Navigating My World: Leveraging Strengths for Social Confidence

Occupational Therapy Recommendations

• Implement the "Three-Question Filter" Daily: To bridge the gap between theory and practice, Maddy should use a visual prompt (like a bookmark or phone wallpaper) that asks: 1. Is it true? 2. Is it kind? 3. Is it necessary? before engaging in complex social interactions.
• Proactive Sensory Check-ins: Use a "Zone of Regulation" check-in twice daily. Maddy should identify her current emotional state and spend 5 minutes with a tool from her sensory box before she feels anxious, rather than only as a reactive measure.
• Strength-Based Social Exposure: Since Maddy excels at public speaking and memorization, she should use "Social Scripting." She can write and memorize short, structured "opening lines" for interacting with peers (including the opposite gender) to reduce the anxiety of spontaneity.

Materials Needed

• Maddy’s personalized sensory box (previously created)
• Index cards or a digital notepad
• Timer (phone or kitchen timer)
• Mirror (for practicing social cues/expressions)
• "Scenario Cards" (written descriptions of social situations)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Maddy will be able to:

• Map her "hard skills" (memorizing/speaking) to social "soft skills" to build confidence.
• Apply the "Three-Question Filter" to three different social scenarios involving peers.
• Demonstrate a 3-minute sensory regulation routine to manage social-related anxiety.

1. Introduction (The Hook)

The "Superpower" Connection: Start by discussing Maddy’s strengths: memorizing, public speaking, reading, and writing. Ask: "How can someone who is great at public speaking—where everyone is looking at them—be nervous about a one-on-one conversation?"

The Objective: Explain that today we are going to treat social interactions like a "hard skill." Just like memorizing a poem or giving a speech, social skills require a script, a structure, and practice. We will use her sensory box to keep her "engine" running smoothly while she practices.

2. Body: Content & Practice

I DO: Modeling the Filter and the Cues (10 Minutes)

The educator explains the link between Social Cues and the Three-Question Filter.
Instruction: "I am going to act out a scenario where I want to tell a friend that their shoes are untied. Before I speak, I will 'think out loud' using my filter: Is it true? (Yes). Is it kind? (Yes, it keeps them from falling). Is it necessary? (Yes). Then, I will check their social cues. Are they looking at me? Are they in a rush? If they look stressed, I might wait or be very brief."

WE DO: The "Social Scripting" Workshop (15 Minutes)

Using Maddy's strength in writing and memorizing, work together to create "Interaction Scripts."

• Scenario 1 (Supporting a Friend): A friend looks sad. What do we say? Draft a script together.
• Scenario 2 (Opposite Gender Interaction): Asking a peer of the opposite gender a neutral question (e.g., "What did you think of that book/movie?").
• Practice: Maddy practices these scripts in front of a mirror, focusing on her "public speaking" skills (eye contact, steady breath).

YOU DO: The Sensory-Social Challenge (15 Minutes)

This is a simulated "stress test."
1. The Trigger: Give Maddy a challenging social scenario card (e.g., "Someone disagrees with you loudly").
2. The Regulation: Maddy must first go to her Sensory Box. She selects a tool (e.g., a fidget or weighted item) and uses it for 2 minutes to reach a "ready" state.
3. The Response: Once calm, she must write down or speak the "Filtered" response she would give in that scenario, ensuring it passes the three-question test.

3. Conclusion (Closure & Recap)

Recap: Ask Maddy to name her top three hard skills and one way each can help her in a social situation (e.g., "Memorizing helps me remember what my friends like").

Success Criteria Check:

• Did Maddy use her sensory tool before responding?
• Did her response pass the "True, Kind, Necessary" filter?
• Did she identify one feeling she has when talking to the opposite gender?

Home/Practical Mission: Maddy’s "homework" is to use the "Three-Question Filter" at least once during dinner or a family interaction this evening and report back on how it felt.

Adaptability & Differentiation

• Extension (Advanced): Have Maddy record herself practicing a social script and "critique" her own body language, using her public speaking expertise to identify areas for improvement.
• Scaffolding (Struggling): If the "opposite gender" scenario feels too high-anxiety, pivot the practice to a "neutral" adult (like a librarian or shop clerk) to build the same communication muscles in a lower-stakes environment.
• Visual Learners: Create a colorful flowchart of the "Three-Question Filter" to keep in her workspace.

Assessment Methods

• Formative: Observation of Maddy’s ability to "think out loud" during the "We Do" scripting phase. Check for her ability to identify empathy in her scripts.
• Summative: The "Social Scenario Card" response. Success is measured by Maddy effectively selecting a sensory tool and providing a filtered, respectful response to the prompt.