Goal: To improve social-relationship skills
Objective(s):
1. The student will be able to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching.
2. The student will utilize appropriate methods of touching.Process Steps:
1. Stop and think.
2. Consider who and where.
3. Ask yourself "Is it okay for me to touch this person?"
4. Decide whether or not to act.
Discuss
Definition: Touching appropriately means making physical contact with another person that is appropriate for the person, time, and setting.
Rationale: It is important to use this skill so that you don't offend anyone or embarrass.
Where/When/Comments:
• Discuss the who, where and when of situations where it is
appropriate to touch someone. Talk to students about what they
will be learning about touching appropriately. "Touching a
person the right way at the right time is one special way of
showing you care. An important thing to remember is not to touch
too long a time or too hard."
• You can touch a person to assist them, to get their
attention, or to tell them they did a good job, (pat on the
back). (Walker and et al, 1988 p. 74 Accepts)
Model/Role-play with Feedback
• Teach students how to shake hands appropriately.
• Teach students how to react to a pat on the head, an arm
around the shoulder, a pat on the back, etc.
Role play situations:
• You discriminate "right" or "wrong"
touching demonstrated by teacher.
• You take turns in pairs helping each other up from sitting
on the floor.
• You pat one another on the back after scoring a soccer
goal.
• You need to pass through a long line at McDonald's and you
can't get anyone's attention.
• Your teacher is talking and you have a bathroom emergency.
• You are saying good-bye to a classmate who is moving.
• You need to warn someone there is a spider on them and
they aren't listening.
• You meet the new principal and he offers his hand.
Application with Feedback
• Teach the students how to play "Blind Man's
Bluff", "Duck, Duck, Goose", "Freeze
Tag".
• Send home a daily sheet log and have parents and students
keep a log of interactions.
• Students tell or show the right way to touch in the
following situations:
1.) Patting a cat
2.) Shaking hands
3.) A pat on the back
4.) "Give me five."
5.) A hug
6.) Holding a baby (Walker and et al, 1988, p. 76 Accepts)
• Interaction Log:
Keep a log of your tactile responses with your parents, relatives
and friends. Remember you should feel comfortable with your
responses and those around you. The last step is to rate how you
handled being touched or touching others.
EXAMPLE:
Situation Handling Rating What Happened? How did you handle the situation? Were you true to yourself?
• Teacher prepares 5-6 situational cards calling for touching and 5-6 separate answer cards telling what you do. Give one set of cards to each student. Give a signal and have each student place a card in the table at the same time. Decide if the situation and answer cards match. (e.g., "Someone falls down/Shake hands" do not match, "Someone falls down/Help them up" do match). (Walker and et al, 1988 p. 76 Accepts)
Social Skills Curriculum Guide, 1992
Special School District of St. Louis County