Identify & Implement Activities to Develop Peer Relationships

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IDENTIFY & IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP PEER RELATIONSHIPS

DEVELOPING PEER RELATIONSHIPS

In developing peer relationships, three areas may be identified:

1. Ability awareness involves recognizing that individuals with disabilities are people first with unique gifts, talents, and abilities. Thus, when a child is being included it is important to present him/her as a person who is more alike classmates than different. This can be accomplished by:

a. Highlighting common interests — point out the interests/likes the child has that are typical for that age group. A picture book of the child doing things with family and friends may be a helpful introduction.

b. Infuse specific awareness activities into the curriculum, for example, teach about sensory disabilities as part of science unit or teach about likeness and differences among people in social studies.

2. Developing peer connections/friendships involves bringing students together through structured activities that promote social interaction:

a. Using community building activities that enable students to get to know each other. Examples of community building activities could include playing cooperative games, interviewing and introducing a classmate, and completing a group project with one product such as a class mural. Two other activities that teachers have found particularly helpful in building connections are:

What's in the sack? Each student brings five objects from home that tell something about herself/himself. The students show their objects and explain why they are important to them.

Classroom yellow pages. Each student fills out a yellow sheet listing his/her hobbies and the things they are "experts" at doing. The pages are put into a yellow folder and students can browse through the classroom "yellow pages" and find out who has similar interests.

b. Modeling appropriate interaction and communication so that the other students see the child as a member of the class and know how to communicate and interact with their peer.

c. Involving everyone in the life of the classroom by making sure the student with a disability is involved in all of the activities and routines of the classroom. The student may need a partner or partially participate, but should be included in jobs, student of the week, displaying of best work, etc.

d. Setting up a circle of friends to enlist peers as supports/acquaintances for a student who is not connected (see Circle of Friends activity that follows).

3. Peer collaboration for learning involves including students as part of instruction through activities such as:

a. Partner learning through peer tutors, job partners, etc.

b. Cooperative learning or other group activities.

c. Peers as part of the instructional team participating in planning transitions, determining adaptations, and problem-solving. For example, some inclusive classrooms have a "lunch bunch" to involve peers in planning adaptations. A small group of students meets at lunch time with the teacher to help plan adaptations for the student with a disability.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

During the early childhood and primary years it is usually possible to allow budding relationships to develop on their own with the use of the informal activities listed above. As the teachers in these grades introduce students to each other and the school community, a student with disabilities will usually connect with others with minimal facilitation.

However, as students reach the third and fourth grade relationships are often established and students may have questions about differences. It may be difficult for a new student to join a classroom or school community, and if that student has a disability which is not familiar to others; initial interactions may be difficult. In order to facilitate interaction a formalized circle may be developed.

An adult facilitator is necessary to initiate the process and keep the group organized and focused. An initial meeting is held with the student's class, homeroom, lunch group, or any other group that the student interacts with on a regular basis. The peer group is invited to participate in an exercise to look at the circles of friends in their own lives. The facilitator gives each student a sheet of paper with four concentric circles or asks them to draw the circles on a sheet of paper.

Next, the facilitator models and describes the following steps as the peers fill in their own circles:

1. In the inner circle write the names of the people you live with or who are very close to you.

2. In the next circle, write the names of your friends. Think about those people with whom you like to do things, call on the phone, etc.

3. In the next circle, put the groups of people you see regularly who are your acquaintances. This may include classmates, sports teams, clubs, church groups, etc.

4. In the fourth circle, put people who are paid to be in your life. This would include doctor, dentist, teacher, principal, etc.

After circles are completed, the facilitator asks the peers to look at their circles and to notice the different relationships in their lives. Then, the facilitator shows the peers an example of the circles for a student with a disability that often contains few, if any, friends and acquaintances. The facilitator asks them what they think about this circle and how they might feel if their circles were empty of friends and acquaintances. The circles are a powerful representation of the need to help a person connect with others.

Now, the facilitator asks the peers to problem solve: "How can we help this person connect with others?" "What would you want other people to do for you if you were the 'new kid' at a school?"

At the end of this first meeting the facilitator suggests that the group meet again to see how some of the things they suggested are working and/or to work on their ideas together. The facilitator may then broaden the group's mission by saying that others may be having difficulty with relationships among peers and asking how this group could be a support for all. Thus, the group's focus could move beyond the student with disabilities while still supporting him/her.

Circle of Friends - Typical Examples