Talkabout – A Social Communication Skills Package 2e

This core Talkabout manual is a practical resource essential for Speech and Language Therapists and other professionals who need to help people with special needs develop social skills. Over 60 activities form an extensive, structured social skills programme that can easily be adapted for use with children, adolescents and adults. Written by bestselling author and practising Speech and Language Therapist, Alex Kelly, this book sits at the centre of an internationally renowned series of resources supporting social skills.

Contents include:

• a social skills assessment and intervention planning tool to help you identify the best way forward for each client or group
• over 60 activities focussing on body language, conversation and assertiveness
• 25 group cohesion activities to help you facilitate well-run, productive group sessions
• a wealth of handouts supporting the activities that can be freely downloaded and printed.

This updated second edition of Talkabout sits alongside Talkabout for Teenagers and Talkabout for Adults, as well as three titles published for children (Developing Self Awareness and Self Esteem, Developing Social Skills and, Developing Friendship and Skills).

Author Biography

Alex Kelly is a Speech & Language Therapist who specialises in working with people with social skills and relationship skills difficulties. She currently runs her own business providing social skills training and consultancy to schools and organisations across the UK and overseas.

Reviews

“Talkabout 2nd Editions presents with clear aims and defined hierarchy of its social skills programme, following a systematic structure to address social skills encapsulating wider features such as gestures, thoughts and feelings. Sometimes many other social skill programmes can focus on just the simplest elements of communication and conversation by addressing appropriate things to say and how close is appropriate to stand near someone. However, Alex Kelly doesn’t just address what we say in appropriate social situations, but also how we say it – addressing the finer eloquence of communication. The real life practical examples also support students in a more realistic manner can be applied to daily life instantly, and with summary activities at the end of each chapter to reinforce learning along with visual aids to support and stimulate this is a resource adolescents will thrive on.

Talkabout 2nd Edition combines all the elements necessary for supporting adolescents with social communication difficulties and isn’t just appropriate for those with a diagnosis of autism, but also for the wider peer group to work towards. However, it is noted by the reviewer that assessment forms may need adapting to suit non-writing users, and language may need adapting to be simpler for those with language or cognition needs. But what Talkabout 2nd Edition offers is a solid basis for the administrator to implement all of the strategies presented with any adaptions necessary as there is a clear session aim and objective with clearly structured activities and necessary handouts present with plausible step up/step down activities. It is a highly useful resource for all practitioners working with adolescents with social communication needs including therapists, support workers and even family members.” — Gemma Biles, Speech and Language Therapist

“A well assembled step by step guide for speech therapy group work. Addresses all aspects of communication especially social skills of expressing thoughts and feelings, and gaining insight into what is appropriate in different situations. Although this is designed for work with autism, I can see benefits for utilising with the TBI population and other brain injury such as right hemisphere language disorders in adults.

Excellent resource for any therapist working in groups with a focus on interaction and communication skill building. You can pick it up and run with it.” — Annette Rotherham, NZSTA