Social Skills
Social Skills Programme
These programmes are offered by Tautoko Services Nelson office.
For more information contact: Lynette Steele, Phone 03 546 9532
Each social skills programme is tailored to meet the needs of the group. It is a strengths based programme that provides children/adolescents with the knowledge and skills they need to participate in the school and community social settings. The programme helps participants to identify and build on their strenthgs and abilities. The material covered is provided in a visual form so the topics covered can be shared and reinforced in the home or school setting.
Some of the topics covered are:
- Identifiying strengths, interests and what we have in common
- Rules of communication - appropriate body language, how to start a conversation, entering a group, topics of conversation, levels of engagment and listening skills
- Friends - how to make and keep friends, different levels of friendship, identifying what makes a good friend, being a good friend, signs that this person is a friend, solutions to friendship problems
- Feelings - what are they, recognising them in self and others, managing anger and anxiety.
- Bullying - what is it, the different forms, reasons why bullies bully, what to do about it
- Keeping safe - using circle of friends - the people who are close to me and what is appropriate
- Public and private places and behaviours. Why and why not?
- Problem solving skills - looking at examples and finding a better solution. Using the stop and think before doing rule
- Identifying faulty thinking and how to change it
Social Skills groups provide a positive and supportive learning enviroment for children or adolescents to develop and practice skills while providing paricipants with a reference group.
Some of the outcomes experienced from participants, families and schools:
- Greater confidence of the children and adolescents
- More inclusion in school and community life
- Reduced conflict with peers, family and teachers
- Greater understanding of self and others
- Enhanced social skills
Social Skills Stories
Social skills stories provide individuals who have Autism with accurate information regarding situations they encounter. For some people with Autism, this type of written information appears to have a positive impact on their responses to social situations. They can also be used for individuals with intellectual disability for a variety of situations with positive outcomes.
Tautoko Services has produced two resources titled 'Kiwi Social Skills' version 1 and 2. These stories cover a variety of topics and issues. Some are written for small children, some for teenagers and others for adults. Various formats have been used, based on what works for each individual. Some are long stories with complex explanations. Some are simple stories with one or two main points and some are stories with a combination of visual images and written information.
Below are two social stories about anger and getting a haircut. More specific stories can be found under the 'Tools' section of this website.
Examples of Stories
Anger
Someimes I get angry.
Everyone gets angry at one time or another.
Sometimes I feel like throwing something.
I try not to throw things when I’m angry. Instead I try to breathe in deeply and then let my breath out. This helps me to feel better.
When I feel angry I count to ten. This helps me feel better too when I am angry.
I know that throwing things is dangerous. Something might get broken or someone might get hurt.
Jane can get her haircut safely
No one has ever been to the hairdressers and had their head cut off.
When people got to the hairdresser, they get their hair washed, after the hairdresser has put a cape on them to stop their clothes getting wet.
Then the hairdresser will ask them to sit in another chair and begin to cut their hair with scissors.
The hairdresser will talk to me while she is cutting my hair, and I can look at my reflection in the mirror while she is cutting my hair.
Lots of people I know get their hair cut, like Clare. She goes every month to the hairdresser and gets her hair cut safely. Her head is always safe and still on her neck. It has never been cut off.
When my haircut is over I look lovely.
To order any of our resources look under the Purchase Resources heading.