Social Skills Program
Target Areas: Social communication (conversation), Para verbal/Non-verbal language and Listening.
In the group we teach skills using a cycle approach.One of the most common problems faced by children with social skills difficulties is listening and understanding what the person says or wants. In the first cycle we work extensively with the children on their listening and understanding skills.For three weeks the children are engaged in activities that willbuild playground listening skills, circle time listening skills, party listening skills. By giving more time to listening and understanding, we are building the core foundation for the other necessary skills. In the second cycle we engage thechildren inactivities that will build their ability to read social cues, facial expressions, understand personal space andwe also target play skills. Inthe third cycle wetarget conversational and turn-taking skills. With our older kids we use written cues to assist them start conversations, ask questions and make comments. Children are grouped according to similar needs, personalities and age range. We createthe child's social language goals based on input from the parent and also from an initial evaluation we conduct prior to putting the child in the group. Parents receive pre- and post testing results and goals.A child can join the group during the first or second cycle since we will review skills from the previous cycle in the final weeks. However, we do not recommend joining in the third cycle. We do not offer makeup sessions for these groups, as it is the consistency that will make the therapy successful.
Tiny Tots Group
(Ages 17 months to 2 years)
- Monkey See Monkey Do: We work on parallel playing (big movementgameswith friends,such as running to friends), imitation, greetings, social games (joint + attention)
- Tiny Talkers: We work on total communication (signing, gesturing and using more words), calling games and listening
- Body Actions: We work onsocial referencing,playful imitation of faceand body(smiling, laughing, pouting, dancing andclapping, ), following group directions
- Final Weeks: We repeat skills from previous sessions for added practice.
Penguins Group
(Ages 3 to 4)
- Listening and Body Actions: Attending, imitation (non-verbal) referencing, following directions, social cues
- Talking and Taking Turns: Conversations-chipper chatter, listening, questioning, commenting, turn taking
- Playing and Sharing: Referencing, social cues,Imitation, joint attention, pretend play, problem solving, transitioning
- Final Week: We repeat skills from previous sessions for added practice.
Sharks Group
(Ages 4 to 5+)
- Talking and Taking Turns
- Listening and Body Actions
- Playing and Sharing
Lions Group
(Ages 6 to 8)
We target similar skills as with the Sharks group however, we use different level of activities.
- Talking and Taking Turns
- Listening and Body Actions
- Playing and Sharing
Tweets Group
(Ages 10 to 12)
- All about Conversations
- All about Body Language
- All about Listening Skills
Contact Udie at ussom@pediatricspeech.com,for additional therapyinformation and registration.