Social Skills and Social Thinking for Student's With Asperger's and High Functioning Autism

Again today a patient asked me what book or video product they should get to start to understand their child's Asperger's disorder. The answer was easy: Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME, 2nd Edition by Michelle Garcia Winner

This is the best book I have found to start to understand how to help a child or student with Asperger's, high functioning autism, ADHD or a "NVLD. " This is where to start to learn more about social interaction and social awareness. It demonstrates how understanding the perspectives of others is key to all interpersonal relationships. It gives wonderful examples, and had easy to use charts, graphs, photo and pictorial supports for students.

"Michelle's model of perspective-taking makes research into Theory of Mind practical for teaching these students and even students who may be considered "neurotypical." Specific lessons, and how to apply them in different settings, are explored. The Four Steps of Communication creates a framework for understanding the complexities of social thinking and for enhancing perspective-taking in students. Social Behavior Mapping and IEPs are examined. How to focus concepts for ages and skill levels are presented through practical handouts, activities and lesson ideas. This second edition of Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME contains much expanded content, including two new chapters and an updated philosophy. The assessment chapter now includes the Social Thinking Dynamic Assessment Protocol®, with more detailed assessment techniques." This book is useful for grades K-adulthood. I use it continually in my practice, and Michelle has numerous videos / DVD's to help support this material.

The book includes:
Michelle's perspective-taking model
How understanding the perspectives of others is the foundation of interpersonal relationships
How to address specific deficits in this area
The four steps of communication - enhancing perspective-taking
Specific, related treatment activities
Sample IEP goals and benchmarks
The ME Binder: teaching your students their IEP goals, why this helps
Social Behavior Mapping (another book Michelle has edited address this great technique in detail)
Visual ways to teach students the impact of behaviors on others and themselves
Sample maps and make your own!
The Social Thinking Dynamic Assessment Protocol
Why assessments fall short
Michelle's practical informal assessment strategy
25 pages of templates to use for the Social Thinking Dynamic Assessment Protocol
Additional concrete strategies and user-friendly templates to help your student(s) build their own more dynamic social thinking abilities and see the rewards of doing so.

This is where I often start with parents and teachers, and it is useful for years to come. Parents who have been struggling with finding an appropriate treatment / intervention focus are always pleased to find this book. Too often parents have been alone, working with "naturopaths," chiropractic doctors and other providers of alternative, unproven techniques and never hear about or read some simple, these well tried and scientifically supported interventions. So for those parents who ask "Where can I start?" this is my suggestion.

More information on Michelle's books and theory of mind can be found at my website www.socialcognitivetherapy.com