This course will provide participants with a background and description of
various social language competencies. Participants will understand the expected development of these skills, and the impact upon student learning when skills are not acquired as expected.  In this course, you will discover how common disabilities, such as autism, ADHD, anxiety, and social communication disorder, can impact the social language development, social comprehension, academic progress and social participation of students. Further, you will discover how social competencies relate to student achievement and challenges across the curriculum, and how you can accommodate students to promote their academic and social success. You will learn strategies to help your most difficult students with weak or impaired social skills; you will also learn how to effectively implement these strategies into your teaching in ways that promote positive social behaviors across all areas. This course will include differentiation by grade levels and/or specialty areas. The goal is that participants will be able to walk into their classroom with ideas they can implement right away to support student achievement across the social competency domain, and therefore be better able to access all parts of the curriculum.

Required Text:   Myles, BS, Trautman, ML &Schelvan, RL. (2024). The Hidden Curriculum: Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations, 25 Anniversary Edition. Future Horizons; 3rd edition (March 5, 2024)

Additional readings and sources including teacher make videos are described in each module with available links.

Framingham State University - 3 Graduate Credits