Social skill development for children, adolescents, and adults can be an awesome task when a disability impacts socialization. As one of our domain areas for comprehensive assessment, music therapists continually evaluate the impact of social deficits on our clients. It is important for the therapist to understand social development, formalized social skill assessments, sub-skills within social skill areas, and social programs and intervention often integrated into school and other programs. This in itself can be an awesome undertaking. However, by understanding and recognizing sub-domain categories and skill strands within each social skill area, music therapists are immediately better prepared to conduct assessments, develop more specific goals and benchmarks, and create specialized songs and music interventions for treatment.

1. Navigating Social Skills Training:
Designing a Musical Roadmap for
Individuals with Developmental Differences
Wade Rich ards, LCAT, MT-BC
Meg an Re sig , MS, MT-BC
Ki m Th om ps on, MT-BC

2. Circle of Friends
Friendly faces all around now
Friendly voices singing out now
It is time to be with friends.
It is time to be with friends.
Clap your hands and feel the
Tap your feet and feel the rhythm,
rhythm,
As our time together begins.
As our time together begins.
Oh yes! Oh yes!
Oh yes! Oh yes!
In our circle of friends there is
In our circle of friends there is
_____________.
_____________.
Oh yes! Oh yes!
Oh yes! Oh yes!
In our circle of friends there is
In our circle of friends there is
_____________.
_____________.

3. The “Rules of the Road”
“We are all travelers in the
wilderness of this world,
and the best we can find
in our travels is an honest
friend”
-Robert Louis Stevenson

4. True Colors Personality
Assessment
Blue- honesty, friendship, sensitivity, harmony compassion,
communication, creativity, nurturer, sincere, listening, people,
understanding, love
Orange- freedom, adventure, fun/play, spontaneity, variety,
excitement, performing, independence, flexible, energetic,
expression
Gold- loyalty, perfection, responsible, dependable, home, order,
organized, commitment, consistent, stability, organization
Green- intellectual, logic, knowledge, competency, high
achievement, recognition, meets challenges, logical,
determined, confidence, truth and facts, accuracy

5. Knowing Your A, B, C, D, and E’s
A: Assessment
B: Building the Goal
C: Composing the Song
Intervention
D: Developing the Session Plan
E: Evaluating Progress Toward
the Goal

6. Assessments
(Standardized)
Behavioral and Emotional Screening System
Grade range: Preschool - Grade 12
Assist software
Completion time: 5-10 minutes
Teacher, parent, and student form

7. Assessments
(Standardized)
Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scale
Age range: 3 - 18 years
Assist software
Completion time: 10-25 minutes
Teacher, parent, and student form

8. Assessments
(Standardized)
BITSEA Brief Infant-Toddler Social and
Emotional Assessment
ITSEA Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional
Assessment
Greenspan Social-Emotional Growth Chart
Music Therapy- MT-SEAS

9. Assessments
(Standardized)
CARD- Center for Autism and Related Disorders
SKILLS

10. Assessments
(Non-standarized)
Social Skills Group Assessment (Goldstein and
Pollack)
Teacher, Parent, Student checklist and
questionnaire
Skill Strands

11. Assessments
Questions to guide the assessment process include:
What social skills deficits are of most concern to you?
Provide a clear, specific definition of each behavior that
concerns you
How often does the behavior occur?
How often would you like it to occur?
Are there activities or times of the day when the desired social
skills is most likely?..least likely?
Is the desired social skill more likely to occur with some peers
than others?

12. Assessments
Once the areas of concern have been identified, strategies may be appropriately
selected by determining the type of social skills deficit.
Acquisition deficit (a can’t do problem)- the student does not know how to use the
skill.
Performance deficit (won’t do problem)- the student knows how but does not use
the skill.
Fluency deficit – the student needs practice using the skill to demonstrate
competence.
Maintenance or generalization problem – the student demonstrates the skill
appropriately in some, but not all settings.

13. Assessments
A primary goal for social skills training should be to teach and support
students in using the appropriate social skills, rather than problem behaviors,
to meet their needs in different settings.
Cooperation (attends; ignores distractions)
Assertion (joins activities; makes friends)
Self-Control (controls temper; compromises)
Hyperactivity (doesn’t listen; easily distracted)
Internalizing (alone; shows anxiety)
Externalizing (gets angry; fights)

14. Models for Social Skill
Acquisition
Skill Streaming- Modeling, Role Playing, Performance Feedback and
Transfer Training
Social Stories- information about specific situations and provides social
cues and responses
Cognitive Picture Rehearsal- sequence of behaviors with pictures and
script
Pivotal Response Training- addresses a child’s motivation, responsivity
to multiple cues, self-management, and social initiations
ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis)
DIR (Developmental-Individual Differences-Relationship Model)
Music Therapy!

