Social Communication
Program
A.E. Wright Middle School
Las Virgenes Unified School District
Presenters
 Kimmarie
Taylor, Principal AEW
 Victoria Willig, Teacher Social
Communication Program
 Cindy Cook, Instructional Assistant
 Mary Gehret, Instructional Assistant
 Ellen Malovany, Instructional Assistant
 Mat Sonne, Instructional Assistant
 How Things Came to be at AEW
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High incidence of ASD in LVUSD
District program started at middle school
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Serve our students more effectively
To keep district students in district schools and community
Increase student achievement by keeping students in the Least Restrictive Environment
How could we not?
Learning Outcomes
 Enhance
participants understanding of
students with ASD
 Understand the benefits of a systematic
social skills program
 Importance of collaboration with all
school staff and parents
 Provide ways to get started with/without a
formal program
 Positive Outcomes at AEW
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Change in the attitudes of staff towards students with ASD
Students able to be educated at district schools
Fewer referrals for behavior issues
Successful inclusion into the general education environment
Student independence
Better relationships with peers and teachers
Formation of a safe community for them to practice newly gained skills.
Design of a curriculum to met the needs of all the students with ASD
 Big Bang Theory
 Friendship
 Why Teach Social Skills
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Social skills are the number one predictors of student success
A lack of social skills is reported to be the leading factor in joblessness
Students with Autism do not just“soak up” social skills
Theory of Mind
There is a higher level of depression and suicide among people with Autism/Aspergers
General Education teachers report that appropriate social skills support successful inclusion
The challenges of secondary education magnifies the social differences between typical and kids with Autism
Strong social skills increase students self esteem
Appropriate social skills actually correlate with higher achievement scores
 What to Teach
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If I teach this social skill, will it result in better peer relationships, greater general success in the child’s peer culture, and reduced social stigma for the child?
 No impact on general success and peer relationships
 Some limited impact on success and peer relationships
 Some positive impact on success and peer relationships
 Significantly improved peer culture success and peer relationships Outside Help
 Autism
Partnership
Classroom consulting
 District wide training of all district staff
 Capacity building
 Crafting Connections
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 Big Bang Theory
 Sarcasm
 What Do We Teach
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Replacement Skills for inappropriate behavior
Effective communication with adults and peers
Organization skills
Enhance knowledge of age appropriate topics and interests
Reading facial and body language
Relationship building
Enhancement of conversation skills
Compromise and negotiation
Accepting responsibility and changing behavior
And much more
 A Day in the Life of an ASD Student
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Can differ in the following ways from peers:
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Misses directions
Can be late or slow to class and with school routines
Forgets assignments
Misses comments/questions of peers
Struggles to get peers/teachers attention
Can be disruptive in class
Can seem immature in the way they handle stressful situations
And More…………………..
 Big Bang Theory

Sheldon
 Behavior
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ASD students have deficits and excesses
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Deficits
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Social Skills
Ability to communicate
Perspective taking
Organization
Excesses
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Perseveration on specific topics/interests
Frustration
 How do These Behavioral Difficulties Show Up
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Can seem non‐compliant with teacher instructions
Can engage in inappropriate, attention‐seeking behaviors
They can seem inflexible and have difficulty with transitions
Need for control over everything
Can have difficulty with group work
Can be bullied or be a bully
 Big Bang Theory
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Reinforcing Penny
 Strategies
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ABA
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Teaching interactions
Teaching of specific skills
Group activities
Role Play
Individual counseling
Individualization of programs within a general program
Self reflection sheets
 What We Can Do To Help 
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Adult support in social and academic situations
Organization
Teaching of specific skills and replacement skills
Set up structured situations to practice new skills acquired
Teach Self reflection on behavior
Communication and collaboration with teachers
Communication with parents
 Support
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Different ways to support students
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Daily notes from case manager and plan for the day
Adult support
Accommodations and Modifications to curriculum
Embedding of goals into the student’s school day
Reinforcement systems
Secret signals between teacher and student
Breaks
 Role of Staff
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AEW Classroom Staff
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Daily check in with all teachers
Reinforce the use of replacement skills in multiple settings
Prompt the use of replacement skills when necessary
Assess current needs of students in different settings
Fill out and discuss reflection forms with student
 Staff Cont.
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Intervene with behavior issues
Facilitate compliance with teacher instructions and daily routines
Weekly routing slips
Support the use of classroom accommodations
 Communication and Collaboration with School Staff
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Staff access to student IEPs
Cheat sheets sent out with goals and accommodations to general education staff
Weekly routing slips regarding academic and behavior successes and difficulties between case managers and teachers
Check in regularly with teaching staff
Adult paraprofessional support
 Communication with Parents
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Weekly/Daily e‐mails regarding progress
Communication quickly when issues come up
Website with lessons posted
Pre‐IEP meetings
Parent training
 Do’s and Don’ts of a Successful Program
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Class wide reinforcement system
Individual reinforcement system
Use teachable moments
Discuss with student secret signals
Check for understanding of information by the student
Follow behavior plan
Use the accommodations
 Do’s and Don’ts continued
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Communicate with SPED teacher regarding problems
Help student when it comes to group projects
Debrief with students regularly
Continually work towards student independence
Don’t take behavior issues personally
Don’t make assumptions
Don’t overreact
Take deep breaths!
How to Start
 Remember
Rome wasn’t built in a day
Assessment of most interfering behavior
 Assessment of lack of skills, which keep
them from “blending in”
 Safety
 Communication with teachers and parents
 Decide what you skills you are most
comfortable teaching and build on them
 Have a written plan for the student and let
the student know what the plan is
 Ask for help
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Resources
 In
packet:
Routing slips
 Student information
 Self-reflective forms
 Other resources:
 SELPA
 Crafting Connections
 You are your best resource: Data provided
by staff and assessment

Big Bang Theory
 Who
is the smartest?
 Questions
 For
more help contact:
Kim Marie Taylor: Ktaylor@lvusd.org
 Vicki Willing: vwillig@lvusd.org
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