Social Skills Curriculum for Individuals on the Autism
Spectrum Updated by Amy Moore Gaffney, M.A., CCC-SLP January 2022 Individuals on the Autism Spectrum characteristically have deficits in social communication and social interaction skills. Teaching social skills requires educators and families to determine the needs of each student. Social skills are foundational to success in school and in life. The use of technology has also added a new dimension to teaching social skills. It is important to carefully choose curriculum and programs that are successful, and research based whenever possible. Below is a listing of some examples of curriculum and programs that can be used to teach social skills to individuals on the autism spectrum. In addition to these programs, please be aware that there are many other supplemental programs, books, strategies, and resources that are not included but are available. Many of these resources can be accessed by Indiana residents via the Library at Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement of any one program.
Resource List Act It Out • Grades: 7 to 12 • Description: One year of Social Skill Lessons, utilizing scripts, skits, and guided practice. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://www.amazon.com Autism, What Does it Mean to Me? • Grades: 3 to 12+ • Description: A workbook, explaining self-awareness and life lessons, using structured teaching strategies. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com Building Social Relationships • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: This resource provides a comprehensive, five-step model of how to address social skills for children and adolescents through designing effective social programming. Can be used to guide curriculum. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://aapcautismbooks.com/ The Cartoon and Script Curriculum for Teaching Social Behavior and Communication • Grades: K to 12 • Description: This curriculum uses Visual Strategies. The skills are presented in the form of cartoons, scripts, and roll play to address a range of developmental levels. The curriculum breaks down complex
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 1 behaviors into manageable steps. The lessons promote generalization of skills across settings and people. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://difflearn.com Destination Friendship • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Easy-to-use, research-based strategies and activities that support the development of friendship skills in children with ASD. Theme-based sessions include social activities and situations to practice friendship skills. Includes The Friendship Skills Checklist. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://aapcautismbooks.com/ Do-Watch-Listen-Say • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Research-based techniques and an assessment tool are included in this intervention guide. Activities included can be easily adapted to develop a curriculum. Practical and user-friendly. • Vendor/Company: Brookes Publishing Company • https://www.brookespublishing.com/ • http://autisminstitute.net/ Enhance: Social Skills • Grades: 6 to 12+ • Description: Curriculum focusing on social skills development of 50 important skills. Provides students with step-by-step instruction via video modeling, photo-based directions, and role playing. • Vendor/Company: Attainment Company • https://www.attainmentcompany.com Hidden Curriculum • Grades: 1 to 12+ • Description: Books written to provide a “hidden curriculum” of social rules to help children and adolescents with social skills, particularly peer relationships and everyday activities. o The Hidden Curriculum and Other Everyday Challenges for Elementary-Age Children with High- Functioning Autism o The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment: A Guide for Individuals With Autism Spectrum and Other Social-Cognitive Challenges • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://aapcautismbooks.com/ The Incredible-5 Point Scale • Grades: Pre-K to 12+ • Description: The Incredible 5-Point Scale is a visual tool that can be combined with other resources, such as A 5 is Against the Law or When My Worries Get Too Big, to teach self-awareness and management. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://www.amazon.com Language for Theory of Mind® Software • Grades: 3 to 12 • Description: This software program helps students learn verbs of perception and intention needed to understand what others can or cannot perceive. • Vendor/Company: Attainment Company
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 2 • https://www.attainmentcompany.com Linguisystems® • Grades: Pre-K to 12+ • Description: Offers a variety of products to address social skills, including: o Autism & PDD Adolescent Social Skills Lesson Books o Autism & PDD Picture Stories Series o Early Social Behavior Books o Social Language Development o Spotlight for Figurative Language o Spotlight on Social Skills o TheraLink Social Language For more resources, visit vendor online. • Vendor/Company: Pro-Ed, Inc. • https://www.proedinc.com Model Me Kids® Videos for Modeling Social Skills • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Curriculum includes teaching manuals, lesson plans, worksheets, activities, DVDs, progress monitoring, reinforcement charts, and home-school communication. o Model Me Organization & Motivation™ o Model Me Tips & Tricks™ o Model Me Confidence & Bullying Prevention™ o Time for School™ o Model Me Conversation Cues® o Model Me Friendship™ • Vendor/Company: Model Me Kids® • https://www.modelmekids.com Navigating the Social World • Grades: 4 to 12+ • Description: Curriculum that teaches communication skills, coping strategies, self-awareness of stress or anxiety, and abstract thinking. