Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T07:23:21.318Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Developing Social Skills of Students With Additional Needs Within the Context of the Australian Curriculum†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2014

Michael Davies ,
Greta Cooper ,
Ryan J. Kettler  and
Stephen N. Elliott
Michael Davies*
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Australia
Greta Cooper
Affiliation:
Department of Education, Training and Employment, Australia
Ryan J. Kettler
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, USA
Stephen N. Elliott
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Australia Arizona State University, USA
*
Correspondence: Dr Michael Davies, School of Education and Professional Studies, Mount Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, Qld 4111, Australia. E-mail: m.davies@griffith.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Decades of research on social skills assessment and intervention indicates the importance of social skills in improving academic achievement. Additionally, a strong evidence base promotes the inclusion of social–emotional learning into the whole school curriculum. In recognition of this evidence, the new Australian Curriculum, under Personal and social capability, calls for students to develop social skills. For many students with additional needs, it is hoped that the development of social skills will enable increased connectedness and a greater sense of inclusion. To meet developmental expectations of social skills, teachers need to measure these skills, develop effective teaching strategies for them, and evaluate their progress. The multi-tiered assessment and intervention components of the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS; Elliott & Gresham, 2007) seem to offer a comprehensive system to support this process (Elliott, Frey, & Davies, in press).

Keywords

social skillsassessment interventionadditional needs students
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , July 2015 , pp. 37 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

†

This paper was adapted from a conference paper presented at the 2013 AASE National Conference held in Adelaide, South Australia, on September 30–October 1, 2013, and has been blind peer reviewed in line with the usual AJSE processes.

