Category Archives: Social Skills

Pick of the Week: “Fitting In and Having Fun” Vol. 4: High School Life

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There are many behaviors that high school students are expected to recognize and display. Students need to be aware of these implicit expectations in order to make good choices, become more independent, and form healthy relationships. This week only, we are offering a 15% discount off of the video modeling program “Fitting In and Having Fun”, Vol. 4: High School Life to help your high school student improve their social awareness. Enter BLOGFITN2* at checkout to apply these savings to your online order.

This video modeling DVD follows a teen named Jon as he learns to navigate high school by becoming more aware of the unspoken rules his teachers and peers expect him to know. The DVD includes the TD Social Skills exclusive “What they’re thinking” insight windows to help students realize the impact of their behavior on others. Actual high school peer mentors who offer advice on how to solve teen problems are also featured. “Springboard to discussion” questions explore each topic further to help students to better understand and improve social exchanges.

Watch the video below for a preview!

Fitting In and Having Fun, Volume 4: High School LifeThe social situations reviewed on this DVD are:

  • Getting Organized
  • Classroom Protocol
  • Sharing Conversations
  • Staying Calm to Problem-Solve
  • Showing Empathy
  • Manners Count
  • Dealing With Stress
  • Embarrassing Situations
  • Falling Head Over Heels

This week only, save 15% on your order of “Fitting In and Having Fun”, Vol. 4: High School Life by using the promotional code BLOGFITN2* at checkout!

*Offer is valid until November 5, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces or dashes in the promo code at checkout!

Pick of the Week: Early Learning Language Library

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Help your young learner build vocabulary, expressive and receptive language skills with the Early Learning Language Library. This week only, we are offering a 15% discount on this set of 160 photographic learning cards to help you stimulate conversation and social awareness in your student or child. Just enter in the promo code BLOGELL7 at check out.

Suitable for children in preschool and kindergarten, these cards include photographs of everyday objects and people with guided questions and encouraging prompts on the back of each card to help teach effective communication skills and improve critical thinking.

Each card measures 8 ½” x 5 ½” and the set even comes with a resource guide with word lists and activity ideas in English and Spanish!

Save 15% on your purchase of the Early Learning Language Library by entering in the promotional code BLOGELL7* at checkout!

*This offer expires on October 15, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: The Early Start Denver Model

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As the first comprehensive, empirically tested intervention specifically designed for toddlers and preschoolers with autism, the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an early intervention approach for toddlers ages 12-36 months and continuing until ages 48-60 months. The model does not require a particular setting for implementation and can be used by parents, teachers, therapists, at home, in preschool or in a clinical setting. To help you get started with this early intervention model developed by Sally Rogers, Ph.D., and Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., we are offering a 15% discount on the Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism Manual and its accompanying Curriculum Checklists this week. Just enter in the promotional code BLOGESDM3 at check out to redeem your savings!

The Early Start Denver Model is the only comprehensive early intervention model that has been validated in a randomized clinical trial for use with children with autism as young as 18 months of age. It has been found to be effective for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across a wide range of learning styles and abilities. Its core features include the following:

  • Naturalistic applied behavioral analytic strategies
  • Sensitive to normal developmental sequence
  • Deep parental involvement
  • Focus on interpersonal exchange and positive affect
  • Shared engagement with joint activities
  • Language and communication taught inside a positive, affect-based relationship

The manual provides structured, hands-on strategies for working with very young children in individual as well as group settings to promote development in key areas such as imitation; communication; social, cognitive and motor skills; adaptive behavior; and play.

In order to implement individualized treatment plans for each child, users must complete the ESDM Curriculum Checklist, which is an assessment tool. One non-reproducible checklist is included in the manual for reference with instructions for use. Additional checklists are sold separately in sets of 15.

This week only, take 15% off your purchase of the ESDM for Young Children with Autism Manual and the accompanying ESDM Curriculum Checklists by entering in the promo code BLOGESDM3 at checkout.*

*This offer expires on October 8, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: “You Are a Social Detective!” CD

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You Are a Social Detective! Interactive CD teaches children ages 7-12 to become better social thinkers by putting on their detective hats and deciphering both expected and unexpected social behavior. This week, we’re offering a 15% discount on the You Are a Social Detective! CD to help parents and professionals introduce the Social Thinking® Vocabulary to their students. Enter the promo code BLOGDTV4 at checkout to save 15% on your purchase this week.

DRM 840

Users will rely on their social “tools” — their eyes, ears, and brains — to make smart social guesses and investigate clues to see how others’ emotions and responses are connected to their own behavior. The program has 6 exciting levels with more than 200 video prompts to break down social situations into functional terms, including:

  1. Understanding Others’ Comfortable/Uncomfortable Thoughts
  2. Understanding Others’ Expected/Unexpected Behaviors
  3. Guessing Others’ Thoughts and Emotion
  4. Making Smart Guesses
  5. Using Your Tool Box Items (Eyes, Ears & Brain)
  6. Using Social Mapping

The software uses interactive video scenarios of real students to engage the user to answer questions, make smart social guesses and establish outcomes. All entries are scored over time so parents and educators can track progress and customize levels.

This software is compatible with Windows 98 or above and MAC OS X or above.

*This offer expires on October 1, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: Reactivity – Teach Social Skills Through Play

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Reactivity CoverThis deck of beautifully illustrated cards uses science-based social skills treatment for children with autism to deliver simple, objective and measurable results. Reactivity allows both parents and professionals to establish the foundations for social skills through a series of cards that introduce children to a wonderful world of playful interactions, designed to develop their interest in relating to people as well as their awareness of the world around them. This week only, take 15% off your purchase of the Reactivity: Teach Social Skills Through Play cards by applying the promotional code BLOGRTVY6 at checkout.

DRC 262 - 4

Reactivity is a wonderful amalgamation of the worlds of play and therapy that is simple and fun to implement while providing short-term observable results. The cards can be used by parents and families, caregivers, behavior analysts, special education teachers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and others.

DRC 262 - 3

Remember, this week only, save 15% on your order of Reactivity: Teach Social Skills Through Play by using our promo code BLOGRTVY6 at checkout!*

 

 

*This promotional code expires on September 17, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Product Review: Sandwich Stacking Game

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We recently came across a wonderful review of the popular Sandwich Stacking Game by Melissa & Doug on TeachThrough. Here is everything you have ever wanted and need to know about the Sandwich Stacking Game and how a parent or educator would incorporate it into lessons for his or her child:

Age level: Preschool, Early Elementary

Description: This silly game come with two sets of bread-shaped gloves and fourteen sandwich fillings that attach with velcro to the bread. Add twenty sandwich cards and a booklet with ten different games you can play with the materials, and you have a recipe for a great game.

Skills & Modifications: First of all, I should mention that I love any game that comes with instructions for multiple games. The fact that this comes with instructions for TEN games makes it that much more valuable to me, and it makes my job easier! I can find games that meet the skill level of my student, and then modify them as needed. Also, while I have listed below many ways in which I focus on target skills with these materials, I always end the activity by allowing the student to choose a game or to have free play with the materials for a couple of minutes.

Expressive Language – Students are usually highly motivated by these materials, so I use them to create opportunities for expressive language. Sometimes I’ll have the student create any sandwich they want and then describe it to me. Other times I will create sandwiches with the goal of targeting specific words or phrases that I am working on with the student.
Alike & Different – Sometimes I’ll have the student make two sandwiches, then describe how the two are alike and different. This provides and opportunity to talk about different ingredients, but also to discuss order of ingredients using words such as top, middle, and bottom.
Block Imitation – This is another game that, while it does not use blocks, can be used to test for generalization of block imitation skills. You can use the pictures included with the game, but those are all limited to four ingredients on each sandwich. For some students I take pictures of bigger sandwiches I have made with the game materials and have them recreate it based on the picture.
Scanning – I use this frequently to practice scanning skills. I lay out all of the ingredients on the floor (though be careful if the floor is carpeted, the velcro pieces may stick!) The student has to look at the picture card or listen to my instructions and find the correct piece. If we are playing with a peer, scanning may be more challenging because the peer may pick up the piece first, causing your student to have to scan once more to find the piece needed.
Peer Play – This is another great game for peer or sibling play. Students are highly motivated by the materials, and are frequently interested to see what other people are making as well.

Pros: This is one of those games that consistently causes giggle-fits with my students. It’s silly, challenging, active, and fun. Oh, and it’s machine-washable.

Cons: I have no cons for this game. It is a little pricey compared to most games and toys I purchase, but the materials are high-quality (which is usually the case with Melissa & Doug products.)

Cost: $29.99 You should invest in this game if: your student or child is highly motivated by active games, you are looking for materials to increase potential for peer play, or you are working with a range of ages at the same time.

ABLLS: B6, B12, B20, C41, K5, K9, K14, L2, L12, L22

VB-MAPP: VP-MTS 6, VP-MTS 13

Written by Sam Armstrong, MSEd, BCBA

Pick of the Week: What are They Thinking? ColorCards

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In continuation of last week’s theme of empathy and inference by asking and answering “wh-” questions, we are excited to bring you the What are They Thinking? ColorCards for this week’s Pick of the Week! These flashcards and accompanying CD with individual worksheets will help students develop empathy and inference, as they learn to recognize and interpret others’ emotions and behaviors. They are also a good resource for initiating conversation and storytelling. This week only, take 15% off your order of the What are They Thinking? ColorCards by using our promo code BLOGWTT6 at checkout!

Use this set with your child to explore the relationship between thoughts and feelings, as well as to recognize that behavior affects others.

Children will be asked to imagine what the people depicted in these cards are thinking and then fill in the thought bubbles, orally or in writing.

This process naturally exercises skills in observation, empathy, and social perception. Viewing these cards, students will improve their ability to read facial expressions, nonverbal cues, and surrounding circumstances.

This set comes with 30 cards, each measuring 8.25 by 11.75 inches, an instruction booklet, and a CD-ROM with images and worksheets that can be printed out.

This week, save 15% on the What are They Thinking? ColorCards by applying the promo code BLOGWTT6 at checkout!

*This offer is valid until August 27th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: What? How? Question Set

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Our pick this week is the What? How? Question Set! This set of cards teaches children to label and identify actions while learning how to ask and answer “what” and “how” questions.

This week only, save 15% on your order of the What? How? Question Set by using our promotional code BLOGWHQ3 at checkout!

Each of the “what” questions in the set requires a one-sentence answer; each of the “how” questions have 3 possible answers. If the answer to “What are they doing?” is “hugging,” then the answer to “How do you hug a friend?” is “open your arms,” “put them around your friend,” and “give a gentle squeeze”.

Each card measures 5 x 3.5 inches. Each concept presented in this photographic deck of 40 cards relates to a child’s everyday experiences, such as reading a book, blowing bubbles, playing t-ball, hugging a friend, cooking, and feeding ducks.

Remember, this week only, take 15% off your online order of the What? How? Question Set by entering in the promo code BLOGWHQ3 at checkout!

*This offer is valid until August 20th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: All Around Town

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Our Pick of the Week this week is All Around Town, a charming game that explores stores in the neighborhood while developing sorting, thinking and classifying skills. As you move around the game board, you’ll visit the grocery store, furniture store, book store, clothing store, pet store, and art supplies store. Race around town to collect a card from every store and match them to your game mat. In addition to developing logic skills, players will also sharpen their social skills and awareness of community locations. The shops in this town are just like the ones you and your child have visited in your neighborhood.

This week only, SAVE 15% on the “All Around Town” game by entering in the promotional code BLOGAAT2 at checkout!

This set includes a game board, 4 game mats, 60 game cards, and 4 markers. With the “All Around Town” game, players will be able to improve critical thinking and strategic planning skills as they race to be the first player with a card from all six stores in town.

Remember, this week only, take 15% off your order of the “All Around Town” game by applying our promotional code BLOGAAT2 at check out!*

*This offer is valid until August 6th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!

Pick of the Week: Answering “Wh” Questions

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This week’s Pick of the Week is our Answering “Wh” Questions cards set! Answering “Wh” Questions contains 23 full-color photographic learning cards that will inspire conversation and speculation in young learners. This week only, take 15% off your online order of the Answering “Wh” Questions cards by applying the promotional code BLOGWHQ6 at checkout!

DRC 536 Answering Wh Questions

Each photo in this set of cards includes children engaged in various indoor and outdoor activities that encourage language development, emotional awareness, and critical thinking when answering who, what, when, where, why, and how questions.

The cards in this set depict children interacting with their peers and with adults in various settings, including theDRC 536 Answering Wh Questions 2 classroom, playground, kitchen, and many more. Answering “Wh” Questions also comes with word lists and a resource guide in English, Spanish, as well as French, to suggest different methods of asking and answering “wh” questions.

The Answering “Wh” Questions set is a wonderful way to reinforce basic principles, lessons, and skills. Recommended for pre-K to 2nd grade learners.

Remember, this week only, save 15% on your purchase of Answer “Wh” Questions by applying the promo code BLOGWHQ6 at checkout!

*This offer is valid until July 29th, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces in the promo code at check out!