An Examination of Social Skills Instruction in the Context of Small-Group Reading

Students who are socially competent are more likely to experience school success than those who are not. Students with social deficits experience frequent failures with both peers and adults and often require explicit social skills instruction. Because social skills instruction programs taught in isolation rarely result in successful skill generalization, many researchers have supported incorporating social instruction into the academic curriculum. This study evaluated the effects of providing social skills instruction during small-group guided reading instruction to three students identified as experiencing social skills deficits. Results showed positive changes in trend and level across all three students from baseline to intervention. Limitations, suggestions for teachers, and recommendations for future research are discussed.