Tag Archive for: The Social Express

Social Skills Deficits and Learning Disabilities: From A Teacher’s Viewpoint

Social Skills Deficits-The Social ExpressOur world is a social place and we spend most of our time participating as members of social groups. Think of church, synagogue, neighborhoods, Parent-Teacher Organizations, recreational sports leagues and more.

For children, social skills are the foundation for getting along with others from the earliest age. In the case of special needs students and those with learning disabilities, extra help is often needed.

Social situations can be complicated for kids with social learning deficits (challenges). They often get lost in a maze of limited social understanding.

These social skills can be as simple as saying “hello” and “goodbye” and as complicated as knowing how to function in a group setting or during difficult social interactions.

Students with social learning challenges require direct instruction, with each facet of every skill broken down into small pieces.

The Social Express addresses these areas of need by providing a highly interactive and visual presentation and utilizing an additional component which allows for the generalization of skills outside of the teaching environment.

Specific Social Interaction Skills

Here is a list some of the social interaction skills and related potential benefits that are addressed in our program:

  • Identify feelings in others
  • Understand the importance of “eye contact” (thinking with your eyes) in order to figure out what to say or do in social situations
  • Read non-verbal social cues
  • Identify appropriate coping strategies
  • Learn how to start conversations
  • Learn how to be part of a group
  • Learn about the hidden rules in social situations
  • Sequence situations and infer what will come next
  • Figure out what to talk about with friends
  • Monitor when others are using appropriate social behaviors
  • Learn about using figurative language (idioms) in conversation
  • Stay on topic when having conversations
  • Watch social situations unfold and see how behavior can have negative or positive consequence

Safe Learning Environment

While good social skills offer resilience to a student, a lack of social skills can lead to a variety of difficulties.

When developing our social skills, social-interaction learning program, The Social Express, the goal was to create a program that works equally well for direct, individual, and group instruction in social skills.

Provided in a controlled, safe environment for learning, practice, and demonstration (in the classroom or at home) children using our program begin to generalize new skills into new environments. This allows for powerful new thinking and adoption of essential social interaction skills.

Research

The connection between learning disabilities (LD) and deficient or ineffective social skills is well documented in the research. The following findings from a 1996 Meta-Analysis conducted by Kavale & Forness in the Journal of Learning Disabilities, is still relevant today Source: LDOnline.

Teachers, non-LD peers, and students with LD all reported students with LD had greater social skills deficits than non-LD students.

Almost three quarters (74%) of students with LD received a negative assessment of their social skills that distinguished them clearly from the non-LD comparison group.

Teachers viewed [LD students] social skills deficits in relation to their academic problems.

Teachers also rated students with LD as having higher levels of hyperactivity, distractibility, and anxiety.

Peer assessments by students without learning disabilities showed that nearly 8 out of 10 students with LD were rejected by their peers.

Students without LD also perceived students with LD as having lower social status and more difficulties in communication, and reported that students with LD interacted, played, and empathized at lower levels than their peers.

Students with LD rated deficiencies in academic areas as their primary problem, with more than 8 out of 10 rating themselves as deficient in academics.

The second most commonly reported deficit by students with LD was interpreting nonverbal communication. More than 7 out of 10 students with LD rated themselves as having social skills deficits that made them different from their peers.

We hope this brief view of social skills and learning disabilities is helpful as you develop learning programs for your special needs students.

— Marc
Dad & Developer

If you’re looking to help your child learn social skills, our online engaging animated program may benefit your child. Parents tell us that kids love the Hollywood style animation and characters and actually ask to use The Social Express!  To see how it works, click here.  Click here to try our 10-day, no risk trial.

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5 Play Date Tips: Help Your Autistic Child Learn to Play

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If you’re a mom of an autistic child who needs practice to better learn how to play with others, try arranging play dates. Here are five tips to help your autistic child learn to play.

Our tips range from inviting kids to play dates who are Read more

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3 Ideas to Help Your Special Needs Child to Fit In

 

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Are you a mom who struggles with helping your special needs child better fit in at school?

First, you’re not alone and you’re in Read more

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Fun Easter Ideas for Children with Special Needs

Here at The Social Express, we usually share ideas for helping your special needs child to improve his skills for making friends. You’ll find our recent posts with suggestions for basic ways to help your child control his emotions here, make eye contact here and do better at following the rules, here. Read more

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The Social Express Wins a 2014 ON for Learning Award from Common Sense Media

The Social Express wins 2014 ON Learning Award for Digital LearningScreen Shot 2014-03-20 at 12.29.00 PM

 Award ceremony in San Francisco on March 20th will celebrate the year’s best in kids’ digital media products designed to educate and engage

ENCINITAS, CA —March 20, 2014-– The Social Express has received a 2014 ON for Learning Award from Common Sense Media, the national nonprofit dedicated to helping kids thrive with media and technology. The Social Express is one of just 55 apps, games and websites to be recognized for Read more

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Helping Your Child to Control His Emotions

Characters Zack and Sam demonstrate how to control your emotions.

Characters Zack and Sam demonstrate how to control your emotions.

As a parent, you likely cringe when your child is playing with others and seems to easily lose control of his emotions over a small disagreement. I know I do.

