Essential Social Skills for Children and Adolescents

The violence among young people concerns us all. We see the horrible images of young people lying on bloody floors of school buildings across America and we can hardly comprehend it. There are, of course, no instant experts and no instant answers. However, we do have some ideas about ways to help adolescents develop the interpersonal and social skills necessary for life and which can reduce their need to react so violently to the issues in their lives.

Overall, the data on reducing adolescent problems are clear. Involve our children in church, extra-curricular school activities and give them relationships with caring adults who will listen to them. All these activities build into the children’s lives several factors of great importance. Structure, discipline, adult role models, hard work and good social skills are essential dimensions for reducing violence. This list records the most important skills.

Beginning Social Skills
1. Listening to other people
2. Preparing for a conversation-focusing on a topic
3. Starting a conversation
4. Carrying out an interactive conversation
5. Asking good questions
6. Saying, thank you
7. Self introduction
8. Introducing other people
9. Offering compliments to others

Advanced Social Skills
10. Asking why
11. Asking for help
12. Joining in with others
13. Giving instructions
14. Following instructions
15. Apologizing
16. Convincing others

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