Enjoying music therapy class. By Sheri S. Dollin, M.Ed., Lori Vincent, M.Ed.,

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1 feature ] Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School O n a n y g i v e n s c h o o l d ay, s t u d e n t s c a n b e o b s e r v e d r u n n i n g, c l i m b i n g a n d p l ay i n g w i t h f r i e n d s at r e c e s s. Enjoying music therapy class The FRIEND Program Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School By Sheri S. Dollin, M.Ed., Lori Vincent, M.Ed., BCBA, and Sharman Ober-Reynolds, MSN, C-FNP, CCRP During lunch students can be seen eating and talking with their classmates. Both settings are filled with the sounds of students interacting with one another. Like most schools, lunch and recess are the two activities where students are expected to learn and demonstrate appropriate social behaviors independently with minimal structure and support. Social Challenges at School Although students share a common space during lunch and recess, the quantity and quality of their peer interactions may differ between typically developing students and their peers on the autism Autism Advocate FIRST EDITION 2010

2 Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School [ For the amount of time children spend in school, the relationships students develop with their peers are significant for their current and future quality of life. spectrum. In fact, social challenges are not limited to students on the autism spectrum. There are many students with social differences who struggle during these times. Not understanding why a peer is different may lead to teasing, bullying or social shunning. Without the implementation of a comprehensive social skills program, some students may be vulnerable to bullying or social isolation. Photo courtesy of photoedit inc. The school experience can be a lonely one, particularly for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other social differences. The core characteristics of ASD, which include social, communication and behavioral challenges, affect the development of meaningful social relationships. However, when children with ASD or other social differences are prompted, encouraged and supported by their peers throughout the school day, they have the chance to learn and practice social skills. As a result of a deficit in communication and social skills, individuals with ASD may not have the ability to form meaningful friendships. Without a plan to teach and support social skills, students with ASD may not initiate social interactions with typical peers during unstructured times, such as lunch, recess or free play (Hauck, Fein, Waterhouse, & Feinstein, 1995). Also, students with ASD may not respond to initiations or other social approaches by their typical peers (Lee, Odom, & Loftin, 2007). Recess, lunch and other unstructured times of the school day may be associated with isolation and low engagement for a child with social differences (Nelson et al., 2007). According to Dr. Tony Attwood (2001), when students with ASD are asked, What makes a good friend?, they often respond with a list describing what a friend should not do, such as bullying or teasing. They do not think of positive characteristics of a friend. Research regarding individuals with high-functioning autism and Asperger s Syndrome revealed that the amount of time spent with friends during childhood significantly predicts their later quality of life. For the amount of time children spend in school, the relationships students develop with their peers are significant for their current and future quality of life. Bauminger et al. (2008) studied the friendships of students with highfunctioning ASD and Asperger s Syndrome. A comparison of friendships between a child with ASD and a typical peer ( mixed friendship) and a child with ASD and another child with ASD or other disability ( non-mixed friendship) revealed that typical friends do influence the quality of the interaction. Mixed friendships were found to be comparable to friendships between two typically developing students. In addition, students with ASD in mixed friendships exhibited higher receptive language, more complex levels of coordinated play, more responsiveness and cohesiveness to their friends, and higher levels of positive social orientation as compared to the students with ASD in non-mixed friendships. However, the researchers also found that FIRST EDITION 2010 Autism Advocate

3 ] Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School The FRIEND Program includes three primary components: the FRIEND Program Peer Sensitivity Curriculum, FRIEND Playground Program and FRIEND Lunch Program. Time for lunch! children with ASD in mixed friendships had fewer opportunities to take on leadership roles during activities, which suggests the need for teachers, clinicians and parents to ensure that interactions with typical peers are structured in such a way that the special skills and talents of students with ASD are recognized and appreciated. The FRIEND Program Based on the research on social deficits, social relationships and social skills interventions, the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC; developed the Autism Advocate FIRST EDITION 2010 FRIEND (Fostering Relationships in Early Network Development) Program. The program supports the development of social and interpersonal skills for school-aged children; creates a culture for understanding and accepting individuals with ASD and other social differences; and effects school-wide change benefiting students, faculty, staff and families alike. This program offers an evidence-based framework to teach social, communication and play skills by adding structure in natural settings to increase appropriate social interactions in schools. The FRIEND Program includes three primary components: the FRIEND Program Peer Sensitivity Curriculum, FRIEND Playground Program and FRIEND Lunch Program. These components, or interventions, can be implemented individually or in any combination as a comprehensive program. This program is not designed to replace other evidence-based social skills interventions, such as video modeling, priming or social skills curriculums. Rather, it creates a framework in which these intervention models can be meaningfully implemented and social skills can be generalized throughout the school day. The three components are as follows:

