Darlene Mannix has taught both general education and special education. She has worked with students ranging from learning disabled and mentally challenged to language disordered and severely emotionally disturbed. Mannix is the best-selling author of numerous books for special educators including Life Skills Activities for Special Children, Writing Skills Activities for Special Children, and Character Building Activities for Kids, all from Jossey-Bass.

Social Skills Activities for Special Children

Second Edition

This thoroughly revised and updated second edition of the groundbreaking Social Skills Activities for Special Children offers teachers 164 ready-to-use lessons--complete with reproducible worksheets--that help children become aware of acceptable social behavior and acquire basic social skills.

Each of the book's lessons highlights a specific skill framed in real-life situations. This gives teachers a meaningful way to guide students to think about why a particular social skill is important. The practical hands-on activities that accompany each lesson help students work through, think about, discuss, and practice the skill in or outside of the classroom.

Social Skills Activities for Special Children puts the emphasis on three areas crucial to social development in the primary grades:

Accepting Rules and Authority at School: Understanding the Teacher's Role; Classroom Rules and Responsibilities; When You Have Problems

Relating to Peers: Learning and Working with Others; Making Friends; Keeping Friends

Developing Positive Social Skills: Understanding Social Situations; Getting Along with Others at Home; Everyday Etiquette

Praise forSocial Skills activities for Special Children

"This second edition has been eagerly awaited and Darlene Mannix does not disappoint! Each activity provides a clear objective and rationale, hands-on activities, and a reproducible independent activity for students to complete and take home, helping parents to reinforce and generalize skills in the home environment."
--Kaye Otten, Ph.D., behavior and autism specialist, Lee's Summit, Missouri

"Offers elementary teachers a comprehensive social-emotional skills curriculum . . . This book belongs on every teacher's bookshelf!"
--Nick Elksnin, Ph.D., NCSP, Learning and Evaluation Resources and Linda K. Elksnin, Ph.D., professor emerita, The Citadel; authors of Teaching Social-Emotional Skills at School and Home

"A terrific resource for all teachers, especially new teachers and their mentors. The comprehensive selection of topics addresses real, complex social interactions encountered in schools and communities today."
--Chris Schnieders, Ph.D., director of teacher training, Frostig Center