For some children with attention and executive functioning difficulties, their challenges not only include impulsivity, distractibility, inconsistent self-monitoring, and variable mental effort: they also suffer from a handicap that isolates them from other children. Boys and girls with social skills weaknesses seem immature and seem to lack good judgment at times. They may less sensitive to the needs of others. As a result, some children with attention challenges are rejected by their peers, and their social relationships seem “out of synch.”
Final Thoughts about Social Skills
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 29, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Becoming a socialized individual is a complex process. It is especially difficult for those with learning and attention difficulties. Only the “medicine” of caring and responsible parents and teachers can transform lonely or unsocialized youngsters into involved, self-assured adults. Teachers and parents are encouraged to go beyond the three R’s to help children overcome their […]
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Your Child’s Temper Getting the Best of You?
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 28, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged Cognitive Flexibility, Emotional Control, Response Inhibition, Student Success!
Because of the amount of stress some of children are under just to survive in the classroom, their tempers often get the best of them quickly. Any little thing may seem to upset them. Their tempers may be like a time bomb, primed to go off; just a single look or word could trigger an explosion. […]
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Why Timing is Everything: Impulsiveness and Perseveration
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 27, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged Cognitive Flexibility, Response Inhibition, Student Success!
Acting before they think is a common trait of youngsters with attention problems. This causes them to speak out of turn in the classroom and makes it hard for them to stick to activities — such as games or sports — for more than a few minutes. They may get bored and leave the Monopoly board […]
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Your Child Talking Too Much or Too Little?
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 26, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Many children with attention challenges may talk constantly. Incessant chatter may seem cute in a young child but as the child gets older it may be no longer acceptable to family and peers. Teenagers often begin to resent an individual’s need to be in the verbal spot-light. Some children may not watch what they say — […]
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Struggling with Expressions and Cliches?
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 25, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Many children with language and learning problems may not understand the expressions we take for granted in everyday language. They may take what people say literally. Sayings and expressions are often misinterpreted even through adulthood. A child may hear “I wish he’d strop beating around the bush and tell me what he thinks”, and soon […]
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Has Your Child Ever Burst Your Ear Drum?
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 24, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking
Mine did recently. Children with attention challenges often do not understand about voice volume and that different circumstances call for different levels of volume. They may talk too loudly when in small gatherings and be seen as overly obnoxious and loud. They may also talk too quietly when trying to speak to others who are […]
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Why Voice Inflection is Important
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 23, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Children with attention, language. and learning problems may not pick up on the subtle differences in voice inflection that change the meaning of what another is saying. They themselves may not use voice inflection much and so they may not understand when others use it. For example, changing the voice inflection to emphasize one word […]
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How to Help Your Child Say the Right Thing at the Right Time to the Right Person
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 22, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Children with social problems may not understand their own social image: they may not understand how others view their behavior and actions. An important part of social language involves a child’s ability to change the way they talk depending on who they are talking to and who they are with. They may not understand that […]
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Manners in the classroom: A Dozen Teacher Pleasing Skills
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 21, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Students with attention challenges often struggle to handle themselves in the classroom. They benefit from learning treat teachers with respect with the knowledge that their teacher is there to help them. Your child can be taught that when she is asked a question and she doesn’t know the answer, it is appropriate to just simply say “I […]
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Eight Important Things to Teach about Body Language
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 20, 2009 in Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking
The child with attention challenges may struggle to understand when someone is confused by what he does. He may miss the looks of misunderstanding on another’s face. Children can be taught a person’s body language is often more believable than verbal communication. For example, if you ask someone “What’s wrong?” If she shrugs her shoulders, […]
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Why Teach Social Language?
by Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D. on November 20, 2009 in Flexiture, Social Thinking and tagged ADHD Parenting Success!, Empowerment, Social Thinking, Student Success!
Speaking and understanding social language is another key aspect of fitting in socially. Many youngsters have trouble using the right words in the right way. When they talk, they don’t sound very “cool” to the other kids. Often because they don’t recognize social feedback, they don’t realize that the way they talk is creating problems […]
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