Students with disabilities can exhibit a whole range of social deficits, from merely being awkward in new situations to having difficulty making requests, greeting friends, even appropriate behavior in public places. We have created a number of resources and worksheets that can lead you on your way, as you create an effective curriculum for students in your setting, whether for students with behavioral and emotional difficulties or students with autism spectrum disorders.

01 of 07 Teaching Social Skills Safe Kids Kansas This article provides an overview of Social Skills in a way to help teachers choose and build the curriculum. Like any part of a special education program, a social skills curriculum needs to build on students' strengths and address their needs.

02 of 07 Proxemics: Understanding Personal Space Getty/Creative RF Understanding personal space is often difficult for children with disabilities, especially children with autism. Students often seek more sensory input from other people and enter their personal space, or they are uncomfortable with

03 of 07 Teaching Personal Space to Children with Disabilities Getty/John Merton This article provides a "social narrative" you can adapt for your students to help them understand the appropriate use of personal space. It describes personal space as a "Magic Bubble," to give students a visual metaphor that will help them understand personal space. The narrative also describes the occasions when it is appropriate to enter personal space, as well as a personas

04 of 07 The Sandlot: Making Friends, a Social Skills Lesson Twentieth Century Fox Popular media can offer opportunities to teach social skills, as well as evaluate the impact of social behaviors on relationships. Students who have difficulty with social skills can learn from models in movies when they have an opportunity to evaluate the models' behaviors.

05 of 07 Social Skills Lesson on Friends - Build a Friend Websterlearning Some students with disabilities are lonely and want very much to have typical peers to interact with. We call them, of course, a friend. Students with disabilities often don't understand the importance of reciprocity for successful peer relationships. By focusing on the qualities a friend has, you can start helping students shape their own behavior appropriately.

06 of 07 Games to Support Social Skill Goals Websterlearning Games that support math or reading skills offer a double whammy, since they support learning to take turns, to wait for their peers, and to accept disappointment in defeat. This article give you ideas to create games that will give your students that opportunity.