Beyond Friendship: Supporting Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Understanding The Social World (Kerry’s Place)

This 2 ½-hour workshop provides parents, caregivers and professionals working with persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder strategies and tools to help persons with ASD understand the expected social skills to form meaningful relationships.  More than simply making friends, the social world is full of “unwritten rules” and non-verbal communication that can be confusing for persons with ASD to understand.  This workshop will explore social interaction characteristics related to ASD, and how context may impact success in social relationships.

As a result of participating in this workshop, participants will be able to:

• identify the social characteristics related to ASD and the factors that impact success in social situations
• define the hidden curriculum, and provide examples of unwritten social rules that impact everyday interactions
• explain the importance of understanding and teaching context in social skills programs