References

Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2011). Growing up in Australia: The longitudinal study of Australian children. Retrieved February 18, 2011, from http://www.aifs.gov.au/growingup/Google Scholar
Becker, K.D., Brandt, N.E., Stephan, S.H., & Chorpita, B.F. (2014). A review of educational outcomes in the children's mental health literature. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 7, 5–23. doi:10.1080/1754730X.2013.851980CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bellini, S. (2006). The development of social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21, 138–145. doi:10.1177/10883576060210030201CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bellini, S., Peters, J.K., Benner, L., & Hopf, A. (2007). A meta-analysis of school-based social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 28, 153–162. doi:10.1177/07419325070280030401CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bohlander, A.J., Orlich, F., & Varley, C.K. (2012). Social skills training for children with autism. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 59, 165–174. doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2011.10.001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buchanan, R., Gueldner, B.A., Tran, O.K., & Merrell, K.W. (2009). Social and emotional learning in classrooms: A survey of teachers’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 25, 187–203. doi:10.1080/15377900802487078CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buettel, M.P. (2007). Research-based social-emotional interventions for Asperger syndrome: A meta-analysis. Dissertation Abstracts International: Humanities and Social Sciences, 68 (7-A), 2823.Google Scholar
Caprara, G.V., Barbaranelli, C., Pastorelli, C., Bandura, A., & Zimbardo, P.G. (2000). Prosocial foundations of children's academic achievement. Psychological Science, 11, 302–306. doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00260CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coie, J.D., & Jacobs, M.R. (1993). The role of social context in the prevention of conduct disorder [Special issue]. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 263–275. doi:10.1017/S0954579400004387CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2014). What is social and emotional learning? Retrieved May 19, 2014, from http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learningGoogle Scholar
Cook, C.R., Gresham, F.M., Kern, L., Barreras, R.B., Thornton, S., & Crews, S.D. (2008). Social skills training for secondary students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders: A review and analysis of the meta-analytic literature. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 16, 131–144. doi:10.1177/1063426608314541CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corkum, P., Corbin, N., & Pike, M. (2010). Evaluation of a school-based social skills program for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 32, 139–151. doi:10.1080/07317101003776472CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crowe, L.M., Beauchamp, M.H., Catroppa, C., & Anderson, V. (2011). Social function assessment tools for children and adolescents: A systematic review from 1988 to 2010. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 767–785. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.008CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davies, M. (2011). Secondary school inclusion and transition to work. In Foreman, P. (Ed.), Inclusion in action (3rd ed., pp. 489–537). South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.Google Scholar
Davies, M., & Cooper, G. (2013). Training teachers to target and develop social skills as an academic enabler. In Knight, B. A. & Zwan, R. van Der (Eds.), Teaching innovations supporting student outcomes in the 21st century (pp. 45–55). Sydney, Australia: Primrose Hall.Google Scholar
Davies, M., & Dempsey, I. (2011). Australian policies to support inclusive assessments. In Elliott, S.N., Kettler, R.J., Beddow, P.A., & Kurz, A. (Eds.), Handbook of accessible achievement tests for all students: Bridging the gap between research, practice and policy (pp. 83–96). New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-9356-4_5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dempsey, I., & Davies, M. (2013). National test performance of young Australian children with additional educational needs. Australian Journal of Education, 57, 5–18. doi:10.1177/0004944112468700CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DiPerna, J.C., & Elliott, S.N. (2002). Promoting academic enablers to improve student achievement: An introduction to the mini-series. School Psychology Review, 31, 293–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doll, B., & Lyon, M.A. (1998). Risk and resilience: Implications for the delivery of educational and mental health services in schools. School Psychology Review, 27, 348–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82, 405–432. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elias, M.J., Zins, J.E., Weissberg, R.P., Frey, K.S., Greenberg, M.T., Haynes, N.M., . . . Shriver, T.P. (1997). Promoting social and emotional learning: Guidelines for educators. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Google Scholar
Elliott, S.N., Frey, J., & Davies, M. (in press). Systems for assessing and improving students’ social skills to achieve academic competence. In Durlak, J., Gullotta, T., Domitrovich, C., Goren, P., & Weissberg, R., (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice. New York, NY: Guildford Press.Google Scholar
Elliott, S.N., & Gresham, F.M. (2007). SSIS Classwide Intervention Program. Bloomington, MN: Pearson Assessments.Google Scholar
Elliott, S.N., & Gresham, F.M. (2008). Social Skills Improvement System Intervention Guide manual. Minneapolis, MN: Pearson Assessments.Google Scholar
Forness, S.R., & Kavale, K.A. (1996). Treating social skills deficits in children with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis of the research. Learning Disability Quarterly, 19, 2–13. doi:10.2307/1511048CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frey, J.R., & Kaiser, A.P. (under review). Effects of school-based social skills interventions on the social behaviors of preschoolers: A meta-analysis.Google Scholar
Goleman, D. (2006). Social intelligence: The new science of human relationships. London, UK: Hutchinson.Google Scholar
Gresham, F.M., & Elliott, S.N. (1990). Social Skills Rating System. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.Google Scholar
Gresham, F.M., & Elliott, S.N. (2008). SSiS: Teacher Rating Scales. Bloomington, MN: Pearson Assessments.Google Scholar
Guerra, N.G., & Bradshaw, C.P. (2008). Linking the prevention of problem behaviors and positive youth development: Core competencies for positive youth development and risk prevention. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2008 (122), 1–17. doi:10.1002/cd.225CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hatch, S.L., & Dohrenwend, B.P. (2007). Distribution of traumatic and other stressful life events by race/ethnicity, gender, SES and age: A review of the research. American Journal of Community Psychology, 40, 313–332. doi:10.1007/s10464-007-9134-zCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinshaw, S.P. (1992). Externalizing behavior problems and academic underachievement in childhood and adolescence: Causal relationships and underlying mechanisms. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 125–155. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.111.1.127CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hume, K., Bellini, S., & Pratt, C. (2005). The usage and perceived outcomes of early intervention and early childhood programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 25, 195–207. doi:10.1177/02711214050250040101CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, N., Kalambouka, A., Wigelsworth, M., Lendrum, A., Deighton, J., & Wolpert, M. (2011). Measures of social and emotional skills for children and young people: A systematic review. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 71, 617–637. doi:10.1177/0013164410382896CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gresham, F.M. (2010). Evidence-based social skills interventions: Empirical foundations for instructional approaches. In Shinn, M.R. & Walker, H.M. (Eds.), Interventions for achievement and behavior problems in a three-tier model including RTI (pp. 337–362). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.Google Scholar
Gresham, F.M., & Elliott, S.N. (2008). Social Skills Improvement System – Rating Scales. Minneapolis, MN: Pearson Assessments.Google Scholar
Kettler, R.J., Elliott, S.N., Davies, M., & Griffin, P. (2012). Testing a multi-stage screening system: Predicting performance on Australia's national achievement test using teachers’ ratings of academic and social behaviors. School Psychology International, 33, 93–111. doi:10.1177/0143034311403036CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khalid, A., Javed, Z., & Arshad, M. (2012). A social skill program of literacy for children with Down syndrome. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4 (8), 64–73.Google Scholar
Malecki, C.K., & Elliott, S.N. (2002). Children's social behaviors as predictors of academic achievement: A longitudinal analysis. School Psychology Quarterly, 17, 1–23. doi:10.1521/scpq.17.1.1.19902CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA). (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdfGoogle Scholar
Offord, D.R., Boyle, M.H., & Racine, Y. (1989). Ontario Child Health Study: Correlates of disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, 856–860.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quinn, M.M., Kavale, K.A., Mathur, S.R., RutherfordR.B., Jr. R.B., Jr., & Forness, S.R. (1999). A meta-analysis of social skill interventions for students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 7, 54–64. doi:10.1177/106342669900700106CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voegler-Lee, M.E., & Kupersmidt, J.B. (2010). Intervening in childhood social development. In Smith, P.K. & Hart, C.H. (Eds.), Wiley-Blackwell handbook of childhood social development (2nd ed., pp. 605–625.) Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, H.M., Irvin, L.K., Noell, J., & Singer, G.H.S. (1992). A construct score approach to the assessment of social competence: Rationale, technological considerations, and anticipated outcomes. Behavior Modification, 16, 448–474. doi:10.1177/01454455920164002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, H.M., Ramsay, E., & Gresham, F.M. (2004). Antisocial behavior in school: Evidence-based practices (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.Google Scholar
Welsh, M., Parke, R.D., Widaman, K., & O’Neil, R. (2001). Linkages between children's social and academic competence: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of School Psychology, 39, 463–481. doi:10.1016/S0022-4405(01)00084-XCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wentzel, K.R. (2005). Peer relationships, motivation, and academic performance at school. In Elliot, A.J. & Dweck, C.S. (Eds.), Handbook of competence and motivation (pp. 279–296). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Wentzel, K.R. (2009). Peers and academic functioning at school. In Rubin, K.H., Bukowski, W.M., & Laursen, B. (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 531–547). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Wentzel, K.R., & Watkins, D.E. (2002). Peer relationships and collaborative learning as contexts for academic enablers. School Psychology Review, 31, 366–377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, P., & Spillane, A. (2009). Evidence-based social skills interventions for children with autism: A meta-analysis. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44, 318–342.Google Scholar
Wang, S.-Y., Cui, Y., & Parrila, R. (2011). Examining the effectiveness of peer-mediated and video-modeling social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis in single-case research using HLM. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 562–569. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.06.023CrossRefGoogle Scholar