Understanding Social Skills & Peer Support Accommodations

Social skills and peer support accommodations help students navigate social interactions, build friendships, and participate in group activities. Social challenges can be just as significant as academic ones, and they directly affect a student's experience at school.

Common accommodations include structured social skills instruction, peer buddies, adult facilitation during unstructured times (lunch, recess), social stories, role-playing scenarios, and small group work instead of large group activities. Some students benefit from explicit instruction on reading facial expressions, taking turns, or joining a conversation.

If your child is socially isolated, frequently in conflict with peers, or struggling during unstructured times, raise this at the IEP meeting. Social skills can be addressed as an IEP goal, and accommodations can be put in place to support your child throughout the school day.