This term in Social Skills the Prep School are focusing on Social Thinking, in particular learning about becoming social detectives and Social Thinking Vocabulary.
Here is some of the vocabulary that we are learning to use:
Social Detective: Every one of us is a Social Detective. We are good Social Detectives when we use our eyes, ears and brains to figure out what others are planning to do next or are presently doing and what they mean by what they say and do.
Social Smarts: The type of “smarts” (or “clever bits”) in our brains that we use whenever we are around other people. We use social smarts in school, at home and EVERYWHERE!
School Smarts: Different types of “smarts” in our brains that we use for school learning. Things like maths smarts, computer smarts, music smarts, science smarts and many more.
Expected behaviours: These are things we do and say that give people good thoughts about us and make them feel good too. Doing what is expected is different based on where we are and who we are with.
Unexpected behaviours: These are things we do and say that give people uncomfortable thoughts about us and make them feel mad or bad. Doing what is unexpected is different based on where we are and who we are with (different situations).
Smart Guess: This is when we use all of our tools (remembering, seeing, hearing, knowing and feeling) to figure things out and make a guess based on what we know about the world. Smart guesses are “expected” and make others have good thoughts about us because they know we are trying to figure things out!
Wacky guess: This is when we forget or just don’t use our tools (remembering, seeing, hearing, knowing and feeling) to figure things out. Instead we just make a random guess without having any information. Wacky guesses are “unexpected” and make others have uncomfortable thoughts.
We use this vocabulary with students across the school, in and out of the classroom. Why not try using it at home too!
Rachel Cullen
Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Speech and Language Therapist