Social Skills Instruction for Students with Autism Children with autism spectrum disorders have unique ways of looking at the world and of interacting with its other, non-autistic inhabitants. Most individuals with autism are honest, straightforward, persevering, humorous and fun loving, and have much to teach the rest of us. The purpose of teaching social and communication skills should always be to give students the skills to function socially (out of their own desire for human warmth and companionship or when they must fit in socially) in order to survive, not to change who they are. Our purpose should not be to remake them into someone who is not autistic. The approach to teaching social skills must emphasize teaching in a sensitive and caring way, and employ plenty of patience, fun and humor. It is also critical that children with autism be supported in taking “time off” from the pressures of fitting in. Children with autism need to have times scheduled into their days to withdraw from social demands, and to do whatever they need to do to relax. This may include time for “selfstimulating” behaviors done in socially appropriate ways, if needed. Communication and Social Skills Pronounced difficulties in social and communication skills are the hallmark of all autism spectrum disorders. Poor social skills often prevent children from establishing meaningful social relationships. For most children, basic social skills are acquired quickly and easily. For children with autism, the process is much more difficult. Most children learn the basic skills such as turn taking and initiating conversation, simply by exposure to social situations during the infant and toddler years. Children with autism often need these skills taught explicitly. Effective social communication requires that the areas of the brain that control communication and social functioning work rapidly and fluidly within a cultural framework on unwritten rules and social scripts. However, it is exactly this realm of communication and social understanding that typically escapes the person with autism. Without it he flounders in social situations in the same way most of us would struggle if we were dropped off on another planet and were expected to communicate effectively with its inhabitants. Research suggests that the systems within the brain that control communication and social skills do not function conventionally in people with autism. Therefore, it makes sense to train other parts of the brain to take over these functions. This process requires breaking communication and social skills down into small steps, teaching these steps with frequent repetition, and “scaffolding” more difficult tasks onto previously learned simpler tasks. Skills: Basic Conversational Responses Goals: The goals are to teach the student to make the following type of responses within a conversation. Answer yes/no questions. Answer simple questions with a one or two word reply Respond to a statement with a statement Answer open-ended questions Respond to a statement with a question Respond to a question with a brief statement and a reciprocal question Respond to a statement with a statement followed by a question Instructions: Step One: Demonstrate and practice individual target responses starting with “answer yes/no questions” and proceed in the order listed. Demonstrate the targeted response with an assistant giving two or three examples. Next, ask the student to practice the targeted response by asking a question that pertains to the student’s interest. Step Two: Practice conversational responses in practice conversations. Explain to the student that he will practice making the targeted response in short practice conversations, first working one-on-one with the student and later in a small group. Choose topics that are of interest to the student. Prompt the student with modeling the response, if needed. Keep feedback positive and be prepared to do most of the talking initially. Step Three: Practice in a naturalistic, small group setting. If possible, also include a few student helpers who are at a more advanced level and train them in advance to help cue the other student to make appropriate responses when necessary. Then, set up situations that encourage conversations. Keep feedback positive and specific. It is very important for family members, teachers, and whenever possible peers, to make a specific point of listening for and responding to attempts by the student to use these new skills in all naturally-occurring situations. Recognizing and Interpreting Nonverbal and Contextual Clues in Other People Goal: To help the student learn to recognize body language, facial expression and context clues to other people’s thoughts, intentions and feelings and to help the student use these skills to predict what is most likely to happen next in a given social interaction. Instructions: Step One: Teach nonverbal cues using stylized pictures (“Emotions Picture Chart” p. 83) by first teaching the student to identify the emotions illustrated by the faces on the chart. Discuss the meaning of each emotion, using examples to illustrate as needed. Work with only one or two emotions per session. After the student is competent at recognizing and defining the emotions on the chart, use the same chart to play the role-play game. Ask student to choose one line from the emotions chart. Review the emotions on that line with the student and demonstrate both the body language and facial expressions that typically accompany this emotion. Take turns portraying the emotions on the chosen line. Have the other person guess which emotion their partner is demonstrating. Step Two: Teach nonverbal cues using photographs. Have student cut out photographs of people in magazine whose expressions and/or body language display a variety of emotions (provide pictures). Then choose an emotion from the Emotions Picture Chart and ask the student to find as many photos as possible that illustrate that feeling. Discuss with the student what specific facial changes and elements of body language are common to most of the pictures showing a particular emotion. Step Three: Role-play emotions by choosing an item from the list of scenarios (8c) and describing the scenario for the student. Demonstrate the corresponding emotion through your facial expression and body language. Ask