Communication

Greetings are a key part of socializing with others. Practicing greetings and conversation basics ensures students are prepared for the frequency of these initial interactions, which are common in both school and community settings.

• Practice greetings using these scenarios cards (English | Español) from our SOLER curriculum. If students need support learning their peers’ names, teach this skill using discrete trial techniques found in STAR and Links.
• Teach students how to start and end conversations. Review questions and question words (e.g., who, where, how, is, when), and develop some comments that students can use in various social situations to start and end conversations (e.g., “See you later!”).

Friendship

Making friends is a complex and intimidating process for many of us! With an understanding of the definition and value of friendship, support from teachers and caregivers, and dedicated practice, students with autism can thrive in social relationships with peers.

• Use a social story, like this interactive friendship-themed story from Themes First! (English | Español | Video), to help students learn about friendships.
• To help students get to know their peers in class, use structured activities to focus on identifying and recognizing personal features of those around them. This activity—Find a Friend (English | Español)—is a fun way to practice!
• Recess is a fantastic time for students to socialize with their peers and create friendships! Some students benefit from accessing the fun and excitement of recess through a routine-based approach, allowing for predictable and practiced experiences while they engage in play.

Playtime

Play is often explored in social contexts. Playing with toys, using imagination, and taking turns during playtime are skills students can learn to prepare for making friends and enjoying social settings.

• To teach students how to play, consider using pivotal response training (PRT) tools and functional routine supports provided in our curricula to build skills that make socializing easier. Identify language and play goals along with the associated maintenance skills for each student, and use our fillable PRT Goals Form (English | Español) to monitor progress.
• Introduce imaginative play, share creative ideas, and allow students to explore together! Lessons in SOLER’s Friendship curricular area offer engaging ways to explore collaborative play, like this visual worksheet (English | Español ) showing creative options for pretending.
• Our NEW Routine Essentials materials include a wide range of visual supports to make teaching these skills easier! For example, you can guide turn-taking with this chart (English | Español): The fillable name and picture cards can be arranged on the chart so students practice going first and waiting for their turn.