October 15 th 2014 White Plains Special Needs PTA Meeting Melissa Bianchini LCSW Executive Director of Sensory Stepping Stones Melissa Bianchini LCSW Executive Director of Sensory Stepping Stones ID: 774671
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Slide1
Making Friends & Reinforcing Social Skills
October 15th, 2014White Plains Special Needs PTA Meeting
Melissa
Bianchini
, LCSW;
Executive Director of Sensory Stepping Stones
Slide2Melissa Bianchini, LCSW; Executive Director of Sensory Stepping Stones
NYS Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): Children & Families Specialty / Play Therapy
Masters in Social Work (MSW): Fordham University
BS in Psychology/Sociology: Fordham University
NYS
Credentialed Alcohol & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)
Post-Graduate
studies at Arizona State University
in Anatomy-Physiology; Neuroscience
Provider Training in:
Auditory
Integration Training (AIT) &
Tomatis
Method
Syntonic Phototherapy
Vestibular
Disorders (
VEDA)
NeuroFeedback
Certified Provider
of
SmartMind
® Pro NeuroFeedback
Masters
Level Clinician &
Certified
Provider of Interactive
Metronome® with Specialty Tracks
Certified Provider of Sensory
Learning
SM
Program (AIT, Light, Vestibular Therapist Trained)
Certified Provider of CAVT
®
(Computer Aided Vision Therapy)
Certified Provider
of
HeartMath
®
emWave
Pro (Coherence Training)
Certified Provider for The Listening
Program®
Training in Assessment & Diagnosis; Certified Provider of IVA +
Plus/IVA-AE®
Testing
Training in Cognitive Rehabilitation; Certified Provider of Captain’s
Log®
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention System(TCI) / Nonviolent
Crisis Intervention
® (CPI)
Level 1 Training in American Sign Language
Training in Brain
Gym®
Volunteer Red
Cross Instructor
Slide3M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide4The Importance ofTeaching Social Skills
People with strong social interaction skills typically experience…• More meaningful relationships• Greater happiness and self-esteem• Greater social acceptance• Greater desire to participate in social situations• Less anxiety, stress, depression
S. Bellini 2007
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide5Why Teach Social / Emotional Skills?
Children are NOT born with social/emotional skills
Children face challenges and stressors daily that will impact their ability to function in the school setting and society (Divorce, family violence, hunger, poverty, illness, family substance abuse, and learning delays/disabilities)
Children who have strong social/emotional skills become resilient
Resiliency is important because it is the human capacity to face, overcome and be strengthened by or even transformed by the adversities of life
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide6The single best childhood predictor of adult adaptation is NOT school grades, and NOT classroom behavior, but rather, the adequacy with which the child gets along with other children.-Willard Hartup, President of International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide7Factors That Can Challenge Children’s Social Lives:
ADHDAsperger's / Autism Spectrum DysgraphiaDyslexiaNon-Verbal Learning DOLanguage DOMental Health Issues
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide8Other factors that can affect a person’s social performance:
Processing Delays / IssuesSensory SensitivitiesAnxietyAttention and ImpulsivityMemorySelf-efficacy (view of their own ability)Movement DifferencesMotivation
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide9Stages of Learning Skills
Acquisition – of the new skill or conceptFluency – the ability to use the skill or concept in a situationMaintenance – continuing to use the skill or concept over time without a promptGeneralization – applying the skill or concept to new situations, people, activities, ideas, and settings
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide10Skill Mismatch?
We can set children up for failure when they are put in a situation where a specific skill has not yet been acquiredA meltdown or a shutdown is often the result of the demands of a situation being beyond the skill set of the personFill the gap between the demands and the skill set while the person is still learning We must be the ones to anticipate and prepare them for a situation if they are not prepared for it!
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide11Where Do We Teach & Learn These Skills?
Social Skill Settings:
Where the skill is most likely to occuror most often occurs
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide12An Individual’s Home Environment Helps With…
Interaction With All Family Members: Self-help skills, responsibility & chores, meals, holidays & family gatheringsInteraction With Siblings: Sharing, getting along, playing together, empathy, support
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide13The School Environment Helps With
School Readiness:
Sit still, listen, attend, raise hand, wait turn, independent work, work collaboratively, maneuver classroom, walk in line, ask for help, take feedback, organize materials
The Sociability of School:
Greet and acknowledge others, play, teams, clubs, sports, converse, play, join in, initiate, sustain, provide empathy, filter & ignore what is right and not right, make friends
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide14Friendships Help With
Understanding what a friend isKnow how to be a friendUnderstand the value of friendship & reasons why to have friendsKeeping friendsPlay datesClubs – Appropriate behaviors/expectations
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide15Community Activities Help With
Accessing The Activity: Tolerating locations/transitions, accepting feedback in locations (yes or no), waitingSafety in the Community: Staying with family members, stranger understanding, street safety, directional understandingIndependence & Knowledge: How to use different skills in each place, understand money, asking for help
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide16PEER GROUP Validity Also Plays A Key Role!
Find out what social skills are valued by the peer groupHelp to teach the person skills to fit inSome peer values transcend all agesConsult with peers/school supports for input on goals, priorities and how to teach
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide17Appropriate Social Skills by Ages….
Age 4-71. Plays2. Shares3. Cares4. Plays Dress-Up5. Hugs Me/Touches
Age 8-101. Being Nice2. Trustworthy3. Likes to Play4. Likes to help others5. Sharing
Age 11-151. Respectful2. Trustworthy3. Funny4. Cool5. Nice
1. Trustworthy2. Similar Interests3. Listens4. Dependable/Reliable/Fun5. Kind/Supportive
Age 16-18 & College
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide18The Pentagon of Social & Emotional Learning
If there are issues with the development of the individual in ANY of these areas then the actual skill does not develop fully!
