Description
Book SynopsisPraise for the author:
'Deborah Plummer uses imagination and empowerment to move children and adults from discouragement to success.'
- The Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Review
'Deborah Plummer shows a fundamental respect for a child's integrity whilst making sure her language and ideas are accessible to a wide range of people.'
- Afasic News
Featuring a wealth of familiar and easy-to-learn games, this practical handbook is designed to foster successful social strategies for children aged 5-12, and will help adults to understand and reflect constructively on children's social skills.
The book covers the theory behind the games in accessible language, and includes a broad range of enjoyable activities: active and passive, verbal and non-verbal, and for different sized groups. Deborah Plummer addresses issues that might arise when supporting children with a range of communication differences, including children with learning differences, and offers a variety of cognitive and behavioural strategies to help children to reinforce the skills explored in the games.
This is an ideal resource for teachers, parents, carers and all those working to improve the social skills of children.
Trade ReviewThis outstanding resource enhances and promotes a variety of social skills through the use of interactive games. Designed for use with young children, it can also be used with older students with special needs. Some 80 + games are included. Some are non-competitive, others are more demanding. Icebreakers and warm-up exercises are offered as a starting point. -- The Teacher
The book is easy to read, clearly presented and the inclusion of the theory behind the games and suggestions of how to put this into practice interesting and invaluable. It is designed as a resource for teachers, parents, carers and those working to improve the social sckills of children and would be an ideal resource for anyone looking for ways to support children in developing their social skills through games. -- NAPLIC Newsletter
Social Skills Games for Children is Deborah Plummer's third book... It is an excellent resource full of inclusive games for smaller and larger groups... Each game also includes suggestions for adaptations... This is a really useful handbook and resource which can be used across a variety of play situations and contexts. It is equally useful for play workers, those running nurture groups, and mid-day and other supervisory staff in schools... Where psychologists might be consulting on inclusion or social behaviour change this book also provides and excellent resource. -- Naomi Burgess, EP * Debate - British Psychological Society *
Table of ContentsForeword by Professor Jannet Wright, De Montfort University. Part One: Theoretical and Practical Background. 1. Introduction. 2. Understanding Social Skills. 3. Why Use Games to Support Social Skills? 4. Structuring the Emotional Environment. 5. Transfer and Maintenance of Skills. 6. Self-reflection and Self-care. Bibliography. References. Part Two: Games for Social Skills. 7. Non-competitive Ways to Choose Groups and Group Leaders. 8. Getting to Know Each Other: Warm-ups and Ice-breakers. 9. Staying on Track: Self-awareness and Self-control. 10. Tuning in: Exploring Effective Listening and Effective Observation. 11. More than Just Talking: Communication Skills. 12. You and Me: Exploring Feelings and Developing Empathy. 13. You and Me Together: Building Co-operation and Negotiation Skills. 14. Got It!: Solving Problems in Group Interactions. 15. Wind Down and Celebrations. Appendix. Subject Index. Author Index. Acknowledgements.
