Social Communication Program

Does your child have difficulty...

  • Using eye contact?
  • Listening or engaging with others?
  • Interpreting facial expressions, body language, or other nonverbal social cues?
  • Starting and maintaining a conversation?
  • Taking turns during conversation or play?
  • Compromising or cooperating with others?
  • Coping with transitions or changes in routine?

Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center's Social Communication Program may be able to help!

The program is available to students age 5 through high school who have social communication deficits. We believe the following areas are critical for students to develop successful social communication skills:

  • Conversational Skills: Using language to take part in reciprocal and meaningful exchanges (e.g. engagement, topic maintenance, topic initiation, turn-taking, listening, etc.)
  • Self-Regulation Skills: Managing one's own feelings and/or sensory, motor planning, and visual-spatial issues
  • Cooperation Skills: Problem-solving, compromising, and understanding others' perspectives to establish and maintain relationships
  • Generalization Skills: To communicate effectively across social situations and to adjust social behaviors to meet the listener's needs and environmental conditions

In order to improve these skills we have taken a unique approach that combines both structured explicit teaching and student-centered activities, while incorporating gross motor and sensory experiences. Student-centered activities provide natural opportunities for students to apply taught skills in a meaningful way with their peers. During this time therapists recognize "teachable moments" and tailor teaching methods to accommodate each student's unique developmental and individual differences in line with the DIR/Floortime model (Greenspan). For more information contact 716-885-8318.

Class Schedule  

Summer Session - 7/9/13 through 8/21/13

Fall Session - 10/7/13 through 12/17/13

Class Structure

  • Each class is 90 minutes in length
  • There are 6-8 students in each class grouped appropriately by age.
  • Two speech-language pathologists and one classroom aide instructs each class.
  • The student's parent/guardian is required to meet weekly, during a pre-scheduled time, with the speech-language pathologist.
  • Classes are held in the summer, fall and winter. Space is limited and is offered on a first come first serve basis. Most major insurances are accepted.
  • Classes are offered at our Amherst, Buffalo and Niagara Falls locations, depending on enrolloment.
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Click here for a scholarship application 

Locations:


Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center is located at 50 E. North Street Buffalo, NY on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus.

Our Amherst office is located at 5225 Sheridan Drive (Georgetown Plaza), Williamsville, NY.

Our Niagara Falls site is located at 6941 Elaine Drive, Suite 4, Niagara Falls, NY

 

For more infornmation contact:

LeeAnn Terhune - 716-885-8318 ext. 2271 or email lterhune@askbhsc.org

Steve Miller - 716-885-8318 ext. 2289 or email smiller@askbhsc.org