Social Skills Lesson

Describe the inappropriate behavior: The student interrupts his peers or stands near his
peers while they are having another conversation with a classmate. The student
eavesdrops on his peers and stands too close to his classmates during conversations.

Rationale for a new behavior: The student needs to know how to enter a conversation to
express his wants and needs to help for success in life. With the student being able to
enter a conversation and stand at an appropriate distance, the student will build positive
relationships with his peers and learn about his peers interests.

Describe the appropriate behavior: The student will start and join conversations with his
peers to build peer relationships, while standing at an arms length from his peer.

Skill Components
1. The student will learn how to stand at an appropriate distance from peers
2. The student will learn phrases in order to not interrupt when he wants to join a
conversation
3. The student will learn how to initiate a conversation with topics of interests with
his peers
4. The student will learn how to ask effective questions to his peers on the topic of
interest.
5. The student will learn kind, friendship building vocabulary.
6. The student will lean effective ways to close a conversation.

Model demonstration example:

The teacher will role play how to initiate a conversation with a peer, how to join a
conversation with a peer, and how to stand at an appropriate distance with the person
they are holding a conversation with. The teacher will then guide the student in in this
process and offer guidance throughout the implementation with his peers.

Student practice example: The student will practice this skill when there is free time to
hold conversations with peers (such as, at the beginning and end of the day), at recess,
and during small group conversations. The student will receive plenty of guidance when
first implementing the skill and the guidance will slowing be removed until the student
can converse with his peers on his own.
Natural setting practice: The student will practice this skill outside of school in their after
school Boy Scout Troop after mastery has been achieved.

Homework assignment: The student will practice conversational skills with his family
when possible.

Individual or group reinforcement strategy: The student will receive tokens when he is
successfully and politely able to enter a conversation with his peers. He will also receive
tokens when he is able to initiate a conversation with his peer. With these tokens, the
student will have the opportunity to purchase highly desired toys (based on a
preference survey) from the school store.