Strengthening Your Child's Social Smarts: Strategies to Help Children with Social Cognitive Deficits

The opportunities for parent education just keep on coming this year! The latest is an exciting new class being offered through the Chapel Hill Parks & Recreation Adapted Recreation & Inclusion Program. The class is designed for parents / caregivers of children in grades K-8 who have social cognitive deficits (including children autism, ADHD, and others).

Classes will take place Wednesday, February 20th - March 27th, 2013 from 6:30 - 8 pm
Location: Seymour Center for Senior Life, 2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill

This class will empower you to help your child learn to navigate the social world by working on & understanding the thinking behind social skills at home, at school & in the community. Based on Michelle Garcia Winner’s Social Thinking® framework, you’ll be given tools to assist your child in understanding unwritten social rules, taking perspective of others & becoming more flexible in social situations.

Winner's approach teaches kids the social cause and effect of "expected and unexpected" thinking and behavior (Winner, 2000) & how to use social smarts when dealing with life situations. Learn Social Thinking concepts, vocabulary & strategies of the Superflex® curriculum (Madrigal & Winner, 2008), which helps children discover their own Superflexible social thinking superhero who helps them defeat a motley crew of "Unthinkables" (social challenges represented in character form). For more information on the Social Thinking framework, see www.socialthinking.com.

(Disclaimer: while this program incorporates the Social Thinking concepts and strategies originally created by Michelle Garcia Winner, it is not affiliated with, endorsed or approved by her or Think Social Publishing, Inc.)

Cost: $180 Residents of Chapel Hill & Orange County, $200 Non-Residents. Pre-registration required then pay instructor the full fee at the 1st class (cash or check). Register online or in person at many Parks & Recs locations.
Parents of children with developmental disabilities may apply for funding for this class through the Jean Wolff-Rossi Fund. Funding is limited; please apply at least 30 days in advance. See our Grants page for additional sources of funding for autism education and therapies.

Please contact Marian Kaslovsky (919) 968-2813 with any questions.