Here you can download an entire illustrated kit to help children with Asperger’s who are struggling to understand when to tattle and correct people.
Tattling and correcting and children with Asperger’s
If you work with children on the autism spectrum, then you are aware of their motivation to order their social world by applying and imposing rules. If something does not seem right to them, many children with Asperger’s and other autism spectrum disorders will speak right up. Discerning when to refrain from correcting someone, or tattling on them, can be really tricky for them to learn. Many kids with ASD cannot easily predict how their social network might react to their pointing out repeatedly that “Robert does not like to be called Rob!” or tattling on peers on the playground because they called the teacher something naughty behind her back.
Years ago, I read a couple books by Jed Baker, PhD, in which he tackled the issue of tattling and correcting in an elegant manner. He created short rubrics to help kids on the autism spectrum to master the basics of these social skills. In my own experience, children seem to really appreciate having these social skills explained in this manner. In the downloads below, you will find the basic elements of his rubric, though I made some small changes.
How to use the Tattling and Correcting Cards:
When you use these cards and teach this social skill to kids on the spectrum, I suggest:
*Post the tattling and correcting rubrics prominently, and refer to them often
*Use a chalk board or dry erase board to create thought bubbles often, for the purpose of showing how other people respond to overly frank and candid correction statements and tattling
*Do “Flawed Adult Role Plays.” This means that you play the role of someone who is overzealous or indiscreet in pointing out a fault or reporting on someone else’s rule infraction. Then, ask the children to use the posted Correcting and Tattling rules to point out your problems.
*Plant specific cards in the deck which have particular relevance to the children you are assisting. Remove cards that seem irrelevant or incongruent with the age of the kids with ASD you are working with.
How to make the cards and other materials:
1. Click on each image and wait a couple seconds. It will open in another window. Print. Printing on cardstock works best. If you print on paper, and then laminate, that works fine too.
2. I have provided guide lines on the card downloads for cutting them out. There are 48 cards in all.
I hope you enjoy these social skills cards for kids on the autism spectrum. I enjoyed making them.
Joel Shaul, LCSW
Here is a link to another free download on a related subject:
36 cards to help kids with Asperger’s with rigid thinking
I sell several other social skills project that help children on the autism spectrum with social skills, thinking and behavior. See PRODUCTS on the website.
Click on picture. Wait a moment for it to open in other window. Print
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Print. Cut out out guide lines provided.
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Print. You are a very good teacher/counselor/therapist for printing all of these cards.