15. Setting the Stage for Skill Strands
Specific skills to be learned
Defines subdomain areas for
social skills
Sequential set of skills implied,
but are flexible
Not age specific
Assessment
Treatment construction and
document progress

16. Setting the Stage for Skill Strands
Resource: Vort Corporation

17. Building the Goal
Five Step Model for Measurable Goal Writing
1.The direction we want to go (increase, decrease,
maintain).
2.The desired skill we are targeting and want to achieve.
3.The present level.
4.The amount of change by the end of the
progress period.
5.The methodology needed.

18. Initial social skill strand
initiate eye contact
imitate actions/communication
joint reference-shift gaze conversation
nonverbal turn-taking
maintain eye contact
engage in solitary play
smile in response to communicative
attempts engage in parallel play
acknowledge presence of others engage in symbolic play
cease activity to attend to share
communication
recognize and use facial expressions
attempt to initiate communication

19. Introduce Yourself
Shake their hand and
When you see tell them your name.
somebody new walk
into a room, what do “My name is ______”.
you do?
Then listen for their
Introduce yourself, name, repeat their
Look them in the eyes, name.
say “_____”,
“______”, or “Hi”. Then say “____,It’s
nice to meet you!”.

20. Beyond initial social skills
adaptive behaviors social relationship
impulse control classroom skills/
interpersonal community living
relations decision making and
self-Esteem problem solving
social speech conflict management
expressing feelings self-advocacy

21. Skill Strand Scramble!

22. Choosing Your Route
What intervention
strategy should I choose?
modeling
role playing
performance feedback
practicing the skill
other...

23. Planning the Songs for
the Car Ride
What songwriting strategy
should I choose?
fill-in-the
blank
spiderweb
lyric
substitution games
piggybacking mindmap
Mad Libs

24. Common Road Blocks
“Theory of Mind”- ability to recognize
other people’s feeling, thoughts, beliefs,
and intentions and respond accordingly
Executive Functioning- ability to plan and
organize tasks, monitor one’s own
performance, inhibit inappropriate
responses, utilize feedback, and suppress
distracting stimuli
Abstracting Thinking-
Recognizing and Coping with Emotions-
ability to identify, quantify, express, and
control emotions
Stress-

25. Developing the Session
Plan
“You need a plan to build a house. To build a
life, it is even more important to have a plan or
goal.” – Zig Ziglar

26. Planning the Social Skill
Adventure
specific skills to be learned
concepts needed to perform skills
assessment (pre/post)
example (role play/act out/video clip)
discussion questions
music connections/improvisation/group
experience

27. Assessment Scale
1 almost never
2 usually not
3 sometimes
4 usually
5 almost always

28. Listening Skills
Skills to be learned:
1. Make eye contact
2. Look toward the speaker
3. Nod head or react to show understanding
4. Repeat what someone says
5. ask someone to repeat
6. Ask questions to get more information

29. Be a Good Listener
And when you STOP, and ask a
When you don’t daydream, and question, that makes you a good
listen to the speaker, that makes listener. (CHORUS)
you a good listener.
When you repeat words the
When you look at someone who’s speaker said, that makes you a
talking to you, that makes you a good listener.
good listener.
Don’t interrupt when someone is
Oh, o, oh, be a good listener. talking, that makes you a good
listener. (CHORUS)
Oh, o, oh, be a good listener.
Don’t daydream, look at their eyes,
Don’t talk to your friends, pay pay attention, don’t look at the sky.
attention, that makes you a good
listener. Ask questions, repeat words, those
are things, you need to learn!

30. I Need to ask for some Help.
Example Discussion Questions:
1.Why do some people need help?
2.How do you ask for help?
3.How do you decide who to ask?
4.Have you asked for help before?
5.What happened?

31. I Need to ask for some Help.
Example Discussion Questions:
1.Why do some people need help?
2.How do you ask for help?
3.How do you decide who to ask?
4.Have you asked for help before?
5.What happened?

