Education Commons^™

Teacher Perception Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Curriculum And Its Impact On The Development Of Social Skills And Self-Regulation On A Preschool Classroom, Allison Poggendorf

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Recent studies on mindfulness and its impact on children have found promising results, especially with social-emotional skill development. A majority of the research on mindfulness applied in educational setting tends to focus on elementary and high school students, and there is limited, but growing research that examines the impact of mindfulness among early childhood students. This current study explored the impact of a brief mindfulness-based curriculum on an intact preschool classroom. Specifically, this study examined if preschool teachers perceive mindfulness practices in the classroom to impact their students’ self-regulation skills and social skills and how likely they were to continue …

Using Music Training To Increase Social Responsiveness And Happiness In Children With Autism, Meghan Talarico

MSU Graduate Theses

Social skills are imperative for individuals’ success in their daily lives because they are applied in areas such as shared interests and cooperative work and play. This study was a replication with extension of the study on a musical treatment of social skills by Finnigan and Starr (2010). The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of musical and non-musical interventions on the sharing and turn-taking behavior of five children with autism. The participants were four boys and one girl between the ages of 4- and 8-years-old who had a diagnosis of autism and were receiving ABA …

Evaluation Of Preschool Life Skills (Pls) Program To Teach Social Skills In A Preschool Class, Zhenying Jiang

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Tier 2 PLS program on increasing critical social skills (i.e., requesting for attention, framed requesting for materials and assistant, and delay and denial tolerance) and decreasing problem behaviors for the participants with risk of delay in social domain. A multiple probe across behaviors design replicated across participants was employed. The intervention terminated due to the end of school year before skill 3 could be introduced. Two of three participants met criteria for two taught skills, while one participant did not acquire all skills. Decrease of problem behavior accompanied …

Social-Emotional Learning For The Classroom And Family Contexts, Courtney Bockbrader

Honors Projects

This project focused on developing a social-emotional learning workbook for use in the classroom and family contexts. Based on a review of relevant literature, emotional recognition, self-regulation, and social skills were identified as the most beneficial social-emotional skills for the personal and academic success of elementary-aged students. The resulting workbook included eleven activities aimed at promoting these three skills. Each activity was designed to be implemented in the classroom setting, with associated take-home activities for use in the home with the parent/guardian(s) for increased generalization of skills. Accessibility for schools of all income levels was taken into account, as activities …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Development In Preschool, Gena Jadwin

Graduate Teacher Education

The development of children’s cognitive and social-emotional learning is of significant importance in education, specifically in early childhood education. Early childhood administrators, educators, and support staff have noticed an increase in the amount of students displaying underdeveloped or lacking social-skills within preschool classrooms. This paper will analyze and summarize research to explain the relationship between social-emotional skills and temperament, classroom environment, and educational outcomes in preschool aged students. It was found through research that a lack of social-emotional understanding and skills was impactful to a child’s future emotional responses and academic achievement. In order for leaders to best prepare teachers …

Autism Awareness Panel Discussion: Finding Hope, Hillary M. Adams, Catherine G. Bailey Ph.D., Ncsp, John Barton, Zach Lewis, Elizabeth Niese, Phyllis White-Sellards, Sabrina Thomas

Phyllis White-Sellards

“Autism Awareness Panel Discussion: Finding Hope,” is the fifth of five in the, “Don’t Call Me Crazy: MU Mental Health Initiative,” panel discussion series, which was held on April 4, 2019. This initiative is comprised of three major components: “Resiliency through Education;” which includes: panel discussions with mental health professionals and a research guide, “Resiliency through Art;” an art exhibition that featured works form MU students, faculty and staff, and community members, and “Resiliency through Community;” an extensive collection of campus, local, state, and national mental health resources. Libraries hold a unique position as places to hold civil conversations on …

Autism Awareness Panel Discussion: Finding Hope, Hillary M. Adams, Catherine G. Bailey Ph.D., Ncsp, John Barton, Zach Lewis, Elizabeth Niese, Phyllis White-Sellards, Sabrina Thomas

Sabrina Thomas

“Autism Awareness Panel Discussion: Finding Hope,” is the fifth of five in the, “Don’t Call Me Crazy: MU Mental Health Initiative,” panel discussion series, which was held on April 4, 2019. This initiative is comprised of three major components: “Resiliency through Education;” which includes: panel discussions with mental health professionals and a research guide, “Resiliency through Art;” an art exhibition that featured works form MU students, faculty and staff, and community members, and “Resiliency through Community;” an extensive collection of campus, local, state, and national mental health resources. Libraries hold a unique position as places to hold civil conversations on …

Component Analysis Of The Cool Vs. Not Cool Procedure, Mary Yoo

Culminating Projects in Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy

One of the characteristics of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder is the inability to develop the social skills needed to develop meaningful relationships. Several behavior programs have been developed to effectively teach a variety of necessary social skills. One of these programs has been proven to be effective with children with autism is the cool versus not cool procedure. There is a growing body of research that has demonstrated its effectiveness to helping teach appropriate social behaviors to individuals in this population (Au et al., 2016; Leaf et al., 2012; Leaf et al., 2015; Leaf, Leaf et al., 2016). However, …

Profiles Of School Readiness And Implications For Children's Development Of Academic, Social, And Engagement Skills, Elizabeth Jane Tremaine

Dissertations and Theses

Academic achievement gaps across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are apparent as soon as children enter kindergarten: racial minorities, Hispanics, and poor children begin school at a distinct disadvantage compared to their White peers from middle- and high-income families (Chatterji, 2005; Fryer, Jr. & Levitt, 2004; Magnuson, Meyers, Ruhm, & Waldfogel, 2004; Magnuson & Waldfogel, 2005; Reardon, 2011). To understand these gaps at kindergarten entry, it is essential that researchers understand the skills with which children enter kindergarten.