the student to guess the facial expression that you just demonstrated (refer to the Emotions Picture Chart for help if needed). Discuss the elements of body language and facial changes that you used to show emotion. Also discuss contextual clues such as why a person in that scenario would feel that particular emotion. Ask the student if they have ever felt that way or have ever been in a similar situation. Step Four: Demonstrate how varying one’s body language and facial expressions can completely change the meaning of an identical set of words. Say an identical phrase several times, using different body language and facial expressions each time to illustrate how the intended meaning changes as the nonverbal clues change. For example, using the words “We’re having spaghetti again for dinner tonight,” use body language and facial expression messages to portray angry, happy, disgusted, disappointed and confused. Ask the student to identify the correct emotion and repeat the activity using different phrases and contexts. Reverse roles with the student. Step Five: Use passages from books that are familiar to the student and have the student guess the feelings, thoughts, and intentions of the characters, using context clues. Demonstrate the body language and facial features that the characters would likely be exhibiting. Predict what happens next. Use the same steps using a video that is familiar to the student by viewing a scene that demonstrates an emotion the student has been working on. Step Six: Teach the student to recognize nonverbal and contextual clues in real life situations. Look for situations in which the student is not directly involved and ask the student to guess what the other people might be thinking and feeling. Use contextual, body language and facial expressions. Predict what might happen next. Greetings and Good-Byes Goals: The goals are to equip the student with basic rules regarding: Formal vs. informal greetings Handshakes The use of nonverbal clues during greetings and good-byes Instructions: Step One: Teach rules for greetings and good-byes (9a). Discuss the rules and why they are important. Step Two: Show examples of greeting and good-byes in movies. “Freeze-frame” scenes to show different types of helps and goodbyes. Step Three: Create scripts for helps and good-byes. Refer to the examples of completed “Words to use for Hello” and “Words to use for Good-bye” charts (9b). Help the student fill out their own charts, following the social and cultural customs of their environment. Step Four: Role-play by creating different scenarios in which two people meet and greet one another. Vary the types of characters between familiar and not-familiar adults and peers. Repeat the above steps practicing ways to say good-bye. Step Five: Videotape sessions during which the student role-plays correct and incorrect ways to say hello and good-by in different scenarios. Review the video with the student and give specific and friendly feedback. Ask the student to critique their own performance. Step Six: Use index cards to prompt greetings and good-byes in real life situations. Help the student choose a small number of people she frequently needs to greet or would like to greet. Then ask student or assist in writing simple scripts for hello and good-bye cards for each of these people. You can include boxes to check when the student has greeted and said good-bye to each person. Choose different people and make new cards periodically. Prompt the student to carry the greetings and good-byes, referring to the scripts prepared. Reinforce the student each time an attempt is made, even if the outcome is not perfect at first. Give feedback after each greeting or good-bye, keeping comments specific and positive. Initiating Conversations Goals: To provide the student with a set of basic rules for initiating conversation To help the student create scripts for starting conversations To help the student apply these rules and scripts through the use of role modeling and videotaping Instructions: Step One: Teach rules for starting conversations. Introduce the student to the mnemonic, “PATHS.” This mnemonic contains five rules for starting a conversation (10a). P Prepare ahead A Ask yourself what you are going to talk about T Time it right H Hello (say) S Signals (nonverbal) Refer to the handout (10a) and discuss the PATHS rules with the student. It may be helpful for the student to memorize the mnemonic and to actively recall it before starting conversations during this program and in real life situations. Step Two: Show examples of conversation starters in video movies that have good examples of conversation starters. Try to use movies that pertain to student’s interests. “Freeze frame” various scenes to show beginnings of conversations and discuss how the actors used or did not use the rules from step one. Step Three: Help the student prepare “fact files” on index cards as described in the PATHS handout. Assist the student in choosing a few people they know fairly well and ask the student to interview one person on their list. They will use this information to complete a fact file for that person. Role-play the interview process a few times before the actual interview. Help the student collect a few facts about the person on one side of the card, and interests on the other side. Repeat this activity over several sessions until they have collected several fact files on people they see on a regular basis. Next, help the student fill out a “Conversations Starters Chart” (10b). Have the student use the information from the fact files to complete the chart. Paying someone a compliment is a great way to start a conversation with almost anyone. Step Four: Create different scenarios in which one person starts up a conversation with another person or with a group of people. Create some characters that area adults and some that are children of varying ages. Begin by using scenarios drawn from the student’s Conversations Starters Chart, and then expand the exercise in further sessions to include new scenarios. Using PATHS rules from Step One, role-play the scenarios with the student. Begin working with students individually, reversing roles intermittently. Later, work in pairs or small groups. The teacher acts as facilitator, and prompts students to use the PATHS rules as they