4 Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School [ The FRIEND Program Peer Sensitivity Curriculum (PSC) impacts awareness and understanding of ASD and other social differences. The peer sensitivity curriculum provides direct strategies to peers and school faculty to learn how to interact appropriately with students with social differences. This curriculum can be implemented as a collaborative process between school faculty and parents. Photo courtesy of photoedit inc. The FRIEND Playground Program (FPP) offers school-wide support on the playground to structure and facilitate activities, which can create an inclusive environment for all students. School staff structure and facilitate activities on the playground that are geared around the specific interests of students with social differences. No student is required to play; however, by providing preferred structured activities, these students become interested and have the support to be successful at interacting with their peers. During these activities social coaching is provided to all students to develop and practice appropriate social, communication and play skills. The FRIEND Lunch Program (FLP) is a structured lunch group consisting of one student with ASD or other social difference and same-age, typically developing peers. School staff create opportunities for students to develop and practice appropriate social communication skills during lunchtime....this program often creates opportunities to improve the overall acceptance of and teach appropriate social behaviors to students during lunch and recess. Program Implementation The FRIEND Program is currently being implemented in schools throughout Arizona and has become part of the school culture. Implementation of this program often creates opportunities to improve the overall acceptance of and teach appropriate social behaviors to students during lunch and recess. Evaluations of these strategies have demonstrated significant increases in the engagement of targeted students with peers as well as the quantity and quality of these interactions. The parents of a student in a FRIEND Lunch Program reported when they started the program their son began to have more friends over to the house after school. They also felt the program gave them a better understanding of how to provide support during these visits; therefore, creating a positive experience for everyone. School administrators at several schools also noted a decrease in problematic behavior on the playground for all students when the FRIEND Program was implemented. While implementing the FRIEND Playground Program, a second-grade boy with ASD was playing a game with two peers. A classmate approached the group and asked the adult facilitating the FRIEND Program if she could play too. The adult prompted the girl to direct her question to the kids playing the game. The girl did this and the young boy with ASD responded by saying, Sure, you can play too. The girl looked at the adult with an expression of surprise and said, I didn t know he could understand. During the FRIEND Lunch Program, one member of a typical peer group, a longtime companion to the student with ASD, demonstrated kindness and friendship by doing everything for his friend with autism, such as opening his friend s milk cartoon and bag of chips at lunch. The FRIEND Program facilitator realized the child was capable of doing these things on his own. The facilitator directed the peer to prompt his friend to request help rather than just do everything for him. The typical peer immediately changed his behavior and told his friend to ask if he needed help. A FIRST EDITION 2010 Autism Advocate

5 ] Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School few moments later the typical peer turned to the facilitator and asked, What do I do if he needs help during class? The facilitator suggested he apply the same rule during lunch to all situations. He should prompt his friend to raise his hand and ask for help. With this information the peer s eyes opened wide, he let out a laugh and said, Oh, yeah. I get it. I could do this all the time. Both of these stories shed light on some common issues related to inclusion during Photographs can serve as an important tool for socialization. lunch and recess. Students with ASD may have challenges relating to their peers, and likewise, the peers do not always know how to relate to students with ASD. In addition, peers commonly interact with a student with ASD through an adult. The first story demonstrates missed opportunities to interact between the girl and boy, which makes us wonder how many missed opportunities there are among all students. These scenarios illustrate the importance of the quality of Once educated, all students can develop the understanding and skills to engage and interact with each other. Photo courtesy of Brian kirst the interactions among typical peers and peers on the autism spectrum. When the typical peers learn skills that help them relate to students with ASD, all students can learn and grow together. Whether the typical peers are kind, helpful and accepting, or are hurtful and ignore their peers with ASD, their behavior can interfere with the opportunity to develop or practice meaningful functional skills. Conclusion All children deserve a positive school experience where they can maximize their social and academic achievements. Malecki and Elliott (2002) found that social skills significantly predicted end-of-year achievement test performance on high-stakes testing. A comprehensive social skills program can provide the foundation for such an environment by inspiring attitude and behavior changes in young people that last a lifetime. Tolerance, acceptance and understanding are important messages for today s youth. While schools may present these ideas to students, they are not always provided sufficient opportunities and support to practice the appropriate behaviors that support these concepts. Once educated, all students can develop the understanding and skills to engage and interact with each other. Schools and parents share a common desire that all children be happy at school. Extending learning beyond the classroom and into the lunchroom, the playground and beyond is essential to providing students with the appropriate social learning to become successful and caring adults. The FRIEND Program provides the structure and strategies to support social learning across school environments throughout the day. Autism Advocate FIRST EDITION 2010

6 References Attwood, T. (1998). Asperger s Syndrome: A guide for parents and professionals. Philadelphia: Kingsley. Bauminger, N., Solomon, M., Aviezer, A., Heung, K., Brown, J., & Rogers, S.J. (2008). Friendship in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder: Mixed and non-mixed dyads. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, Teaching and Supporting Social Skills at School [ Hauck, M., Fein, D., Waterhouse, L., & of academic achievement: A longitudinal Feinstein, C. (1995). Social initiations analysis. School Psychology Quarterly, 17, by autistic children to adults and other children. Journal of Autism and Nelson, C., McDonnell, A.P., Johnston, Developmental Disorders, 25, S.S., Crompton, A., & Nelson, A.R. (2007). Lee, S., Odom, S.L., & Loftin, R. (2007). Keys to play: A strategy to increase the Social engagement with peers and social interactions of young children with stereotypic behavior of children with autism and their typically developing autism. Journal of Positive Behavior peers. Education and Training in Interventions, 9(2): Developmental Disabilities, 42(2): Malecki, C.K., & Elliott, S.N. (2002). Children s social behaviors as predictors About the Authors Sheri S. Dollin, M.Ed., Lori Vincent, M.Ed., BCBA, and Sharman Ober-Reynolds, MSN, C-FNP, CCRP Sheri S. Dollin, M.Ed., is the Director of Education & Training Programs for the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) and co-author of the FRIEND Program. She is also a member of the NATTAP Steering Committee. Lori Vincent, M.Ed., BCBA, is the Senior Educational Consultant for SARRC and co-author of the FRIEND Program. Sharman Ober-Reynolds, MSN, C-FNP, CCRP, is a family nurse practitioner, research coordinator for SARRC and co-author of the FRIEND Program. She is the mother of three terrific sons, the oldest of whom has autism. FIRST EDITION 2010 Autism Advocate