Goal: To improve initial social skills
Objective(s): The student will smile in response to communicative attempts of others, either verbal or nonverbal, when appropriate.
Process Steps:
1. Listen or watch for verbal or nonverbal greeting.
2. Observe and think about the person's intention.
3. Smile, if appropriate.
Discuss
Definition: Smiling shows you like someone or are having fun.
Rationale: Would you rather spend time with someone who was smiling or someone who looked grouchy?
Where/When/Comments:
• How do you react when someone smiles at you? ... when
someone frowns at you? ...which do you like more?
• Have students give examples of when it's appropriate to
smile and when it's not.
Model/Role-play with Feedback
• Students draw smile faces on paper and apply to craft
stick. Use prop to (smile).
• Video - Positive and negative examples (Walker and et al,
1988, Accepts, p. 81)
• Teacher uses smile on craft stick (mentioned above) to
prompt children to smile.
Role play situations:
• A friend gives you a flower.
• Your teacher says, "Good morning".
• A neighbor invites you out to play.
• A new student smiles at you.
• A team asks you to join them.
• It's cold, and your friend offers you some hot chocolate.
• You're at the park, and a person your own age walks by and
smiles.
• You are with your friends, eating ice cream, having a
great time.
• You're on the bus and a friend sits by you.
• A friend hits a home run and your team wins!
• Someone tells you a funny joke.
Application with feedback
• Give students a list of situations. They indicate whether
or not it would be appropriate to smile.
• Gym teacher, etc., has checklist to fill out when
initially seeing student to report their smile response.
• Have students smile at someone at recess or lunch, then
have them report to the class what happens.
• Have someone bring in an infant, which should prompt
students to smile.
• Teacher monitors students as they enter classroom.
Social Skills Curriculum Guide, 1992
Special School District of St. Louis County