practice conversations. Step Five: Practice initiating conversations in real life situations. Have the student choose a person from their Conversations Starters Chart with whom she can practice starting a conversation later that day. Have the student think of a topic of interest to the other person and rehearse the script. Review the PATHS rules. Prompt the student to start the conversation when she feels the timing is right. If possible, let the other person know in advance that the student will be approaching him or her to practice starting a conversation later that day. Video the student initiating conversations with different people in a variety of settings. Replay the tapes and give feedback and ask the student to critiques their own performance. Using Nonverbal Conversational Skills: Making Sense in Conversations Goals: To teach the student the following conversational skills: Space – Maintaining the right physical distance from the other person Eye Contact – Making appropriate eye contact Nodding - Nodding the head to show attention, agreement and disagreement Statements of Encouragement – Making standard, brief comments such as “hmm,” “uh huh,” or “really!” to show encouragement or attention. Expressions – Using appropriate facial expression and body language Instructions: Step One: Introduce the SENSE skills using the handout (11a.) Demonstrate each of the SENSE skills for the student, and discuss the function of each skill. Demonstrate with another teacher or aide while the student observes. Step Two: View scenes with the student from a variety of videos, pausing at various scenes to show the actor’s use of the SENSE skills within different conversations. Choose one or two of the SENSE skills to work on at a time spending as much time as needed for the student to learn one skill well before moving on. Step Three: Use the SENSE skill in practice conversations by targeting one or two of the skills to work on, and review then with the student. Point out that you will be rehearsing these skills in short practice conversations. Next, prompt the student to choose a topic that will be of interest to both of you and the student and ask him to start a short conversation. Start with two or three minute conversations and slowly increase to ten-minute conversations over several sessions. Have the student practice with another student after the student is competent using the skills with an adult. Step Four: Use the SENSE skills in naturally occurring conversations and reinforce skills through the use of videotapes. Look for situations where there are small numbers of people present, and where the students know and are comfortable with the other people present. Attempt to provide an activity that is fun, allowing for conversation, and is of general interest to the group. Reinforce students when they spontaneously use the SENSE skills in naturally occurring situations. Public vs. Private Goals: To teach the student to distinguish what types of topics are safe and appropriate in various setting and with different categories of people. To discern what types of activities are safe and appropriate in various settings and with different categories of people. To recognize in what types of places it is safe and appropriate to be with different categories of people. Instructions: Step One: Using the “Privacy Circles” template, work with the student and their caregivers to create a Privacy Circles Chart that is individualized to the student. See figures 15e for an example of a completed privacy chart. The innermost circle is always labeled with the student’s name. Subsequent circles, however, will vary according to the make-up of the student’s family and other social contacts. It is critical to consult with the student’s family regarding activities and viewpoints before working on this program. Step Two: Match conversational topics with appropriate Privacy Circles. Using the List of Conversational Topics (15a), choose a topic and ask the student to identify where that topic belongs on he Privacy Circles Chart. For example, if you chose the item “your address,” the student might choose the “Other Friends” circle. This answer indicates that the student feels that it is acceptable for her to share her address with people in the “Other Friends” circle and with people in all circles inward from that one. Discuss the student’s response, giving examples and detailed feedback. Redirect to a more acceptable answer, if necessary. Repeat this step over as many sessions as needed, covering a variety of topics. Step Three: Match places with appropriate Privacy Circles. Using the List of Places (15b), choose a place and ask the student where the place belongs on the Privacy Circle Chart (Blank Privacy Circles Chart p.321.) For example, if you choose “bedroom, with door closed,” a female student probably would be safe in choosing “Sisters” circle on the Privacy Circles Chart. This means that it would be okay for that student to be in a bedroom with the doors closed with her sisters or with the individuals listed in the circles inward from that. Discuss the student’s response, giving specific feedback and redirecting to a more appropriate circle, if necessary. Rotate step three with steps two and four to keep the activity more interesting. Step Four: Match activities with appropriate Privacy Circles using the List of Activities (15c) by choosing an activity and asking the student to identify where that activity belongs on the chart. For example, if you choose “sitting close to the other person,” the student choose the “Other Friends” circle. This response shows that the student feels that it is okay to sit close to people who are in the “Other Friends” circle and the circles inward from that. Carefully discuss the student’s answer redirecting her to a different response, if necessary. Notes: The list presented can be modified to meet the needs of the individual student. Certain individuals, such as police officers, counselors, pastors and doctors form a special category of people who may, at times, be privy to very personal information that would not otherwise be shared with someone they do not know well. Social stories can be used to help the student understand what is expected when interacting with people in this category. (15d is an example of a social story written for this purpose.)