Do you worry about teaching your child with special needs about safety, social awareness and how to interact appropriately with strangers, family and friends?
In today’s Teacher Tips newsletter, Watson experts share strategies to teach your child with special needs about safety around strangers and how to navigate social situations.
Behavior stories can be an effective way to teach your child how to handle a variety of situations.
- Talk with your child and help him/her identify individuals with whom it may be appropriate to talk to, hug, or simply shake hands.
- Customize a behavior story with photos of your child’s friends, family, and strangers to further emphasize which interactions should be utilized with each set of individuals.
- You may also utilize a program such as Circles Program I which can be used to address the concepts of personal space, relationships and social distance.
- Your child can use this program to create his/her own circles.
- Ensure that you discuss these guidelines of social relationships with your child often, especially as you are preparing to go out into a public place such as a restaurant or shopping mall.
Learn how to teach your child with special needs about social awareness and safety in the YouTube video below or by visiting the corresponding special education resource page. For more special education resources, visit Watson Life Resources.