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Samira Mustafayeva,
Autism Advocacy Public Union,
Baku, Azerbaijan
e-mail: mustafayevasamire27101987@gmail.com
ORCID: 000-0012-3143-3172
Keywords: social skills, social learning, direct instruction, learning theories, social performance, autism, early school age
Abstract. In the early 20th century, efforts to teach social skills to children with developmental delays compared to their peers began to emerge. As a result, various theoretical approaches were developed, playing a crucial role in supporting the social development of these children. Teaching social skills to children with autism during the early school years is essential for their integration into society. Alongside academic instruction, incorporating the teaching of social skills into the educational process is critical to enable these children to live independently and function within social norms. This article explores the teaching of social skills based on various theoretical perspectives, thereby providing a conceptual framework that facilitates the effective acquisition of such skills.
Introduction
The famous American psychologist S. Sullivan mentions in his “Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry” that a person is part of a relationship system, and these relationships influence the development of their personality. He also states that it is through relationships that a person becomes ill, and likewise, a system of relationships is needed for their recovery. From this perspective, the social environment and system of relationships are crucial both for children and adults. Differences among individuals in society are natural. There can be variations in physical and intellectual abilities among people. Sometimes these differences label individuals and lead to their rejection by others.
Main part. For people born with or who later acquire certain disabilities to be accepted by society, proper awareness-raising must start in early childhood. Therefore, the role of both preschool institutions and schools is invaluable in this process. Among children with various disabilities educated in inclusive classrooms, this paper specifically focuses on the development of social skills in children with autism. It is known that one of the main goals of education is to raise students as citizens, prepare them for society, and help them become independent. Independent living skills are categorized in different ways. We will mainly consider Dever’s classification. He outlines the following skill groups: personal hygiene, personal development, household skills, social life, leisure management, and travel skills. Personal hygiene and development include self-care skills and the ability to establish relationships with peers and family. If we aim to teach these skills, it is crucial to consider the age of the child with autism. It may not be entirely effective for parents to teach these skills alone. Therefore, it is advisable to enroll children aged 3–6 in preschool institutions. In this case, the pedagogical team can integrate them with their peers and influence them using structured methods.
At this stage, the educator may focus on skills like eating independently, initiating peer interactions, and waiting. In early primary school, the teacher can add skills such as tidiness (regarding clothes and school supplies) and waiting one’s turn. Under the home and social life category, the key preschool skills are sharing and following rules; in the early school years, these are expanded to include following game rules and etiquette norms. In the vocational skills group, children in preschool should learn about different professions and play role games. By primary school, they should follow rules associated with those roles and express their thoughts. For managing leisure time, preschool children should learn to play independently and sustain activities. In early school years, they should learn to participate in competitions, deal with losing, and celebrate winning. For travel skills, teachers should aim to teach group walking, staying close to the teacher, and later, navigating larger group outings and following public space etiquette. When teaching all these skills, the teacher must consider the child’s overall development, including speech, cognitive development, and academic skills.
As we know, even though children with autism may receive education, they ofte remain dependent on others and fail to integrate into society. Therefore, educational programs for these children should not focus solely on academic skills but prioritize the teaching of social skills. This will enable them to integrate into society and live in harmony with their peers. They will be able to apply what they learn, thus gaining independence and coexisting with society.
Previously, textbooks were mainly designed to teach academic skills. Fortunately, textbooks now include various projects, texts, and illustrations to foster empathy. Since projects encourage active engagement, teachers assign general tasks to students, promoting collaboration. This is especially important for both children with disabilities and their typically developing peers. Through this, children learn to accept peers with different abilities, develop empathy, learn to help and share, and grow into compassionate, socially responsible individuals.
If classes are not structured this way, children with various disabilities who acquire academic skills may still graduate without being able to integrate into society, and their education may not benefit them. We should not group children solely based on their disabilities. For instance, two children with autism in the same class may exhibit very different behaviors. One might be introverted, have behavioral issues, dislike being touched, and so on. These differences must be taken into account by educators.
There are several concepts involved in teaching social skills. One is social impression — how a child is perceived by others (e.g., joyful, polite, independent, self-confident, aggressive, etc.). In other words, it’s the effect a person has on others. Social skills comprise three subtypes: interpersonal behaviors, self-related behaviors, and task-related behaviors. Interpersonal behaviors include communication, play, and cooperation. Self-related behaviors include expressing emotions, following etiquette, and developing positive self-perception. Task-related behaviors include being responsible for a given task, listening to and following instructions. Social skills are learned behaviors that help a child achieve positive social outcomes in their environment. To apply any social skill, several social behaviors must be demonstrated. These are known as social behaviors.
For example, greeting others is a social skill that involves various social behaviors — making eye contact, smiling, and shaking hands are all sub-behaviors that form the greeting skill. According to Asher and Hymel, if a child is accepted by their peers, they likely possess social skills. If not, they likely lack them. Deficits in social skills appear in two main forms: some students cannot learn the skills, while others fail to apply them when needed. Gresham classified social skill deficits into four groups:
- Skill deficits – When the child has never acquired a particular skill. For example, if the child cannot play with peers, it means the behavior was never present.
- Performance deficits – The child has the skill but doesn’t use it in all settings. For example, they may express needs at home but not at school.
- Self-control deficits – The child cannot learn skills due to emotional outbursts. Aggression or frequent laughing episodes, common in autism, hinder learning and cause peer rejection.
- Demonstration difficulties – Similar to self-control issues but different. In this case, the child has learned a behavior (e.g., asking for help) but cannot demonstrate it due to an emotional surge.
Once the type of deficit is identified, the teacher can create an effective program. For instance, if it is a skill deficit, modeling and repetition might help. For self-control issues, children can be taught emotional regulation and relaxation techniques. It is essential to assess each child to determine which social skill they lack. There are two main ways to evaluate social skills: formal and informal methods. Formal methods include standardized tests and sociometric tools. Informal methods include observation and interviews. Observing behavior involves watching the child in natural environments or creating similar situations. This helps compile a list of essential skills whose absence might complicate daily life. This is often used when direct observation is not feasible, as it is time-consuming and sometimes impractical. Data obtained from assessment help teachers choose the best approach and prioritize key behaviors. As known, children with autism often lag in attention, memory, discrimination and generalization skills. Designing a program is not enough; it must be effective and yield results. If one reason for social skill deficiency is related to cognitive processes of the child.
Conclusion
Teaching social skills to children with autism requires special effort. One of the key characteristics of children with autism is their underdeveloped social abilities and limited communication skills. Therefore, the inclusion of social skills training in their educational programs is of particular importance. With the help of well-designed individualized programs and pedagogical expertise, it is possible to effectively teach social skills to children with autism.
Topicality of the Problem: Explaining the teaching of social skills to children with autism through various methods during the educational process holds significant importance.
Novelty of the Problem: This article highlights the use of both traditional and modern methods in the development of social skills in children with autism during the learning process.
Practical Significance: The article is highly valuable for psychologists, educators, and special education professionals (defectologists) working with children with autism. It includes practical information, making it easier for professionals to apply its findings in practice.
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