SOCIAL SKILLS THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING

Service learning is a powerful approach to engage children in designing and implementing a community service project. By collaborating as a group, the children develop social communication skills to complete the four steps of the project (investigating, preparing, taking action, and reflection).   Academic and language skills are woven into this hands-on approach to an integrated learning experience.    

Classes are held at Dilworth United Methodist Church.

Mondays

Section 1 (Early Connections):  3:30-4:30 October 3, 10, 17, & 24

Section 2 (Explorers):  4:45-6:00 October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, & Nov. 7

Who attends this class?

The SOCIAL SKILLS THROUGH SERVICE LEARNING CLASSAS are designed for children who attend a variety of educational settings including regular education, home schooling or self-contained language or cross-categorical classes. Many children are struggling in one or more of the following areas: writing, reading, language development, social skills, following directions, maintaining attention / focus, science, social studies. Children without known speech and language delays are welcome to attend.

Children must be able to participate in group tasks with minimal assistance. The Speech Garden reserves the right to exclude children after a trial basis (when a child consistently disturbs group or interferes with learning of others) and refund payments on a prorated amount.

Parents are welcome to stay and participate in each session with their child.  Alternatively, parents and siblings may drop off and return at dismissal.  There are places on and around the church campus to wait.  

How is this class structured?

Children will be grouped by grade/ability level into groups of between 4-6 children per class.  Each day will start with an activity that focuses on the social skill that is involved in cooperative learning. 

What class is appropriate for my child?

The Early Elementary Section (Early Connections) is designed for children with a reading level between 1st to 2nd grade.  Reading skills will involve sound-symbol association, beginning sight words, comprehension, and sound blending.  The Later Elementary Section is designed for children with a reading level of 3rd to 5th grade.  Reading skills involve fluency at the sentence level or beyond, later developing sound combinations, and comprehension at the short-chapter level.  While grade levels are an appropxiate guide, please feel free to contact the course teacher for specific questions.  See below.

What is the class schedule?

   EARLY ELEMENTARY SECTION   (4 weeks)   LATER ELEMENTARY SECTION (6 weeks)

What language skills might be addressed?

Social Language (Pragmatics):

•             How to approach children to be included in a group

•             How to interact in a group using turn taking in conversation, sharing and cooperating

•             How to deal with differences

•             How to manage conflict through problem solving

•             Developing a ‘feeling’ vocabulary

•             Eye contact

Language:

•             Formulating sentences of increasing length and complexity

•             Responding to concrete and abstract questions (who, what, where, when, how, why)

•             Following directions

•             Increasing vocabulary

•             Retelling a narrative incorporating the story structure elements

•             Attending to speakers and stories

•             Connect information and events to personal experiences by sharing or commenting

•             Speak clearly; articulation and fluency

Academic Skills:

•             Being to visualize, represent and sequence an understanding of text

•             Connect information or ideas in text to prior knowledge and experience

•             Self-monitoring strategies through responding by commenting or questioning 

•             Retell main idea and details

•             Developing sight words

•             Phonological awareness skills

•             Reading at the word, sentence or discourse level

•             Writing skills (sound/symbol association, word, sentences, or discourse level)

What strategies are taught?

Verbal / silent rehearsal

Visual imagery

Asking for clarification

Listening / attending strategies

Requesting assistance

Visual organizers

Who teaches your classes?

Gail Faithful, a Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Special Education Teacher, has developed curriculum to integrate literacy, language and social skills while working in public and private schools in Illinois.  As a teacher in Communication Development programs, she developed specialization in the areas of language-learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and social communication.  Gail has taught undergraduate courses in special education, as well as presenting a variety of parent and professional workshops.   

How do newly-learned skills transfer to other settings?

Following each session, parents are given written details on each lesson and activity of the session.  Homework activities will be available to facilitate generalization of social communication and literacy skills. 

Questions?

Contact the teaching SLP, Gail Faithful at gailgetz@speechgarden.org.