Social skills are necessary to function in society. Children or adults with autism are no exception, and that is why we must teach these skills. However, teaching social skills isn’t as simple as it might sound; that’s why I’m naming the three biggest mistakes that parents and professionals make when teaching social skills to their children or clients.
The first mistake in teaching social skills is that parents and professionals don’t always tailor a child’s goals to their individual assessments. If a child is still learning greetings, you wouldn’t try to teach them synonyms. So, you don’t want to waste time by putting them in social situations and expecting them to pick up these skills on their own.
We cannot rush a child because another child is further along than they are; each child is unique and learns at their own rate. So teaching social skills won’t happen at the same time for everyone.
Failing to assess, plan, intervene and take data and then use that data to evaluate and make decisions is a common mistake I see as well in teaching social skills. We can’t just expect children with autism to develop social skills as they age, or if we continue to throw them in typical situations. This could potentially do the child more harm than good. Patience is a virtue here.
In society, social skills are vital in order for our children and clients to lead their happiest, healthiest, and safest lives. So, if that truly is our ultimate goal, then we must start teaching social skills in the most effective way possible.
Mentioned In This Episode:
Subscribe & Review in iTunes