Promoting Social Success: A Curriculum for Children with Special Needs

"Students have become more aware of others' feelings."

"She has begun to socialize much more and initiate contact with her peers."

"One student was being teased by others... He was able to come up with different strategies for dealing with it."

These are the voices of real-life elementary school teachers who have used this research-based curriculum to reach a crucial goal: improving the social skills of students with mild to moderate disabilities and their peers. Field-tested with 400 elementary school students, this curriculum focuses on developing the cognitive skills behind appropriate social behavior rather than teaching children a set of specific behaviors to enact. Along with a thorough overview, teachers will get 66 activity-based lessons on social skills, organized around topics that build on each other. Students will learn to

• assess their own emotional states and develop new coping mechanisms



• identify and interpret social cues and other interpersonal dynamics



• set appropriate social goals, generate problem-solving strategies, and think about the consequences of their actions



• consider characteristics of good friendships and explore ways to improve their relationships

Each 30– to 45–minute lesson provides a list of materials, descriptions of the activities, variations for more advanced and less advanced students, and suggestions for reinforcing the skills throughout the school day. To help them implement the lessons effectively, teachers will also find student handouts, helpful illustrations, parent newsletters, and lists of additional children's books and videos. This inventive curriculum will enhance children's cognitive abilities to help them become socially successful — both inside and outside the classroom.

Gary N. Siperstein, Ph.D., is Founder and Director of the Center for Social Development and Education (CSDE) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. CSDE is a research and training institute focused on improving the social and academic adjustment of children with learning problems who are at risk for academic and social failure. For more than 20 years, CSDE has been gathering data on the social functioning of children with special needs. A professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston since 1976, Dr. Siperstein received his doctorate at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. He has published approximately 100 articles, chapters, and books on the social relationships and social development of children with disabilities. He has served as associate editor and editor of national journals and has received more than 20 research grants from federal agencies, including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Siperstein received the prestigious Merit Award from NICHD for his work on the social aspects of mental retardation. Enhancing the social competence of children with disabilities in inclusive educational settings has been the focus of his most recent projects. Dr. Siperstein is presently President-Elect of the Division for Research of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

The teaching experience of Emily Paige Rickards, M.A., ranges from fourth grade to the college level and includes the development of numerous professional development programs for teachers. She worked for many years with students with physical and mental disabilities and remains interested in education and curriculum development at all levels. After receiving her master's degree from Boston University, she worked as Research Assistant and Curriculum Specialist on the Promoting Social Success project at the Center for Social Development and Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She currently serves on the Educators Advisory Board for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; tutors adult learners in the Harvard Bridge to Learning and Literacy Program; and participates in efforts to include issues of diversity and culture in the medical school curriculum.