Essential Elements of Social Skill Instruction as a Tier II

InterventionTim Lewis, Ph.D. & Linda Bradley

University of Missouri

Carrie FreemanColumbia Public Schools

C enter on School-w ide S ystem sof P ositive B ehavior S upport U niver sity of M issour i - C olumbia

Universal

• Matrix of school-wide expectations across settings– List of problems = replacements– “Scope and sequence” of social skills

• Simple lessons with activities• Year long teaching schedule

I am…. All Settings Classroom

Hallways Cafeteria Bathrooms Playground Assemblies

Safe •Keep bodies calm in line•Report any problems•Ask permission to leave any setting

Maintain personal space

WalkStay to the right on stairsBanisters are for hands

•Walk•Push in chairs•Place trash in trash can

Wash hands with soap and waterKeep water in the sinkOne person per stall

Use equipment for intended purposeWood chips are for the groundParticipate in school approved games onlyStay in approved areasKeep body to self

•Walk•Enter and exit gym in an orderly manner

Respect-ful

•Treat others the way you want to be treated•Be an active listener•Follow adult direction(s)•Use polite language•Help keep the school orderly

Be honestTake care of yourself

Walk quietly so others can continue learning

Eat only your foodUse a peaceful voice

Allow for privacy of othersClean up after self

•Line up at first signal •Invite others who want to join in•Enter and exit building peacefully•Share materials•Use polite language

Be an active listenerApplaud appropriately to show appreciation

A Learner

•Be an active participant•Give full effort•Be a team player•Do your job

•Be a risk taker•Be prepared•Make good choices

Return to class promptly

•Use proper manners•Leave when adult excuses

•Follow bathroom procedures•Return to class promptly

•Be a problem solver•Learn new games and activities

•Raise your hand to share•Keep comments and questions on topic

Benton

Tier II / Small Group

• Students displaying social skill challenges as primary concern

• Set of skills targeting common concerns• Set of clear generalization strategies for

classroom teachers to implement

Tier III / Individual

• Social skill deficits / performance problem• Guided by functional behavioral assessment• Replacement “social skill” meets need• Environment supports use of new skill

– High rates of reinforcement– New skill accesses previous function of problem

behavior

Best Practices

Teaching the General Case

Steps in Social Skill Instruction

• Assessment• Planning• Lesson Development• Teaching• Generalization

Assessment: Student Identification (Data, System)

Use of existing data / assessment sources such as ODR, visits to discipline room, teacher referral, number of “buddy room” visits

Assessment: Skill Selection(Data)

• Teacher Ratings• Ratings by others• Direct Observation

Importance of discussing cultural, language, and other factors that impact perceptions of “appropriate” social skills

Planning Requirements(practices, systems)

• Curriculum / Lesson Plans– Adapt/adopt

• Group procedures• Generalization strategies

Lesson Components(practices)

• rule for when to use the skill• set of useful skill variations

– teach the rule (TELL)– demonstrate the skill (SHOW)– students practice the skill (PRACTICE)

– review and test the skill (PRACTICE)

– assign homework (PRACTICE)

Teaching social skills follows the same format as teaching academic skills

Lesson Plans: Teach (tell)

• definition of essential rule• description of skill components and variations

Lesson Plans: Demonstrate (show)

• model / demonstrate the skill– select competent and respected students and adults

– only the teacher models incorrect responses

– select examples from natural context

– at least two positive demonstrations of each example

Lesson Plans: Practice

• role play activities – focus on relevant features – have student "think aloud"– teacher can provide coaching during lesson

– involve all members of the group by assigning tasks / questions

– have student self evaluate after activity

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization

Strategies To Use During Training (practices)

• Use naturally occurring examples within role plays

• Use naturally occurring reinforcers

• Use language of school-wide PBS system

• Pinpoint activities students likely to engage

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization

Strategies To Use During Training (practices)

• Train in the targeted setting• During training, include peers the target student(s) likely to encounter in the problem setting

• Use a number of trainers or other adults during training

• Continue training for a sufficient amount of time

Promoting Maintenance and Generalization

Strategies to Use Within the Target Setting (system, policy)

• Prompt students to display skill (Pre-Corrects)

• Reinforce displays of skills in generalized settings using language of school-wide PBS/MBI system

• Enlist a variety of others to prompt and reinforce skills in generalized settings

• Individual contracts and behavior change plans

• Group contingencies

Parkade Elementary School Columbia, Missouri

Parkade School’s Mission

Together….Inspiring Life Long Learners

Our School Demographics•Currently 430 students•District Multi-Categorical classroom •District Emotional Disturbance program•Free and Reduced Percentage: 65%•Special Education Students: 19%•Mobility: 23%•Ethnicity

• White 46%• Minority 53%• Black 36%• Hispanic 7.5%• Asian 4%• Multi 2.5%• American Indian 2%• Pacific Islander 1%

What Systems will Support our Vision?

