When students have strong social skills, they are more likely to succeed in all areas of their lives. But let’s face it, teaching social skills to young children can be a challenge. However, with a little creativity and some fun strategies, it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
What are Social Skills?
So, what are social skills? Social skills are the skills that allow us to communicate effectively with others, form and maintain relationships, solve problems, and make responsible decisions. These skills include things like sharing, taking turns, listening, following directions, and expressing emotions in an appropriate way.
At the elementary school level, social skills are still developing, so it’s important to start with the basics. Here are some strategies that I have found to be effective when teaching social skills to elementary students:
See more: 8 Simple Strategies for Effective Classroom Communication
Role-playing
Role-playing is a fun and effective way to teach social skills. You can create scenarios where students practice social skills such as taking turns, greeting others, and expressing emotions.
Role-playing allows students to test out different social roles. Students can role-play being a mother, a shopkeeper, or even someone more confident than themselves. This means they can safely explore social interactions in a safe space.
Students will naturally do this while playing to develop their social skills. You can give them some specific scenarios and characters if you’d like them to explore new situations and develop new skills such as empathy, but it’s highly valuable to just let them go!
Examples of Using Role-Playing to Teach Social Skills
- “Introducing Yourself” – In this activity, students practice introducing themselves to a new friend or classmate. Students can practice using eye contact, smiling, and using friendly language. If you’d like, you can get them to pretend to be someone else and role-play how this other person might introduce themselves.
- “Apologizing” – In this activity, students practice apologizing when they have made a mistake or hurt someone’s feelings. Students can practice using phrases such as “I’m sorry” and “I didn’t mean to.” You can make up situations that students are likely to encounter, or throw in some fun and ridiculous situations. Remember, the key benefit of role-playing that it is a safe environment to test out different social strategies and situations.
- “Problem-Solving” – In this activity, students act out different social scenarios and practice problem-solving skills. For example, students may act out a scenario where two friends are arguing over a toy, and must come up with a solution that works for both of them.
Social Stories
Social stories are stories that teach social skills in a simple and easy-to-understand way. You can create your own social stories, but many are available online.
The benefit of social stories is that they can outline a situation and what social behaviour is expected in the situation. These are often situations that the students are likely to encounter.
This strategy is commonly used to support students with autism, but is beneficial for all students. Using social stories can be used to teach social skills in different contexts explicitly, or you can work with your students to build their own social stories.
Examples of using Social Stories to Teach Social Skills
- “Using Kind Words” – This story can teach students about using positive language and being respectful towards others. It can include examples of kind words, such as “please” and “thank you”, and the consequences of using negative language, such as hurting someone’s feelings.
- “Sharing with Friends” – This story can teach students about sharing and taking turns. It can include examples of sharing toys, games, and snacks, and the importance of patience while waiting for a turn.
- “Asking for Help” – This story can teach students the importance of asking for help when needed. It can include examples of asking a teacher or friend for help with a problem and the benefits of seeking assistance when feeling stuck.
Group Activities
Group activities are a great way to teach social skills because they require students to work together, take turns, and communicate effectively. You can have students work in pairs or small groups to complete tasks.
The best group activities NEED students to work together. Simply giving students a regular task and asking them to work together to complete it might not work as effectively, especially for younger students. You want to avoid situations where one student will be left with all the work if you can. This can be done through your design of the activity, or by explicitly teaching and monitoring roles within the team.
It’s important to consider who is in each group when doing group work. You can get students to choose their own groups, but this limits potential obstacles they can overcome; if they choose their friends every time, they may struggle to work with those they don’t already have a strong relationship with.
Examples of using Group Activities to Teach Social Skills
- “Team-Building Challenge” – In this activity, students are divided into small groups and given a problem to solve, such as building a tower out of straws and tape. Students must work together and communicate effectively to complete the challenge.
- “Getting to Know You” – In this activity, students take turns sharing a fun fact about themselves, such as a hobby or favourite food. This activity helps students learn more about each other and build positive relationships.
- “Collaborative Art Project” – In this activity, students work together to create a piece of artwork, such as a mural or collage. Students must communicate and collaborate to complete the project, which promotes teamwork and creativity.
Using Visuals
Visuals can be a powerful tool when teaching social skills to elementary students. You can use pictures or videos to show students examples of appropriate social behaviour. Visuals can help students understand the concepts better and be a fun and engaging way to teach.
Visuals are also a great reminder of social skills. One key aspect of learning social skills is practising and using them in their everyday lives. Good visuals in your classroom will support your students to remember what strategies they can use in their everyday social interactions.
