Social grading

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At our last IEP meeting I introduced the concept of formally tracking Chloe's progress socially. I sold this idea to the staff with the belief that what helps us: helps them. And that as she improves her social skills they should see results academically. Currently she need's prompting for most everything. Test answers: Activities: personal hygiene, ect. We have know way of knowing if she has a tooth ache, head ache ect. and is unable to answer "WH" questions.

Since the school and our agenda's are not the same. They (the school) are interested in fulfilling the state mandate academically. We are interested in creating a productive happy human adult. My sales pitch was that helping us track this and including it as one of many priorities can also help them achieve their goal.

They have gotten on board with this idea and the teacher has submitted a matrix for approval to help measure her social growth throughout the year and the years.

Has this been done before or is currently in place outside of studies and such? If so are there examples if this for me to review?

I don't know if it has been done before but I salute you for taking a proactive and sane approach with your child's challenges. Not all of us had that growing up.

Other parents have complained about the opposite problem, that schools are focusing too much on social and not enough on academics for autistic children, so some kids are performing way below grade level. What is definitely beneficial is teaching eggsplicit communication and organization skills. When I was in grade school, the focus was on academics for me, and I learned some social things later, from high school onwards.

Of course I cant disagree. Even using this view. we are going to be using a matrix breaking down social components. So if we find one component is more or less value added. We can address that specific item.

Also a driver in this is although there are deficits in Autistic data. One data point that reoccurr's in many studies including the recent Simon' s Simplex. Is that at least one friend throughout childhood. One peer can result in a significant successful outcome of interventions.

But if I say that: I have to say this. The studies only show that benefit when said person has a desire to be social. That they point out a person who wishes not to be social. Social intervention may actually be more of a determent.

Please understand that I may quote a study: or a theory. I see this site has a significant population of very articulate autistic people. So if you see issues with my idea's please point them out. My desire to be right: is nothing compared by my desire to do right.