Barbara
Erskine
Speech
Therapy

Presents:

 

 

Helping Students to Engage Their World

For Parents of Children with Group Learning Challenges

 

 

Registering Now

for Fall 2010 Classes

 

360-573-7313

 

503-675-7711

 

 

 

~ Vancouver Directions ~  

 

~ Tigard Directions ~  

 

 

 By Providing

Social Skills Solutions

 

 

  

 

Workshops

Teacher’s Night

 

Was a great success,

please contact us if you

wish to come to a future class

 

  

* Our groups also include students who have no specific diagnoses but find social situations challenging.

* Students with social disabilities do not learn by observing others, they must first “know the why of it”.

 

 

Your Child Can Benefit, If You Can Answer Yes To Any of the Following:

 

□       Does not initiate appropriate social interactions or sustain social interactions

□       Has difficulty working in groups

□       Does not easily process the meaning of spoken messages

□       Does not observe/take into account other’s social cues due to limited eye contact

□       Has difficulty attending in large groups; needs more direction

□       Is limited in the ability to infer meaning, problem solve and predict academically and socially

□       Very literal in interpretation of all materials

□       Difficulty recognizing and incorporating other person’s perspectives into how to regulate social relationships

□       Difficulty understanding the perspective of characters in literature

□       Has difficulty talking about other people’s topics of interest

□       Makes off topic remarks or over focuses on details or topics of interest

□       Attends to details, but misses the underlying concept of assignments, stories or pictures

□       Has a good sense of humor, but may miss the subtleties of humor

□       May not understand the difference of being laughed at or laughed with

□       Doesn’t understand when “too much humor” is “too much”

 

 

Why Social Thinking Groups

 

*    Students with social thinking difficulties do not learn by observing others.

*    They must first understand the “why” or thinking behind each social rule or concept and have many opportunities to practice.

*    In our groups, students of all ages build the needed social skills to thrive in their everyday lives.

 
 

 

Who Can Benefit from Social Thinking Groups?

 

Our approach is suited to students who acquire academic skills but are out of synch in their social world.

 

Social Thinking Groups are designed for pre-school and school aged students who struggle to:
 

*    Maintain eye contact

*    Work in large groups

*    Initiate conversations

*    Understand others

*    Stay on topic

 

Our Techniques help students diagnosed with:
 

*    Learning Disabilities

*    Asperger’s Syndrome

*    High Functioning Autism

 

Our groups also include students who have no specific diagnosis but find social situations challenging.

 

 

The 8-week Session

Lays the groundwork for social success by helping students learn how to:
 

*    Read facial expressions

*    Listen actively

*    Make friends

*    Understand their emotions

*    Understand feelings of others

*    Take turns

*    Participate in a group

 
 

Our research based approach makes group social learning effective

 

Each session features: 
 

*    Initial 1-on-1 interview

*    Small group size  (3-4 students)

*    Lessons tailored to group goals

*    Group discussions

*    Role Play

*    Ongoing feedback and coaching

*    Home practice assignments     

 

Parents are given strategies that have a positive impact on family dynamics.    

 

 

References:

*    “Our son used to feel isolated. Now he is learning how to have fun with his siblings and to make friends.” 

L.B. - parent

 

*    “Before we enrolled our son in this class, our home life was an emotional roller coaster.  We now have the tools to cope with those frustrating social moments.”

                             M.B. - parent

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

*    How do we enroll our student in the Social Thinking Group?
 
Please call our office: (360) 573-7313 to set up an initial 1-to-1 meeting. 
 

*    How often do the groups meet?

Each group meets for 8 weeks. Each weekly session is one-hour in length.  
 

*    How are parents involved in the process?

Parent participation is critical to a child’s success. We provide a brief update of progress at the end of each session. Home practice assignments encourage the participation of all family members in the process. 
 

*    What types of activities are used in each session? 
 

Preschoolers
             ( ages 3-5 )

Language, movement and sensory activities facilitate age appropriate turn-taking, play and cooperation.

 

School Age
             ( ages 6-11 )

Role playing, game playing and project planning will be used to facilitate appropriate turn-taking, play and cooperation.
 

Adolescents
             ( ages 12+ )

Role playing, game playing and project planning will be used to facilitate appropriate turn-taking, play and cooperation.    

 

 

We Work with Students Who Have:
 

*  Learning Disabilities

*  Asperger’s Syndrome

*  High Functioning Autism

*  Developmental Disorders

*  Attention Deficit Disorder

*    Head Injury or Stroke

 

 

Contact Information:     

 

Washington Office 

 

Phone: 360-573-7313

Fax:      360-573-0277

Email: info@erskinetherapy.com

 

8513 NE Hazel Dell Ave

Suite 201

Vancouver, WA 98665

 

      ~ Directions ~

Oregon Office    

 

Phone:  503-675-7711

 

 

 

7000 SW Hampton St

Suite 127

Tigard, OR 97223

 

     ~ Directions ~

 

 

About Us:       Providing Critical Skills to Engage Your World

  

Barbara Erskine

M.S., CCC, SLP

 

 

 

 

Barbara is a nationally certified speech pathologist with over 24 years of clinical experience. She is the creator of Social Thinking Groups for preschool children. Barbara works with both grade school and high school students to improve their skills in social interaction, personal problem solving, and organization.  As part of her commitment to the whole family, she has developed practice tools for parents to help integrate lessons into home life.

 

“There is nothing that compares with the look in parents’ eyes as their preschooler begins to take turns and joins in a circle. I love it when students use new social skills in settings outside our group. I always get a thrill when school-age students tell me they’ve made their first friend.”

 

 

Brenda Hiegel

M.S., CCC, SLP

 

 

 

 

Brenda is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist, working with both children and adults since 1995. Social-thinking therapy is Brenda’s passion. She pioneered a unique Social Thinking Group for children and adolescents in Longview, WA.

 

“Students who are struggling to understand and relate to each other can learn to think about others. I am thrilled when teachers and parents tell me of the improvements a child is making when given the tools to increase their understanding of the world around them.”

 

 

 Copyright 2009:    Erskine Therapy  &  Social Thinking Groups