We found some creative ideas to help when you’re talking with your child about how to Read more

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Improving Your Child’s Social Skills: Making Eye Contact

Making eye contact in conversations is a top social skill you can help your child to learn.

Is making eye contact with other kids a problem for your child? You can help! Use simple ways to teach your child to make eye contact like asking him to look into your eyes when he requests a toy or treat, tape visual aids to your forehead and break the instructions into small steps.

We know that an inability to make eye contact during a conversation is a social deficit. It may be a barrier to your child’s success at making friends.

Take heart if this is a problem for your child. You’re not alone. Making eye contact is a basic social skill that leads to positive social interaction with others. Many children just need help grasping the skill of eye contact when speaking with others.

Reinforce Making Eye Contact

With our 12-year-old twins, my wife and I are very consistent about reinforcing eye contact. Since the boys were small, we’ve always insisted that they look us in our eyes when they ask for a toy or treat. We don’t hand it to them until they make eye contact. Then we PRAISE them every time. Try this with your child. I even make a game out of it!

Research finds that children with social skill learning challenges often require ‘direct instruction’. That means that each part of the skill is broken into smaller pieces. Making eye contact during conversations is no different.

Parenting Science website writes that for kids to get better at making friends certain skills are required that you can easily practice with your child. They also remind us that these life skills (or social skills) are not taught in one day, but over time. So we’ll all need a bit more patience…

Teaching your child the kinds of interpersonal skills that make it easier for him to make friends.

Identify the skills that you can practice with your child. Life skills such as participating in conversations and making eye contact are at the top of the list for me!

Practice How to Make Eye Contact with Your Child

“Look in my eyes.” Make sure your child establishes eye contact when he asks for something. By doing this, you’re teaching him the critical link between communication and focus. If he wants a toy say, “Look in my eyes” so that he better understands the relationship between his request and your ability to fulfill it.

Here are more ideas for practicing eye contact with your child.

Use visual aids. Tape cutouts of eyeballs on your forehead when practicing with your child. This will remind him to look at yours and other peoples’ eyes. It reinforces what eye contact is. Experiment with other aids to gently guide your child to look at your eyes. Try colored stickers placed between your eyebrows.

Apply direct instruction. Break down the rules for making eye contact into simple, age-appropriate steps for your child. For example, explaining how to use eye contact during a conversation might go something like this:

1. We always look into the eyes of the person who is talking.

2. Keep looking into the other kid’s eyes until he is finished talking.

3. If you don’t want to look into someone’s eyes, try looking at their forehead.

4. This is polite and a good thing!

5. When it’s your turn to talk, the other kids will look at you!

More small steps to help your child:

• Don’t look down at the ground when one of the kids is talking.

• Look at the eyes of the kid who is talking.

• Looking at his eyes lets him know that you’re listening.

• The other kids will feel good because you’re looking at them while they talk.

• Looking in the other kids eyes means you are interested in what he’s saying.

Praise big! PBS Therapy recommends that you reinforce your child’s positive behavior up to 25 times per day. Tell your child “I like how you look in my eyes when I’m talking to you!” Find more ways to give your child positive feedback!

Great Story About Teaching Eye Contact

Over on Baby Center Blog there’s a great story about a mom helping her daughter make eye contact. The mom realized her 9-year-old daughter, Violet, never looked other kids in the eye while playing or talking with them. It was one of the reasons her daughter was being ignored at school.

The mom reminded Violet every day about eye contact while they were walking to school and other kids said hello. Her daughter really didn’t like the reminders and complained (loudly) about being reminded.

Then Violet finally got it. Now she always makes eye contact and is forming friendships! The mom was so happy she cried! It’s a great short story about a mom’s persistence and her child’s success at making friends. You can read the full article here.

I wish you all the best with teaching your child about making eye contact! Your time will be well spent!

—Marc
Dad, Developer

If you’re looking to help your child learn social skills, our online engaging animated program may benefit your child. Parents tell us that kids love the Hollywood style animation and characters and actually ask to use The Social Express!
To see how it works, click here.   Click here to try our 10-day, no risk trial.

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Panelist at 2014 Autism Investment Conference

2014 Autism Investment ConferenceAutism Speaks is holding its 2014 Autism Investment Conference (AIC2014)  March 4-5 at the historic Bently Reserve in downtown San Francisco.

I’m pleased to say that I’ll be speaking on a panel based on my experience founding and developing The Social Express. I’ll discuss the challenges, opportunities, risks and rewards of launching a startup company in this industry.

The goal of AIC2014 is that it will help increase awareness and understanding of the diverse opportunity landscape for new business development among the investment community, and provide an event that helps connect developers with investors. From healthcare and life sciences to education and housing, AIC2014 will introduce entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes working on innovative products that address the unmet needs of the autism community.

AIC is also an event that aims to educate through expert panel sessions that introduce and break down many of the unique opportunities, challenges and risks facing new product development in autism today, including understanding the regulatory environment and exploring reimbursement strategies.

