Social Skills Training 20th Anniversary Edition

This 20th anniversary edition includes more than twenty-five new lessons and updated research. 92 lessons will teach students on the spectrum how to avoid common social problems. A practical curriculum, this book includes step by step instructions and reproducible materials for your program. The simple handouts and activity pages for each skill feature suggestions for practicing the new skill at the home and in the classroom.

Teachers and therapists will appreciate the highly applicable nature of this book. Chapters cover practical topics including: how to set up social skills training, assessing students, behavior management, generalization, promoting peer acceptance, and more! Each new method is explained along with ways to implement it in your program.

It is written by Dr. Jed Baker the director of the Social Skills Training Project. Dr. Baker is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years' of experience as a behavioral consultant. He is also on the advisory board of the Kelberman Center as well as several other autism organizations.

Lessons Covered Include:

Conversational Skills

• Maintaining Appropriate Physical Distance from Others ("Don't Be a Space Invader")
• Listening Position
• Tone of Voice (Volume, Pace, Prosody: e.g., flat versus "sing-song" tone)
• Greetings
• How and When to Interrupt
• Staying on Topic
• Maintaining a Conversation
• Taking Turns Talking
• Starting a Conversation
• Joining a Conversation
• Ending a Conversation
• Asking a Question When You Don't Understand
• Saying "I Don't Know"
• Introducing Yourself
• Getting to Know Someone New
• Introducing Topics of Interest
• Giving Background Information about What you are Saying
• Shifting Topics
• Talking Briefly
• Editing Sensitive Topics (Avoiding topics that upset others)
• Complimenting
• Use Your H.E.A.D. (Acronym for Happy voice, Eye contact, Alternating turns, Distance)
• T.G.I.F. (Acronym for Timing, Greeting, Initial Question, Follow-up questions)

Cooperative Play Skills

• Initiating Play
• Joining In
• Compromising (Deciding What to Play)
• Sharing
• Taking Turns
• Taking Turns Going First
• Playing a Game
• Dealing with Losing
• Dealing with Winning
• Ending a Play Activity

Friendship Management

• Informal Versus Formal Behavior-(when and with whom to be casual versus formal)
• Respecting Personal Boundaries
• Facts versus Opinions (Respecting Others' Opinions)
• Sharing Your Friend
• Getting Attention in Positive Ways
• Don't Be the "Rule Police"
• Offering Help
• Keeping Secrets and When to "Tell"
• Modesty (Do Not Brag)
• Asking Someone Out on a Date
• Appropriate Touch
• Dealing with Peer Pressure
• Dealing with Rumors
• Calling Someone on the Telephone
• Answering the Telephone

Emotion Management Skills

• Self-Regulation
• Recognizing Feelings
• Feeling Thermometer
• Keeping Calm
• Problem Solving
• Talking to Others When Upset
• Dealing with Family and Relationship Problems
• Understanding and Dealing with Anger
• Anger Record
• Dealing with Making a Mistake
• Trying When Work Is Hard
• Trying Something New

 Empathy

• Showing Understanding: K-4th Grade
• Showing Understanding: 5th grade and up
• Cheering up a Friend

Conflict Management

• Asserting Yourself
• Accepting No for an Answer
• Dealing with Teasing (and Acts of Aggression) K-4th Grade
• Dealing with Teasing (and Acts of Aggression) 5th grade and up
• More Words to Deal with Teasing
• Dealing with Being Left Out
• Avoiding Being "Set Up"
• Giving Criticism (in a Positive Way)
• Accepting Criticism
• Having a Respectful Attitude