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com No More Victims: Protecting Those with Autism from Cyber Bullying, Internet Predators, and Scams • Grades: 6 to 12 • Description: Due to difficulty with perspective taking, isolation, increased time online, and difficulty with assertive communication, this manual focuses on three areas of concern: cyber bullying, online sexual predators, and Internet scams. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com • http://www.jedbaker.com/books.htm The PEERS® Curriculum for School-Based Professionals • Grades: 7 to 12 • Description: A sixteen-week program including lesson plans that contain concrete rules and steps, corresponding homework assignments, and more. PEERS® for Young Adults is also available. • Vendor/Company: Routledge • https://www.routledge.com/
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 3 Preparing for Life-The Complete Guide for Transitioning to Adulthood for Those with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Resource that addresses perspective taking, non-verbal communication, conversational skills, goal setting, and stress management. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com • http://www.jedbaker.com/books.htm Quest Program I Social Skills Curriculum for Elementary School Students with Autism • Grades: 1 to 5 • Description: Helps students acquire social and pragmatic skills by combining written instruction with games, stories, and role playing. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc • https://fhautism.com Quest Program II Social Skills Curriculum for Middle School Students with Autism • Grades: 6 to 8 • Description: This 6-unit program will help students to acquire social and pragmatic skills by combining written instruction with games, activities, and social interaction. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc • https://fhautism.com The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults • Grades: 7 to 12+ • Description: Includes concrete rules and steps of social etiquette, to assist in improving conversational skills, expand social opportunities, and develop strategies for handling peer rejection. • Vendor/Company: Wile: Jossey-Bass • https://www.wiley.com/en-us Skillstreaming • Grades: Pre-K to 12+ • Description: A four-part training approach that includes modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, and generalization. Includes books, CDs, and printable materials. Available in different levels. • Vendor/Company: Skillstreaming • https://www.skillstreaming.com The Social Compass Curriculum • Grades: 4 to 8 • Description: A story-based intervention package that includes 24 lessons for use in the classroom. Includes use of social narratives, visuals, role-play, and take-home worksheets. • Vendor/Company: Brookes Publishing • https://www.brookespublishing.com/ Social Competence Curricula (SCI) • Grades: K to 12 • Description: Evidence based. Promotes the development, maintenance, and generalization of social skills, including initiating interactions, responding to others, emotional recognition, turn taking in conversation, problem solving, and maintaining reciprocity. Uses a scaffolding method of instruction. • Vendor/Company: The Center for Social and Behavioral Competence • https://education.missouri.edu/sci/
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 4 Social Engagement & the Steps to Being Social: A Practical Guide for Teaching Social Skills to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder • Grades: Preschool to 12+ • Description: A model to guide assessment and intervention across severity levels and age groups for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Breaks down social skills into a series of steps with sub-skills. Includes an assessment. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons • https://fhautism.com/ The Social Express • Grades: Pre-K to 12 • Description: Based on animated interactive webisodes that encourage students to practice real-life social interactions. Works on eight target skills: Self-Management, Conflict Resolution, Coping Strategies, Group Participation, Attentive Listening, Relationship Management, Non-verbal Communication, and Conversations. Offers on-line and offline activities. • Vendor/Company: The Social Express • https://www.brightenlearning.com/ Social Skills Picture Book • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Two books designed for individuals with social challenges. Photos of a variety of social situations demonstrate the correct and incorrect ways to interact in different circumstances and illustrate the positive and negative consequences of both ways of interacting. o Social Skills Picture Book o Social Skills Picture Book for High School and Beyond • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com • http://www.jedbaker.com/books.htm Social Skills Training • Grades: 5 to 12+ • Description: This curriculum presents social skills with printable handouts and activity sheets to demonstrate, practice, and reinforce skills in the classroom and at home. Peer acceptance and sensitivity training programs are also included. • Vendor/Company: Future Horizons, Inc. • https://fhautism.com • http://www.jedbaker.com/books.htm Social Thinking® & Me • Grades: 5 to 8 • Description: Presents and teaches core Social Thinking® vocabulary and concepts. • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com The Social Times Curriculum • Grades: 3 to 8 • Description: Uses a magazine format to teach social cognition and emotional regulation skills. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://www.amazon.com S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools • Grades: 5 to 12+
