My students need LEGO sets to work on turn taking, social skills, listening comprehension, expressive and receptive language, and understanding non-verbal body language, as well as a set of storage boxes.
I'm a speech pathologist in a middle and high school. I have numerous students with varying degrees of social difficulties; autism, expressive and receptive language disorders, difficulty following others' directives. We work in small groups to allow spontaneous guided practice of social skills.
My students are the best.
To outsiders they may seem quirky, loud, or even defiant, but to me they are unique, boisterous, and strong willed! The majority of my students with social language difficulties are boys, which is why Lego therapy will be such a hit. My boys are your average teenagers; too cool for worksheets, too shy for skits, and please don't make them tell a personal story about themselves (how embarrassing!). This makes working on social skills hard. If you're not willing to attempt role playing situations we can't practice skills like body language, listening intently to others, or clearly expressing yourself.
My Project
Lego therapy consists of three students working together to complete a Lego set. There is a builder, a supplier, and an engineer. Each student has a specific role and they cannot deviate from their role during that session. For many of my students it would be much easier to put the specific Lego brick where it goes instead of more accurately describing the location to the builder, but that's not the point. We are trying to generate more expressive language, better receptive language, a willingness to follow directions and not do things the way you want. These are all vital social skills that my students are lacking in varying forms and degrees.
Friendships matter.
Social acceptance matters. I'm not trying to make my students "popular", I'm just trying to give them a fighting chance at not losing any friends they make. Being able to wait patiently while someone else tries to work through a problem, or offering encouragement to a struggling peer- these are skills many of my students are capable of, they just need an outlet that allows ample practice! Lego therapy is that outlet for them!
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