Social Skills AND BEHAVIOUR

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have impairments in the area of social communication. Students with ASD often have difficulty with

• understanding the communication of teachers and peers, and
• interpreting social cues about what is expected of them in situations

As a result, students with ASD may choose behaviours which are unexpected or socially inappropriate. It is likely that students with ASD will require some support to develop appropriate social skills and pro-social behaviours. Difficulties in these areas have the potential to negatively impact on the academic outcomes and on the student’s ability to form and maintain friendships at school. However, schools can provide support for students to minimise or avoid such negative outcomes.

Teachers provide support to students in these areas in many ways:

• through providing proactive positive behaviour support throughout every school day
• by consulting with the student support group to develop individual social and behavioural goals
• by developing a program for clearly teaching specific social skills
• through providing support and structure during lunch breaks
• by supporting peers to maintain a culture of social inclusion
• by having a consistent school-wide approach to supporting individual students
• by having high but realistic expectations of the student.

This section of the website provides information about the relationship between ASD and student behaviour, social skills and responses to transition. For each of these areas, practical strategies are described for providing support. For more information, click on the tabs above.