Teaching friendship is a concept and activity relating to people with social skills deficits or other psychological disorders and issues. Providing healthy concepts of friendship and relationship-building skills is a valuable lesson for those with such skills deficits or in fact anyone. The use of interactive games in teaching friendship allows the structure of the game to be the teacher. Your role is to allow the playing.
Components
Interactive games to represent real-world experiences that the person can experience in the safety of a playful setting. Researchers at the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign identified underlying goals that might be addressed in teaching friendship. These goals include learning how to share, take turns, listen, collaborate, give feedback, apologize and empathize with others. As a teacher of friendship, you have the opportunity to assist another person in developing his emotional intelligence. Child and adolescent psychology professor Loretta Novince of University of Cincinnati writes that this means not only the ability to relate to others but to also become more self-aware, less impulsive and more balanced in his interaction with self and others.
Types
Consider these goals when selecting games and when facilitating the game-playing. The variety of interactive games can promote flexible learning of friendship and relationship building skills. Consider games that are indoor and outdoor; sitting or physically moving about. When using interactive games to teach friendship, your job as the friendship teacher is to consider how it may provoke the players to problem solve, collaborate with others and think flexibly. A board game requires the players to be patient and wait their turn and may solicit empathy and sympathy towards playmates. Interactive athletic games, such as football, foster other friendship skills. You may encourage such concepts as healthy competition, feedback provision and collaboration.
Priorities
Perhaps the most important concept as the friendship teacher when using interactive games is to encourage communication among players while in the safety of "play." This is where the students can learn about themselves and others; develop and grow in their social skills so that friendship does not seem so intimidating. Keep the emphasis on playfulness so as to pair a positive activity --the interactive game -- with a more challenging activity: making friends. Remind yourself while teaching that you are modeling these skills as well.
References
- UC Davis Health System: Teaching Friendship and Life Skills to Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning: Social emotional Teaching Strategies
- "Nurturing the Emotional IQ of Youth at Risk for Engaging In Bullying Behaviors"; Loretta C. Novince; 2005