The event is attended by Venture Capital Investors, Professional Investors, Life Science Executives, Biotech/Pharma Business Development Professionals, Research Analysts, Licensing Professionals, Research & Development Executives, Health Care Providers, Service Providers, Entrepreneurs and Private Equity Investors.

I’ll share my insights about the event and the great work that is going on by entrepreneurs in this important industry.

— Marc

If you’re looking to help your child learn social skills, our online engaging animated program may benefit your child. Parents tell us that kids love the Hollywood style animation and characters and actually ask to use The Social Express!
To see how it works, click here.   Click here to try our 10-day, no risk trial.

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LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM FROM THE SOCIAL EXPRESS®

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM FROM THE SOCIAL EXPRESS®

LAUSD educators to use the award-winning interactive program to help students with social learning challenges

Encinitas, Calif. – Sept. 9, 2013 – The Social Express, a web-based program for students struggling with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and other social learning challenges, has been selected by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to support social and emotional learning in classrooms across the district.  With more than 650,000 K-12 students in nearly 1,000 facilities district-wide, LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation.

Incorporating cognitive behavioral research and evidence-based social learning practices, the lessons in The Social Express use “Hollywood quality” animation to model the social skills integral to relationship building as well as career and life success.   The animated webisodes target 14 different skills and multi-tiered user levels, and are supported by quizzes, worksheets, and offline activities.  In addition, students have access to a private social network, The Clubhouse, which serves as an extension of the lessons where students can practice their skills and make friends in a safe environment.

“The Social Express offers a comprehensive curriculum and guide containing the very foundations of social and emotional skills that we are required to teach,” said Amy Nguyen, special education specialist for LAUSD.  “It is easy for teachers to use, and fun for the students.”

Through a robust student management system called “Central Station,” The Social Express allows teachers and professionals to manage individual student and group use of the program, track usage and progress, run reports, and even export data for IEP reporting compliance.  Activities in The Social Express adhere to the California State Board of Education Content Standards and the Common Core State Standards.

“Research shows quite clearly that children with social learning challenges have a much harder time succeeding at school and in the workplace.  Despite this, the unfortunate reality is that far too few schools provide support in this area,” said Marc Zimmerman, founder and CEO of The Social Express.   “We applaud LAUSD officials for acknowledging the need to provide social skills instruction to its challenged learners and helping them develop the skills necessary for life-long success.”

About The Social Express

Launched in 2011, The Social Express is an interactive program that supports social and emotional learning for students struggling with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), ADHD, and other social learning challenges.  Available to schools, professionals, and parents, the award-winning online program teaches users how to think about and manage social situations, helping them to develop meaningful social relationships and succeed in life.

For more information visit http://www.TheSocialExpress.com

Media contact:

Leslie Eicher, APR

314-965-1776

Leslie@EicherCommunications.com

 

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Social Skills Learning Software Aims to Reach Children with Autism

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This article about our social skills learning software was published in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal

Unhappy with the quality of software games available for children with autism, a team that includes a Leland resident set out to make its own.

The software developed by The Social Express uses animation to help children on the spectrum learn to interact with others in a more typical manner.

Identifying feelings in others, being part of a group and figuring out the hidden rules of social interaction are some of the social skills the software teaches, said Jon Cornick, president and COO of The Social Express.

“One of the big deficits of kids that are on the spectrum is identifying non-verbal social skills. All of the areas are targeted with our program,” said Cornick, who is based in Leland. “We are combining the best practices to create our lesson plans.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines autism spectrum disorders as a “group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges,” and according to a CDC study last year, an estimated 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder.

While scientists do not have a clear understanding of what causes the disorders, parents have found that software can help children learn valuable social skills, Cornick said.

Cornick said that he came to the company after a career of producing movies, joining the founders Marc and Tina Zimmerman when the software launched in 2011.

“One of my dearest friends is Marc Zimmerman, who had this idea to create The Social Express. He needed animators and engineers. I was in between films in 2011, and I came on at the launch,” Cornick said.

The Zimmermans have autistic twin boys and found that they responded well to software used by after-school therapists.

“The children were mainstreamed in their local public school, and the behavioral issues were in check, but their social and emotional skills were a real deficit,” Cornick said.

Marc Zimmerman, a software entrepreneur and professional musician, sought to design a better alternative to the software available for children with autism.

Today, the software is used by more than 200 school districts, Cornick said, and is available on Macintosh, PC and iOS (iPhone and iPad).

The 2.0 version of the software is due out soon and will shift to a web-based, subscription version with new features. Cornick said the web-based model would allow for more frequent updates and more lessons and would include a special protected social network for children who use the program, called the Club House.

“One of the real problems is that most of these kids have few or no friends,” Cornick said. “We have created the Club House to have a way for kids to connect.”

Websites used by children under 13 are required to follow special guidelines outlined in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the software requires parents to approve their children’s access.

“Because the parent’s email is attached to the child, we have a parent portal, and they can see every conversation their child is having. Children have the option to flag inappropriate conversations, and both parents are notified,” Cornick said.

The Social Express has offices in Leland (with Cornick) and California (with the Zimmermans) and employs between 12 and 17 people depending on workload.

“We have 16 lessons with 30 interactive scenes, and we are animating 10 more now,” Cornick said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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