Goal: To improve social-relationship skills
Objective(s): The student will demonstrate courteous responses through verbal and non verbal responses.
Process Steps:
1. Decide if you want to thank the person.
2. Thank the person in a friendly way.
3. Say what you are thanking him/her for.
4. Wait for an answer.a. If the person accepts the thanks, continue talking about it.
b. If they do not accept the thanks, say thanks again, and change the subject.
Discuss
Definition: Saying thank you means telling someone you like what they've done for you.
Rationale: You say thanks to make another person feel good so he or she may do something nice again. (Special School District, 1989 p. 52)
Where/When/Comments:
• Say thanks whenever someone has done something nice for
you. If the person is busy, you may need to choose the time and
place to say thanks. One rule for saying thanks is to mean what
you say. (Point out that you can thank a person for being
thoughtful even if you don't like exactly what they give you or
what they did).
• Students generate examples of why, when and how to say
thank you. Make a list of these examples so they can be used for
situational role-playing later. Use one of the situations given
by students to get them to discuss how to say thank you
correctly.
(Special School District, p. 53)
Set the Stage:
• Teacher gives students a pleasurable surprise such as a
snack or free time. She keeps track of those who say thank you
and gives them an additional reinforcer. Discuss the effect of
thanking someone.
Model/Role-play with Feedback
Role-Play Situations:
• A friend lends you a quarter.
• A classmate sharpens your pencil.
• Students read from a scripted role-play with the teacher
or with other students.
• Your friend gives you a birthday present.
• A teacher helps you with an assignment.
• A friend's parent drives you home from school.
• A friend loans you money for lunch.
• A co-worker helps you learn a new job.
• A classmate helps you with your homework.
• Parents help you with your chores or homework, or let you
do something you have asked to do.
• Someone lends you a pencil.
• A neighbor helps you clean your room.
• A friend helps you tie your shoe.
• A friend lets you go on the swing first.
• A friend draws you a picture.
• A neighbor feeds your cat.
Application with Feedback
• Discuss and practice different ways of saying thank you
(i.e., "I really like it when you..."; "It made me
very happy when you..."). (Special School District, 1989 p.
55)
• Discuss saying thanks in a "friendly way."
Emphasize appropriate body language (facing person, eye contact,
smiling) and a pleasant voice to help show you mean it. (Special
School District, 1989 p. 53)
• Students have a card signed by the recipient each time
they say "thank you" in a courteous way.
• Discuss "accepting thanks" and "not
accepting thanks." Point out when a person accepts thanks,
the person responds in a nice way (i.e. cheerfully, friendly,
says "you're welcome" or, that he was glad to do it).
When a person responds in a negative way, he does not accept
thanks. You feel he may not have wanted to do what he did. To
practice recognizing
"accepting thanks" and "not accepting
thanks", complete worksheet "Responses to Thanks."
(Special School District, 1989 p. 53)
Social Skills Curriculum Guide, 1992
Special School District of St. Louis County