32. Teamwork
More voices make the choir strong,
This is a lot of work for one, oh, oh,
each add something to the song.
work for one.
More time for singing with everyone,
With more hands it could be more
let’s get together and get the job
fun, oh, oh, be more fun.
done!
When you’ve got a lot of work to do,
Like the musician in a band, oh, oh,
ask some friends to help you.
in a band.
More time for _____, more time for
Each one lends a helping hand, oh,
fun. Let’s work together and get the
oh, helping hand.
job done!
Guitarists, drummer, the singer too,
Melody makes the music go, oh, oh,
each one has a job to do.
music go.
More time for jamming, more time
But harmony adds to the flow, oh, oh,
for fun, let’s work together and get
to the flow.
the job done!

33. Pictures with Friends

34. I Want to Take a Picture
Inspiration from Mya- “Take a Picture”

35. I Want to Take a Picture
When you see beauty in
a smile, take a picture. I wanna take
picture, so I
When you see beauty in
remember these
colors, take a picture.
moments together.
When you see beauty
I wanna take a
outside, take a picture.
picture so I
When you see beauty remember this
through your own eyes, moment forever.
take a picture.

37. This Bowl
Here in my hands I’m holding FAITH
I carry it close to me.
Through the light, through the dark,
It keeps me company.
I share my FAITH with others, I share it as much as I can.
And through I give my FAITH away, it always comes back again.
This bowl is never empty.
This gourd keeps my FAITH in.
And though I give my FAITH away,
It always comes back again.

38. Confidence- Assessment
1. Verbalizes several positive self-statements
2.recognizes positive and negative feelings related
to self-esteem
3.Lists areas of strength and things to change
4.accepts self even if wanted to make a change
5.body language demonstrates self-assuredness

39. Music by Joss Stone

40. Confidence
You’d be surprised what you can
do if you just try. There’s a stage with a spotlight,
But if you don’t open your wings, waiting for you.
how you gonna fly? But if you stay in the darkness,
It’s in your walk-the way you how will your dreams come true?
move you body.
It’s in your talk-the words the friendship train is loading up,
you say. why not step inside?
It’s in your smile-your Cause if you don’t use your
confidence is showing. ticket, you’ll miss a real fun ride!
And a little goes a long way.

41. Rules for Interrupting
Musical connection (instrument play):
1. playing and stopping (waiting)
2.listen to two people play and then come in with your
instrument when they are done- walk over to them
3.Link eyes with someone before playing
4.short musical improvisation versus long

42. Rules for Interrupting
Musical connection (instrument play):
1. playing and stopping (waiting)
2.listen to two people play and then come in with your
instrument when they are done- walk over to them
3.Link eyes with someone before playing
4.short musical improvisation versus long

43. Communication
You can tell by the
Communication. It’s look on my face, it
the messages you give sends messages all
and receive. over the place.
Communication. Is Communication.
sharing how you think Using words or no
and you feel, and your words at all!
ideas. (voice, face, body,
posture, words)

44. Everything Changes
Everything changes day to day. From a cocoon comes a butterfly.
Season to season, year to year. Flowers bloom and then they die.
Everything changes, people too. sun goes up and then comes on down.
I change, you change, yes, it’s Moon circles the world around and
true. around.
Strong winds blowing change to a Tears I cry can change to a smile.
gentle breeze.
Angry words can calm for a while.
Green trees change to colorful leaves.
Frustrated through change to
Cloudy skies change to sunny days. confidence.
Tide rolls in and rolls out with the Boredom can make way feelings
waves. intense.

45. Just Make it Easy
Some people get nervous before _______.
Some people get nervous before a show.
Some people get nervous before _______,
But here’s a trick I know.
Just make it easy. Have a little bit of fun.
Just make it easy, and snap! Your job is done.
Just make it easy, don’t make it so hard.
Just make it easy and snap! You are a star!

47. Josh’s Goodbye Song
Goodbye, goodbye, time sure did fly
goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Farewell, farewell, you all did swell
So Long, so Long, join us in song
Adieu, adieu, to all of you.
Ta, Ta, Ta, Ta, Fa, La, La, La

48. Friends
And that’s why your friends
friends, oh friends
Always stick together, stick
they always make you smile.
together.
Friends, oh friends
They understand your style.
Friends, oh friends
I like when they do things
They’re there when you need with me.
them
friends, oh friends
To make your bad day better
They make me feel so happy!

49. Think Before you Speak
When talking with other
people, think before you Some people like things
speak. you don’t like, it’s all a
Will your words make matter of choice.
them smile, or will your Some people eat things
words make them sink? that you don’t eat, it’s all a
Figure out their feelings, matter of choice.
pick the right words to say. Pick you words, choose
When you think before you your voice, be polite.
speak, you brighten Think before you speak.
everyone’s day.

