NECP Back to School Night 2013-2014Introduction to Social Thinking , a current professional development initiative benefiting all students at NECP. Selected text from Michelle Garcia Winner:“Simply put, social thinking is our innate ability to think through and apply information to succeed in situations that require social knowledgeThe ability to socially process and respond to information requires more than factual knowledge of the rules of social interaction, it also requires the ability to consider the perspective of the person you are interacting with.”Four steps of perspective taking“Social behavior is based on a social thought. As soon as I share space with you:1. I have a thought about you, you have a thought about me.2. I try to determine why you are near me, what you may want from me. You wonder why I am near you, what I may want from you.3. Given you are having a thought about me, I wonder what you are thinking about me.4. I monitor and possibly modify my behavior to keep you thinking about me the way I want you to think about me.”Four steps of communication“1. Think about the person with whom you desire or need to communicate.2. Establish physical presence to indicate communicative intent.3. Shift into directed eye contact to seal your intention to communicate with a person or group of people.4. Use language to communicate with those people, while maintaining and expanding upon the first three steps.”Social Thinking in Early Childhood“As toddlers synthesize language and thought, their ability to see into others minds springs forth. They begin to understand that they are different from others and have their own desires. (We call this stage “the terrible twos.”) Ultimately, toddlers realize that peoples minds contain different sets of information based on their different experiences. We used to believe this skill evolved by 4.5 years of age; newer research indicates this knowledge may be emerging in the first two years of life.”“Our teaching focus shifts from telling a student what to do in a social interactionto helping him learn why he needs to do it and then how he can demonstrate what he knows through his behavior.”(over)The Incredible Flexible You : A Social Thinking Curriculum for the Preschool and Early Elementary Years. 2013: Ryan Hendrix, Kari Zweber Palmer, Nancy Tarshis, Michelle Garcia WinnerVolume One Vocabulary:I. Thinking Thoughts and Feeling Feelings Why: Social learning is all about thoughts and feelingsCurriculum strategies: teaching a thought as a function of the brain and connecting feelings to the heart; Thought Bubbles as a visual support to teach about and demonstrate thoughts.II. The Group PlanWhy: In class (and beyond) we are part of the group, and the group has a plan; following the group plan instead of ones own plan helps promote comfortable thoughts and feelingsCurriculum strategies: refer to books, games, and the activities we do together as the Group Plan; contrast with examples of following ones own plan.III. Thinking With Your EyesWhy: We use our eyes to gather information about what others are thinking about, and to show others we are thinking about them.Curriculum strategies: thinking with your eyes high fives; “calling” on a student with eye contact when they raise their hand instead of saying their name.IV. Body in the GroupWhy: Comfortable physical presence and proximity is a key ingredient to successful social interactionsCurriculum strategies: freeze dance as an opportunity to discuss physical presence of group members; obstacle course to discuss body in a group while the group is in motion (helps promote successful transitions throughout the building as well).V. Whole Body ListeningWhy: When your body is calm and quiet you are able to listen actively, attend to the people around you, and show others you are thinking about them.Curriculum strategies: visual supports to help identify different body parts to practice what its like when those body parts are and are not listening (e.g. listen with a quiet mouth in circle when your friends are talking; listen with calm hands when playing with a peer).Other resources:Think Social: A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students (Michelle Garcia Winner) curriculum guide in use at upper grade levels in NPSThinking About You Thinking About Me (Michelle Garcia Winner) NECP staff summer reading projectwww.socialthinking.com - online resource for tools, tips, research, etc.