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide19Important to Discuss
Three Things With Our Children…
WHAT - Social actions (performance skills) WHY - Social thinking (understand what is appropriate and why, social values) HOW ARE THEY FEELING - Social feeling “Positive” feelings like empathy and motivationOvercoming “negative” feelings that shut down interactions, like social anxiety and fear
Great activity to do withROLE PLAYS, WHAT IF’s!
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide204
Primary Skills Needed When Making Friends
To succeed in any academic course your child needs to have the knowledge of the specific skills. The same applies for when they are connecting with peers and making friends. The benefits of social success can be HUGE! It helps to build self-esteem and lead to academic success.
Initiate Conversation
Interpret Social SituationsInteract PositivelyPay Attention to the Speaker
Within each of these skills comes the social
cues one MUST be able to detect and decipher!
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide21Why Are Social Cues Missed?
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Bianchini
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Slide224 Types of Social Skills Cues
Social cues are the signals that people send and receive through body language and expressionMany children struggle with picking up on social skillsWhen they miss social skills they can misunderstand people and situations
Facial ExpressionBody LanguageVoice, Pitch and TonePersonal Space / Physical Boundaries
M.
Bianchini
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Slide23Social Skill Cue #1: Facial Expression
HOW ARE THEY USED: We use our faces to express feelings (raise eyebrows when questioning, smile when happy, sulk when sad)WHY WE USE THEM: Facial expressions are the most obvious cues and hard to hide. It is also the most frustrating when someone misreads our feelingsEXAMPLE OF PROBLEMS WHEN MISSED: Teacher in hallway with another student
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide24Social Skill Cue #2: Body Language
HOW ARE THEY USED: Emotions can be so strong they affect how we hold our body (slump shoulders when tired, shrug when we are unsure, bounce when happy)WHY WE USE THEM: Involuntary or on purpose, important in communicating. It is also annoying when someone misreads the signs we are giving with our bodiesEXAMPLE OF PROBLEMS WHEN MISSED: One child wanting to play with another in a game that is already going on
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide25HOW ARE THEY USED: Certain moods call for high or low voices, fast or slow speech (important content – quick + urgent, question – raise last word or two)WHY WE USE THEM: Changes in voice can mean that we are changing the meaning of what is said, taken too literally / miss nuances, jokes can be misinterpreted when kids are being meanEXAMPLE OF PROBLEMS WHEN MISSED: Teams being picked and one child asks another to be on their team
Social Skill Cue #3: Voice, Pitch & Tone
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide26Social Skill Cue #4: Personal Space / Boundaries
HOW ARE THEY USED: When interested we move closer and step back to keep our distance if unsure of the situationWHY WE USE THEM: Standing too close or far can be awkward, communicate the wrong thing. Keeping an appropriate distance is especially difficult for those with executive functioning issuesEXAMPLE OF PROBLEMS WHEN MISSED: One child tries to hug a friend
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide278 Ways to Help Your ChildPick Up on Social Cues
Practice making eye contact Encourage attentionObserve your child’s expressionsNotice others’ body languageDiscuss what’s expected in different situationsPoint out pitch and tonePractice inflectionsRole-play common scenarios
* Please see handout for more detailed description
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Bianchini
, 2014
Slide28Beware of faulty assumptions!Can’t vs. Won’t
When a person has a social difficulty don’t assume it is lack of motivation or refusalIt is often a skill acquisition deficit ORA problem with generalization ORConfounding factors in the environment that prevent the person from using a skill they have at that time
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide298 Areas That Your Child May Struggle With If They Have Processing Issues
Visual ProcessingAuditory ProcessingNonverbal CommunicationSocial CompetencyDevelopmental DelaysAbstract ReasoningMotor SkillsSpatial Skills
* Please see handout for more detailed description
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Bianchini
, 2014
Slide30Other types of interventions we can attempt to utilize
Social & Coping Skill TherapySocial skills group lessonsSpecific skillsGeneral competenceParent trainingPeer trainingNaturalistic interventionsVisual (cues, scripts, social stories), Video modeling ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis)Other – Testing & Therapies to Address Processing Issues
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Bianchini
, 2014
Slide31A center dedicated to providing a variety of both traditional & innovative treatment programs for those having difficulties with: PROCESSING ISSUES…Sensory Integration, Gross Motor Planning & Coordination, Attention & Focus, Cognitive Skills, Fine & Visual Motor Coordination, Visual Perceptual Skills & Reading Development.Peak Performance Training is also available for those looking to increase athletic, academic, musical and work performance
Sensory Stepping Stones
Developmental Rehabilitation & Learning Center
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide32Sensory Stepping Stones
Therapeutic Programs
Sensory LearningSM ProgramThe Listening Program® Interactive Metronome® Cognitive Learning & Memory Programs NeuroFeedback / EduFeedback Reading Fluency & Development Timocco Program® Computer Aided Visual Training Programs Coherence Training Programs Peak Performance Programs
M.
Bianchini
, 2014
Slide33Slide34Questions?
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Bianchini
, 2014
Slide35Thank You!
Melissa Bianchini, LCSWExecutive Director – Sensory Stepping Stonesmbianchini@sensorysteppingstones.com(914) 244-4101www.sensorysteppingstones.com
M.
Bianchini
, 2014