Social Skills for Everyone

About the Book

Social skills are critical to successful functions in life. These skills enable us to know how to make choices and behave in various situations. The extent to which children and adolescents possess good social skills can influence the academic performance, social behavior, and family relationship and involvement in extracurricular activities. Social skills are linked to school environment and school safety. Parent and family involvement have the most direct and lasting impacts in children’s learning and development of social skills competence. When parents are involved, students achieve more, exhibit more positive attitudes and behavior, and feel more comfortable in new settings. The impact of parent-child interaction on school readiness and social skills development for low-income African American children is critical. Low-income and African American children are at increased risk for school readiness deficits in terms of both cognitive and social development. Characterized as a structured and responsive child’s need, emotions were positively related to school readiness, social skills, and receptive communication skills development.

About the Author

Being an instructor for twenty one years, I‘ve learned that social interaction with students is a component truly needed for success in their educational process. Urban students are faced with low standardized test scores common where underfunded schools often have increased dropout rates. This affects their social behavior which is not always favorable. One question that always seems to come up when discussing social skills is its meaning. There are important social abilities needed to get along with others to maintain satisfactory relationships. My first response, “it’s a parent’s responsibility to teach a child social skills”. I believe parents are the first responders in teaching their children how to get along with other kids and handle conflict resolution in a civil manner. So that is why home training will never die. Nowadays children interact using social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and texting; instead of eye contact we have virtual social interactions with peers. Teachers are an integral part for observing firsthand how a child handles making friends and getting along socially. When children struggle with friendship issues, it can quickly be addressed in a school setting. This book gives participants scenarios to role play and strategies to implement through interactive activities. Rehearsing responses to questions helps students learn how to handle encounters within a social context. Being in a group setting participants can see, think, and do, by interacting with peers in a positive way. Well, are parents doing a good job teaching their children or are they distracted too? In the year of 1976, there were not many cell phones or laptops around as distractions. The question becomes to what degree technology has impacted the next generation to have face to face conversations and relationships Social Skills play important roles in many things we do in everyday life. Parents and teachers must help our children to navigate learning these skills. No, it won’t happen overnight but it is important to lay the foundation of socializing by teaching the skills at home, school, and other programs to support this effort. Social Skills for Everyone offers a curriculum designed to meet such needs in our society.