Walker (1983) defines social skills as “a set of competencies that a) allow an individual to initiate and maintain positive social relationships, b) contribute to peer acceptance and to a satisfactory school adjustment, and c) allow an individual to cope effectively with the larger social environment” (p. 27). Alex has particular difficulty within the context of social and emotional learning. He has trouble managing and recognizing emotion in the school setting. Both his teacher and his parents are concerned about his ability or lack to socialize effectively in the school environment. Applied Behaviour Analysis has been suggested as a possible solution.
Alex has difficulty having relationships with fellow students. Has trouble connecting; he enjoys parallel play but not interacting with other students. He can be in the same place at the same time, yet experience isolation in a crowd. Alex’s parents are concerned that ABA may not be effective because Alex is too high functioning with his giftedness. Through our research, we have found ABA could be a viable solution with supports added. If the Ziggurat Model is used to define Alex’s specific academic and social needs, then an ABA program could be effectively administered to meet his needs well and carry into a secondary setting.
The Ziggurat Model is a specific program for high functioning children with Asperger’s. It’s designed to address needs and underlying deficits for children with ASD that result in social, emotional, and behavioural concerns. The categories studied include sensory differences, reinforcement, structure, task demands, and skills to teach. There are incorporated assessment tools that help to identify the deficits and strengths of an individual on the spectrum and also help to develop more thorough and effective interventions. Once behaviours are known, interventions can be developed to target the challenges while building on strengths and established skills. The model provides a great diagnosis tool for what behaviours need to be targeted to encourage a healthier social development for Alex and his environment.
Along with after school support from the Geneva Center group that Alex attends, the teacher, parents and school can develop and implement an ABA program that encompasses participation of the class and school environment in effective social skills use. The aim would be to prevent problem behaviour and encourage desired behaviours through a token economy and self management intervention. Not only does this fit in with ABA, but it also adds to the UDL of the classroom.
A good beginning for establishing an ABA program for Alex would include the Help Us Learn program developed by Kathy Lear (www.helpuslearn.com). It’s a self paced program that provides ABA support for both home and school. There are ideas and examples used to provide a solid understanding of ABA style teaching for Alex’s teacher that would help set up and managing the program. After learning the base of ABA, Alex’s teacher and parents would be able to tweak the program to accommodate his higher functioning and giftedness. The program will still be ABA based and provide social skills training so Alex will be able to interact appropriately in his natural social context, but it will also accommodate his teen years and his transition to secondary school when used in conjunction with the Red and Green Choices program.
The token economy and self-management program can effectively be continued at home. A social skills point system will focus on the development of the skills and can be rewarded through a token economy. A good example of a social skills program that is developed for classes with children with ASD is the Red and Green Choices program. The program Red and Green Choices models effective social skills in the classroom and at home through praise, positive reinforcement and correction through redirection and eventual extinguishing of inappropriate behaviours (http://www.redandgreenchoices.com/about.htm). The teacher will provide lesson plans and guidance for both individual and group activities to the whole class. Most lessons involve modeling successful social skills through activities, games, and role-play, with teachers and peers providing the necessary feedback that allow the students to rehearse interactions. Through making this a group activity, Alex would not feel singled out and the class can gain an increased sensitivity for Alex and for their social interactions with each other. Activities like this will contribute to overall UDL of the classroom.
A good example would include working on Alex’s patience with his fellow peers while he explains an academic concept. To Alex, a concept may be evident due to his giftedness. He has no patience for a lack of understanding and does not understand when fellow students do not want to interact. The teacher could provide role play examples with students and a lesson plan that shows alternative outcomes. The teacher could also provide the point system and award students points according to reactions in situations. Alex is curious enough to wonder about who gets what and why. The learning opportunities with this system will be varied which is what Alex needs in order to work on and master social skills needed for successful interactions.
Alex and his classmates will learn effective interactions with specific attention to the steps involved at the beginning, middle and end of an interaction. For example, they can all discuss the process of a conversation, showing how effective listening makes such interaction possible. This technique will help Alex through ABA and will not underestimate him as a high functioning individual with Asperger’s. The support for his social development will come through positive behaviour interventions, extinction of negative behaviours, and through modelling while including the class environment. He won’t feel singled out or underestimated. The class will be the focus, not Alex; group over individual.
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