Classroom+Environment+(Promiting+Social+Skills)

Classroom Environment (Promoting Social Skills) The classroom environment that promotes social skills is aimed at the students that are in the class at school on any particular day. The environment is set up accordingly to the age and ability of the students. The classroom environment should accommodate all students’ needs within the school setting. The environment needs to be well designed and have a layout suitable for the students in the class. The environment is to include all students and to promote social skills for those students. The environment should be able to have small group work areas where two to four children can work collaboratively together, have seats assigned around the tables or at group time to encourage interaction, to have an area for whole class activities and to have experiences and activities that encourage communication and interaction between others. Positives: - Encourages communication between all students - Encourages positive interactions between all students - Engages the students in the environment Negatives: - Students might not feel confident in this environment - Might be inappropriate for some students Social skills are an important life skill that is generally required by all. Social skills are best learnt through interaction with others and doing this in a preschool setting is ideal. Students are able to build confidence in them self and develop their social skills through having a teacher who is willing to adapt their classroom to the needs of the students. Cook, R. E, Klein, M. D & Tessier, A. (2008). //Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special, (7th ed.).// Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall
 * Target Group:**
 * Description:**
 * Useful or Not:**
 * Summary:**
 * Source:**

=__**Activities That Promote Social Skills**__=

Relationships are an integral part of a child's educational experience. In order to form healthy and positive relationships, students need to be equipped with appropriate social skills. Students with learning disabilities, particularly ADHD and Autism often find it difficult to gain these skills naturally as they have trouble expressing their emotions and recognising and interpreting the emotions of others (Morris, 2002). It is therefore important to teach social skills to these students, whether it be through modelling, storytelling or direct instruction. An essential part of social development relies on experience and practice. Teachers need to provide students with opportunities to explore and utilize their acquired skills. [|Move627] is a website that provides teachers with practical activities which require students to co-operate and communicate to develop social knowledge. In detail, the website provides activities which develop:
 * Standing at an appropriate distance** - students with learning disabilities may not have an understanding of personal boundaries.
 * Recognising and expressing facial expressions** - students with learning disabilities can find it difficult to express their emotions and recognise and interpret the emotions of others.
 * Recognising non-verbal language** - students with learning disabilities can find it difficult to recognise and interpret different patterns of body language.
 * Recognising tone of voice**-students with learning disabilities can find it difficult to interpret a tone of voice and recognise the emotion being communicated.
 * Introducing themselves and finding common interests with others** - students with learning disabilities may find it difficult to approach others and ask questions to form a relationship.

These activties would be extremely valuable to students with learning disabilities if they were introduced at the start of a school year or term. This is the period when students are getting to know each other and forming relationships. If all students become equipped with social skills at an early stage, they will feel comfortable and confident in social situations. This will release any anxieties students have about interacting with peers and making friends.

Reference: Morris, S. (2002). Promoting social skills among students with nonverbal learning disabilities. //Teaching Exceptional Children//, //(34)// 3, p. 66-70

By Monika Burzynski: u3041658