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Developing Social Skills of Students With Additional Needs Within the Context of the Australian Curriculum†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2014

Michael Davies ,
Greta Cooper ,
Ryan J. Kettler  and
Stephen N. Elliott
Michael Davies*
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Australia
Greta Cooper
Affiliation:
Department of Education, Training and Employment, Australia
Ryan J. Kettler
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, USA
Stephen N. Elliott
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Australia Arizona State University, USA
*
Correspondence: Dr Michael Davies, School of Education and Professional Studies, Mount Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, Qld 4111, Australia. E-mail: m.davies@griffith.edu.au
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Abstract

Decades of research on social skills assessment and intervention indicates the importance of social skills in improving academic achievement. Additionally, a strong evidence base promotes the inclusion of social–emotional learning into the whole school curriculum. In recognition of this evidence, the new Australian Curriculum, under Personal and social capability, calls for students to develop social skills. For many students with additional needs, it is hoped that the development of social skills will enable increased connectedness and a greater sense of inclusion. To meet developmental expectations of social skills, teachers need to measure these skills, develop effective teaching strategies for them, and evaluate their progress. The multi-tiered assessment and intervention components of the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS; Elliott & Gresham, 2007) seem to offer a comprehensive system to support this process (Elliott, Frey, & Davies, in press).

Keywords

social skillsassessment interventionadditional needs students
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 39 , Issue 1 , July 2015 , pp. 37 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 

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Footnotes

†

This paper was adapted from a conference paper presented at the 2013 AASE National Conference held in Adelaide, South Australia, on September 30–October 1, 2013, and has been blind peer reviewed in line with the usual AJSE processes.

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