How can you connect this new skill to the student’s priorities? How can you assure ownership by making the development of this skill the student’s goal rather than just your goal for the student?
If the student struggles to recognize and respond to cues that signal that the other person is trying to end the conversation, it is likely that he is not particularly motivated to stop talking. Perhaps this is because he is driven by a high interest area; perhaps he is also lonely or anxious and seeks social attention. For this student, it will be important to help him understand that in school, work, and other social contexts, people will want to talk with him more if he improves in particular skill areas (recognizing cues, self-regulation to refrain from certain topics at certain times). If he is driven to share everything he knows about a particular topic before he will cease a conversation, be sure to teach him to use alternative “outlets” into which he can channel this information (e.g. list-making, journaling, blogging). If he is inclined to use these “outlets,” it will be easier for you two to identify a shared goal that is actually achievable and motivating for the student.
As you introduce this skill, how will you incorporate (visually, thematically) the student’s unique interests?
Use characters that the student is particularly interested in to teach the skill. For example, if you are showing video clips of appropriate ways to exit a conversation, try finding clips from a television show or movie that he really likes. If you use thought stories or coping cards to promote buy-in and perspective-taking, include characters or people who can “endorse” the targeted skill.
Can you make it visually clear to the student who is resistant to change that his assumption is only one way of looking at things? Can your use of visual supports and self-assessments help get agreement that there is a problem, get agreement on the solution, and create the motivation for change?
Priming is a form of negotiation that can reframe and sharpen a student’s assessment of self. Below are the self-assessment tools that align with this intervention topic:
"Social Communication – Basic Skills 2"
Interspersal is a proven technique involving the presentation of familiar, higher success tasks with the new, more challenging task. When it is appropriate, are you varying the activities to maintain the student’s confidence and focus?
Students with social communication differences may find many of the sub-skills within this topic to be very challenging. As you target a particular area (e.g., attribution skills - connecting body cues and words of my conversation partner to know how to respond), be sure to intersperse activities that do not place demands on the student’s social communication and social cognition skills. Provide quiet breaks so that the student can process what he has learned away from the highly interactive and dynamic role-play teaching sessions.
When you examine the sub-skills within this topic area, some skills may certainly be easier than others for the student to perform. For example, while the student might struggle to initiate a “wrapping up” or exit statement, he may be able to respond with an appropriate comment (“Ok, talk to you later”) when the other person initiates the conclusion (e.g., “Well, I need to get going…”). Initially, responding with exit statements upon hearing an exit statement from the conversation partner may be a starting point. Adding attention to key details of behavior and words of the conversation partner can be the next focus. Intersperse these targets within the teaching session in order to maintain student focus and confidence.
Before the student encounters a situation where he will need to perform this skill, how do you help the student prepare? How do you orient the student to the upcoming situation?
Practice, practice, practice! Review previously taught strategies immediately beforehand, if possible. For example, if you use a situational story to help teach the skill, encourage the student to review the story before he goes to work in the morning so that it is fresh in his mind. Encourage the review of scripts and other reminder cues that will support the student in initiating conversation closures, and in responding to attempts by others to close conversations. Whenever possible, conduct priming sessions across multiple settings as well.