"Good social skills require good communication skills."
- Candy Lawson at the Center For Development and Learning.
Getting ready for school requires practicing more than just academic skills. A huge factor in a child's success is how well he interacts with others. When thinking about how your child will perform at school remember to think about more than the spelling tests and math grades...the "social skills tests" your child will face are important too. Often kids are expected to know these skills without being taught them. It is a good idea to take time and explicitly teach social skills, especially for the kids who need a little extra help.
Here are some social skills that are super important but that are often overlooked:
1. Greetings
2. Initiating a Conversation
3. Listening to Others
4. Taking Turns in a Conversation
5. Being Responsible for your Behavior
6. Problem-Solving Through Conflicts
7. Apologizing
8. Asking for Help
9. Ignoring Distractions
10. Staying on Topic in a Conversation
Parents and teachers can work together to determine if a child needs extra help learning to use social skills. Many kids pick up social skills without needing to be taught outright, but it is important not to assume that all children will. Parents can model social skills during conversations at home, role-play scenarios that may be difficult at school, or look for opportunities for their children to practice needed social skills. Teachers can reinforce skills during group activities, praise and reinforce children during the day, and be alert to refer children to a speech and language pathologist should additional support be required.
Resources:
Top 10 Social Skills Students Need to Succeed
Social Skills and School
- Candy Lawson at the Center For Development and Learning.
Getting ready for school requires practicing more than just academic skills. A huge factor in a child's success is how well he interacts with others. When thinking about how your child will perform at school remember to think about more than the spelling tests and math grades...the "social skills tests" your child will face are important too. Often kids are expected to know these skills without being taught them. It is a good idea to take time and explicitly teach social skills, especially for the kids who need a little extra help.
Here are some social skills that are super important but that are often overlooked:
1. Greetings
2. Initiating a Conversation
3. Listening to Others
4. Taking Turns in a Conversation
5. Being Responsible for your Behavior
6. Problem-Solving Through Conflicts
7. Apologizing
8. Asking for Help
9. Ignoring Distractions
10. Staying on Topic in a Conversation
Parents and teachers can work together to determine if a child needs extra help learning to use social skills. Many kids pick up social skills without needing to be taught outright, but it is important not to assume that all children will. Parents can model social skills during conversations at home, role-play scenarios that may be difficult at school, or look for opportunities for their children to practice needed social skills. Teachers can reinforce skills during group activities, praise and reinforce children during the day, and be alert to refer children to a speech and language pathologist should additional support be required.
Resources:
Top 10 Social Skills Students Need to Succeed
Social Skills and School
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