Beyond Classroom Walls is proud to offer 3 levels of programming with intense focus on social skills and appropriate behavior.

Tier I is Relating Together which blends principles from Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) and early developmental social skills. RDI was developed for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and also benefits children from other neurological populations. Relationship Development Intervention's philosophy is that individuals with autism can participate in authentic emotional relationships if they are exposed to the needed skills in a gradual and systemic manner. The focus takes students to early developmental milestones such as referencing, eye gaze, joint attention, regulating and coordinating actions, making social engagement and human experiences fun through goal-directed play. Research finds that when students (due to their “neurological wiring” and type of disability), miss these critical developmental elements that normally develop in infancy and early childhood they are not ready for the next developmental level of social skills and behaviors such as eye contact, greetings, initiation, social exchanges and interacting with others. These are the types of skills and exchanges that are needed in school and often where many social skill programs begin. This group focuses on closing the gap and positioning students to be ready for the next phase of social development.

Tier II is Successful Social Skills for students who struggle to understand and demonstrate socially appropriate behavior. This group provides hands-on, direct coaching and training for how and when to use social language and conversational skills, maintaining eye contact, body language and appropriate distance/touching, tones of voice for situations and matching emotions appropriately, mental flexibility for wait time, turn taking and compromise, self advocacy, bully management and stranger danger. All activities and lessons are hands-on, functional and focus on real-life skills and activities such as cooking, art, games and vocational and community themes such as planning and operating an ice cream shop. Students learn how to work with partners and interact in a small group.

Tier III is Community Relations and Adaptations which offers social skills and behavior training at the most advanced level within the context of the community. Often behavior and focus can be challenged in community environments due to the conditions continually changing, being distractible and non predictable in large and complex surroundings. Working with community themes and then directly in the community will challenge students to access and apply their prior knowledge and academic skills functionally. This group takes students into the community on 3 occasions with pre and post lessons on how to plan, problem solve and be successful at this level.

Outing Structure :

Outing 1 will be at a different eatery such as Bliss Cupcakes where students will be given a pre-determined budget for ordering. Social skill language, eye contact and verbal skills will be heavily reinforced. Making a financial transaction, staying within budget and understanding a receipt will be taught for example, identifying the amount paid, tax, refund/exchange policy, change and store address and phone number.

Outing 2 will always be at a grocery store where students will reinforce the skills of reading and understanding aisles, finding items, identifying employees, check out and other points of importance.

Outing 3 will always be different such as going to Target, Walgreen's or Goodwill. Social skills, problem solving, time management and financial transactions will be some of the many skills addressed.

It is our commitment to partner with your child and family to improve behavior and advance social skills through our hierarchy of programming. We provide continual feedback and home programs for parents to continually reinforce goals.