 
Lesson Design
Instructional Steps and Critical
Teaching Behaviors for Teaching Social Skills
THE INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE IS:
Discuss
Model
Practice and Roleplay with Feedback
Application with Feedback
DISCUSS
The teacher defines the social skill
and explains the process steps a student uses to be
successful at using the skill. The teacher discusses and elicits
student participation in identifying the
rationale for learning the skill and identifying
situations where and when
the skill might be applied. The teacher discusses the
outcomes of using the social skill appropriately.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•Define the skill and process steps
•Define terms
•Elicit rationale
•Describe physical actions (What my body is
doing)
•Describe mental actions (What I'm thinking)
•Describe how to remember the process steps
•Discuss situations for student use
MODEL
The teacher reviews the steps and rationale with
students. The teacher demonstrates the skill to be
learned using the process steps by roleplaying with a
partner. The students are cued to observe carefully with
the expectation that they will provide feedback and have
a turn roleplaying. The teacher should model both
physical and mental processes (think
aloud-metacognition). The model should always conclude
with a positive ending.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•Demonstrate use of process steps
•Think aloud ("My choices are . . .)
•Problem-solve (If I choose this then . . .)
•Self-monitor (I've got to keep my cool when . .
.)
PRACTICE AND ROLEPLAY
WITH FEEDBACK
Verbal Practice
The teacher facilitates students' memorization and
understanding of the process steps. The teacher assists
students in verbally rehearsing the process steps to an
automatic level through rapid-fire drills. The teacher
requires students to verbally elaborate on each of the
process steps to ensure comprehension.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•State the overall intent of the process steps
•Querry students on the process steps to an
automatic level
•Querry students on their understanding of the
process steps
•Facilitate rapid-fire drills
•Quiz students on memorization and understanding
of process steps
Roleplay
(Action Oriented! - a rehearsal procedure using
simulated situations)
After setting ground rules for roleplay, the first
roleplay is selected. Set up the roleplay situation.
Allow the student practicing the process steps to see the
chart where the steps are clearly posted. Every student
in the room should have a task to do during the roleplay,
i.e. assign steps to individual students to observe in
order to give feedback (see role play rating sheet).
Materials and situations should be controlled so that
students can focus on practicing the process steps
correctly. Conduct the roleplay.
Optimal learning is created by preventing incorrect
practice and providing as many opportunities for correct
practice as possible. Guided practice is continued until
students demonstrate a high level of proficiency. As a
student progresses towards independent practice, cues
should be gradually faded out.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•Set rules for roleplay sessions, such as:
-Body Basics:
Face the person
Make eye contact
Use pleasant tone of voice
Positive facial expression
Correct posture
-Everyone must actively participate
-Everyone must roleplay the skill
•Select simulations of interest/reality to
participants
•Consider the environment and use realistic
settings
•Consider student comfort level
•Define roles of actors and observers
•Give directions
•Control materials and situations
•Cue student participation
•Monitor and provide feedback
Provide Feedback
Teacher effectiveness studies show that the use of
effective and timely feedback can cut teaching time in
half. Feedback should occur as soon after the student
performs the task and/or just prior to the follow-up
lesson. Teachers generally monitor and give feedback
during guided (roleplay) and independent practice.
Feedback can be given individually or in a small group.
As teachers monitor students' performance best practice
includes the "3 in 1 rule" for
feedback. Provide students with 3 positive
(students need to know what they did right so they can
repeat it) and 1 corrective (have the
student correct or provide an additional model and then
have the student correct) statements. The co-roleplayer
should give his/her feedback first, followed by student
observers. The teacher gives feedback last. Feedback
should be positive, corrective, and specific. Encourage
students to use the rating sheet.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•Elicit student's positive feedback
•Elicit and review student's correction
•Teacher and student review correct process
•Provide student with a model of correct skill
use before end of session
•Prompt student application
APPLICATION WITH
FEEDBACK
Teachers discuss situations in which the skill can be
used outside of the classroom. Homework sheets are given
out and students fill in the top half, which includes
information about where and when they might practice the
skill, in class. The bottom portion is filled out with
information describing what really happened after they
have completed the assignment. The teacher monitors and
provides feedback throughout this process.
To assist in the application process plan for use outside
of the classroom by enlisting others to cue use. Prompt
student mastery, phasing out cues provided by the
teacher.
Application cont.
Key elements of effective instruction:
•Give directions
•Monitor student performance
•Provide individual assistance as needed
•Cue metacognition (self-talk)
•Give feedback - positive/corrective
•Prompt use
•Interview others for feedback
CRITICAL TEACHING BEHAVIORS
Teacher effectiveness studies show that the use of
advance and post organizers drastically increase the
amount of information a student gains from a lesson. Best
practice shows that every lesson should
contain both an advance and post organizer. Components of
advance and post organizers include the following
critical teaching behaviors.
Advance Organizer
•Gain participants attention.
•Review previous learning.
•State goal of the lesson.
•Link goal to past and future learning.
•Personalize the skill by eliciting rationale
for learning the skill.
•State expectations - tell student what they are
expected to do with the information.
Post Organizer
•Review the process steps.
•Personalize the skill by discussing where and
when the student might use the skill.
•State expectations and give directions for
practicing/using the skill.
•Preview future lesson.
Note: Not all critical teaching behaviors need
to be included in every advance and post organizer.
For example: If you teach "Introducing
Yourself to Others" for seven lessons, you might not
want to include rationale in every advance organizer.
Social Skills Lesson Planner
Worksheet
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