Social Skills Instruction

Visuals for social skills are used to teach, prompt, and redirect as needed. This evidence-based practice is very versatile and effective for prosocial and reactive behaviors. Social skills and behavior visuals must first be taught and practiced in isolation independent of the situation. Once the student understands the skill connected to the visual, then the visuals are ready to be utilized in context as needed. Some examples of social skill visuals include first-then boards, social narratives, visual schedules, token systems, checklists and choice boards.  

Check out these examples of social skill visuals in the LessonPix Sharing Center:

1. Social Narratives: This story teaching the skill, Greeting My Friends. Social narratives are small stories that focus on one specific skills. The story may include description of behavior, positive result of behavior, context, examples, and/or nonexamples.   

2. First Then Board: This simple and effective visual shows the first behavior (usually nonpreferred activity )followed by the next behavior or reward (usually a preferred activity). First then boards are far more effective than verbally stating the first and then, because it is more of a contract written down. First clean your room and then you can watch tv!

3. Checklists or Steps: This visual shows an example of steps of what to do when you have a problem that makes you upset. 

Here is a visual with a list of good manners when eating. 

4. When I Am: This visual shows a behavior or feeling followed by choices or steps to help. 

5. Contingency Maps: These visuals show a behavior or situation, two choices that can be made, and the result of the choice. This visual from the Sharing Center shows what could happen you go to the cafeteria. 

6. Scales and Ratings: This visual illustrates a continuum to show the level or severity of specific behaviors or skills. This first one shows a scale of "the size of the problem".  

Here is another scales and rating template for social skills to show voice volume. This is a free sample! 

7. Task Cards: These cards ask a question about a situation: "What would you do if..." These cards promote conversation and role play about scenarios to consider. When the situation arises, the student will have some background experience to help them handle it appropriately.  

For more examples of Social Skills Visuals and activities, check out LessonPix Sharing Center under Autism Support and Behavior.