Transferring Tools to Increase Positive Behaviour from School to Home

Social Behaviour mapping is a strategy that is being used more frequently in schools. The concept of social behaviour mapping can be applied very effectively at home as well.

Social Behaviour mapping is a tool developed by Michele Garcia Winner to assist students with social cognition challenges in understanding the effect their behaviour has on other people and how the behaviour they display is linked to good or bad consequences. Students with poor social cognition are unaware of the hidden social rules and have difficulty taking the perspective of others. Social behaviour maps consisting of normal or “expected” behaviours and weird or “unexpected” behaviours are created with the student to concretely identify social behaviours in a variety of situations.

A social behaviour map is comprised of a list of “Expected” Behaviours and “Unexpected” Behaviours. To make use of this strategy at home first identify a situation where your child may be experiencing difficulty in understanding the social behaviours required (for example sharing with siblings). With your child identify some of the unexpected behaviours they do in that situation (such as take toys away from their sibling, scream when it’s their sibling’s turn to choose a TV program). Identify with them how that might make other people feel (likely annoyed or upset), the natural consequences your child might experience (such as reprimands from parents or being sent to their room). Next identify how that makes your child feel about themselves (likely sad, mad or not included). Once this section is completed, you and your child can reconsider the behaviour from an “Expected” Behaviour lens and then follow the same process. Some Expected behaviours for sharing with siblings might be sharing toys, taking turns choosing TV programs. Next identify how that make other people feel ( happy, proud) then the natural consequences your child would experience (siblings would want to play with your child would experience, (parents praise your behaviour, you may earn extra TV time). Lastly identify how your child would feel about themselves (likely happy or calm). Post the list in a place in your home accessible to your child (fridges make great homes for important messages). Refer to this chart (map) when you see expected or unexpected behaviours occurring and use it as a visual prompt for your child. Provide plenty of praise for expected behaviours. Have fun with your child in designing or personalizing their map.

More information about this approach can be found in the book Social Behaviour Mapping- Connecting Behaviour, Emotions and Consequences across the Day written by Michelle Garcia Winner. According to MGW, Social behaviour mapping is suitable for children from Grades 3 to adulthood. Older children would likely enjoy reading Social Fortune or Social Fate A Social Thinking Graphic Novel Map for Social Quest Seekers written by Pamela Crooke and Michelle Garcia Winner.

We’d like to hear from you if you’ve used this Social Behaviour Mapping strategy at home.