S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools: A Social Skills Program for Children with Pervasive Developmentaly Disorders, Including High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and Their Typical Peers [Paperback]

Michelle A. Dunn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2005

Forming healthy, solid relationships with their typical peers is a major challenge for most children with autism spectrum disorders. This comprehensive social skills curriculum has the dual purpose of helping educators develop appropriate social skills in children with pervasive developmental disorders while also fostering understanding and tolerance among typical peers and school staff. The curriculum includes built-in booster lessons, so the child receives multiple presentations of the material, thus reinforcing the lesson for better understanding and generalization.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I have used many of her ideas and highly recommend this work to professionals working with students in elementary schools -- Jed Baker Ph.D., Director, Social Skills Training Project and author, Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems

I have used many of her ideas and highly recommend this work to professionals working with students in elementary schools --Jed Baker Ph.D., Director, Social Skills Training Project and author, Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems

Offers a practical program for teaching social skills to children with autism. A wonderful resource for parents and teachers. -- Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director University of Washington Autism Center

Offers a practical program for teaching social skills to children with autism. A wonderful resource for parents and teachers. --Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director University of Washington Autism Center

User-friendly, specific, comprehensive social skills program for children. Just what teachers and school-based therapists have been begging for. -- Deborah Fein, Ph.D., Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Connecticut

User-friendly, specific, comprehensive social skills program for children. Just what teachers and school-based therapists have been begging for. --Deborah Fein, Ph.D., Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Connecticut

I have used many of her ideas and highly recommend this work to professionals working with students in elementary schools --Jed Baker Ph.D., Director, Social Skills Training Project and author, Social Skills Training for Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems

Offers a practical program for teaching social skills to children with autism. A wonderful resource for parents and teachers. --Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director University of Washington Autism Center

About the Author

MICHELLE DUNN, Ph.D., is a pediatric neuropsychologist, who has worked with children on the autism spectrum for the past 25 years. She began as a special education teacher and went on to a career in research on brain-behavior relationships in children with developmental disabilities and a clinical practice in neuropsychology. She is first and foremost a teacher. Her great joy is in translating what she has learned from research into practice. Dunn has written numerous journal articles and book chapters about children on the autism spectrum and has provided staff training to many school districts. She calls New York her home, where she lives with her husband and two daughters, who often assist her in social skills intervention sessions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company (October 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931282781
• ISBN-13: 978-1931282789
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SOS - - At last, much needed social skills help for our children!, January 11, 2006

By 

P. Phelan (Tappan, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools: A Social Skills Program for Children with Pervasive Developmentaly Disorders, Including High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and Their Typical Peers (Paperback)

As a parent of a child with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, I know first-hand how Dr. Michelle Dunn is one of the definitive experts in the field of children on the PDD spectrum. Her intervention with our daughter has been invaluable over the past year and one-half. I am also mindful of how difficult it can be for one to access a definitive expert in this growing field. "S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools" gives us all the access to Dr. Dunn and her social skills program (S.O.S.)that we simply can't afford to pass up. I consider myself lucky to have personally learned how Dr. Dunn truly understands children on the spectrum, and has a unique ability to offer intervention to both address their deficits and utilize their strengths. Her particular specialty - - understanding and addressing the social skills deficits of children with Autism, Aspergers or PDD NOS - - is no doubt a crucial area of intervention for any child diagnosed on the spectrum. And while there are a number of other books and programs which address social skills, this book and the S.O.S. program specifically target social skills in schools with a mainstream or integrated population. It is here that our children spend so much of their day, and readily struggle with the social demands placed upon them. While these skills come more naturally to typical children, they simply do not to our children on the spectrum. Therefore, like any other "skill" in school, such as reading and math, social skills must also be taught to a child on the spectrum. This book, detailing the S.O.S. curriculum, helps teach you how. It is written comprehensively and concisely so that it is understandable by the parent and educator. Moreover, unlike other social skills programs/books, S.O.S. incorporates the benefit of Dr. Dunn's vast expertise and research. Dr. Dunn understands how the brain of a child on the spectrum works and has tailored the S.O.S. program accordingly. In addition, unlike other social skills programs, generalization opportunities are embedded into S.O.S. The program incorporates small group pull out, as well as reinforcement in the larger class, and has a peer mentoring component, as well as parent and teacher training. Therefore, it provides the necessary education for EVERYONE involved to work collaboratively and effectively: The child with the social skills deficits; his/her "typical" peers; the parents and educators. This program works. I can already see the benefit in our school and specifically to our child. Whether you are a parent or educator, don't miss this opportunity to make a difference in the social skills deficits of a child.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exceptional New Book: Dr. Michelle A. Dunn's, S.O.S. - Social Skills in our Schools, March 21, 2006

By 

Lois Mendelson, Ph.D. "Director, Therapeutic ... (Tenafly, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools: A Social Skills Program for Children with Pervasive Developmentaly Disorders, Including High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and Their Typical Peers (Paperback)

Dr. Dunn's exceptional new book, S.O.S., Social Skills in our Schools, describes a comprehensive social skills curriculum for school age children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Dr. Dunn, a pediatric neuropsychologist, is a nationally known researcher and an experienced clinician. Her social skills program has already proved highly successful in numerous school districts in the NY tri-state area.

I am the director of a preschool program in Tenafly, NJ. For the past three years, under Dr. Dunn's direction, we have been implementing the S.O.S. program (modified for preschool children) and the results have been spectacular!

The book is thorough, well-written, amply illustrated and easy to use! Dr. Dunn's groundbreaking curriculum would be an asset to any school including children with special needs.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars S.O.S. - An Inspired Approach, February 16, 2006

By 

Anne Sutcliffe - See all my reviews

This review is from: S.O.S. Social Skills in Our Schools: A Social Skills Program for Children with Pervasive Developmentaly Disorders, Including High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and Their Typical Peers (Paperback)

This is a fascinating book that contains vital information on how to teach emotional awareness to autistic and PDD children. It is very visually appealing and user-friendly. There are programmes on vital aspects of succeeding with social relationships that I haven't seen covered so effectively before, such as "being a friend", "playground survival" and "being assertive". The concept of booster lessons to act as reminders to children of what they have learned is inspired. Altogether a fascinating book.