Social Skills 1

Group Proposal: Middle School Social Skills

Paige N. Sparkman

Oakland University
Social Skills 2

Group Proposal: Middle School Social Skills

Many students lack basic social skills even at the middle school level. Working with

students in a small group setting to address this issue is essential for many reasons. Some of the

benefits could include: Increases instructional time for teachers due to less problem behaviors,

improves student interactions, increases student productivity, helps students improve daily social

functioning, helps students make friends, teaches students essential life skills, helps students to

fit in, helps students to function better in classes, teaches students to follow rules, expectations,

procedures; and Increases self confidence, self concept, and self esteem. In this paper I will

discuss the reasons for choosing to run a social skills group, the target population, the format of

the group, and the weekly lesson plans for each session.

Target Population

For this Social Skills group, the target population is Middle Schoolers and would be open

to all grade levels 6-8. Characteristics and identified needs of the particular population will focus

on assisting students that are struggling with making (and keeping) friends, problem behaviors in

class (like lack of respect or cooperation) and address resulting consequences of poor social

behavior. I feel this group is important because Adequate social skills are critical for students to

achieve personal success and help each student to reach his/her highest level of learning, inside

and outside of the classroom.

As for the Type of membership, I feel it is best that this is a closed group with students

participating by invite only. I feel it is best to identify the student who could most benefit from

this type of group - this will be done by reaching out to teachers to see which students could

benefit from the group, so ultimately, the group will be made up by “Referrals”. To make sure
Social Skills 3

each student is getting the most out of the group, and that each student will have a chance to

share and be heard, I am capping the group at 10 students.

Goals

The goals of this group would be to support students in gaining adequate social skills. To

do so we will address: the importance of healthy relationships, the skills necessary to interact

well with others, how to respect yourself and others, the importance of understanding other

cultures and personal identities, and taking personal responsibility for your behavior.

Role of Leader(s)

The role of the leader, in this particular case, the School Counselor, is to facilitate and

lead each group session. I will begin by creating lesson plans and an agenda for each week,

reaching out to teachers and other school personnel for referrals, leading each group session by

introducing that weeks topic and illustrating the activity for that week, and encouraging

productive/respectful communication within the group (i.e. by encouraging students to interact

with one another in a respectful way and to be comfortable sharing in front of others).

Theoretical Approach

It is essential that counselors always work with Theoretical underpinnings in mind. I feel

that I would most use Behavioral Therapy for this type of group - Behavioral theory is based on

the belief that behavior is learned. One area within Behavioral Therapy that I appreciate is B. F.

Skinner’s development of operant conditioning. He believed in the power of rewards to increase

the likelihood of a behavior and punishments to decrease the occurrence of a behavior. I would

use positive reinforcement throughout our group therapy sessions, and I would also ask teachers

to reinforce these practices in their classrooms with this specific population of students.
Social Skills 4

I would also use Reality Therapy/Choice Theory and Solution Focused Brief Therapy due to the

issues that come up in middle school/ developmental age of these student and because of the time

crunch we are under in the school day and within the group session.

Membership Format/ Feedback

The format for this small group will include 6, 45 minute sessions. For Weekly rituals

there will be 3 steps I will follow each week. Step 1: Go around circle and tell group something

about how their week is going, Step 2: Short lesson and discussion and Step 3: an activity that

will be different each week. The last 5 minutes of each session will be used to wrap things up

and discuss any questions/concerns/comments.

Sessions (6)

Session #1

Theme: Our first session’s theme (week 1) will be “How respecting yourself leads to respecting

others.”

Goal: Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person (PS:A1.1). The

purpose is to help students feel better about themselves, celebrating our differences so we can

then learn to celebrate the differences of others. It takes having respect for yourself to have

respect for the people around you.

Activities/direction: This week’s session will have students define respect and identify the

qualities that justify respect. Next, the facilitator will have participants create a working

definition of “respect.” Record their definition. Then, have a volunteer look up the dictionary’s

definition of respect. Ask the participants to compare their definition with the dictionary

definition and make adjustments to their definition as necessary. The school counselor will guide

participants to brainstorm a list of people whom they deem worthy of respect. Then, engage the
Social Skills 5

group in a discussion about which qualities determine who is worthy of respect. Guide

participants to explore beyond external qualities, such as beauty, material wealth, or popularity.

For example, write the name of an influential, well-known historical and/ or cultural person on

the board, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Bill Gates, Barack Obama, etc. Think of qualities that

led this person to his/her success and fame: talent, hard work, and perseverance. The school

counselor will then conclude that the qualities beneath the surface are the ones that determine the

people who earn our respect. Have the young adults return to their list of people and determine if

these people would still deserve their respect, according to the definition of respect. If time is

available, have the group create a collage of people they respect.

Leadership Responsibility/Evaluation: The remaining leadership responsibility for this week’s

session is to introduce the purpose of the group to all students who are participating, go over

general rules and expectations, initiate conversation and lesson around respecting self and others.

For evaluation or Member feedback I will ask teachers and students to survey how these students

are currently doing in regards to social skills then resurvey at the end of the small group to see

how things have improved.

Session #2

Theme: “Appropriate vs inappropriate behavior in school and at home”.

Goal: The goal of this week’s session is to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate

behavior (PS:A1.6). The goal is that students will discuss what is right vs wrong in the different

settings within their lives. We will build on our lesson from last week, discussing how respect

means following the rules and being appropriate.

