Overview of the student
 This social skills unit was conducted in a first grade self contained class.  There are eight children, one teacher, and one assistant in this classroom. I chose to focus my attention on a boy named Jeremy.  Jeremy is a six year old boy who has been diagnosed with emotional disabilities, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Jeremy receives speech therapy and counseling two times per week. He requires redirection to remain engaged as well as encouragement due to short attention span and low frustration tolerance.
 Jeremy is an affectionate and talkative child with familiar adults. He is able to initiate and maintain conversations with adults regarding topics he has brought up as well as those the adult has initiated. He will take turns with an adult as well as share toys, materials, and food. However, Jeremy has never been observed to do the same with peers. He does not seem to enjoy the company of a peer the way he does with an adult. He does not have any friends in the classroom.. He can be very rude to peers. At times he does not tolerate having peers in the same area he is in. He is impossible during cooperative learning groups. He often refuses to participate and will take a book to another area of the classroom. The other students try to initiate conversations or include him in free time activities but he will tell them to leave him alone. He will threaten them if they do not leave him alone immediately.

Overview of Approach/Unit
 The focus of the unit is to help Jeremy develop and improve age appropriate conversation and interaction skills.  Jeremy’s unwillingness to interact with his peers has hindered his ability to become a productive member of the classroom and develop peer relationships. The first lesson will involve me working with Jeremy one on one to discuss with him the importance of building relationships with his peers.  Once it is determined that Jeremy has learned and understands the importance of building these relationships, I will then have him begin to work with his classmates in small and large groups.  I will start off by monitoring and prompting Jeremy.  When I see that he is ready, I will fade my prompts.  I also plan to reinforce responses demonstrated with the lowest level of prompting.  Eventually, I will only reinforce correct, unprompted behaviors.
 I hope that these lessons will assist Jeremy to develop and improve positive peer relationships.  The goal is to help Jeremy to make friends with his classmates and in turn improve the dynamic of the classroom.  I believe as Jeremy increases his ability to share with peers, partake in activities, and engage in appropriate interactions his self esteem will improve as well. He may begin to feel more comfortable in the classroom and as a result his academics may improve.
 

Findings of the evaluation
 It took Jeremy quite a while to come around. He was quite resistant in the beginning and really required a lot of encouragement and reinforcement to see the smallest amount of progress. It took a lot of conversations and discussions to get him to even begin to try to interact with his peers. He did not seem to care about making friends. Eventually he realized what was expected of him and he tried to increase his tolerance of his peers and his interactions with them. By the end of the unit he was more willing to engage in group activities and would initiate conversations with a few of his classmates. He is now able to tolerate other children at the same table with him. He is also able to appropriately share materials and greet peers. His interactions have increased and he will occasionally eat lunch with one or two classmates. He does not engage in lengthy conversations with them but he will comment if he feels he has something to say. He is still working on cooperative learning situations. He requires some prompting to maintain appropriate interactions.  This unit is being continued with Jeremy and he continues to make progress everyday.
 

Lesson Plans: Skill: To improve appropriate interaction skills with peers.

Lesson Plan 1
Goal:  To have Jeremy tolerate a peer sitting at the same table doing separate activities.
Materials: Worksheet or activity for Jeremy, classmate, classmate’s activity, and potent rewards.
Procedures:
1. Begin session by having Jeremy join me at a table where another student is already working.
2. Explain to Jeremy that we are going to use this table to do our work and that he does not need to worry about the child who is already sitting there.
3. Explain to Jeremy that He will receive the desired reinforcer if he is able to appropriately tolerate sitting near the other child.
4. Show him that sitting at the same table with a peer while engaged in separate activities does not directly affect him.
5. Point out that other children are at the same table and are able to get their work done and not bother each other.
6. Talk to him about the ways that he has reacted to other students when they have tried to share a work space.
7. Role play ways to deal with the situation if it were to occur when he was not with an adult.

