When children begin to interact with their peers, naturally friendships may begin to form. It can take time for a child to learn what “friendship” is and all that it should entail. Help your students understand the dynamics of friendships and what type of behaviors are appropriate among friends.
In our social skills lesson we outline a few ways to teach your students about friendships and how to know if someone is acting like a friend. Share these tips when you’re teaching your students!
How do you know if someone is your friend? They may:
- share exciting news or a funny story with you
- ask you to play a game with them
- share a new book they got with you
- ask you to sit with them at lunchtime
Friends should be kind and treat you nicely. If someone is teasing you in a mean-spirited way or talking negatively about you with peers, that person is not your friend.
Sometimes friends tease each other without any ill will. A true friend will stop teasing you if you tell them it’s hurting your feelings or making you feel badly. Someone who is not your friend will keep teasing.
Understanding the different dynamics of friendships and what qualities make a good friend can help your students as they begin to mature and advance through their school years.
Check out our resources to teach your students about teasing and how to respond to being teased, and be sure to check out our resources and learning module to help your students understand the dynamics of friendships.
The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute’s special education consultant, Andee Morris, M.Ed.
Powerpoint Presentation:
Resource Materials:
Friends and Teasing Activity Sheet
Friends and Teasing Outline and Materials
Friends and Teasing Parent Note
Friends and Teasing Social Power Cards
Friends and Teasing Teacher Note
Pre/Post Assessment
A pre and post lesson assessment is included in each lesson. Use of the assessment is an instructor preference. Many of the ‘homework’ pages for a lesson can be used as a pre/post assessment device alone or as part of the provided assessment. Each homework page can be checked by the instructor as well as the student.
Review all included pages of the lesson to determine what ‘assessment’ method will meet your needs. If the student is able to achieve a + in the majority of items of the pre-assessment, or if the student has been observed to display the skill topic of the lesson often, then the lesson may not be introduced or can be taught with a group as review and/or reinforcement.
Friends and Teasing Pre/Post Assessment
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