Running Head: SOCIAL SKILL RATIONALE 1

Social Skill Lesson Rationale

SPED 875: Advanced Practicum with Exceptional Children and Youth

University of Kansas

Dr. Martha Elford

Brent Seager

February 4, 2018
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Social Skills Rationale

The social skill that I have chosen is starting a conversation, as my mentor and I agreed

that many students continue to struggle with this social skill. While there is one student that I

have in mind for this social skill, I believe that all students will benefit from learning more about

the social skill and learning how to implement it. The learning outcome for the lesson is that the

students will be able to identify how to appropriately begin a conversation with peers and staff

members. Even though not every student requires this social skill, I have considered this in the

design of the lesson; in which I am designing activities to engage all students. The students will

have multiple opportunities to participate in the lesson and practice the skill of starting a

conversation with peers and staff. The students will participate in role playing and an interactive

Kahoot game to assess their learning. Evaluation of the lesson will occur through observation

and the results of the interactive game activity. While there were other social skills and activities

considered for this lesson, working on starting a conversation skill with the interactive game and

role play will help the students acquire and refine this social skill.

Outcomes

The outcome for the lesson is that the students will be able to appropriately begin

conversations with peers and adults. The students will be provided the goal of the lesson prior to

starting, and the students will be able to identify appropriate ways to begin and engage in starting

a conversation based on the role play and lesson activities to support their acquisition of this

social skill. While not every student needs the social skill support, having an opportunity to

practice and refine this social skill will be beneficial for all students. The students will be able to

differentiate the appropriate time to begin or engage in conversation with their peers and adults

in the school building. Starting a conversation skill is transferrable and can be used a variety of

settings in and out of school.

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Learner Needs

Prior to implementing the lesson, I have considered the needs and learning styles of the

target student and other students that will be in the classroom for the lesson. Even though each

student learns differently, the students are engaged and motivated to participate in activities that

are competitive, involve role play, and have a reward for being the winning team or group. With

these options in mind, I believe that implementing all three of these ideas will appeal to the

learning styles and needs of the students in the classroom. While each student in the classroom

has a different ability level, the outcomes, goal, and activities of the lesson clearly highlight what

and how the students will learn. Despite the considerations for student learning variability

within the classroom, I intend on adjusting as necessary during the lesson to ensure that all

learners can acquire and refine the social skill of starting a conversation.

Assessment

There are several methods that will be used to determine skill acquisition and assess the

lesson. Formal assessment will be used in the game following the instruction and lesson, which

will determine if the students acquired the necessary information to practice and implement the

social skill of starting a conversation. Informal assessment will be used in the form of

observation and questions asked during the lesson, which will also help to support and determine

the level of skill acquisition. The skill will also be modeled to the students, so they will be able

to identify the correct and incorrect ways to start a conversation with others. Perhaps one of the

best assessment of the lesson will be captured on the video camera, as the information and

observation will be used to guide future lessons and activities in the classroom.

Instructional Experience

The lesson will involve several different strategies for representation and demonstration

of the conversation starting social skill, which includes role play, videos, and a Kahoot game that
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will tie all the information and skills together. The lesson will also provide multiple means of

action and expression in which the students can participate in the lesson and content. Another

experience of the lesson and activities will involve providing multiple means of engagement

through role playing, videos, and the Kahoot game at the end of the lesson. Even though some

students may have difficulties during the lesson, I believe that using Universal Design for

Learning (UDL) concepts will reduce behaviors and allow the students to become engaged and

motivated with the lesson and activities.

Conclusion

With students continuing to demonstrate the need for starting a conversation with peers

and adults, I have chosen this social skill as an objective for this lesson. Even though I have a

student in mind specifically for this skill, each student in the class will benefit from this lesson,

as it will increase and help them to refine their conversation starting skills. The lesson

incorporates formal and informal assessment measures to determine whether the students have

acquired the goals and outcomes of the lesson and activities. Using UDL to design activities will

promote an environment that is engaging and conducive to learning for all students. Formal and

informal assessment will be used in assessing the students during the lesson to determine skill

acquisition and to implement adjustments as necessary. Even though there are other social skills

that the students could benefit from, starting a conversation is an area of difficulty for many

students that I work with daily.