50. Manners
by Megan Resig, MS, MT-BC
If you need something It’s good to have manners, yeah.
and don’t know what to do. It’s good to be polite.
You can say “please” It’s good to have manners, yeah.
and help will come to you. It’s good to be polite.
It’s good to have manners, yeah. If you need to interrupt,
It’s good to be polite. or accidentally make some noise.
It’s good to have manners, yeah. You can say “excuse me”
It’s good to be polite. and that will get you by.
If someone gives you something It’s good to have manners, yeah.
or tells you something nice. It’s good to be polite.
You can say “thank you” It’s good to have manners, yeah.
and leave them satisfied. It’s good to be polite.

51. Don’t Interrupt
by Megan Resig, MS, MT-BC
If you need someone’s attention They might be busy,
Don’t interrupt! or talking on the phone.
There’s a few things you can do so you Look to see before you speak and
Don’t interrupt! wait a minute.......
Look to see if they are talking to someone If you need someone’s attention
else. Don’t interrupt!
If they are then you might have to There’s a few things you can do so you
wait a minute...... Don’t interrupt!
(waiting music)
If you need someone’s attention
Don’t interrupt!
There’s a few things you can do so you
Don’t interrupt!

52. It’s So Hard to Wait:
Impulse Control

53. Look Up and Say
“Hello”

54. What Did You Do On the Weekend?
by Wade Richards, LCAT, MT-BC
What did you do on the weekend?
What a great question to ask.
When you got time to talk to your friends,
Questions make the conversation last, like:
“What did you do?”
“Where did you go?”
“Who did you see?”
We want to know!
What you did, what you did, what you did, on
the weekend!
________ turn to __________
And ask him/her a question, about the
weekend.

55. What Did You Do On the Weekend?
by Wade Richards, LCAT, MT-BC

56. Songs for Social ID
by Megan Resig
I wanna learn a thing or two
about what makes me “me”
And makes you “you”
Everybody’s different in there own way!
So let me hear you say....
Your name!
My name is ________________
And your name is _________________.
*repeat inserting different questions

57. I Can Be Flexible
by Kim Thompson, MT-BC
I can be flexible.
I can be flexible.
I can be flexible anytime!
Being flexible
means accepting the changes!
Being flexible is
important to get along... (NO ATTITUDE!)
Sometimes it’s hard
to be flexible.
But if you work hard
it will be easier!
I can be flexible.
I can be flexible.
I can be flexible anytime!

58. I’ll Take Care of Me
by Kim Thompson, MT-BC
Oh let’s not worry about everyone else, So if you want to help,
Sometimes you gotta focus just on you can first ask a question.
YOURself Like “may I help?” or
So don’t go telling everyone what to do “Did you hear the direction”?
Just keep your focus right on you! So don’t go telling everyone what to do.
Just keep your focus right on you!
You take care of you
I’ll take care of me Repeat Chorus
And if someone tells
A direction or two
I’ll let you try it and I won’t be bossy!

59. Lost, Lost, Lost!
by Kim Thompson, MT-BC
(Chorus) (Chorus)
Oh man! What do I do if I get lost?
Lost, Lost, Lost! (Verse 2)
What do I say? Who do I turn to? Remember where you are.
I’m lost, lost, lost! Remember who you can with.
Get ready to make a call.
I need some direction. Or give the police your name and
I gotta figure out where to go. number!
I can’t find a friend or a teacher.
I might need my emergency info!
(Verse 1)
First find someplace safe,
Make sure you can see what’s around.
Look for police or a security guard.
Or find where you put your cell phone!

60. Teamwork
by Kim Thompson, MT-BC
Sometimes you have to do a job You have to divide responsibility.
But you can’t do it by yourself. Find each person something to do.
So you start to ask for ideas, Because when you share responsibility
and brainstorming really helps! You help the team and the team helps you!
Teamwork Chorus
(bop...bop...bopbop...bopbop
Teamwork
(bop...bop...bopbop...bopbop
Teamwork
(bop...bop...bopbop...bopbop
With just a little help...
Everyone makes the team work!

61. Evaluating Progress
Toward the Goal
Acquisition States:
imitation- able to imitate skills with a model
simulation- able to demonstrate skill
independently in a structured environment
application- able to generalize use of skill
independently

62. Evaluating Progress
Toward the Goal
Create your own scale:
1. beginning skill
2. developing skill
3. skill achieved with minimal prompts
4. skill achieved independently
5. skill observed in other settings

63. Evaluating Progress
Toward the Goal
Videotape and observe the session
Ask other professionals to be part of the group
Get information from home if possible

64. Experiential