Adolescence and transition:
On transfer to secondary school, gaps in
social learning tend to become more obvious,
as pupils navigate between different teaching
groups and different staff. At the same time,
breaks and lunch times – the unstructured
periods – can present adolescents with
additional challenges. Good transitional
planning is key to minimising risks of
placement breakdown, and also giving a
sense of confidence in dealing with the shift
from primary education.
There is research evidence to suggest that
students on the autistic spectrum are at
increased risk of anxiety, withdrawal, running
away etc as they recognise the differences in
how they respond socially, compared to the
majority of their peers. Personal/pastoral
support may be especially helpful in making
sense of this growing awareness, whilst still
encouraging their independence.
Where the social ethos values and celebrates
student diversity, tolerance of individual
differences is fostered and accepted.
There are a range of resources in schools to
support this work, including curriculum
materials for teaching appropriate social
behaviours where students have special or
additional needs. Most schools also follow
the SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of
Learning) programme which includes
modules on friendships, recognising feelings,
dealing with bullying etc.
Useful resources:
“Teaching Social Behaviour – classroom
activities to foster children’s interpersonal
skills” D. Warden & D. Christie (1997)
Fulton Publications
“Relationship Development Intervention
with Young Children – Social and
Emotional Development Activities for
Asperger Syndrome” S.Gustein & R.
Sheeley
“Incorporating Social Goals in the
Classroom – A Guide for Teachers and
Parents of Children with High Functioning
Autism and Asperger Syndrome” R.Mayes
“Social Skills Training for Adolescents with
General Moderate Learning Difficulties” U.
Cornish & F. Ross (Jessica Kingsley
Publishers)
Asperger Syndrome
Information for
Professionals,
Parents and Carers
Social Development
and Learning how to
get along with others
.
Encouraging children’s personal and
social development is a priority for
schools as well as for the family. It is an
important set of skills needed to:
 Understand what is expected
behaviour in different situations;
 Make sense of how and why others
behave towards them in the way
they do;
 Support growing independence;
 Deal with any possible bullying by
others.
The implications for children with
Asperger Syndrome
Even though many children and young
people with Asperger Syndrome have
good levels of intellectual ability and
sometimes a well developed specialist
interests/knowledge base, social and
interpersonal skills are frequently an area
of considerable tension and confusion. In
large part, these difficulties are the result
of having Asperger Syndrome. Difficulties
experienced in dealing with social
interaction reflect the specific
characteristics of the condition –
impairment of social communication,
social relations and social imagination:
There are a number of qualities and skills
that are needed to successfully relate
socially to others, including:
 Empathy – to be able to feel the
change in mood of other people;
 Good communication and listening
skills;
 Timing – eg starting up a
conversation, closing one down;
 Awareness of the rights of others;
 That everyone is different and might
hold different views of their own.
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Understanding social behaviours across
different situations and then adjusting how
we behave depends on:
 Cognitive development
(intelligence);
 Moral understanding of what is right
and wrong;
 Interpretation of motive or reason for
the behaviour;
 Ability to understand that being
different or special is OK

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.
Difficulty in “reading” social cues in
terms of body language, verbal and
non-verbal cues, difficulty in
recognising the unwritten rules in
their community
Limited awareness of the needs
and rights of others, especially
where these conflict with their own
Sometimes a tendency towards a
range of sensitivities and fixed
ideas that might make them seem
“at odds” with their peers
Problems in the more subtle
elements of communication – the
use of humour, sarcasm,
ambiguous language
For some, an ability to be selfcontained, to be less needy of
social contact with others for
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feeling satisfied, self-content,
comfortable in their own familiar
setting.
Dislike of sudden and unplanned
change and novelty, distressed by
the unexpected, rigid.
Seeing their own personal needs
as a first priority and difficulty in
adjusting to other people’s
agendas, taking account of what
interests them.
Emotionally “flat” unless talking
about own interests, poor or
inappropriate support available, at
risk of bully for the insensitivity.
For many children, social skills are
learned incidentally – as when a child
watches another child and then copies
their response. For those with Asperger
Syndrome it is often essential to formally
teach/practise them, making the reasons
explicit.