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 5 • Description: Social skills curriculum that helps students with autism learn correct social skills and cultivates understanding and acceptance with typical peers and school staff. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://www.amazon.com STAR® Autism Support • Grades: K to 12+ • Description: Programs that are designed specifically for individuals with ASD and developmental delays. Uses ABA (applied behavior analysis) instructional methods of discrete trial training and pivotal response to teach functional routines and social skills. Includes detailed lesson plans, teaching materials, data systems, and a curriculum-based assessment. • Vendor/Company: STAR® Autism Support • https://starautismsupport.com Superheroes Social Skills • Grades: K to 6 • Description: Evidence based. Teaches students to interact appropriately with peers and adults. Students practice sills in step-by-step role plays, social games, and in generalized settings at home and school. • Vendor/Company: Tough Kid • http://www.toughkid.com Super Skills: A Social Skills Group Program for Children with High-Functioning Autism and Related Challenges • Grades: 1 to 6 • Description: The Curriculum is based on 30 structured lessons in 4 areas of social skills: Fundamental skills, social initiation skills, getting along with others, and social response skills. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://aapcautismbooks.com/ Talk with Me • Grades: 1 to 12+ • Description: A Step-by-Step Conversation Framework for Teaching Conversational Balance and Fluency. This Framework breaks down the elements of a conversation which must be mastered in order to be proficient at carrying out conversations. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://www.barnesandnoble.com Teach Me Language • Grades: 1 to 12+ • Description: Program is designed to be used by parents or therapists as part of a therapy program to teach social language skills. Requires visual learning skills and the ability to follow simple directions • Vendor/Company: Different Learning • https://www.difflearn.com Teaching Social Skills Through Sketch Comedy and Improv Games • Grades: K to 12 • Description: Teaches social skills using improve comedy and sketch writing. Games and group exercises help develop social awareness, confidence, and joint attention. • Vendor/Company: Jessica Kingsley Publishers • https://us.jkp.com/ TeachTown® • Grades: Pre-K to 3
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 6 • Description: Designed for children ages 2 to 7. Uses research and evidence-based practices, such as ABA (applied behavior analysis), to teach a wide range of meaningful skills, including literacy. Additional social skills activities are available. • Vendor/Company: TeachTown® • https://web.teachtown.com Think Social • Grades: K to 12 • Description: Provides step-by-step methods for teaching the core concepts of Social Thinking® • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME • Grades: K to 12 • Description: Provides core concepts of Social Thinking® and a foundation for other curriculum, like Superflex®. • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com We Thinkers! • Grades: Pre-K+ • Description: We Thinkers! Vol I o The We Thinkers curriculum is designed to help young learners develop the skills they need to be flexible social thinkers and social problem solvers. • Description: We Thinkers! Vol II o Continues to present and teach core concepts needed to be flexible and social thinkers • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com Why Didn’t They Just Say That? PEERspective – A Complete Curriculum • Grades: 9 to 12 • Description: This is a complete curriculum designed to be a high school class. It teaches self-awareness, self-acceptance, relationship building, conflict resolution, managing stress management and wellness, and many other topics that have lifelong impact on students' lives. • Vendor/Company: AAPC Publishing • https://aapcautismbooks.com/ You are a Social Detective • Grades: K to 5 • Description: Visual book curriculum that teaches the concepts and vocabulary related to Social Thinking®. Available in French and Spanish. • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com The Zones of Regulation® • Grades: Pre-K to 12+ • Description: This curriculum teaches students how to regulate their action and increase self-control and problem-solving abilities. • Vendor/Company: Social Thinking® • https://www.socialthinking.com
Indiana Resource Center for Autism ◊ Indiana Institute on Disability and Community ◊ Indiana University, Bloomington 2810 E Discovery Parkway ◊ Bloomington, IN 47408 ◊ 812-855-6508 ◊ https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca 7
Kate Silver-Assessing and Developing Communication and Thinking Skills in People With Autism and Communication Difficulties - A Toolkit For Parents and Professionals (JKP Resource Materials) (2005)
Kate Silver-Assessing and Developing Communication and Thinking Skills in People With Autism and Communication Difficulties - A Toolkit For Parents and Professionals (JKP Resource Materials) (2005)
