guenther is the co-founder and co-director of Learning 2 Play, Inc., a social skills center, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She has nine years of experience implementing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with children and youth with ASD. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with Masters in ABA and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She incorporates discrete trial teaching (DTT), verbal behavior (VB), precision teaching (PT), and direct instruction (DI) into her programming.

Good social skills are important predictors of positive, long-term outcomes for people with special needs. Social skills, such as turn taking and joint attention, are the foundation upon which many other crucial skills are built. Without addressing social skills, the goal of inclusion [for individuals with autism] falls short of the mark.

Autism Ontario (2006)

A marked deficit in social interaction plays a marked role in the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Therefore, it is imperative for comprehensive treatment programs for individuals with ASD to include social skills training.

Interaction with people is a key part of society. It is critical to be able to smile and say hello to sales clerks at stores, exchange money with cashiers, and make small talk with neighbors, teachers, and peers. Appropriate social tools could be the difference between independent or facilitated/supported living. It should come as no surprise then that when provided with the proper social skills training, many individuals with ASD are able to more easily integrate themselves into their schools and communities to the benefit of all concerned.

Learning 2 Play, Inc.

Learning 2 Play, Inc. (L2P) is an organization in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that I co-founded and co-direct (with Dana Dalal). It offers 12-week social skills classes to children and youth with and without ASD.

L2P teaches essential skills that are the foundation for lifelong learning, well-being, and social development (e.g., self-reliance, oral communication, and social skills). The curriculum was designed by us – adapted from current research and revised to meet individual learning needs. The program begins teaching elementary play skills and systematically progresses to conversational and interpersonal skills, as well as school social skills.

Children enter L2P with a diverse range of needs, experiences, and abilities. All individuals are assessed in order to establish program goals. Then they are placed in a small group (two to six children per group) according to age and ability. Both individual and group goals are fostered. Regular meetings with parents and other professionals to discuss a child’s needs and progress are welcome and encouraged.

Incorporating the theory of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), our program is unique in that our students actively participate in establishing their learning goals and self-monitoring their outcomes. An important part of our program involves the use of video modeling and video feedback as a teaching tool in order to facilitate modeling and social understanding.

Teachers at L2P use an errorless approach to learning through prompting and prompt fading techniques. In this way, they set children up for success. Through a variety of experiences, children learn the interpersonal skills required in order to communicate and cooperate with others. As they develop self-confidence, they become more receptive to relating to others and learning new skills. Children are encouraged to make choices, negotiate with others, and set goals for themselves. Teachers support children’s social development by modeling problem solving and alternative ways to manage conflict, as well as creating role-playing opportunities and praising appropriate behavior.

Why Use the Principles of ABA to Teach Social Skills?

(Adapted from: Autism Ontario (2006). Living with ASD: Adolescence and Beyond. Toronto, ON.)

Behavioral objectives are:

• Very specific in their content
• Definable and measurable
• Individualized

Behavioral objectives help:

• Determine if change has occurred through measurement
• Determine if the treatment is effective
• Prove/disprove intuitive assumptions. (NB: Assumptions may be biased by our own experiences [or lack of], can be limited by our knowledge, or can be influenced by our personal beliefs.)

Prompting and prompt fading techniques:

• Include the use of visual/textual aids
• Teach the development of self-regulating skills
• Teach the development of organizational skills
• Direct individuals on what to do in specific social situations
• Enhance receptive and expressive emotional/social communication
• Can be used to express and understand feelings

Assessing Social Skills

Pre- and post- assessments are an important indicator of progress and should be also be used to determine individualized goals. In order to conduct social skills assessments, the term “social skills” needs to be operationally defined so that the behavior is observable and measurable. Because social skills encompass a wide range of skills from giving and receiving items from others, to turn taking with games and in conversations, to continuing a conversation, to saying only appropriate topic matter when having a conversation, it is difficult to do this.

Psychological tests address social skills, but few are comprehensive in scope. Published research and books reveal that all-encompassing assessments are limited. Some that exist include:

Partington, J.W. (2006). The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills:ABLLS-R Protocol. Pleasant Hill, CA: Behavior Analysts, Inc.

McKinnon, K. & Krempa, J. (2002). Social Skills Solutions: A Hands-on Manual for Teaching Social Skills to Children with Autism. New York, NY: DRL Books, Inc.

Quill, K.A. (2005). Do-Watch-Listen-Say: Social and Communication Intervention for Children with Autism. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Silver, K. (2005) Assessing and Developing Communication and Thinking Skills in People with Autism and Communication Difficulties: A Toolkit for Parents and Professionals. London, England: Autism Initiatives.

Taylor, B.A. & Jasper, S. (2001). Teaching Programs to Increase Peer Interaction. In C.

Maurice, G. Green, & R.M. Foxx (Eds.), Making a Difference: Behavioral Intervention for Autism (pp. 97-162). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Learning 2 Play, Inc. has incorporated ideas from the above assessments into our own, which is tailored to our learners.

