Express Yourself

Social skills are essential for success in the school, not just for the social aspect of making and keeping friends. In order to learn and grasp the concepts and lessons presented in the classroom, a student has be able to:

- share space with other students
- adapt effectively to others around
- understand class and school rules (explicit and hidden)
- participate as a member of a group (the class)
- and listen and communicate within a group
 
These are basic expectations that are taught in preschool and established by kindergarten. For our children with high-functioning autism, asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, sensory processing disorder, and attention deficit disorder, these abilities do not come easily or naturally. They have a hard time understanding the perspective of others, using social information, and adapting their behavior in a group. These difficulties may not affect academic learning in the early school years, but are likely to impact academic performance in later grades as our children are required to read and write about abstract stories and ideas, as well as think critically and problem solve.

Child & Family Development can help! We offer social skills groups that focus on addressing core social deficits, increasing social awareness of being part of a group, and improving the ability to "see" the perspective of others.

I am starting a group for students 9-11+ years of age, beginning in October 2010. Please contact me for more information! ebyrd@childandfamilydevelopment.com or (704) 541-9080 ext 213.