Parent Perspective
Jackson’s parents are happy with Jackson’s progress in academic and vocational skills, but they are concerned about his social skills. They have shared that Jackson is eager to socialize with peers, but is often socially inappropriate and appears unaware of social cues. For example, Jackson will approach strangers in public and begin talking about his interests. His parents have reported that Jackson is unaware of personal space, both with strangers and with friends / acquaintances. They’ve described Jackson’s social behavior as inadvertently abrasive and are concerned this behavior may make him more vulnerable as an adult.
Ms. Thomas’ Perspective
Jackson’s teacher Ms. Thomas has similar concerns about Jackon’s social behavior at school. Jackson is very friendly, and he will hug peers and adults at inappropriate times and without their permission. Jackson does not change his social behavior for different settings, and he does not seem to understand that hugging is appropriate only in specific contexts. Ms. Thomas worries that Jackson is somewhat immature, and many adults still think this behavior is “cute.” Ms. Thomas knows that as Jackson gets older, these nonconsensual hugs are less likely to be welcomed and may get him into trouble.
Hear Ms. Thomas share more about Jackson:
Supporting Skills
Listening to Others with Appropriate Facial Orientation and Expression
Like many individuals with autism, Jackson has strong, idiosyncratic interests. He loves wildcats and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He perceives any conversation as an opportunity to share facts about wildcats or explain his latest theory on how the Jaguars will win the Super Bowl. Jackson doesn’t notice when others are uninterested in his favorite topics of conversation. If others move away from Jackson or try to change the conversation topic, Jackson moves closer to them and talks over them. Jackson also seems unaware of his facial expressions. He often furrows his eyebrows or sucks in his cheeks while others are talking. Ms. Thomas suspects these expressions are self-stimulatory behaviors, but peers interpret them as annoyance or boredom.
Understanding Personal Space, Proximity, and Boundaries
Across activities, Jackson seems unaware of personal space and boundaries. He gets very close to people when he speaks to them, and he does not seem to follow social cues for personal space in other settings. For example, he often stands too close to people in the lunch line and reaches over them when he wants something. He does not seem to notice when peers make faces or move away. Jackson also has trouble listening to peers when they are talking about something that does not interest him. He turns away or talks over peers. Ms. Thomas is concerned because she’s noticed many kids have stopped trying to interact with Jackson at all.
Jackson participated in virtual reality social skills instruction to practice his receptive communication skills. Ms. Thomas worked to help him generalize the skills he learned in real-life settings. Click on the links below to see how Ms. Thomas developed a lesson for each skill.
Jackson’s Lesson Plans
Displaying Appropriate Facial Orientation
During VOISS lessons, Jackson learned that when someone is talking to him, he should have a relaxed face and make intermittent eye contact. He learned that it’s okay to make faces, but making faces while talking with or listening to people can be rude and distracting,...
Understanding Proximity/Boundaries/Behavior Expectations May Change Due to Environment
During VOISS lessons, Jackson not only learned how to maintain personal space, but also how personal space changes according to the environment. He learned that when he is around strangers in public spaces, he should give other people as much space as possible....
Displays and Identifies Listening Posture
During VOISS lessons, Jackson learned how to identify when others were listening to him and how to display appropriate listening behavior. He learned that people are listening when their faces and bodies are oriented toward him, and when they are leaning toward him...
Understands Rules of Touch
During VOISS lessons, Jackson learned that it’s inappropriate to touch anyone you don’t know. He realized that he should ask his friends and acquaintances before he hugs them, and that it’s inappropriate to ask strangers for hugs, even if they say yes. He now...
Understands Personal Space and Boundaries
During VOISS lessons, Jackson learned to stay four feet away from people unless he knew them well. He also learned that if someone leans away from him, he has probably crossed into that person’s personal space and is making them uncomfortable. Ms. Thomas created a...