Previous research on school readiness has been limited by variable-centered methods that separate components of school readiness (e.g., early academic skills, social …

“For A Long Time Our Voices Have Been Hushed”: Using Student Perspectives To Develop Supports For Neurodiverse College Students, Kristen Gillepsie-Lynch, Dennis Bublitz, Annemarie Donachie, Vincent Wong, Patricia J. Brooks, Joanne D'Onofrio

Publications and Research

Although the challenges that autistic students face adapting to college are often pronounced, they are similar to the challenges that students with other disabilities face (e.g., difficulties with social interaction, self-advocacy, and executive functioning). However, extant evaluations of services for autistic college students are very limited despite an emerging literature examining supports for college students with a range of other disabilities. Given that many autistic students do not self-identify as autistic in college, and consequently might avoid autism-specific services, autistic students might benefit from services that are designed to support a broad range of neurodiverse students, or services that are …

Teaching Social Skills To Individuals With Comorbid Down Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single-Subject Design Study, Matthew A. Cody Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Social skills are important for building and maintaining relationships, effective communication, and providing appropriate responses within social contexts. Deficits in social skills are often exhibited in individuals with comorbid Down syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Peer-delivered interventions and other behavioral techniques for teaching specific social skills show effectiveness; however, the paucity of intervention research including individuals with DS-ASD has resulted in little guidance for how best to teach social skills and ensure generalization and maintenance. In the present study, a multiple probe study across behaviors, replicated across participants, assessed the effectiveness of peer-delivered simultaneous prompting in teaching socials …

Teachers And The Development Of Student Noncognitive Skills, Albert Cheng

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scholars of education policy are increasingly aware of the independent role that noncognitive skills (e.g., self-regulation, Social skills, and other personality or character traits) play in long- and short-run student well-being. However, little is known about how these skills are effectively developed. One theory is that noncognitive skills are developed through role modeling by teachers. A student, by virtue of observing and sharing a Social connection with his or her schoolteachers, begins to emulate noncognitive skills that they exhibit. In this dissertation, I test this theory. I focus specifically on noncognitive skills related to conscientiousness and measure them using new …

Defining Success For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Social Academic Behavior In General Education Secondary Classes, Elizabeth L.W. Mckenney, Catherine Stachniak, Jordan Albright, Jeremy Jewell, Julie Dorencz

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

An exploratory, observation-based study sought to strengthen understanding of the development of social communication skills that facilitate academic success, particularly within general education settings. Sixteen middle and high school students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), all of whom participated in at least one period per day of core academic instruction in a general education classroom, were observed over a period of one to three months each. Frequencies of five appropriate and three inappropriate social academic behaviors are described, in terms of their relative frequencies to one another, and their overall consistency over the course of observations. Students observed were more …

Exploring Barriers To The Generalization Of Social Skills Interventions For Children Diagnosed With Asd: A Qualitative Analysis Of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’, Zachary Shindorf

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the …

The Effects Of Classwide Function-Related Intervention Teams On Preschool Behavior, Krystine Alycia Jolstead

Theses and Dissertations

Challenging behavior in preschool is a serious concern for teachers. In recent years, positive behavior support (PBS) has been shown to be effective in reducing such behaviors. Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a specific program for implementing PBS principles in classroom settings. CW-FIT is a group contingency that utilizes social skills training, teacher praise, and positive reinforcement to improve student behavior. Students are taught specific social skills and then work in teams to earn a group reward based on the use of these skills. CW-FIT has been shown to be effective in elementary classrooms but has not yet been …

Parent Perceptions Of Their Involvement In And The Effectiveness Of An Integrated Social Skills Program, Karen Burton

Theses and Dissertations

Social and emotional learning is an important element in educating the whole child. When social skills are taught and reinforced in a school-wide model, which incorporates positive behavior support, both students and faculty experience a better learning environment. The Book in a Bag intervention invites parent volunteers to teach social skills in the classroom. Supplementing this school-wide intervention, parents also receive a monthly newsletter informing them of the identified social skill and recommending associated children's picture books, which further reinforce the skill. The purpose of this study was to determine parent perceptions on the effectiveness of the Book in a …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Social Supports For Autism Spectrum Disorders: Postsecondary Student Perspectives, Griselda Wells