Examples of using Visuals to Teach Social Skills
- Make social stories you have used with your students available for them to refer to. This can be the text itself or a visual representation.
- Create a classroom “social skills” chart that lists the social skills you are working on, and track progress over time.
- Use picture cards to teach students different emotions and appropriate ways to express them.
Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is an important part of teaching social skills. When students exhibit appropriate social behaviour, it’s essential to recognise and praise them. This can be as simple as saying “great job!” or giving them a high five.
Positive reinforcement helps to reinforce the desired behaviour and encourages students to continue practising their social skills.
Examples of using Reinforcement to Teach Social Skills
- Social Skill Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt that incorporates social skills. Hide cards with social skills like “saying please and thank you” or “listening to others” around the classroom or school. Students have to find the cards and discuss how they would use that skill in a social setting. Provide a prize or reward for completing the scavenger hunt, such as a certificate or small treat.
- Positive Notes Home: When you observe a student demonstrating a social skill, send a positive note home to their parents or caregivers. This reinforces the importance of using social skills outside of the classroom and helps build a positive relationship between home and school. This can also motivate students to continue using social skills as they will receive recognition and praise from their family members.
- Social Skill Stars: Create a chart or bulletin board in the classroom that tracks students’ progress with their social skills. Each time a student demonstrates a social skill, they earn a star or sticker on the chart. When they reach a certain number of stars, they earn a reward such as extra recess or choosing a special activity for the class to do. This type of reinforcement helps students see their progress and encourages them to continue using social skills in the classroom and beyond.
Model Positive Social Behavior
One of the most effective ways to teach social skills to elementary students is by modelling positive social behaviour yourself. Teachers should strive to demonstrate the behaviour they want their students to emulate. When teachers model positive social behaviour, they can help their students learn how to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and work collaboratively.
See more: Why Teachers Need to Admit When They’re Wrong
Examples of Modeling Positive Social Behaviour to Teach Social Skills
- Greet students with a smile and a friendly hello every day.
- Use kind words and point out positive traits in others.
- Think aloud – explain what you’re thinking and feeling, and why you’re acting in the way that you are.
- Apologize when you make a mistake or hurt someone’s feelings.
Use Games and Activities
Games and activities can be a fun and engaging way to teach social skills to elementary students. By incorporating games and activities into their lessons, teachers can help students learn how to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and solve problems.
Games are also fun! Students will want to play games, and so it’s a perfect opportunity to learn new social skills. Games can also be used to practice social skills that they have been explicitly taught in class.
Examples of using Games and Activities to Teach Social Skills
- Play “Simon Says” or “Duck, Duck, Goose” to teach following directions and turn-taking.
- Any board games can be used to teach social skills. These are particularly useful for practicing how to behave when you win or lose, and empathising with others in each situation.
- Free play can also be a fantastic strategy, especially if you have a specific social skill that the students need to think about. When the free play has finished, students can report on when they have used the skill, as well as when they saw it in others.
Incorporate Social Skills into Academic Lessons
Another effective strategy for teaching social skills to elementary students is to incorporate social skills into academic lessons. By doing so, teachers can help students see the real-world applications of social skills and understand how they are relevant to their lives. This can also help students develop a deeper understanding of academic content by engaging with it in a social context.
Examples of Incorporating Social Skills into Academic Lessons
- Use math problems to teach students about sharing equally and dividing resources.
- Use literature to teach empathy and understanding of different perspectives.
- Giving peer-feedback to teach empathy and kindness.
Create a Positive Classroom Culture
Creating a positive classroom culture is essential for teaching social skills to elementary students. When students feel safe, respected, and valued in their classroom environment, they are more likely to develop positive social skills. Teachers can create a positive classroom culture by fostering a sense of community, providing opportunities for student voice and choice, and setting clear expectations for behaviour.
Examples of Creating a Positive Classroom Culture to Teach Social Skills
- Create a classroom charter that outlines positive behaviors and expectations. This also serves to model what skills and behaviours are expected in the real world. It is also a good idea to build this charter with a focus on empathy and making sure that you and others feel safe.
- Celebrate differences by incorporating diverse perspectives and experiences into classroom lessons.
- Encourage students to share positive affirmations with each other and create a culture of kindness and respect.
Teaching social skills to young students is a vital part of their development. With a little creativity and some fun strategies, it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for teachers and students. Remember to keep it fun, engaging, and positive; you’ll be amazed at how much progress your students can make in their social skills.
