Conferences

Learn the Latest Strategies from the Creator of Social Thinking, Michelle Garcia Winner!

• Explore the impact perspective taking has on learning as well as social communication
• Gain understanding of the four core levels in the Social Thinking-Social Communication Profile
• Learn the difference between shared and singular imagination, and how these concepts related to conversation and reading comprehension
• Advance your knowledge of the term "thinking with your eyes" and learn how it applies to success in an educational setting

April 18, 2013

Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME

April 19, 2013

Implementing Social Thinking Concepts and Vocabulary into the School and Home Day: A Day to Develop Team Creativity

Online Registration Closed - WALK INs WELCOME!

Fax Purchase Orders to 408.557.8594

Click here to download brochure and paper registration!

Day 1: April 18, 2013

Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME

Have you ever tried to figure how most people can intuitively “read” other people and make split second decisions about how to interact with them? The process of social communication requires perspective taking. Perspective taking is not one thing but requires many things to happen at once, including conceptual processing (central coherence), figuring out the gist of the situation (executive functioning), and considering the thoughts and emotions of oneself as well as others (theory of mind). This workshop will explore how central these concepts and their related skills are to all social contact, nonverbal or verbal, intentional or non-intentional. Participants praise this workshop day as being filled with research-based information but practical enough to deepen their understanding of the specific social communication and academic needs of their students and children.

The day starts with exploring the normal development of the social mind. From that we move on to explore the different levels of social learning challenges and how they impact a person across the school and home day and into the adult years. In the afternoon, we will explore basic treatment concepts for our “higher functioning” clients: those related to the Four Steps of Communication and the Four Steps of Perspective Taking, along with other practical treatment strategies. Clips from popular movies and TV shows will demonstrate how these media vehicles can be used to help teach Social Thinking and encourage social learning.

To better understand the different levels of the social mind, we will present information on the Social Thinking-Social Communication Profile™ (formerly known as the Spectrum of Perspective-Taking). It was developed based on years of clinical work focusing on more efficient and effective treatments to help students evolve in their Social Thinking. Four of the seven levels defined in the ST-SCP will be reviewed during this conference day, illuminating how varying levels of social learning lead to different competencies, which helps to explain why some treatments are more effective than others - even when students share the same diagnostic label. Equipped with this knowledge, we are better able to select treatments to help students learn in a way that makes sense to the different ways their brains process social information.

If our goal is to help our students gain access to critical information they can use across their lives, it is essential we move away from the idea that all persons with social learning challenges can benefit from the same treatment group or classroom. The ST-SCP not only facilitates this better understanding of our students’ social and academic learning needs, it helps us define which students need to work on learning social rules versus those students who need help with social nuance, and why this different matters. Come learn why the number of buttons a student buttons on a shirt can guide our treatment practices! This is a fascinating day to explore how the little characteristics we notice in our students may be symptoms of a deeper social learning challenge.

Objectives/Participants will be able to:

1. Define what "perspective taking" means and how it impacts learning as well as social communication.
2. Define at least four different levels of the Social Thinking-Social Communication Profile.
3. Explain why some treatment programs work for one level of ST-SCP functioning and are not as effective with another functioning level.
4. Define the term "thinking with your eyes" and apply its use in educational situations.
5. State the four different steps involved in developing social communication skills.
6. Describe a set of treatment activities that align with each of the four steps.

Day 2: April 19, 2013

Implementing Social Thinking Concepts and Vocabulary into the School and Home Day: A Day to Develop Team Creativity

On this day, we will define more Social Thinking concepts and how to apply the Social Thinking Vocabulary throughout the day. Working as part of a group, the “three parts of play,” abstracting and inferencing information and sharing an imagination are among the concepts we will explore and can bring together to teach students how to communicate. We will examine clinical examples that highlight how to make these abstract concepts more concrete and teachable. The Social Thinking Vocabulary is the backbone of Social Thinking teaching programs. Research published in 2008 (Crooke, et al) in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders demonstrated how students benefited from learning these concepts; specifically, that the students, once taught how to think about the concepts, could generalize the information.

Participants will work in groups to learn how to make the information work across settings, creating one or two of their own lesson plans. This workshop emphasizes how to make the teaching achievable across a variety of environments, with the focus on helping students take the ideas from the treatment session and into the rest of their lives. Michelle will present the lessons in the order presented in her book, Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School Aged Students, which is used in school districts in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, etc.

This workshop offers an advanced exploration of Social Thinking, particularly for those who have read Michelle’s books, attended her workshops or are otherwise familiar with Social Thinking concepts.

