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a ready-to-run workshopTeaching Social Skills
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Teaching Social Skills Explicitly (Workshop)

Social skills, joining a group, reading social cues, resolving disagreements, come naturally to some students and not at all to others. For students who struggle socially, explicitly teaching these skills, like any other skill, opens doors that go unopened by hoping they will figure it out.

Key takeaway

Social skills come naturally to some students and not to others; for those who struggle, explicitly teaching social skills, like any skill, with modeling and practice, opens doors that hoping they figure it out leaves closed.

Format
PLC / team meeting
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
Any teacher-leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutA social skill in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Transformational ProcessesInTASC 3: Learning EnvironmentsResearch on social skills instruction
Share / assign

Why it works

Social skills, starting and maintaining conversations, joining groups, reading social and emotional cues, cooperating, handling disagreement, come easily to many students but are a genuine struggle for others (including many students with disabilities, social anxiety, or less social experience), and these students are often left out, excluded, or in conflict. Research shows social skills can be taught explicitly, like academic skills: defining and modeling the skill, providing guided practice and role-play, giving feedback, and supporting transfer to real situations. Explicit social-skills instruction, for students who need it, improves relationships, belonging, and wellbeing, rather than leaving it to chance.

The research: Research on explicit social skills instruction.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: teach a social skill explicitly

    Teachers leave with a social skill taught by modeling, practice, and transfer.

    Teach social skills like any skillFor students who struggle socially, social skills can be taught explicitly, defined, modeled, practiced, with feedback, opening doors that hoping they figure it out leaves closed.

    Facilitator notes

    Hoping struggling students figure out social skills leaves them outStudents who struggle socially do not simply catch up; they are left out or in conflict. Teach social skills explicitly, like any skill.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Teaching Social Skills: explicitly

    <b>Like any skill:</b> define and model, guided practice and role-play, feedback, and transfer to real situations.

    1. The social skill some students struggle with:
    2. How I define and model it:
    3. The guided practice and role-play with feedback:
    4. How I support transfer to real situations:
    5. A student who could benefit:

    Make it stick

    Teach it like any skill:

    Common questions

    Don't students just learn social skills naturally?
    Many do, but some genuinely struggle (students with disabilities, social anxiety, less experience) and are left out or in conflict. For them, social skills can and should be taught explicitly, like any skill.
    How do I teach a social skill?
    Define and model it, provide guided practice and role-play, give feedback, and support transfer to real situations, the same way you teach academic skills. Explicit instruction works.
    Isn't this just for special education?
    Students with disabilities often benefit, but any student who struggles socially can. Teach the skills explicitly to those who need them, within an inclusive, supportive culture.

    Go deeper

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