SOCIAL SKILLS & COMMUNICATIONS
Communication Is a Skill. We Teach It.
Your child may struggle to name what they feel, repair a friendship that went sideways, or get through a disagreement without it taking over the day.
That is not a character flaw. It is a skill gap, and skill gaps can be addressed directly.
At The Craig School, Social Skills & Communications is a core part of the academic program, taught every day with the same rigor as reading and math.
THE CORE CLASS
A Required Class, Built Into the Schedule
Every student takes about one hour of direct instruction each day in Social Skills & Communications. It is a required core class, not an elective.
Most schools assume students already have these skills. When they do not, the gap quietly compounds. TCS addresses it directly through explicit teaching, guided practice, and real-time application.
THE PROGRAM
Two Courses, One Continuum
Instruction is delivered through one of two research-based programs matched to grade level.
Both courses run approximately one hour each day and are taught by credentialed teachers, Program Coordinators, and the Student Support Team working in coordination.
Social Skills
Students in grades 3-6 build the foundation: emotional regulation, relationship skills, flexible thinking, and working effectively with others.
Communications
Students in grades 7-8 go deeper. They practice communication, perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy as they prepare for a traditional secondary setting.
WHAT STUDENTS LEARN
The Skills Students Build
These courses target the specific skills that help students understand themselves and interact effectively with others.
Students learn through explicit instruction and guided practice, then apply those skills across every other part of the school day until they become reliable habits.
Emotional Regulation
Perspective Taking
Conflict Resolution
Self Advocacy
Relationship Skills
HOW IT WORKS
One Language Across the Entire Day
A skill taught in one period does not transfer automatically. At TCS, it does not have to stay in one room.
Teachers, Program Coordinators, and the Student Support Team use consistent language and consistent strategies across every classroom and every routine. A student hears the same expectations in math that they heard in social skills that morning.
That consistency is what converts instruction into behavior. Families reinforce it at home through the Family Partnership program, so skills transfer into daily life, not just school settings.
THE RATIO
Coaching in the Moment
Practice requires proximity. With an average ratio of one staff member for every five students and a class size capped at 16, there is always someone close enough to intervene, reinforce, or redirect when it matters.
In practice, that ratio means:
- A moment of conflict becomes a real coaching opportunity. Staff step in while the situation is still relevant.
- Positive interactions get recognized immediately. Recognition in the moment is what builds lasting habits.
- Coaching fits the individual student. It is not scripted.
- Patterns surface early. Small groups make it harder for a struggle to go unnoticed.
Support does not require a student to leave the room. It is built into how the room runs.
THE MODEL
Integrated Into the Whole School Day
Social Skills & Communications is not a standalone intervention. It is designed to work with the rest of the model.
Academic instruction, executive function practice, and social skills work happen in the same environment, with the same staff, using the same language. A communication skill practiced in the morning appears in a collaborative science activity by afternoon. A disagreement at recess becomes a live application of what was taught in class. The model is integrated by design.
Frequently asked questions
No. It is a required core class. Every student takes approximately one hour each day, and it carries the same weight as academic subjects.
Social Skills serves grades 3 through 6 and builds foundational social and emotional skills. Communications serves grades 7 through 8 and develops more advanced competencies, including communication, conflict resolution, and self-advocacy, specifically the skills students need to succeed in a traditional high school setting.
Yes. The same language is used across every classroom and reinforced at home through the Family Partnership program. When the same framework is applied consistently across settings, skills become habits rather than context-dependent behaviors.
It makes real-time coaching possible. With one staff member for every five students, a teacher or Program Coordinator can guide an interaction, reinforce a positive moment, or redirect a conflict while it is still unfolding. That immediate feedback is what builds durable habits.
THE RIGHT FIT
Is TCS the Right Fit?
The Craig School serves capable students in grades 3 through 8 with ADHD, autism, and executive functioning challenges. A formal diagnosis is not required to inquire.
Tell us about your child and we will give you an honest read on fit.
