Social Thinking and Me (Two Book Set)

Whether you’re new to Social Thinking or a veteran in using our materials, Social Thinking and Me is the perfect tool to introduce and teach core Social Thinking Vocabulary and concepts to older elementary school and middle school-age kids (ages 9-14). This two-book set breaks larger and more complicated social concepts down into smaller chunks to make it easier for adults to teach and easier for kids to learn.

What’s Great About This Two-Book Set

• No prior knowledge of Social Thinking or teaching our methodology is needed! Can be used by teachers in mainstream or inclusion classrooms, by therapists in individual or small group settings, and by parents as a teaching/learning tool to help kids with social learning.
• Social Thinking and Me uses language that is understandable to both kids and adults, and breaks down complex topics in a way that is clear and manageable to both new and familiar learners of Social Thinking. Its voice is guiding, kid friendly, and sometimes humorous in nature, helping kids let down their guard and feel open to learning concepts that challenge them.
• Provides a deep focus on helping individuals understand their emotions and how their actions affect the emotions of others. The books mindfully work to help kids develop their own “feelings” vocabulary (beyond happy, sad, mad), guide them to begin thinking about their own feelings, and then discuss the feelings of others – such as how certain situations might make others feel, how our actions can impact how others feel and vice versa, and the body language or nonverbal communication associated with different emotions.
• Fits well into any school working to establish a culture of caring and kindness through social and emotional learning (SEL) and/or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as part of its over-arching school-wide goals. Social Thinking Vocabulary and concepts provide foundation thinking skills that align with Common Core and state standards here in the U.S. and educational standards in countries around the world. Created to support your students’ academic and social learning needs!
• Adults will find helpful background information on Social Thinking included in the Thinksheets book, along with teaching tips for maximizing the child’s or student’s learning.
• Thinksheets are like “mini-lesson plans” that help adults work directly and more effectively with a child or group, provide opportunities for meaningful conversation, and give children the practice they need in figuring out how the concepts apply to them.
• Effective for kids with and without a social learning challenge! Even though Social Thinking and Me was written for kids with social challenges (autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, nonverbal learning disorder, and other social emotional/social communication challenges) all individuals, whether or not they have a label/diagnosis, can benefit from learning about Social Thinking concepts.
• Practical and positive set for parents who homeschool their children to help kids learn more about their social selves, flexible thinking, perspective taking, self-regulating their behavior, seeing the big picture, expected/unexpected behavior when in different situations, etc.

What’s in the two book set?

Book 1, Social Thinking and Me Kids’ Guidebook for Social Emotional Learning, contains 11 chapters written in kid-friendly language and infused with lots of illustrations. In each chapter, kids are introduced to new Social Thinking Vocabulary concepts that help them think through the behavioral expectations embedded in social situations. Alongside the concepts, the book also offers strategies that give kids the tools needed to use these concepts in dealing with everyday social problems. The chapters explain the concepts using age-relevant social situations, fun illustrated pictures, and offer lots of easy-to-understand ideas to encourage personal exploration and classroom discussion that can help students become better social thinkers and social problem solvers.

Chapters cover essential Social Thinking concepts including:

• What is Social Thinking
• Social Thinking = Flexible Thinking
• We All Have Feelings
• Thinking With Your Eyes
• Thinking About the Hidden Rules and Expected Behavior
• Keeping my Body, Eyes, Ears, and Brain in the Group
• Thinking of Others vs Just Me
• How Big is My Problem?
• Thinking About My Reaction Size
• Doing An Activity or Just Hanging Out

At the end of each chapter is a “pointer” that sends the reader over to the Thinksheets book, where they work through thinksheets to help them explore and practice these new social concepts in true-to-life scenarios and situations.

Book 2, Social Thinking and Me Thinksheets for Social Emotional Learning, brings the concepts and vocabulary introduced in the Kids’ Guidebook to life through 54 fun and instructive “thinksheets” that expand on the concepts and help kids learn to better understand how the concepts relate to them in their own everyday lives. Real-life scenarios and situations range from the classroom to home, from going to the movies to hanging out with peers. The Thinksheets book also provides adults with core teaching know-how to maximize teaching and learning.

Topics include:

• An introduction to Social Thinking
• Why it’s important in helping children learn to think about and navigate social situations
• The social-academic connection
• How to teach the concepts and chapters
• A glossary of the Social Thinking Vocabulary
• Letter to parents/caregivers that educators can use

Both books are meant to be used under the guidance of an adult (parent, teacher, clinician, etc.) so that kids and adults can engage in the thinking process together. The books are also meant to be used by all stakeholders on the child’s team to ensure that everyone is on the same page with the concepts taught and learning is carried over into all environments. Together, the two-book set is a powerhouse of social knowledge to teach children valuable Social Thinking concepts that will help them transition into the more socially-complex and socially-demanding middle and high school grades.