What Does It Take to Be Successful in Life

Establishing Relationships, Living Independently, &

Maintaining a Job

Three Themes

Establishing social relationships

Developing a set of independent or “interdependent” living skills

Acquiring skills for successful employment

Over-Riding Beliefs Have high, but realistic expectations Provide consistent messages about

behavior, appearance, & acquisition of skills

Provide early & continuous hands-on experiences

Provide opportunities to make decisions & problem solve

Develop a sense of responsibility & give chores

Social Skills

What Does it Mean to be Socially Successful?

Students with visual impairments have a social presence.

Students with visual impairments have a range of skills that support them in engaging with others.

Students with visual impairments are aware of others beyond themselves.

Why is it Important to be Socially Successful? Promotes friendships & positive relationships

Nurtures self-esteem

Promotes positive employment & independent living outcomes

Promotes social understanding, decision making, & problem solving

Promotes self-advocacy

What is Social Presence? Appropriate dress & grooming Appropriate body posture, stance,

gestures, & gait Facial expressions that are

appropriate for the occasion Knowledge of the social situation Motivation to learn the social rules

within a variety of environments

What is Important for Students to Know?

Basic interactive skills

Interest in peers, co-workers, & family

Engaging in conversation

Complimenting, reciprocating, empathy

Strategies to Promote Socialization

Early & continuous experiences

Opportunities with sighted & blind peers

Accountability for actions

Consistent feedback or modeling

Teach age-appropriate games & activities

Social Thinking Moving beyond self & perceiving the

needs of others

Understanding the social situation & making decisions about social interactions

Analyzing the social situation & evaluate social behavior

Activities of Daily Living

The Concept of Interdependence

Not all people are totally independent

We all require support or assistance

Finding the balance between independence & interdependence

Basic Self-Help Skills

Grooming

Personal hygiene

Dressing

Eating

Clothing

Choosing & matching clothes

Clean & wrinkle-free clothes

Clothing that fits & is appropriate

Clothing care

Organization & Time Management

Keep track of belongings

Responsible for completing chores, classroom jobs, & homework

Knowledge of time & a way to keep track of time

Money Management Knowledge of cost of everyday items

Coin & bill identification

Use money in public

Understand that money is earned

Knowledge of banking

Personal signature

Cooking Grocery shopping

Use of microwave

Using kitchen utensils & equipment

Using the stove & range top

Meal or snack preparation

Cleaning

Bed making & organize bedroom space

Laundry

Knowledge of cleaning products

Use of mop, vacuum, scrubbing surfaces

Home Management

Use of tools

Home maintenance- change a light bulb

Yard maintenance- mow lawn

Recycling

Safety

Knowledge of public & private

Understand stranger, acquaintance, friend

Aware of surroundings & travels confidently

Personal Management

Knows personal information & who receives personal information

Carries student and/or state I.D.

Carries purse or wallet

Job Readiness & Employment Skills

Job Readiness Skills Punctuality Following directions Staying on task Engaging socially with others Sharing job responsibilities Demonstrating appropriate interactions

with supervisors & colleagues Organization of work space & belongings

Academic Skills Needed for Work

Reading, writing, & spelling skills

Read at least 150 words per minute

Knowledge & use of technology

Mathematics: use of a calculator, an abacus, & other tools to assist with banking & purchases

Work Preparation Exposure to jobs & job tasks

Job shadowing

Hand skills

Endurance for work- staying on task, completing a series of tasks, use of breaks

Pre-Requisites for Work Chores around the house

Student as helper not helpee

Prior work or volunteer experiences

social security card & state I.D.

Signature that can be replicated

Exposure to work

Role of Families & Professionals

Partner to provide a consistent message to the student

Make the ECC a priority along with academics in your student’s education

Look beyond the present Let Go & believe that your child is

capable of achieving success in life Nurture independence & foster

interdependence

Role of the Student in Developing a Successful Life

Desire to become socially savvy Desire to develop friendships Desire to become inter-dependent Motivated to take risks & make change Interested in receiving feedback about

social & work performance Desire to be autonomous Desire to be a self-advocate

Resources AFB Press

Focused On: Social Skills Curriculum Series Teaching Social Skills to Students with Visual

Impairments: From Theory to Practice Skills for Success www.afb.org

Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired TSBVI Social Skills Curriculum TSBVI Daily Living Skills Curriculum www.tsbvi.edu

Resources California School for the Blind

CSB Safety Curriculum CSB Living Skills Curriculum CSB Social Skills Curriculum CSB Career & Technology Education

Curriculum www.csb-cde.ca.gov

Contact Me

Sharon Zell Sacks, Ph.D. Director of Curriculum, Assessment, &

Staff Development California School for the Blind (510 794-3800 Ext 313 ssacks@csb-cde.ca.gov szsacks@aol.com