Many of the students at Frostig struggle with social skills, demonstrating inappropriate or immature behaviors or withdrawal from social interactions. Challenges include difficulties with language pragmatics, non-verbal cues, drawing inferences, and impulsivity. Staff address skills contextually and within directed activities in the classroom and DIS sessions (as appropriate to IEP goals).  However, many students would benefit from a structured, focused program addressing social skills.  Several parents, identifying this as an area of need, worked with the Executive Director and Development Department to raise money to fund a full-time Social Skills specialist.  The program focuses on developing student skills in:

• Working within groups
• Problem solving
• Following directions
• Disagreeing appropriately
• Sharing
• Making a request
• Accepting no
• Minding your own business
• Taking turns
• Listening to advice
• Making a good impression
• Initiating play
• Taking responsibility
• Taking care of your own business

The program is implemented on a schoolwide basis, in small groups, and on an individual basis as determined by the Team.