| Dr. Jed E. Baker has provided some very helpful | | | | classroom /home/therapy office and play a boring |
| means for teaching children on the autism | | | | game with you. Have another student come and |
| spectrum. His Social Skills Training Workbook | | | | ask him/her to play a more interesting game with |
| breaks down essential social skills for these | | | | them, while you demand that s/he only play with |
| children. | | | | you. Then discuss how willing s/he would be willing |
| The first part of this article shows you how to | | | | to play with you next time, given how you |
| explain to the child how to share a friend. | | | | acted.b) Do the activity again, instead letting the |
| Here's what to say to the child: | | | | student play a short game with others. After a |
| - Sometimes your friends want to talk or hang | | | | while, come back to him/her and offer to play a |
| out with others. | | | | fun game with him. Talk about the differences of |
| - If you don't get mad, but let your friends do | | | | how s/he felt about you this time, as compared |
| what they want to do, they will feel happy and | | | | to the time when you insisted s/he play only with |
| relaxed when they are with you. | | | | you. |
| - If you get mad at your friends for talking or | | | | Practice the skill at random times. When the |
| hanging out with others, they will feel | | | | student is playing with a friend, try to get his/her |
| uncomfortable. Instead of wanting to be with you, | | | | friend to play with you. Prompt the student to |
| they will feel like they are being forced into being | | | | share his friend, and then his friend will return. |
| with you. | | | | Correct the student in instances where s/he |
| - Decide if you want a friend who wants to be | | | | demands that friends do not play with others. |
| with you or just someone who feels forced to be | | | | Remind the student that friends may want to |
| with you | | | | come back if he lets them go. |
| Once you have explained this to the child, it's time | | | | Provide rewards for Sharing A Friend. |
| for him or her to practice: Ask them who they | | | | --Give verbal praise for correct or partially correct |
| want to try this with. Ask them when they are | | | | sharing of friends. |
| going to try it. Once they have tried it, ask them | | | | --Give tokens/pennines/points every time the |
| how they did. Here are some suggested activities | | | | student shares a friend. When s/he gets an |
| to sharing a friend. This skill lends itself to a | | | | agreed-upon number of tokens (5, for example), |
| discussion more than a role play. The key is for | | | | give a special reward (e.g., snack, stickers, |
| the student to be able to distinguish between real | | | | privileges to play a special game) |
| friends versus forced friendships. This activity will | | | | --Over time, as the student masters this skill, you |
| help the student understand the need to share | | | | can fade out the physical tokens/rewards. |
| friends.a) Have the student sit in an area of the | | | | |