3 lessons to combat your students’ social skills regression
“It has been exponentially difficult for families with children with special needs in particular children with autism, because the structure has changed, the schedules have changed,” said Yampa Valley Autism Program Executive Director Lisa Lorenz in an interview with the Steamboat Pilot & Today.
“People have a misconception that people with autism don’t socialize,” Lorenz continued. “They do socialize; they need social interaction. It’s very, very difficult when they don’t have the opportunity to socialize with their peers and to continue to learn and grow.”
As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, skills regression is many teachers’ greatest concern for their special needs students, even more so now as they go longer without access to their usual supports, therapies, and programs. In addition to academic concerns, teachers — and their parents — worry about the longterm effects on their students’ social skills development, particularly for neurodivergent children.
Here are three lessons you can use in your classroom to combat your students’ social skills regression.