Objectives

1. Describe how teaching Social Thinking and related skills can be done in the classroom during academic and social tasks.
2. Define 5 different Social Thinking Vocabulary concepts.
3. Describe how Social Thinking Vocabulary concepts facilitate generalization across settings.
4. Create a lesson plan to teach students they are part of a group.
5. Describe the difference between sharing an imagination and a singular imagination as these relate to conversations and reading comprehension.
6. Describe what is meant by teaching students the concept, “there are three parts to play."

Intended audiences: teachers; parents; speech-language pathologists; therapists (MFTs; LCSWs; OTs; PTs); autism specialists; clinical, educational, developmental psychologists; clinical and educational administrators; physicians; nurses; nurse practitioners;  paraprofessionals; learning specialists; advocates: other caregivers and family members of students with social thinking challenges.

Populations to be discussed: School-age students  and adults who have social and communication difficulties, including but not limited to those related to high-functioning autism, PDD-NOS, Asperger Syndrome, NLD, ADHD and undiagnosed challenges. Information presented concentrates on students with near normal to far above normal verbal intelligence (verbal IQs above 70). Most strategies focus on school-age children and adults, although the information is helpful for those living and working with younger children.

About Michelle

Michelle Garcia Winner, MA, CCC, is a speech-language pathologist who specializes in the treatment of students with Social Thinking challenges, including those diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, PDD and nonverbal learning disorder (NLD). Michelle's practical assessment and treatment strategies for professionals and parents earned her a Congressional award. Her work regarding Social Thinking has provided a basis from which instructional programs are developed across the U.S. and internationally, influencing a range of professions: education, counseling, speech-language therapy and others. An article in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders validated Michelle's Social Thinking methodologies for higher-functioning autism. Michelle directs a clinic in San Jose, CA, where she works with clients, trains other professionals and consults with families and schools.

Click here to view Michelle Garcia Winner's financial/non financial disclosure.

"... the leading expert in the field of social skills." - GreatSchools.org

GreatSchools, a nonprofit organization, interviewed Michelle for an article on the need for IEP teams to consider and address the social skills needs of children on the spectrum. Click here to read the article.

"...one of my favorite authors in the field of teaching emotional intelligence. Michelle Garcia Winner has pioneered some very helpful ways of conceptualizing and helping educators understand the social challenges that students on the autism spectrum face." - Stephen Borgman, Psychology Today, Read more at Psychology Today

Comments from Participants at Michelle's Workshops

• "One word: Awesome. Michelle gets it!" - school psychologist
• "The most intelligent, humane understanding of socially challenged people I've ever had occasion to hear" - parent
• "Every general education teacher who is privileged to include students on the spectrum in their classroom would benefit from this workshop" - Kindergarten teacher
• "Simply great parenting strategies to use with all kids!"
• "Chomping at the bit to take it back to the school district"  - OTD, OTR
• "Great source of valuable, practical information" - MFT
• "I can take everything I've learned here and put to use in therapy" - SLP

Early Bird & Group* Savings - EXPIRED

All Costs are Per Person
Registration Must Be Received by April 11th, 2013 or Before Sold Out 
 

Regular Registration

All Costs are Per Person
All registrations received after April 11th, 2013, if space is available

*5 or More: our website automatically discounts per person savings for groups of 5 or more BUT all registrations must be sent in / entered together!

Online Registration Closed - WALK INs WELCOME!

Purchase Orders

FAX your purchase order form now to 408-557-8594

Click here to download brochure and paper registration!

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Questions:
408.557.8595 ext. 309

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Workshops Time and Location

Ritz Charles - Kansas
9000 West 137th St
Overland Park, KS
www.ritzcharles.com

7:45 am - 8:30 am Sign In - Continental Breakfast
8:30 am - 3:30 pm Workshops

Hotel Information

Hilton Garden Inn Overland Park
5800 College Blvd
Overland Park, KS 66211
www.overlandpark.hgi.com

$119 for Double Queen - Mention the code "STP" to receive this special discounted rate

Room discount expiration date: March 18, 2013.  Rooms booked after this date are subject to the hotel’s prevailing rate based on room availability. Once the Room Block has closed Social Thinking has no ability to deliver discounted rate.

Workshop Questions?

Call 408.557.8595 ext. 309
Fax: 408-557-8594 (Fax in purchase orders using your own form)
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

No refunds for cancellations made seven (7) days or less prior to the event. A $25 handling fee will be charged for cancellations made before that time.

Fax Purchase Orders to 408.557.8594

Click here to download brochure and paper registration!

Get 10% off Books and Materials at the Conference!

Learn more about these books by going to "Books & Products" above or by clicking on the titles below. Purchase now or get discount at the event. Some titles at the conference bookstore may sell out or not be available.

 Social Thinking Products