Parkade Core Social Skills Curriculum

• Expectations– Be Safe– Be Respectful– Be Responsible

• Matrix– Defines Social Skills for Settings in Our School

Parkade Core/Universal Social Skills Curriculum

• Weekly Cool Tool and Problem Solving Steps• Teachers Teach Directly during morning

meeting…8:50 – 9:20 each day.• Skills are selected by reviewing SWIS problem

behavior data.• Specific Lesson Plans provided to teachers

– Tell: Talk about the Skill– Show: Teacher Models the Skill– Practice: Student’s Practice the Skill

Problem Solving Steps

• Stop: Choose a composure tool• Think: What do I want right now?• Talk: Take turns talking and listening• Choose: A strategy to solve the problem• Check: Was the problem solved?

Parkade’s Need

• To provide more intensive social skills instruction for some students who did not respond to core social skills lessons

Student Identification Process

• Tier II Parkade Data Decision Rules – Behavior:– 2-5 ABLE Room Referrals (Major)– 2+ Buddy Room referrals in a 2 week period (Minor)– Student is engaging in a repeated pattern of

problem behavior in more than one setting or with more than one adult

– Internalizing Behaviors– Problem behavior is having negative consequences

on student’s social relationships– The problem behavior is NOT dangerous to student

or others

Identifying Students for Social Skills Groups

• Teacher nominated students who could not repeat or demonstrate usage of skill steps:

• Stop• Think• Talk• Choose• Check

– To confirm students identified, teachers collected baseline on number of redirects given to students when they did not “Stop and Think”

Social Skills Group Curriculum

• Stop and Think Social Skills Program by Project Achieve

• 30 minutes, 2 times a week• Lesson Schedule

– Week 1 & 2: Stop and Think– Week 3: Listen Attentively – Week 4: Following Directions – Week 5: Accepting Consequences – Week 6: Review of All Skills

Lesson Plan Example: Following Directions

• Specific Skill: I Can Follow Directions• Skill Steps/Learning Targets – This means I will:

– Listen attentively – Raise hand to speak or ask questions– Begin task immediately

• Tell: Introduce the idea of following directions by: – 1) Reading Listen Buddy by Lynn Munsinger. Buddy the Rabbit finds

himself in trouble when he doesn’t listen carefully enough to follow directions.

– 2) Having students work in pairs or groups to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, listening to specific teacher how-to instructions.

Lesson Plan Example: Following Directions

• Teacher Shows: – Non-examples: Student doesn’t begin or complete assignment even

with teacher assistance– Student needs teacher reminder to begin the task or assignment – Students doesn’t ask questions if unsure of directions

• Guided Practice: – Role play – Teacher reads scenarios & students give “thumb’s up” if it is a good

example of following directions.• Feedback:

– “Thank you for putting your eyes on me while I am giving directions. You are being respectful”

Teacher Feedback

• All redirects to the student are counted.• The student should be observed for two, 30

minute observations, two times per week. (The data should be collected on Tuesday and then at your convenience Thursday or Friday)

• Rating scale that identifies how the teacher feels the student is doing with each skill.

• Feedback turned into Social Skills Group facilitator weekly.

Feedback to Parents

• Weekly progress report• Shares skill student is learning• Asks Parents to practice at home

Daily Progress Report

Under Construction!

Lessons Learned

• Social skills groups are for students who have a skill acquisition deficit, NOT a performance deficit

• LOTS of problem solving steps and models—had to decide on one

We Always Teach!

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we..teach?

…punish?”“Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?”

John Herner

Contact Us

• Tim Lewis lewistj@missouri.edu• Carrie Freeman

cfreeman@columbia.k12.mo.us• Linda Bradley bradleyl@missouri.edu