Research on effective social skills instruction can provide guidance when trying to help children build social skills (Quinn et al., 2000; Sainato & Carta, 1992; Honig & Wittmer, 1996; Zirpoli & Melloy, 1997). Researchers have also studied particular social skill interventions in a variety of settings, as well as for children of different age levels and abilities1. Findings suggest that quality interventions and related instructional strategies might:

Focus on social and emotional learning strategies that encourage reflection and self-awareness.

• Encourage children to consider how individual actions and words have consequences.
• Develop children’s ability to take different perspectives and viewpoints.
• Teach students to think through situations and/or challenges by rehearsing possible outcomes.

Create opportunities to practice effective social skills both individually and in groups.

• Model effective social skills in the classroom and at home through praise, positive reinforcement, and correction and redirection of inappropriate behaviors.
• Discuss effective interactions with specific attention to the steps involved. For example, discuss the process of a conversation, showing how effective listening makes such interaction possible.
• Role-play scenarios that build social skills.

Adjust instructional strategies to address social skills deficits.

• Arrange the physical environment effectively.
• Clearly state instructional objectives and behavioral expectations throughout each lesson.
• Simulate “real life” challenges students may encounter at school, home, and in the community to place social skills in their practical contexts.

Tailor social skill interventions to individual student needs.

• Refer to assessment and diagnostic results when deciding upon an intervention.
• Investigate strategies designed to meet particular social skill deficits.
• Make sure the duration and intensity of the intervention are appropriate for the child’s need.

Another thing research has shown us is that even the best interventions may fall short in achieving desired outcomes without a well-defined, systemic framework, or program, to support it. Such programs embed evidence-based interventions into a larger context that considers cultural and environmental issues that may be important factors in contributing to overall success (Greenberg, Domitrovich, & Bumbarger, 1999; Reed, Feibus, & Rosenfield, 1998). School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is one such systemic program that addresses effective social skill interventions within broader school, district, and even state contexts (Colvin, Kame’enui, & Sugai, 1993; Todd, Horner, Sugai, & Sprague, 1999).

Within this approach, a team of educators agree upon a set of behavioral expectations as the cornerstone of a positive school culture, and social skills play a key role in helping students meet those expectations. Adults support social skill development through modeling and positive reinforcement. Students may have additional opportunities, such as social skills clubs, to practice and understand positive interaction.

According to Bellini (2006), effective programs follow a series of steps. Beginning with an assessment of a student’s social functioning, educators distinguish between those deficits that can be successfully addressed and those that are unlikely to respond to intervention. For example, the inability to ask a question may be due to either inadequate socialization or an aspect of a specific condition or disability. Such behavior may also be due to a performance problem, in which a student knows what to do, but uses an “inappropriate” response because it meets his/her needs. In any case, successful treatment begins with a thorough, individualized assessment, which then forms the basis for a specific intervention strategy. Educators then monitor student progress to modify or refine the intervention, if needed.

Many social skills curricula provide lesson plans and guidance for both individual and group activities. Most involve modeling successful social skills through activities, games, and role-play, with teachers and peers providing the necessary feedback that allows the student to rehearse interactions (Luiselli, McCarty, Coniglio, Zorrila-Ramirez, & Putnam, 2005). In this way, students practice and internalize skills within the classroom, which can often lead to transfer of certain skills to other settings, especially when direct support is provided to promote the transfer of skills.

To illustrate how such a program might operate, let’s take a look at Skillstreaming, developed by Dr. Arnold Goldstein and Dr. Ellen McGinnis for students displaying aggression, immaturity, withdrawal, or other problems (Gibbs, Potter, & Goldstein, 1995; Goldstein, 1999; McGinnis & Goldstein, 1997). The curriculum breaks a specific skill into small, incremental steps, and walks students through those steps to encourage reflection, discussion, understanding, and competency. This approach recognizes the complexity of certain social skills many of us take for granted and lays out the steps students must take along the way. The chart on the following page, taken directly from the Skillstreaming curriculum, shows how this process can be used to teach children how to ask a question (McGinnis & Goldstein, 1997, p. 99). The “trainer notes” provide suggested prompts or probes teachers may use to guide a students toward skill acquisition. Using this method, the program addresses 50 skill sets, organized by both the age/grade level of the child and by the complexity of skill to be acquired (e.g., listening attentively, convincing others).

As another example, let’s take a look at Social Stories^TM, an intervention designed to help children interpret challenging or confusing social situations by composing personal stories (Lorimer, Simpson, Myles, & Ganz, 2002; Sansosti & Powell-Smith, 2006). Each story breaks down a challenging social situation into clear steps, descriptions, and illustrations to help a child understand an entire situation (Ali & Frederickson, 2006). Teachers read the story with the student each day for a specific period of time. Stories can also be used to prompt the student when he or she displays the inappropriate behaviors being targeted. Social Stories^TM are designed to help the student learn and internalize the messages and strategies found in the story and use them smoothly and automatically in his or her daily activities. The chart below demonstrates how a story might break down a social situation — in this case, the end of recess — to help a child like Maria understand and meet expectations.