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College environments can pose both academic and social challenges for students with disabilities. For teachers and parents of children with Asperger's syndrome (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA), these challenges include communication, behavioral, and social difficulties that can hinder their attainment of educational objectives. Limited research has been conducted regarding postsecondary outcomes of elementary and secondary public school interventions provided to these students. This case study gathered information from postsecondary students with AS and HFA regarding their experiences of public school social skills interventions and their perceived impact on current social and academic outcomes. Findings were interpreted using critical theory …

Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions Of And Use Of Behavior-Specific Written Praise Notes For Children Identified With Office Discipline Referrals, Danielle C. Agle

Theses and Dissertations

Student behavior problems in school and classroom settings are of great concern to parents, teachers, and school administrators. These behaviors range from talking out and noncompliance to more serious behaviors such as violence and vandalism. Effectively managing student behavior problems lays the foundation for creating a safe school environment and is a critical concern for all teachers. A school wide positive behavior intervention and support system (PBIS) is an effective and proactive way to prevent misbehavior. All teachers and staff teach and reinforce a specified set of positive behaviors. These positive behaviors are expected of each student. This study analyzed …

Developing Resilience In The Elementary School Classroom, Ellen Ferrin

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Explores the ways in which elementary school teachers can help their students develop the skills associated with resilience. For this study, an extensive literature review was conducted and surveys were completed by twelve elementary school teachers in Washington, Oregon, California, and New York.

Social Skill Generalization With "Book In A Bag": Integrating Social Skills Into The Literacy Curriculum At A School-Wide Level, Buddy Dennis Alger

Theses and Dissertations

Social skill instruction is needed in both targeted and universal contexts. This research utilized a universal social skill intervention, Book in a Bag (BIB), to increase the use of a specific social skill by all students within an elementary school, including students identified as at-risk for behavior problems. BIB was designed to integrate social skills into the curriculum by way of children's literature, specifically a read-aloud book using a direct instruction strategy. The results indicate that BIB had a positive effect on students' behavior in the classroom both for students identified and those not identified as being at-risk for behavior …

Development And Validation Of The Children's Social Competence Scale, Annette Irene Nuñez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few scales exist that assess social competence in children with Asperger's and high functioning autism (AS/HFA). Due to the nature of the disorder, the current social competence measures that do exist are not designed to assess the social difficulties that many children with AS/HFA encounter. To meet this challenge a scale was developed to better understand social competence in children with AS/HFA, the Children's Social Competence Scale (CSCS). Two studies that report the development and initial validation of the scale were conducted with children between the ages of 3 and 8 with and without a diagnosis of AS/HFA. First, an …

The Massillon Artful Living Project: Some Positive Results Are Evident, Oscar T. Mcknight, John Sikula, Gary Zoldesy

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

The Massillon Artful Living Project (ALP) was created to immerse developing minds in the fine arts and to enhance the creativity, social skills, and academic achievement of preschool children. The data analyses to date support program expansion. Also, feedback by teachers, parents, administrators and community arts providers are positive.

Facilitating The Generalization Of Social Skills With Bibliotherapy And Positive Peer Reporting, Angelina C. Krieger

Theses and Dissertations

Social competence is needed for interaction among peers, teachers, and families in order for children to be successful in school. Children enter school with various levels of social competence. Social skills training is an effective method for building social skills; however, many programs fail to generalize these skills across settings and time. This study investigated the effects of a social skills training intervention for first and second grade students with emotional and behavioral problems. The intervention blended direct instruction, role-plays, and children's literature, with peers supporting both the acquisition and generalization of the social skills through positive peer reporting (PPR) …

The Relationship Between Family Composition And Social Behavior For Students With Mild Disabilities In Schools, Amanda Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research identifies significant differences in children's problem behavior across various family structures, particularly noting more challenging behaviors in children from single parent families. Utilizing a pre-existing data set of Behavioral Objective Sequence (BOS) scores, this study investigated teacher ratings of social behavioral skills in students with mild disabilities, focusing on differences between groups of students from a variety of family compositions. Results indicated no significant difference in social behavioral skills among children from different family groups, taking into account the student's age. The covariate of age was significant on each of six BOS subscales, suggesting that children develop and …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Social Validity Of The Peaceable Schools Model, Rachelle Marie Pieper

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the social validity of the Peaceable Schools model, which includes positive behavior support and social skills training. Data were collected through subjective evaluation using an open-ended survey given to teachers at two secondary schools. Results show that teachers perceived evidence of social validity in the areas of social significance, comprehensiveness, relevance, treatment integrity, and social acceptability. While weaknesses were also expressed in the areas of social acceptability, feasibility, and practicality, teachers perceived overall improvement in students' social skills and saw more strengths than weaknesses. Outcomes suggest that the Peaceable Schools model has …

Social Skills Curriculum For Middle School Students At Risk, Eric Franz

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a social skills curriculum for an effective After School Program for students at risk. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature related to students at risk, motivational strategies, and alternative programs to assist them were reviewed. Additionally, on site visit to an actual program in the Yakima School District were conducted. At-risk students have a high potential for dropping out of school due to the lack of motivation and other factors. Students at risk live marginally outside of the socially excepted norm for adolescent youth. School systems need to have programs …