Socially Savvy ― An Assessment and Curriculum Guide for Young Children

No child should be left to flounder in a confusing world of social nuances and expectations. Social competencies pave the way for a child to have fun at birthday parties, resolve conflicts with friends, feel heard, and stand up for oneself.This manual: introduces the Socially Savvy Checklist and how to effectively integrate it; describes the 7 areas of social development in detail; provides skill-specific samples IEP objectives; offers detailed step-by-step teaching plans; includes 50 specific games and activities for teaching targeted social skills; offers specific ideas on progress assessment and data collection; and shares 2 case studies to illustrate the process from initial assessment to intervention and data collection.The Appendices offer Lesson Plans for some of the targeted social skills, Visual Supports for activities and intervention strategies, and Social Stories for discussions of targeted social skills.Socially Savvy is designed for all parties—from the educator to the parent—working with children in planned and naturally occurring opportunities to help develop these essential social skills. This manual serves as a resource to make both learning and teaching social skills a fun, rewarding experience.

James T. Ellis, PhD, BCBA-D earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University and is a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst. For over 20 years, Dr. Ellis has provided services for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families. In 2008, he helped found the Step by Step School for Children with Autism in Guyana, South America and in 2012, he founded Step by Step Behavioral Solutions, through which he continues to provide consultation and therapeutic support to individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families.Christine Almeida, MSEd, EdS, BCBA earned her MSEd in Special Education and EdS in Behavioral Education from Simmons College in Boston, MA. Ms. Almeida is a practicing board certified behavior analyst in the Boston area who has worked in both private and public schools. She currently provides oversight of services for young children with autism spectrum disorders for a public school. Ms. Almeida has presented workshops at the local, regional, and national levels on the subjects of educational assessment, play intervention, and social skills.