Social Skills

Social skills involve the ability to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills that enable successful social interactions between members of the (school) community.

That is, we all need to skilfully meet our own needs in acceptable ways and to support the needs of others. 

Teacher social skills are key

For example, Teachers frequently use their social skills in

• Attentive listening (from Tribes....)
• Active Supervision (SWPBS...)
• Restorative Inquiry (Restorative Practices...)
• Affective Statements (Tribes, RP...)
• Showing appreciation (Tribes, RP...)
• ...

Many possible frameworks

There are numerous ways of describing  'social skills'. Google returns about 130,000,000 results when searched for Social Skills. 

There numerous 'social skills". For example, Peaceful Schools identifies five essential social skills:

• Cooperation
• Assertion
• Responsibility
• Empathy 
• Self-Control

Other frameworks identify additional social skills to the list such as

• Dealing with conflict
• Showing respect
• Staying relaxed
• Attentive listening
• Making conversation
• Empathy
• Self disclosure
• Eye contact
• Building friendships
• Keeping friendships
• ...

Each school needs to decide
Given the range and complexity of the social skills it makes sense for each school to choose a basic framework and work consistently and comprehensively from there. See also Pedagogies for SEL

[Note the link between social skills, values and the schools aims and expectations!!]