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Washington Times

Social thinking: Teaching the "why" of social skills

SILVER SPRING, Md., August 19, 2011 — For a long time in the autism community, teaching social skills has been a crucial component of therapy. This often rote learning of scripts and strategies aimed at helping kids interact with their peers is a standard—and valuable—way to enhance a child's chance of success in the world.

However, in recent years, more and more speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have turned to social thinking, a new way of teaching social competence espoused by Michelle Garcia Winner, the founder of this new school of thought and its associated methodology... Read more

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Portland Tribune

Breaking down barriers

Camp Yakety Yak teaches special needs children and their peers tools to build friendships and boost self-confidence

By Christina Lent

The Beaverton Valley Times, Jul 28, 2011, Updated Aug 2, 2011

Jaime Valdez / Beaverton Valley Times

Campers learn how to monitor their emotions and communicate feelings with others while taking part in fun activities with their new friends during the Camp Yakety Yak session at St. Matthew Lutheran Church.

Camp Yakety Yak is arming special needs children and their young peers with the superpower of flexibility this summer.

With the help of Superflex, a superhero who battles a bothersome group of Unthinkables who pop up in the mind, summer campers are learning how to work through their emotions in what could be stressful situations and get back to having fun and trying new things.... Read more

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Philly.com - The Inquirer (Philadelphia)

Camp Sequoia to help children with social cognitive difficulties learn how to make and keep friends

August 09, 2011|By Bonnie L. Cook, Inquirer Staff Writer

The typical day at Camp Sequoia on the Hill School campus in Pottstown is notable for what is absent. There are no TVs or video games that lead some children to huddle by themselves in corners. There are no cellphones or laptops to take them away from their peers. Instead, the children are attending the experimental overnight camp to learn confidence and to improve their social skills - all in an atmosphere of summer fun.

"It's good for campers who need help with building independence or [overcoming] social-skills problems. I wouldn't recommend it to kids who are close to their families and always want to stay with them," says Eli Werbach, 9, of Villanova.

Children like Eli may be diagnosed with difficulty learning, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, or mild Asperger's syndrome. Some may be autistic or anxious.

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