Play & Social Skills Group

Play is supposedly fun! I don't think it's always the case in my room. I guess that's why it took a while for me to understand why these are critical skills for my kids and how to approach this critical skill while naturally embedding it into the daily routines. 

There are many components I have considered when planning a social skills group (playgroup for a younger learner). 

1. Participants
2:1 or 3:1 is preferred.  

2. Assessment & Set goals
I usually use ABLLS-R, VB-MAPP, or Socially Savvy to assess kids' social skills. Each tool has pros and cons- Socially Savvy provides a list of activities/interventions based on the skill domains you want to focus on. 

3. My toolbox: Toys/games/activities

4. Getting everyone on board: parents, peers, other teachers
Once communicating with teachers and school admin, I send out a permission slip to all parents. Some parents are very sensitive about their child being pulled out at any time of the day. 

5. Scheduling
Normally once and twice a week with the same group of kids. I try to keep the same group for 2 weeks and switch students and games/activities. Each 20-30 minutes the most. 

6. Data collection
Depending on the goals/skills you are targeting, data collection is critical to modify programming and evaluate the quality of the group.