Teaching social skills, through direct instruction, to individuals with autism is important. When time is devoted to doing this in a school setting you want to ensure the approach being used will have a direct impact on the students. PEERS is a curriculum that teaches skills based on what youth of the same age do to be socially successful. Students with autism learn the skills through direct instruction, role plays, and then applying the skills. During this session participants will learn more about the PEERS curriculum and how it is being implemented in schools. Topics addressed include how to use appropriate conversational skills, how to choose appropriate friends, how to handle bullying, and even appropriate use of electronic forms of communication. Please note, because the curriculum was specifically designed for secondary students the information discussed will be specific to secondary settings. We will briefly discuss a similar program for elementary aged students but will not go into as much detail.
