Social Skills Training Program for Children
For children ages 4-12 years who have social difficulties.
This program is for children ages 4-12 years, who have social difficulties, such as making interacting appropriately with others and making friends. Children functioning at or approaching age level in the areas of cognition and language, with diagnosis that may include high-funtioning autism, Aspergers syndrome, attention deficit disorder, or learning disabilities are good candidates for this program.
Children who participate in this program show improvements in their interactions with others as their social skills develop, and are generalized to home and school. New friendships are often formed, self esteem, strengthened.
The curriculum covers many topics such as; conversation skills, body language, organized play, teasing, dealing with strangers, social problem solving, party games, frustration tolerance, conflict resolution, anger management, social greetings, telephone skills, mealtime etiquette, expressing opinions, self-esteem, creative thinking, helping others, reading social situations, and more.
Detailed lessons, as well as naturally occurring situations provide many teaching opportunities. Each class is divided into three periods. The first period is an interactive play time with age-appropriate activities to facilitate social interactions. The second period consists of the lesson of the day, during which time the children learn and rehearse appropriate language and behaviors for a variety of situations, through role playing, stories, and games. The third period is for gross-motor interactive play.
Parents meet with their child's group leader each week to discuss the lesson of the day and methods they can use at home, to practice, expand upon and generalize the skills learned in class. Parents are provided with a weekly newsletter containing detailed information about the day’s lesson. Parents are free to leave the building while their child is in the program, but must return to meet with their child’s group leader for the last 15 minutes of class.
Group leaders have a Masters level education or higher, in a relevant discipline such as social work, psychology, or education. Each group has a minimum of two adult assistants. Most groups also have volunteers (high school seniors and juniors) who bring a playful energy to the group.
There are ten classes per session. Each class is an hour and a half, with approximately ten children in each group. New sessions begin each fall, spring and summer.
For more information about this program including cost, dates, times, registration, and obtaining forms, contact Willis Mawyer, Social Skills Program coordinator, BS, NCSP, at (516) 921-7171, Ext. 2106 or via email, wmawyer@vclc.org. Social Skills Program Fax: (516) 496-4958
TO REGISTER AND PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM;
Send the following 4 items to Willis Mawyer, VCLC, 47 Humphrey Drive, Syosset, NY 11791.
1. Registration form
2. Information sheet
3. VCLC medical form completed by your child’s doctor
4. Payment: check (payable to VCLC) or credit card information.
The fee for this program may be covered in full or partially, (or not at all) by your individual insurance plan. VCLC provides the paperwork required to submit the cost of this program to your insurance company.
Currently, the Jericho School District contracts with VCLC to provide Social Skills Training groups as part of their district after-school program for children grades three to five.
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