SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION

Social Skills group instruction is provided for students ages five through twenty-five in small group instruction formats that utilize a combination of play-based, language-based and recreation infused direct and generalized instruction.  Skills instruction is provided for younger students based on an assessment of their individual need and play level. 

Curriculum is selected to support the learning objectives of each group and activities are designed to intrigue and engage the clients enrolled in each class. Our instructional strategies are based in cognitive behavioral therapy which is a logic and goal based strategy of setting goals and taking the steps to meet them.   Everything we do is underlined by our belief that social interaction must be fun to be motivating enough for our students to do the work involved in acquiring the skills necessary to be good at social interaction. This is where recreational therapy plays a key role….teaching group games with a purpose and using them to help students identify how the use of certain social skills helps them attain their goals within the game and how not using their skills, “breaks” the game, has been highly effective. Curricula we use may include:

• Michelle Winner's Social Thinking

• Scott Bellini's Building Social Relationships

• Tony Attwood's Exploring Feelings

• Pamela Wolfberg's Integrated Play Groups

• Jeanette L. McAfee's Navigating The Social World

• Kathleen Quill's Do Watch Listen Say

Class assignments are based on student age and maturity, communication abilities, social skill abilities and schedule availabilities. For social skills instruction and coaching for students younger than four and older than twenty-five, please contact us to discuss your individual needs and the services we can provide.