Social Skills at Bright Beginnings Autism Services

At Bright Beginnings Autism services, our Instructor Therapists work in one-to-one and small group sessions to assist children in developing appropriate social skills. The Instructor Therapist’s role is to teach specific skills, as determined by the functional skills assessment, through direct instruction, role play, written tasks, homework assignments and directed discussion.

The assessment for the Social Skills Intervention program is completed by the Senior Therapist, Mary MacNaull. and consists of parent interview, parent and school questionnaires and direct work with the child. This assessment will form the basis by which the intervention plan is developed. A decision is made with the parents as to whether their child’s needs can be best met in one-to-one instruction, small group instruction by being paired with peers, or a combination of the two. Parents are active partners in the child’s intervention and their input will be included at all times during the assessment and intervention.

A maximum of five goals will be identified at any one time. Some goals may be achieved in a relatively short period of time while others may take considerably longer.

Some of these goals may include, but not be limited to:

• Increasing compliance and cooperation in structured teaching
• The development of social pragmatic skills
• The development of social and conversational reciprocity
• The development of self-awareness
• Cooperative play and peer-related skills
• The development of impulse control
• The development of empathy and perspective-taking skills
• The ability to cope with change and transitions
• The development of a healthy self-image and self-esteem
• The understanding and importance of rules and routines