Activities/direction: In this session we will begin by watching “Code of Behavior - Inappropriate

Behavior - Middle School” Youtube video. Students will then discuss what they noticed. How
Social Skills 6

do we as peers appropriately communicate with our classmates? Do we tell on them, or yell at

them? Or do we take a different tactic? Discuss in a group how each group member would

handle these different situations. Discuss past situations that have occured in students lives that

they can connect to this conversation to help them realize the importance of appropriate behavior

and how they have been affected negatively or positively by this in the past.

Leadership Responsibility/ Member Evaluation: The leadership responsibility for this session is

to lead this conversation and keep it on topic. Make sure all students are participating

respectfully. The Evaluation or Member feedback that will be used this week is self-evaluation,

how do I feel this went, did the topic make it through to students?

Session #3

Theme: “Communicate like a champion!”

Goal: The goals are to learn to use effective communications skills (PS:A2.6) and to know that

communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior (PS:A2.7).

Activities/direction: I will begin by asking a pre-selected volunteer whom I have previously

spoken with to share his plans for the weekend or favorite hobby. Once he or she begins

speaking, I will act as though I am not paying attention by looking for an object, doodling,

slouching, snoring, asking unrelated questions, or repeating what the student says precisely. I

will them stop and ask the group if I was a good listener. I will then have them critique my

listening, and list the poor listening habits on the board. Then, the young adults will be asked to

suggest ways you could have been a better listener (making eye contact, attentive posture,

nodding your head, asking related questions, etc.). I will list these techniques on the board next

to the poor listening habits. Lastly, I will repeat the conversation with the volunteer, this time

performing active listening skills. After the conversation has ended, we will discuss how active
Social Skills 7

listening is a sign of respect. Reminding them that it is frustrating to a speaker when others are

not paying attention to them as they speak. I will further explain that focusing is the key to

listening. Have the group divide into pairs. Have one volunteer in each pair speak to his/ her

partner about an important topic (plans for the future, current news events, etc.). The other

partner in each pair should listen and observe the speaker’s verbal and nonverbal signals. After

one minute, ask partners to switch roles. As a whole group, discuss observations. Ask the group

how being sensitive to signals improved their listening.

Leadership Responsibility/ Member Evaluation: The leaders responsibility this week was to be

involved in the entire lesson, working with students as one of the actors. The leader will also lead

the questions. For this week’s evaluation or member feedback we will discuss at the end of

session how students are feeling. What are they enjoying about group? What are they finding

helpful?

Session #4

Theme: “Don’t argue: how to discuss your way through conflict.”

Goal: The goal of this session is to know how to apply conflict resolution skills (PS.B1.6).

Activity/direction: The activity is to ask each participant what he/she thinks of when he/she hears

the word “conflict.” Encourage him/her to consider situations that create conflict, how he/she

feels when involved in conflict, the results of the conflict, and so on. Record responses on paper,

board or flip chart. Next, we will work on “Stages of Conflict” activity sheet. This is an awesome

resource I found online. Then we will Discuss!

Leadership Responsibility/ Member Evaluation: The School Counselor’s role for this session is

to facilitate the conversation and to help them with the stages of conflict activity sheet.

Evaluation for this week will be Self-evaluation: how did the session go, was the conversation
Social Skills 8

and activity sheet useful for this age group and student population? Should anything be done

differently next time?

Session #5

Theme: “Taking Accountability = Rockstar Character”

Goal: This will be discussed with the goal of understanding that change is a part of growth

(PS:A1.4). Students need to know it’s okay to make mistakes, and that part of having good

character is taking accountability (in all areas of your life).

Activity/ direction: The conversation centers around the idea that we create our character by the

choices we make and by taking responsibility for our actions. This means: at home, with your

peers, and with your teachers/counselor/principal. I will discuss with students the opportunity to

do an out of session assignment, where they will have a face-to-face conversation with someone

who exemplifies good character—or exemplifies a particular virtue such as hard work, kindness,

or courage. This can be anyone that they look up to! During our in person session we will discuss

the following: how does having a good character help a person in life? Who has the most

influence on your character? How did they influence you? We will tie in how people with good

character are ones who take accountability for their actions - especially since it’s okay to make

mistakes. Knowing that everyone makes mistakes is importance, but it is the person who takes

ownership of those mistakes who has the great character.

Leadership Responsibility/ Member Evaluation: The School Counselor’s role is to lead the

conversation and to help students come up with a good person to interview if they are having

trouble thinking of someone. The evaluation method for this session will be verbal member

feedback. Checking in to see how things are going.

Session #6
Social Skills 9

Theme: How can we incorporate what we’ve learned in the last 6 weeks into our daily lives.This

session will also take the time to review last week’s assignment/ what they learned.

Goal: wrap-up this six week small group and say our goodbyes. We will review all of the topics

that have been discussed and the School Counselor will provide students with resources to help

them continue to build on their social skills. We will also discuss who each student interviewed

last week and what they learned.

Leadership Responsibility/ Member Evaluation: The leadership responsibility of the School

Counselor for this week’s session is to lead conversation, and help them say their goodbyes. It is

also the School Counselor’s job to check in with each student individually before they leave.For

the evaluation, the School Counselor will have students complete a survey stating how useful

they found the group to be. They will also survey teachers to see if they have noticed

improvement in student behavior.