Essay On Social Skills

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According to Mathur and Rutherford (1996), social skills are defined as socially acceptable patterns of behavior that allow students to gain social reinforcement and acceptance and avoid aversive social situations. They state that adequate social development is the foundation of personal and social adjustment in life. They also provide evidence that deficits in social skills are linked to poor social adjustments, mental health problems, delinquency, and low-self esteem. Poor social skills are believed to be related to the following factors: 1-limited opportunities to learn; 2-negative academic and social self-concept; and 3-social isolation. Most importantly social skills are specific, identifiable, discrete, learned behaviors that will result Training in social skills has multiple components to guarantee its success and positive outcomes. These components include: Direct Another example of group projects is giving thanks during the month of November and the goal is teach the skill of saying “Thank you” or “ Thanks” when someone does something nice for them. Some other examples of group projects are to reflect on the things for which we are thankful and the goal here is to allow students to reflect on the positive things in their lives. Holiday gifts are another great example for group projects and through this students are to reflect on their strengths. New year’s resolution is another group project for students to set and attain goals for the month. Start each day with a smile is a group project that stresses the importance of a smile and the positive impact a smile can have on the student himself and on those around him. Conflict Resolution is essential to any effective curriculum for students with special needs. Conflict resolution teaches negotiation skills and higher-level thinking. Conflict resolution has proven to be more effective than other methods like suspension and

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