The PBIS World Book

Teach Relationship Skills

Why should I do it:

  • Interpersonal skills are an important part of students’ development
  • Improves self-esteem
  • Increases student buy-in
  • Creates a more cohesive class and group
  • Helps students help one another
  • Increases instructional time
  • Decreases time spent repeating directions, rehashing lessons, etc
  • Improves students’ moods, affect, and emotional stability
  • Helps students to interact with adults
  • Helps students to elicit help from teachers and others
  • Teaches students important life skills for dealing with others
  • Reduces conflicts, arguing, and fighting
  • Improves the environment of the room/school
  • Helps students make and keep friends
  • Improves coping skills
  • Increases self-confidence

When should I do it:

  • All students can benefit from being taught relationship skills
  • With students who seem to be “loners”
  • With students that are frequently involved or starting or taking part in drama
  • With students that say no one likes them or they have no friends
  • With students who have trouble asking for help
  • When students seem socially awkward
  • When students cannot get along with others
  • When students instigate, annoy, bug, etc, others
  • With students who are immature
  • When other students shun, avoid, or ostracize others
  • When students bully or are bullied
  • When students create or spread rumors
  • When students have trouble sharing, compromising, listening to others’ opinions, etc
  • When students seem intolerant of others

How do I do it:

  • IMPORTANT NOTE!
    • At the Tier 1 Level, think of doing relationship skills lessons and interventions for the whole class or groups
    • At the Tier 2 level, think of doing relationship skills lessons and interventions for groups and individuals
    • At the Tier 3 level, think of customizing specific relationship skills lessons and interventions for specific students
  • Use any opportunity to model and role play relationship skills, like when a student name calls and others choose not to play with them, when a student shares, when a student helps another, etc
  • Teach lessons on relationships, friendships, getting along with others, tolerance, etc
  • Take students aside to discuss and have them reflect on how their behaviors affect others, what behaviors would make others want to be friends with them, etc
  • Have students partner up and work on projects together
  • Assign work partners
  • Help kids set goals with making friends or getting to know others
  • Try the supports and resources below

Resources & Support for technique: