This course focuses on developing rule-based social learning activities that connect to educational standards and support the student, client, or patient with significant social attention and social interpretation challenges. We will concentrate specifically on individuals who are described as Challenged Social Communicators (CSC) or Emerging Social Communicators (ESC) on our Social Thinking–Social Communication Profile. These students are more literal, more aloof, miss sarcasm, are less organized, show marked difficulty reading social contextual cues from people and situations, comprehending reading material, and expressing themselves through writing, and they appear more awkward in their attempts to socially engage with their peers. (See this article for more common characteristics of people described as described as Challenged Social Communicators or Emerging Social Communicators.) The day will explore the power of social attention using video clips to provide explicit and practical examples for teaching basic social concepts to encourage the development of theory of mind (perspective taking), sharing social attention, and awareness of trickery.

Video case studies will explore the social learning trajectory of academically bright students who are more literal interpreters. Throughout the day we will explore the assumptions made about social attention and learning in a group, how test scores remove socially based critical thinking and executive functioning making it more difficult to truly understand a student’s real time learning abilities, and how aloof students enjoy social relationship building.

Attendees will receive checklists featuring characteristics associated with different types of social learners, information inspired by the Social Thinking–Social Communication Profile.

Examine how social learning is embedded within many academic standards and how the roots of social learning fan out across a large variety of information explored across a school day (e.g., reading comprehension, narrative language, peer engagement and group work, etc.). The use of rubrics to help with measurement of treatment* goals will be introduced.

Activities for different age groups will also be explored to promote social learning in the group treatment setting. Across the day we explain how this learning is slow and deep, with the goal being to help each student improve when compared to their own baseline abilities. Attendees appreciate the honest and very practical information shared on this day.

*Treatment refers to using conceptual and strategy-based frameworks to help individuals improve their social competencies.

1. Describe two or more core characteristics of Challenged and/or Emerging Social Communicators and explain the impact on social and academic learning.
2. Explain the connection between academic standards, social learning, and the challenges of literal learners using the Social Thinking Social Learning Tree.
3. Describe the importance of using rubrics as a tool to measure outcomes for social learners who are more literal.
4. Describe at least two practical lessons to teach: "I know I have my own thoughts/feelings" or "I know others can have thoughts/feelings different from mine."

This agenda may change without notice.

We are proud to be a continuing education provider for Speech-Language Pathologists, Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical and School Psychologists, and Certified Counselors, such as Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Mental Health Counselors, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, and others.

We offer continuing education units/credits/clock hours through:

• ASHA: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• CES: Commonwealth Educational Seminars
• NBCC: National Board for Certified Counselors
• And more!

Click here to see more Continuing Education Information