Prerequisite Skills

Social skills classes, by their very nature, are not as intensive as one-on-one ABA therapy. Therefore, just like inclusion settings, it is recommended that children develop certain pre-requisite skills before joining social skills classes. These skills should be demonstrated with proficiency in various situations. Children should be able to:

• Communicate needs and desires
• Follow one-step instructions from adults
• Imitate one-step actions of adults
• Imitate one-step sequences with objects
• Respond to delayed contingencies (i.e., reinforcement is delivered following a period of time, rather than immediately following the target behavior)
• Wait quietly
• Transition from one activity to another and from one area to another with minimal assistance
• Keep disruptive behavior at a minimum in a controlled environment

Skills Taught in a Beginner Program

(Skills are selected and adapted according to the individualized needs of the learner.)

• Requesting items from peers
• Reciprocating greetings with peers
• Giving and receiving items from peers
• Imitating simple and complex actions of peers (both from close up and from a distance)
• Imitating peer play
• Following peers’ directions
• Taking turns with toys and simple games
• Tolerating toys being shared
• School readiness skills (e.g., attending, waiting, transitioning, complying, following group instructions, raising hand, etc.)

Skills Taught in an Intermediate Program

(Skills are selected and adapted according to the individualized needs of the learner.)

• Requesting assistance from peers
• Requesting attention from peers (e.g., “Look.” “Watch me.” “Check this out.” etc.)
• Eye contact with peers
• Interactive play (involving commenting to peers, etc.)
• Sharing toys and other items
• Pretend play
• Joining in play already in progress
• Peer games (e.g., Musical Chairs, What Time Is It?, Mr. Wolf, throw and catch, etc.)
• Offering toy items to peers (e.g., “Which one do you want?” “Do you want this?” “Here you go?” etc.)
• Initiating simple conversation (e.g., “Do you like this?” “What’s your favorite…?” “Guess what?” etc.)

Skills Taught in an Advanced Program

(Skills are selected and adapted according to the individualized needs of the learner.)

• Initiating and maintaining conversation
• Staying on topic
• Using appropriate transition statements to change the topic
• Talking about appropriate subject matter only
• Interrupting appropriately
• Role playing appropriate social behavior in a variety of situations (e.g., at a restaurant, on public transportation, in a grocery store, etc.)
• Initiating play (e.g., “That’s so cool, can I play?”, “Check this out”, “Can I see that?”, etc.)
• Personal space
• Co-operation skills (e.g., sharing ideas clearly, accepting/incorporating others’ ideas, commenting on others’ ideas, etc.)
• Identifying and dealing with teasing
• Telephone skills
• Perspective taking (i.e., making inferences about others’ likes and dislikes during conversation, showing empathy, etc.)
  Watching and commenting on a movie and/or video game

Summary

Social skills classes break down specific complex social skills (such as: taking turns, conversation, sharing, joining a group, working with others towards a common goal, understanding facial expressions, tone of voice, etc.) into smaller components and then teach those components systematically. Small class sizes allow the development of friendships and teach skills necessary for the inclusion into classrooms and communities. A comprehensive curriculum based on key elements of teaching social skills to students with ASD includes:

• Structure, routine, and predictability
• Explicit and individualized instruction
• Visual presentation of topics
• Repetition of key concepts and vocabulary
• Guided practice during the learning process
• Role play and discussion
• Contingent reinforcement
• Ongoing assessments to analyze and adapt teaching and test for learning

References

Autism Ontario (2006). Living with ASD: Adolescence and Beyond. Toronto, ON.

Baker, J.E. (2004). Social Skills Training: For Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Co.

Cornish, L.K. (2005). How to Find Your Groove. Thousand Oaks, CA: Groovy Kids.

Gutstein, S.E. & Sheely, R.K. (2004). Relationship Development Intervention with Young Children: Social and Emotional Development Activities for Asperger Syndrome, Autism, PDD and NLD. New York, NY: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Huggins, P. (1997). Teaching Cooperation Skills. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

McConnell, K. & Ryser, G.R. (2005). Practical Ideas that Really Work for Students with Asperger Syndrome. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

McKinnon, K. & Krempa, J. (2002). Social Skills Solutions: A Hands-on Manual for Teaching Social Skills to Children with Autism. New York, NY: DRL Books, Inc.

Partington, J.W. (2006). The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills: ABLLS-R Protocol.Pleasant Hill, CA: Behavior Analysts, Inc.

Quill, K.A. (2005). Do-Watch-Listen-Say: Social and Communication Intervention for Children with Autism. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Silver, K. (2005). Assessing and Developing Communication and Thinking Skills in People with Autism and Communication Difficulties: A Toolkit for Parents and Professionals. London, England: Autism Initiatives.

Taylor, B.A. & Jasper, S. (2001). Teaching Programs to Increase Peer Interaction. In C. Maurice, G. Green, & R.M. Foxx (Eds.), Making a Difference: Behavioral Intervention for Autism (pp. 97-162). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Weiss, M.J. & Harris, S.L. (2001). Reaching Out, Joining In: Teaching Social Skills to Young Children with Autism. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Program Materials

www.linguisystems.com
www.scholarschoice.ca
www.superduperinc.com