Evaluation Criteria: He has to have 3 out of the 4 for success.
1. Jeremy will show awareness of the other child with out comments.
2. Jeremy will look at the student with out making faces or comments under his breath.
3. Jeremy will not yell at or threaten the child during the 30 min. session.
4. Jeremy will complete assigned activity.
 

Lesson Plan 2
Goal: To have Jeremy share materials with peers.
Materials:  Art project, one set of crayons, one scissor, one glue stick, two other children, a timer, and potent rewards.
Procedures:
1. Explain to Jeremy specifically that he will have to share the materials with the students at his table.
2. Role play with him appropriate ways to ask for materials and responses to his peers when they ask for material.
3. Let him know that if he shares material he will receive a reward.
4. Put the items in the middle of the table.
5. Explain the art project directions and that the students at the same table will have to share materials.
6. Give them time to decide which material they will use first.
7. Tell them they will have five minutes to use the material they chose and then they will have to trade.
8. Set the timer for five minutes. When the timer goes off help them trade materials and model appropriate responses.
9. Reset the timer and explain that when the buzzer goes off they are to trade materials. Repeat the amount of times that is necessary.
10. Observe the children’s actions and offer verbal praise and rewards for good behavior to all children.
11. Discuss with Jeremy if he felt that he was able to share appropriately. Give him feed back if needed.
Evaluation Criteria: has to have 3 out of the 4 for success
1. The child was able to trade appropriately.
2. The child did not display any unusual behaviors during the exchange.
3. The child cooperated verbally and visually
4. The child did not show any aggressive behavior.
 

Lesson Plan 3
Goal:  Jeremy will respond to classmates’ greetings appropriately.
Materials: Classmates and a game of Jeremy’s choosing.
Procedures:
1. Explain to the class that you would like them to say “hi” to Jeremy when they come into the classroom.
2. Sit with Jeremy at a table engage in some sort of leisure time activity.
3. Explain to him that he is to respond to his classmates greetings in an appropriate manner.
4. Discuss possible scenarios and their responses.
5. Role play scenarios and responses.
6. Give him large amounts of positive reinforcement if he responds appropriately.
7. Suggest he greet a peer.
8. Role play Jeremy greeting a peer.
9. Give him large amounts of positive reinforcement if he greets appropriately

Evaluation Criteria: has to have 3 out of the 4 for success
1. Stays calm when students begin to greet him.
2. Responds with out yelling or threatening.
3. Uses the responses that were role played.
4. Greets a peer appropriately.
 

Lesson Plan 4
Goal: To initiate with a peer.
Materials:  Jeremy, unfamiliar adult, and classmates.
Procedure:
1. Discuss initiating a conversation.
2. Discuss the need for eye contact and body space.
3. Come up with and practice different ways to initiate a conversation.
4. Practice initiating a conversation with an unfamiliar adult.
5. Evaluate successes and failures.
6. Demonstrate initiating a conversation with a classmate.
7. Heave Jeremy tell the steps to the initiation.
8. Have Jeremy initiate with a peer about a predetermined topic.
9. Have Jeremy self evaluate his performance. Give feedback if he is unable to self evaluate.
10. Repeat with other classmates.
Evaluation Criteria: Has to have 4 out of 4 for success.
1. Uses appropriate eye contact and body space.
2. Uses appropriate language when initiating conversation.
3. Does not get angry or threatening.
4. Self evaluates or takes suggestions and makes changes in subsequent interactions.
 

Lesson Plan 5
Goal: To participate appropriately in a cooperative learning group.
Materials: Activity materials, three classmates, workspace.
Procedures:
1. Explain that Jeremy will participate in a group activity.
2. Discuss what that means to him.
3. Discuss what participating in a group entails.
4. Talk about appropriate interactions.
5. Discuss the importance of listening to the other members of the group.
6. Talk about pulling your weight.
Evaluation Criteria: has to have 4 out the 4 for success
1. To successfully interact regarding the assignment.
2. To complete the assignment.
3. To work cooperatively and interact appropriately.
4. To listen to peers and control anger towards them.

Thanks Lauren!