For more than 25 years, Social Thinking® has been at the forefront of teaching developmental social competencies—helping tweens & teens unpack the social world to guide and support their social emotional and organizational learning and development.
What’s that mean? Given that social information is rarely explained directly, it can be confusing for social learners to make sense of what’s going on around them from both a social and an organizational perspective. Within the Social Thinking Methodology, we focus on teaching these concepts through the use of explicit treatment frameworks and strategies to help all people better navigate to regulate in the social world based on what they want for themselves.
We know how to unpack the social world and engage tweens & teens in developing strategies for observing and interpreting social information and then deciding how to act and react in ways that move them toward their social goals. Learning and using these social strategies helps foster development of their executive functions, self-regulation, stress & anxiety management, and other social and organizational competencies. As a trusted interventionist, you can help guide them toward reaching their social, academic, career, and life goals. We want to share much of what they've taught us as we continue on our learning journey as well!
Tips & Tools for Adapting Teaching to Students’ Needs
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With respect, empathy, and wacky humor, Slaying Digital Dragons empowers teens to explore their screen scene; join the resistance against Big Tech’s manipulations and addictive algorithms; protect their body, brain, psyche, reputation, and relationships from the Digital Dark Side; and conduct a self-intervention (called an “App-endectomy”) to reset and optimize their digital lives.
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Strategies to Build Social Competencies
The Social Thinking Methodology provides evidence-based strategies to help people ages four through adult develop their social competencies, flexible thinking & social problem solving to meet their own social goals and improve:
Parents & Families
Thank you doesn’t seem enough for all that your teachings have done for me and my family! They have been a lifeline for me to re-connect with my 9-year-old. Everything you publish is 100% applicable. Keep up the amazing work!
Elementary School
Social Thinking has completely changed the environment of who we are as a whole. Thank you for providing us with such rich social and emotional resources. The impact that your resources make are life changing and early intervention is key. Your curriculum is truly amazing! I bought into Social Thinking about 9 years ago and will use this as long as I am in education.
Schools
I appreciate how the Social Thinking Methodology links social intent/thinking and the common core or school based standards. This connection, and the understanding that exists, is so crucial to every member of a student's school community.
Mental Health & Clinicians
The Social Thinking Methodology is the philosophy that I ascribe to professionally. It serves as my guide through assessment and intervention.
Speech Language Pathologists
I love how realistic the approach is, and doable! Based on real clinical experience adaptable to individual needs/strengths. Great that all the vocabulary is simple, easy to understand, and not full of professional shop talk.
Parents & Families
Social Thinking’s program has given me the much needed tools to communicate in a meaningful way with my 9-year-old son. Thank you. The stress level in our house has decreased along with the meltdowns. He is able to come out of the meltdowns much more readily.
Adult Clients
I am a professional, high-functioning 37 year old woman diagnosed as being on the spectrum two years ago. The Social Thinking Methodology is by far the most helpful resource I have encountered. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it changed my life. Your concrete examples are extremely helpful.
