TeachTown Releases Video Modeling-Based Curriculum called TeachTown®: Social Skills.
TeachTown, Inc. is an education company that develops learning products for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, (ASD) speech and language impairments, developmental delays, and other special needs. The company has released a unique, early prevention video modeling-based curriculum called TeachTown®: Social Skills.
“Finally, a curriculum that helps children, in their formative years, learn how to cope and interact with others, including school bullies,” said Rachel Palmer, a teacher in Los Angeles. “This program comes at a time when autism and bullying are prevalent topics in schools today. The program is fun for students and includes everything a teacher could wish for to engage and instruct children on important skills they’ll need in school and for a lifetime.”
TeachTown®: Social Skills is a classroom-tested curriculum that integrates engaging animated characters to teach socially valid skills for optimal classroom learning and school safety. Five volumes roll out this year with the first volume, “Following Rules” available now. Additional volumes 2 -5 will cover Self-Regulation and Coping, Interpersonal Skills, Friendship and Good Communication and are due to release in early spring.
“Following Rules” teaches 10 lessons within 10 animated episodes (short videos). Each episode is centered on a main theme to build student confidence and to help students make good decisions. Lessons include why it’s important: to raise their hand before speaking in class; listen to what the teacher says; follow fire drill instructions; use lunchtime manners; and use a calmer voice inside. Lessons emphasize bullying prevention, peer relationships and related educational skills such as expressive language, motor skills, vocabulary, word recognition, pronunciation and spelling. Each volume includes a curriculum binder filled with lessons, activities, and take-home worksheets. A lesson takes approximately 20 minutes, including a 2 to 3 minute video. A datasheet accompanies each lesson for teachers to assess and collect pre-post information on student behavior and progress. Lessons also include:
· Ideas for differentiated instruction to provide individualized or whole-class learning.
· Character catch-phrases and songs for repetitive auditory cues and sustainable learning.
· Worksheets and classroom activities designed to augment and practice important skills.
· Homework assignments that include a comic book activity to be used at teacher’s discretion.