The Social Skills Picture Book: Teaching Play, Emotion, and Communication to Children with Autism

The Social Skills Picture Book has zoomed to the top of the chart in books on autism and Asperger’s because it provides a teaching tool that “engages the attention and motivation of students who need help learning appropriate social skills.”

It demonstrates through pictures nearly 30 social skills, such as conversation, play, emotion management and empathy. “Children of all ages learn more effectively when pictures are used to supplement verbal descriptions and instructions,” Baker contends. “It’s particularly effective, or most helpful, when people build their own picture books, because they can see themselves in the book.”

The book is not only valuable for autistic children. “We’ve discovered that what is helpful for kids with autism is also helpful for most kids,” explains Baker. “That’s because breaking down skills into basic components is a good way for all to learn social skills.” For example, there’s a picture in the book of two children at a lunchroom table, where one of them is eating. The book tells the child that, to be sociable, he first could ask a question about what the other student is doing. “What are you eating?” asks one. “A bagel,” answers the other.

Then, the book tells the child it is beneficial (socially) to ask follow-up questions about the activity, like “How does it taste?” “Almost anyone can benefit from these basics,” explains Baker. “If a child is not initiating play, talking to or looking at his peers, he may need parental and/or professional intervention, the earlier the better.”

Most children need and usually want social skills to make friends, and, often, their level of happiness and productivity is dependant on these fundamentals. The Social Skills Picture Book attempts to teach these critical social skills by visually showing children what to do. ISBN: 1885477910, By Jed Baker