Social Detective Academy

With Social Detective Academy, Jeff Jessum has made an important breakthrough in the teaching of social skills. The concept of social skills requiring detective work will help children at risk for social issues actively apply the principles for effective social problem solving. This book provides an important new tool for parents, educators and therapists in providing sound practice to practical situations. It will make a great addition to any social skills program striving to teach social cognition to youth on the autism spectrum.

This witty, captivating set of social mystery cases is interactive and full of interesting and helpful information. Readers can try to solve the cases right along with Johnny, the clever social detective. Written for youth, it is a great tool for any child who struggles to relate with peers.

With Social Detective Academy, Jeff Jessum has made an important breakthrough in the teaching of social skills. The concept of social skills requiring detective work will help children at risk for social issues actively apply the principles for effective social problem solving. This book provides an important new tool for parents, educators and therapists in providing sound practice to practical situations. It will make a great addition to any social skills program striving to teach social cognition to youth on the autism spectrum.

This witty, captivating set of social mystery cases is interactive and full of interesting and helpful information. Readers can try to solve the cases right along with Johnny, the clever social detective. Written for youth, it is a great tool for any child who struggles to relate with peers.

Introduction

The Calling to Be a Social Detective

The Birth of the First-Ever Social Detective Academy

Welcome to Social Detective Academy!

PART ONE

The Fundamentals of Social Detection or What Every Social Detective Needs to Know

Chapter 1: The Basics of Solving Mysteries

Six Keys for Gathering Facts

Five Steps for Making Sense of the Facts

Creating 

The Usual Suspects

Chapter 2: Attention 

So, What is Attention? 

The Importance of Attention

Attention

How We Show Attention 

Things That Get in the Way of Attention

Tools for Paying Attention 

PART TWO

Verbal Communication: Listening and Responding

Chapter 3: Verbal Listening 

How to Figure Out What the Main Topic Is

How to Identify Mood or Feeling in What Someone is Saying

Chapter 4: Verbal Responding 

Social Remedies for Resisting the Itch to Talk Off-Topic

Befriending our Bodies

Fear of Forgetting 

Things That Might Get in the Way of Responding to Mood 

Techniques for Effectively Responding to Mood 

Underresponding

Remedies for Under-responding 

Over-responding

Remedies for Over-responding

Chapter 5: Verbal Dancing

Remedies for Fast Talking and Crowding

What makes silences awkward? 

What might make an awkward silence a problem?

Things That Can Make it Hard to Have a Nice Verbal Dance 

Remedies for Managing the Awkward Silence 

How to Make Silences Less Awkward

Sharing Responsibility For the Conversation

Remembering That Silence is Not Forever and Comfort Grows Over Time

Sharing Activities 

Do Things in Groups

How to Decrease Negative Effects of Awkward Silences

Take Advantage of the Power of the Pause 

Ask Open Questions 

Share Some of Your Own Experience 

Stay Aware of Our Responses to Awkward Silences

Starting a Good Verbal Dance and Keeping It Going 

Keeping a Good Mental Attitude and Staying Relaxed

Detective Work

Being Creative

Taking Positive Action

How to Tell if Topic Lingering is an Issue

How to Shift Topics Smoothly

Example of Bridging from Minecraft to Other Topics 

PART THREE

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: LISTENING AND RESPONDING

Chapter 6: Nonverbal Communication 

Nonverbal Listening 

Nonverbal Listening Suspects

Chapter 7: Listening to the Face

Face Mapping

Putting the Pieces Together

Facial Combos

Crazy Combos

The Importance of Clear Facial Communication 

A Note on RGF

Combining Clues to Test Our Hunches

Chapter 8: Listening to the Body 

Body Posture

Sensing Relationships in the Body 

Sensing Relationships in the Mind

PART FIVE

CONTEXT AND PERSPECTIVE TAKING

Chapter 11: Context 

Context and Making Sense of the Facts 

How Context Helps Us Organize and Remember Things

Context Helps Us Understand Others Better 

Types of Context

Personal Information

Example: Personality Traits of Humor vs. Sensitivity to Criticism 

Example 1: Personal History of Criticism and Rejection

Example 2: Personal History – Culture 

Mental Styles and Abilities 

Example: Mental Styles and Abilities

Interpersonal Information 

Types of Interpersonal Information

Example: Interpersonal Information and First Impressions

Situational Information

Example: The Mood of the Situation

Gathering and Making Sense of Contextual Information

Contextual Story Worksheet 

"Tell me about your day" – the importance of contextual current events 

Context and Social Media

Chapter 12: Perspective Taking

What is a Perspective?

Perspective Taking 

Perspective Maps 

Benefits of Perspective Taking

How to Take Perspectives

Tools for Perspective Taking 

Buddy Scan 

Fully Taking Perspective

Perspective Assuming and Perspective Denying

Checking Things Out

I Get It – The Art of Perspective Responding